3D Printing X 1941 US Patent 2,395,837 – Bryson Dechambeau's Latest Performance Enhancing Innovation

When it comes to innovative athletes, Bryson Dechambeau leads the way. As a world-class sportsman who is always looking for a competitive edge, Bryson is famed for his theories as to how he can set himself apart from his peers. From changes in diet and body composition in an attempt to 'overpower' golf courses, to implementation of single length irons – Bryson's progressive attitude to golf strategy and technology have made him one of the biggest names in golf in.

The 2024 season may have brought one of Bryson's biggest and best innovations yet, as we have seen Dechambeau implement a new style of iron that incorporates the concept of bulge (the convex curvature of the clubface from the heel to the toe) into his irons, in pursuit of better accuracy in the event of off-centre hits.

Understanding why Bryson has done this involves appreciation of the gear effect that results from off-centre strikes on the clubface, and how a bulge in the face can combat this. For example, if a ball is struck out of the toe of a golf club, (for a right-handed golfer) a clockwise moment will be imparted on the club head, and an anti-clockwise moment will be imparted on the ball. The anti-clockwise moment imparted on the ball will result in draw/hook spin on the ball, generally resulting in left misses. Alternatively, (again for a right handed golfer) if a ball is struck out of the heel of a club head, this will impart an anti-clockwise moment on the club head, and a clockwise moment on the ball, resulting in cut/slice spin, generally resulting in right misses. Such misses are only amplified as a player's club head speed increases too. Therefore, if you are someone with as much club head speed as Bryson, off-centre hits can result in big misses.

Incorporating curvature (i.e. a bulge) into a club face can help combat such misses caused by off-centre hits. For example, (again with reference to a right handed golfer – apologies lefties) the bulge will allow shots struck from the toe of the club to start right of target, and draw/hook back towards the intended target. On the other side, the face bulge will also cause balls struck from the heel of the club to start left, and cut/slice back towards the target. Therefore, using this bulge shape in the face manipulates the ball flight in the event of off-centre hits, ultimately improving player accuracy.

While the concept of bulge has been present in drivers and fairway woods for a number of years (see the aforementioned US Patent No. 2,395,837, awarded to John Baymiller and Robert Vose of Spalding Bros Inc. filed in 1941), this is the first time it has been publicly implemented in irons. Given how successfully it has been implemented in drivers and fairway woods it will be fascinating to see if incorporating the concept into irons will be the next technological revolution in golf.

Interestingly, given the precise manner in which the faces must be curved to achieve the desired bulge, irons incorporating the technology cannot be manufactured using traditional forging techniques, as the forge would press the face flat. Therefore, Bryson's custom irons have been manufactured by golf club and 3D printing specialist Avoda Golf. If face bulge is to become commonplace in iron technology, this may be opportunity 3D printing has been waiting for to make its mark in golf.

After backing up his T6 at the Masters with a second place finish at this month's USPGA, it looks like this latest innovation may be paying dividends for Bryson. With the Avoda Golf irons also being deemed to conform to USGA equipment rules, it will be interesting to see the impact that this new design may have on future iron design and manufacturing methods, and the potential impact on the game.