Curious why so many pros you see on TV have a Cleveland wedge or two in their bag? You're not alone. While some brands are known for their drivers or irons, Cleveland has carved out a legendary reputation in the short game. In this article, we’ll look at the top-tier pros who trust Cleveland clubs for their biggest moments and break down exactly what models they're using and why.
Before we name names, it's important to understand why Cleveland is such a force, particularly with wedges. It’s not just about paying players to use their gear, it’s about a decades-long legacy of performance that pros trust when their livelihood is on the line. Think of it like this: for a tour pro, their wedges are their money-makers. These are the scoring clubs used for everything from full shots out of the fairway, delicate pitches from the rough, and tricky bunker escapes. Trust is everything.
Cleveland, for years, has focused on a few core principles that resonate with the best players:
Their longstanding Srixon/Cleveland/XXIO staff program, which features some of the game's biggest stars, is a testament to this performance, placing their clubs in the winner's circle time and time again.
While many players under the Srixon umbrella use Cleveland gear, a few major champions stand out as marquee names who rely on these clubs for the most demanding shots in golf.
Brooks is one of the most intense competitors in modern golf, and his equipment choices reflect a no-nonsense, performance-first mindset. While he is a Srixon staff player and plays their irons, his loyalty to Cleveland wedges is unwavering. You will almost always find a set of Cleveland RTX wedges in his bag.
What's in his bag? Brooks typically games a set of Cleveland RTX ZipCore Tour Rack wedges. The "Tour Rack" designation means these are raw, un-plated wedges that rust over time. Many pros prefer this because it reduces glare and they feel it adds a bit more texture to the face for extra spin. His setup usually includes:
For a player like Brooks, whose power game sets up wedge opportunities, having complete control over distance, trajectory, and spin inside 130 yards is non-negotiable. His trust in Cleveland is a huge marker of their tour-level performance.
The 2019 Open Champion is another Srixon staffer with legendary hands around the greens. His creativity and touch in the short game are world-class, and he leans heavily on Cleveland tools to execute those shots. Lowry’s bag is a great example of the full Cleveland-Srixon partnership.
What's in his bag? Lowry often has Cleveland wedges and, notably, has used a Cleveland putter for significant wins.
The 2021 Masters Champion is well-known for being one of the most meticulous and demanding players when it comes to his equipment. He famously takes a long pause at the top of his swing, a move that requires total confidence and stability from his clubs. Matsuyama puts his equipment through rigorous testing before anything makes it into his bag for a tournament.
What's in his bag? Hideki is a full Srixon/Cleveland staffer, and his setup reflects his precision.
A PGA Championship winner and long-time Cleveland/Srixon staffer, Keegan Bradley often uses a mix of clubs from both brands. He is a fantastic example of a player who trusts the technology across the board, not just in the scoring clubs.
What's in his bag? While he plays Srixon irons now, he has been known to use Cleveland drivers in the past. It’s his wedge setup that remains consistent.
Perhaps the biggest vote of confidence for Cleveland is the number of "free agent" players who choose to use their wedges. These are pros who don't have a full bag equipment contract, meaning they can play clubs from any manufacturer they want. When a player who is free to choose anything lands on a Cleveland wedge, it says everything about the club's raw performance.
You’ll often see players on the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, and Korn Ferry Tour with bags full of different brands, but a Cleveland wedge (or two or three) sitting right there alongside them. They aren't getting paid to play it, they are playing it because they believe it gives them the best chance to score. That’s because, at the end of the day, consistent spin, predictable turf interaction, and a shape that inspires confidence are universal needs for a tour player. Cleveland consistently provides the solution.
While the wedges get most of the spotlight on Tour, it's worth asking about the rest of the lineup. Why don't we see as many Cleveland drivers or iron sets at Augusta or St. Andrews?
The simple answer is brand strategy. Srixon and Cleveland are part of the same parent company. Srixon is positioned as the tour-focused brand for irons and woods, with forged offerings and players’ shapes that elite pros gravitate towards. You can see this in the bags of all their staffers.
Cleveland, on the other hand, specializes in two areas:
Putters, like the Huntington Beach SOFT and Frontline series used by Lowry, continue to make gains on tour due to their innovative weighting technology and soft feel. It just proves that no matter the club, performance and feel are what earn a spot in a pro's bag.
Cleveland's presence on the PGA Tour is a powerful lesson in specialization, with their wedges being the trusted choice for Major champions like Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry, and Hideki Matsuyama. While Srixon handles the full-bag needs for most staffers, Cleveland remains a dominant and respected force in the scoring clubs, chosen for performance by both contracted pros and equipment free agents alike.
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