If there was ever a one-size-fits-all club, it was the one designed by Roger Cleveland in 1988: The Cleveland Golf 588 Wedge. That year, Sandy Lyle won the green jacket at the Masters after using the original 588 wedge, which then went on to be used in 25 major championships and more than 330 PGA Tour events.

Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Ernie Els, and many other legends have all held the Cleveland 588 wedge at least once in their careers. The iconic wedge was known to be suitable for all types of players. Its clean and versatile design made it the greatest wedge ever designed in the history of golf. For 12 years straight, the 588 dominated the golf bags of every pro before its successor, the 900, was introduced. But to this day, many of the modernly designed clubs take some inspiration from the 588, thus extending the legacy of Roger Cleveland. Now, Roger has had a full circle moment.

He established Cleveland Classics Golf Company in 1979. The company was later rebranded to Cleveland Golf. The first club he ever made was a recreation of Bobby Jones’ Calamity Jane putter. After heavy interest, Roger Cleveland became a full-time club maker focusing on persimmon woods, transforming that club category within the golf industry. Later, he expanded to irons and wedges. It was his craftsmanship, precision engineering, and commitment to excellence that helped Cleveland Golf become a trusted name among professionals and amateurs worldwide. Now, Roger is returning to the company as Founder & Advisor, after leaving it in 1996. His main work will be to ideate and collaborate with the Tour and R&D teams, assisting with new product and design ideas. 

Chris Kircher, Vice President of Marketing at Cleveland Golf, is elated for the comeback. He said, “We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Roger back to the family. His deep-rooted history with our brand makes this not just a homecoming, but a special moment to be able to rejoin forces with one of the most iconic names in golf. Roger’s experience and vision are invaluable, and we’re looking forward to this new chapter with him.”

“Roger is a true visionary in our sport whose influence shaped the path others wanted to follow. His legacy is defined by an unwavering commitment to innovation and creating top-tier equipment that elevates golfers at every level,” said Rodney McDonald, Vice President of Tour at Cleveland Golf.

Roger himself is very excited to return. He thinks of it as something very special. “Coming back to Cleveland Golf is a special moment for me. This company has always been close to my heart, and I’m excited to contribute once again to its legacy of innovation and performance. The brand has built a trusted reputation among golfers worldwide, and I look forward to collaborating with the talented team here to continue to push boundaries of design even further.”

He also received a grand welcome from the entire golf community when Cleveland Golf’s Instagram page shared a beautiful reel announcing Roger Cleveland’s return to the company. The post, captioned “Welcome Home, Roger,” took everyone through a journey where the legendary club designer is shown designing clubs.

The beautiful video received a lot of love from the community, as everyone was excited to have Roger Cleveland back in Cleveland. And they shared their delight with everyone in the comments section. Let’s see what they had to say.

Golfers are excited about the return of Roger Cleveland!

Team U.S. captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup, Keegan Bradley congratulated the veteran club designer to the brand as he said, “Awesome to welcome back a legend!” LIV Golf reserve player John Catlin was also excited to have the legendary wedge maker back. He simply commented “👏👏👏👏🔥🔥,” in celebration of Cleveland’s return.

Ex-PGA Tour pro, Smylie Kaufman, had a bit more to say about the amazing reveal made by Cleveland Golf as he stated, “Welcome back home, Roger! The only wedge I’ve ever played is a @clevelandgolf wedge, and I’m stoked to have the mastermind behind the best wedges in the game back.” Seems like Kaufman is loyal to his Cleveland club. And if we’ve seen anything in the past, the analyst might fall in love with the brand all over again once Roger Cleveland recreates his magic. Shane Lowry also reacted to the reel shared by the famous golf accessories brand.

The fans were also quite enthusiastic about the grand return of the legend. One of them mentioned “Actual chills. Welcome Home! 🤍,” as they are probably excited to get the opportunity to play with Roger Cleveland’s clubs again. Another had a message for the competitors as they said, “This feels like the one move to actually pressure Vokey and the Srixon family is HOT.” 

Seems like other brands will need to pump up their game if they want to compete with Cleveland now; Especially if Roger Cleveland has already started working for the brand. Are you also excited to grab a new pair of Cleveland clubs once Roger Cleveland’s latest work is released? Let us know in the comments section.