From Rolex and Arnold Palmer to today’s golf-inspired timepieces, a look at the longstanding relationship between golf and the world’s leading watchmakers
— October 30, 2026
Golf is a rather peculiar sport. Those who do not play struggle to understand the appeal of a game whose physical demands are far lower than those of most other sports. No running. No sweating. But those who do not play are also unaware of the enormous mental demands involved.
Studies on the subject suggest that golf’s appeal lies in the balance between the challenges it presents and the skill required to overcome them. It is also an inherently social sport, one that fosters relationships through rituals very much its own.
For obvious reasons, golf has long been associated with the upper classes – the elites even – and for decades this has drawn the world’s finest watch brands onto the course. Among them, Rolex has devoted more resources to the sport than any other over the past 60 years.
The brand supports the four men’s majors and five women’s majors, as well as the world’s leading tours, including the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour, LPGA Tour, and Ladies European Tour. Some of the world’s biggest competitions also carry the Rolex name: the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, and Presidents Cup.
It all began with a gentleman’s handshake between Rolex and Arnold Palmer. Palmer represented the trio comprising himself, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player. The Big Three – as they would forever become known – were among the first great driving forces behind golf’s global growth.
Rolex has remained closely connected to the sport ever since, forging relationships with some of its greatest names over the past six decades. Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Jon Rahm, Annika Sörenstam, Brooke Henderson, Lydia Ko, Anna Nordqvist, Ruoning “Ronni” Yin, Rose Zhang, and many others have made golf history and had a decisive impact on the identity of the sport.
As with almost everything else, Omega was never going to let Rolex take all the glory. The Omega European Masters is Europe’s oldest competition, and 2026 marked the brand’s 25th anniversary as title sponsor.
The Seamaster Aqua Terra collection is one of the most iconic in its entire catalogue and the obvious choice for Rory McIlroy, one of the greatest golfers in history, with more than 100 weeks at the top of the world rankings, six majors to his name, and the distinction of becoming the sixth man – and first European – to complete the modern Grand Slam.
Alongside McIlroy, Omega supports other major names, including Sergio García, Michelle Wie West, Matt Wallace, Kyle Stanley, Shanshan Feng, and Stacy Lewis.
Interestingly, the first brand to use golf as a vehicle to promote its products was neither Rolex nor Omega, but Audemars Piguet, in partnership with Nick Faldo. The brand even offered a set of golf clubs bearing the AP logo.
In more recent years, Byeong-Hun An, Darren Clarke, Paul Dunne, Andrew “Beef” Johnston, and Miguel Ángel Jiménez have featured among the ambassadors of the legendary Swiss watchmaker.
Franck Muller also has an interesting connection with golf through the remarkable Vanguard Backswing, a watch with a uniquely sporty elegance and a simple yet innovative aesthetic.
A design replicating the appearance of a golf ball could have produced a somewhat questionable result, to put it mildly, but Franck Muller managed to create something truly outstanding, earning it a place on the podium among the most interesting watches ever created with a direct connection to a sport.
Other, less flamboyant watches have left their mark on golf for different reasons. The TAG Heuer Tiger Woods Golf Watch WEA1110, for example, showed that the American player’s star power alone was enough to warrant a watch bearing his name. Woods moved to Rolex a few years later, but TAG Heuer’s connection with golf has continued to this day.
Within its Connected collection, the Swiss brand produced the intriguing and luxurious Calibre E4 Golf Edition, which became a reference among more techy players.
Today, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 x TaylorMade carries that legacy forward.
The presence of the most advanced smartwatches on tees around the world reveals an interesting reality. Fine-watch enthusiasts, and even some of the world’s most famous golfers, appear somewhat reluctant to wear a mechanical watch during a round – and with many models costing tens or even hundreds of thousands of euros, that concern is more than understandable.
This opens the door to something more practical, whose technology can even help players improve their scores.
One thing is certain: the longstanding relationship between golf and watchmaking shows no signs of fading. As luxury becomes more accessible and appealing to a broader range of potential customers, creativity and the resulting need for innovation will determine which brands stand out most.
In the meantime, the biggest names in golf will continue to build vast online communities through social media, extending the sport’s reach and appeal – and giving fine watchmakers every reason to stay in the game.
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