What Happened To MD Golf? [Surprising]

They were once one of the biggest and best mid-range brands in the game of golf from the 2000s and 2010s. But MD Golf has had a tricky few years negotiating the change in consumer demands and advances in golf club technology. So what happened to MD Golf?

Here we’ll delve into it and find out a little more about what happened and where they are now.

What Happened To MD Golf?

Who Are MD Golf?

MD Golf was set up in 1999 by Michael Morton and David Millsopp with the aim of bringing great quality golf clubs at affordable prices, to a wide range of players. With such high-quality equipment, they quickly were recognised as being one of the major players in the budget to mid-range price market.

Currently, MD Golf is part of Golf Nation which is a brand established in 2014 and is a spin-off from the original Golf Network business first created in 1996 as a large golf wholesaler of various equipment.

MD Golf has worked with one of the biggest and most iconic names in golf, Seve Ballesteros, to make golf equipment more accessible and help grow the game. Seve being such a legend of the game, was a huge face for the brand and really took it to new heights during the years they worked together.

What Happened To MD Golf?

MD Golf was once a big name in the golf market, targeting the average-level golfer with good quality clubs at very affordable pricing. Golf clubs that would win awards each year in various publications such as ‘Today’s Golfer’ and offering brilliant game-improvement options.

Yet for many a year, MD Golf has not really been on the scene in terms of the golf equipment market. A once great brand that has seemingly disappeared from pro shops and online retailers across the country.

Now I’d imagine this is partly down to growing global costs and partly down to changing opinions in the golf world. For a brand like MD Golf, they were never really competing with the likes of Taylormade or Callaway, whose new drivers cost over £400.

However, keeping up with the latest technological advancements is a must if you’re looking to attract golfers who’re trying to improve their games. As Nike Golf discovered, this is certainly not a cheap thing to do, so it’s almost certain MD Golf was unable to meet those requirements.

So they can’t produce the equipment that matches the big dogs in the industry, but surely the beginner golf market is still ripe for the picking? Perhaps not and it’s likely the biggest cause of the decline of MD Golf.

New golf clubs are heavily inflated, there’s no denying it. But conversely, second-hand clubs are actually very affordable in the market today. So if you’re a 24 handicap player looking for a better driver to help your game, you’re not looking at a brand new MD Golf driver for £100 when you can get yourself a second-hand, 5-year-old, top-branded driver for the same price.

So what actually happened to MD Golf and where are they now?

Well, in a bid to resurrect the dying brand, the owners of MD Golf have tried to follow the growing trend of DTC marketing. Going Direct-to-consumer in a bid to reduce costs and cut out the middleman.

Now part of the Golf Nation brand, MD Golf is still a focal point for the business and is actually still producing golf clubs at very affordable prices. No more having to go through a third-party retailer such as American Golf, MD Golf can still keep its margins and continue to sell at prices golfers can afford.

2022 actually saw the release of a new line-up of clubs from MD Golf which could be the start of a revival for the brand. The new STR40 range is again focused on high quality at very good price points, with a full set of irons costing just over £200. As mentioned, if you’re looking to buy, it will have to be directly through their website and they can offer next-day delivery.

What’s The Future Of MD Golf?

So obviously, as an outsider looking in, it’s difficult to really make a judgment on what the future looks like for MD Golf. However, for a once great brand, working with the likes of Seve, that was near to extinction a few years ago, it’s good to see they’re are bringing out new golf clubs.

The 2022 lineup looks great, with similar styles to their previous collections and the prices are certainly fair. The designs are clean and modern which you’d expect and you can get a full set of clubs for under £700.

The problem is finding them and having any real conviction on whether they are worth your money. Not many people know they’re still producing golf clubs as you’ll not see them in any retailers. Therefore there needs to be one hell of a marketing push to get these back in the hands of golfers.

There’s also plenty of competition in the industry for this type of target market, so coming out on top as they were previously, will prove difficult.

Having grown up playing during the early 2000s and witnessing the rise (and fall) of MD Golf, I’d love to see a resurgence of this brand and have it back as one of the favored lower-end golf club producers.

Final Thoughts

So there we have it, a quick look at MD Golf. Who they are, what happened and where are they now?

There’s no denying the brand is a great one, so it’s sad to see them fall so heavily from the market. They’re creating new clubs and building out a focus on a DTC business model so it’s possible you could be seeing them back on top once more.

Another new, up-and-coming brand in the golf industry is Druids. Their range of golf clothing and golf trolleys are an excellent choice for all levels of golfers.