Does 3D printing represent the future of golf club design?
The launch of the 3D-printed Cobra King Supersport-35 putter, and the level of forgiveness it offers, has got me wondering if this is the start of an evolution in golf club design.
We saw Ping make a 3D-printed putter in 2015 but it never really took off. That’s not to say the method is a dead duck. With the right collaborations, and if the process is refined and scaled up correctly, it has the potential to revolutionise golf clubs as we know them.
Current manufacturing techniques are subtractive, whereby material is machined away through milling or forging, but in 3D printing material is added together and fused – layer by layer – under computer control. This significantly accelerates the design process but also allows for added freedom, creating more elaborate and efficient head designs.
What’s more, no expensive tooling is required to create the shapes. In design, brands can move mass exactly where they want it, adding in subtle cavities, holes or channels that weren’t possible before. The result is better performance without sacrificing a club’s sound or feel.
Using 3D printing also broadens the possibilities when it comes to personalisation. It’s not far-fetched to think that in the future you could have a custom set of irons or wedges built with a head shape with certain thicknesses in areas specific to your needs, constructed in double-quick time and at no extra cost. This may be something far on the horizon, but if the King Supersport-35 putter is the here and now, then there’s lots to be excited about in the years ahead.