Personalised putter puts golfer in the spotlight
PA’s Wian van Aswegen invention features on US show
Growing up with a golf course on his doorstep has played a big part in Wian van Aswegen’s life - not least as the engineering student made his friends and family proud with his personally designed 3D-printed putter recently featured on US talk show, Cool Parts.
Van Aswegen explained to Talk of the Town how his design had come about.
“I was asked to join the Advanced Engineering Design Group (AEDG) at Nelson Mandela University and one day we started talking about my enjoyment for golf and engineering,” Van Aswegen told TOTT. “We thought, why not combine the two and create a golf putter that can be 3D printed from stainless steel and optimised for better performance.”
Unlike traditionally manufactured putters where the same design is mass produced, the team created putters where each one was unique and fitted to a specific golfer.
“Ideally a golfer would come to us or go for a so-called ‘club fitting’ where their technique and body mechanics are analysed,” Van Aswegen said. “Using this information, we can easily adjust the putter design using computer software to create a putter specific to that golfer to encourage better performance.
“The 3D printing allows us to design and make complex shapes that would not be possible using traditional manufacturing methods like machining.”
Van Aswegen said he had been a golfer most of his life and had been fortunate enough to represent the Eastern Province for more than 10 years.
“This experience has helped a lot with the designing of the golf putter and I was able to ask my friends who compete at the highest level for some much needed feedback on it,” he said.
Talking about how his love for golf developed he said he had lived in Port Alfred all his life and grew up with the Royal Port Alfred golf course nearby.
Van Aswegen said that had helped him develop his love for the game and saw him spending more time on the golf course than at home.
He further credited his former high school for his goal development.
“Academically, Port Alfred High School laid the strong foundations that have gotten me to where I am today,” Van Aswegen said. “The good teachers and close friends that I met during my time there will never be forgotten.”
Van Aswegen’s foundations were laid at Happy Hours Pre Primary, who were the first to share the news about his design success via their Facebook page.
Van Aswegen is doing his Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Nelson Mandela University.