A few years back buckles seem to really gain steam on the professional golf tour and at that point golfers around the world realized how great of an accessory the belt and buckle can be. A few companies started to offer custom buckles for golfers that wanted to put that personalized “stamp” on their style and some took quality to another level. As with most things that Robert Bettinardi touches, quality is what came first.
From the Company
Bettinardi Golf is proud to provide the perfect element to complete your Bettinardi Experience: the Buckle. Precision milled under the same exacting standards as Bettinardi putters, the Buckle is the extension of our superior metal craft from the function of golf putters to the fashion world of golf.
The Buckle began as a tiny seed when Robert J. Bettinardi was at a Tour event in 2008. He witnessed a few Tour players sporting custom made buckles. It so happens that his wife had purchased a beautiful belt and buckle ensemble for him that Christmas. A creative engineering masterpiece was about to happen: Bettinardi’s precision milled Buckle was born!
Beginning as a solid piece of high-grade double aged stainless steel (D.A.S.S.), the Buckle goes through an incredible proprietary milling technique on our horizontal milling machines. These are made entirely in our shop and are monitored at every step. Machinists and technicians handle each Buckle through the entire production process.
The Buckle is available in two brushed finished sizes: 1-1/4″ and 1-1/2″, and like its putter counterpart, can be customized to your taste and specifications, including 3-letter initialing, design engraving, and hand-painted elements.
Video
During our trip to the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, FL in January of 2010, THP got a chance to speak with Bettinardi and ask him about his buckle line and if he would show off his own buckle.
First Impressions
Shortly after our meeting at the PGA Show THP held a design our new logo contest and when we came up with the new logo it was quickly sent off to Bettinardi Golf for something that we could not wait to get our hands on. A few weeks after submitting our logo design, a beautiful package arrived that was decked out with a nice gray bag featuring the Bettinardi logo on it. Inside was both a strap and buckle that just simply exudes quality. Immediately upon looking at the custom work with our logo, you get a sense of the work that goes into every one. From the weight to the finish these buckles scream “high end”.
Buckle Style
Having a custom buckle that is milled from a solid block of steel is different no matter how you look at it. So few items today carry a quality over quantity mentality and when I was first handling this Bettinardi buckle, it was like a throwback to a different generation when Made in the USA mattered and quality stood for reputation. Each crafted piece is a work of art and while there are quite a few choices on www.Bettinardigolf.com, custom work can be submitted and turned into a buckle just as easily. Once THP decided to go custom, that was when the fun started and that meant picking what you want your waist to say, stand for, and assist in your golf style. We decided to take the artwork part of our new logo only and make a fun buckle that would be far more versatile. It was a tough decision, but in the end, one that we felt stood out a little more.
The Strap
The strap that came with our new custom designed buckle is extremely high quality. The THP Buckle would go well with a couple of different colors, but we chose black for a more versatile look. The strap features the Bettinardi signature on the inside and is a nice soft leather that you can tell with proper care will be good for years to come.
Overall
When it comes to quality, Bettinardi Golf has a long and storied reputation for producing some of the highest quality putters in the world. The addition of some other items seems both logical and fitting as Bettinardi has gone back out on his own as a designer and craftsman and THP was truly impressed with the result. If you are looking for something that is of high quality, unique, and special when it comes to style, look no further than these buckles from the Bettinardi Golf Studio. The custom buckles have a price tag of $175, and while that price may look steep, keep in mind what exactly you are getting here and that it is a one of a kind piece of sculpted metal. For more information on anything you have seen here, check out their website at www.bettinardigolf.com.
Till Next Time
Josh B.
