This driver was custom-made using a "hydro drip" process.
@Albertahydrodip | TikTok
In golf, customization is the line of demarcation between casual players and diehards. For the occasional golfer, wedge grind and shaft length reach the same level of conversation as trickle-down economics and foreign policy — highly theoretical, and best left to the experts.
For the diehards, customization is golf’s currency.
“She carries that Jones bag.”
“I love his Seamus headcover.”
“Where’d you get fitted?”
GOLF.com is no stranger to the world of custom clubs. Thanks to the work of our sister companies Fairway Jockey and True Spec Golf, we’re privy to all sorts of data about the benefits of a custom setup.
For years, golfers have been pushing the boundaries of customization. Luxuries like custom-stamped wedges, monogrammed golf bags and fresh headcovers have joined necessities like fitted clubs.
But enough is never enough — particularly not for those of us sickened with the golf bug. And it seems that customization has now taken on its newest form: a futuristic design method called “hydro dip.”
Hydro-dipping is a design method in which a special film containing a design is applied to an item. It’s often used in boats and cars to apply a wooden finish to plastic upholstery. Recently, the hydro-dipping method has waded into a new audience: golf.
One video showing a custom design hydro-dipped driver is making the rounds on TikTok, and it’s well worth a watch.
In the video, you can see a carefully covered driver dipped into a vat of hot water containing hydrographic film. As the driver head is swirled around in the water, the design begins to take shape.
After a polymer finish seals in the work, the protective wrapping is removed. The driver is ready for play, and the final result is smooth.
Now, before anyone gets the idea to make their own “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle” themed driver, you should know hydro-dipping isn’t easy. Specially formulated hydrographic paint, polymer, and film are needed to properly apply a finish to any product. Not to mention that a special protective covering is needed to apply to the face of the club so as to not impact performance.
Still, it seems golf customization has taken on its newest (and most futuristic) form yet. Diehards, rejoice!
James Colgan is a news and features editor at GOLF, writing stories for the website and magazine. He manages the Hot Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and utilizes his on-camera experience across the brand’s platforms. Prior to joining GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse University, during which time he was a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Long Island, where he is from. He can be reached at james.colgan@golf.com.
