- The company that would become the RAM Golf Corporation started in 1947 in Chicago by Al Hansberger, who bought a club-making business from a customer of his tool and die operation. Hansberger, who later worked with his brothers Jim, Lyle, and Bob, began the new operation in a small garage on the west side of the city. The company, called Sportsman's Golf, built a variety of clubs, most notably its signature Sportsman, Bristol, and Kroydon lines. The Bristol Wizard 600 was a popular putter among pros and amateurs in the 1950s and '60s.
- Sportsman's Golf became RAM Golf in 1967, after it produced the game's first Surlyn-covered golf ball. RAM golf accessories then became part of the company's product line. These products complemented the widely popular RAM XS 1000 cavity-back irons, which were considered a benchmark in quality in the 1960s. RAM Golf also became known for its Zebra putters. In 1975, the Hansberger brothers sold the company to Colgate-Palmolive.
- Colgate had high hopes of seriously competing in the golf industry and keeping the RAM name alive on the professional tours. Under the Colgate-Palmolive umbrella, RAM Golf continued to make popular clubs, with the Hansbergers still playing managerial roles in the company. By the late 1970s, Colgate began divesting its assets to concentrate more on personal care products and sold the company back to the Hansberger brothers in 1980.
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The 1980 buy-back of the RAM company resulted in a significant takeoff of the company's products. With Jim Hansberger as company president, RAM irons such as the Tom Watson three-wedge system and Laser FX irons, and the popular Laser FX metal woods were huge sellers and endorsed by several pros. In 1990, RAM was split into two companies: the RAM Golf Club Co. and Ram Tour Balls.
RAM Tour Balls was later sold to Taylor Made and RAM Golf to the Tommy Armour company. Armour continued to use the RAM name and made popular mid-line clubs, however, the name's recognition among pros, by the late 1990s, began to wane.
In 1997, Tommy Armour was acquired by Teardrop Golf Corporation. After a Teardrop bankruptcy in 2000, the company was acquired by the Huffy Corporation, which also reorganized under Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004. Tommy Armour, RAM, and Teardrop brands were subsequently sold in Huffy's reorganization efforts. - Today, RAM Golf and Tommy Armour are owned by Hilco Consumer Capital, a Canadian holding company. Hilco continues to market RAM golf clubs through four international outlets in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia. The now relatively low-end line is still known for its attractive look and quality.
