A butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker started a putter company...

[Slingblade61]

An interview with Chris Jordan of Sunset Beach Golf co.

How did you get into the golf biz?
I played at a high level amateur golf, and played in college at NC State, after graduation I gave it a go on the mini tours Monday qualifying for the Buy.com and if I did not make it played the teardrop tour event that week. I met many contacts through my time as a pro and while in college. I started as a distributor for LUX(a division of Sizemore golf) I still remain the only authorized distributor for LUX in the US.

Is this your primary job?
No I own a drainage, sewer and water supply center and hardware store. It is called Coastal Hardware and Supply Center. I took up the golf thing as a way to possibly in the future supplement my income while the economy is down. Right now however I have not taken one dime and put all of my money and time back into the company building inventory and working on new designs.


Where did you get started with putters?
In college in the engineering department I started working with autocad. After making a few items and having a local machine shop mill them I decided it was something I wanted to do. However an attempt to play professional golf and then a real job after that cut my time short and I never went any farther with it.

When and why did you start sunset?
Sunset Beach Golf started about 6 months ago with one mission to offer something unique and unavailable to most at a great price point without sacrificing quality. I did not want to be a cookie cutter guy like some of the other companies out there, that make only anser style putters for custom stamping. I wanted something new, and with our milled line and the cast lUX line I can offer personalized putters starting at 115.00 going all the way up over 300.00.

Where is the company located?
My "Design Studio" LOL is located in Sunset Beach, NC. This is where my real job and my home is located. Lamont(my business partner) is located near Phoenix, AZ. All putters ship from Phoenix completed. Lamont does all of the stamping, welding, hand milling and build work. He also does one heck of a job refinishing other companies putters.

Comments on design philosophy?
One thing I know more than anything else as far as design philosophy is this.... You cannot make a good putter through technology. You can augment a consistent stroke through technology. However one thing remains constant, a good looking putter that feels good in the wielders hands will putt better for that person than some technology maxed out space station on a stick. Putting is not rocket science it is all about direction in relation to speed and if the putter does not feel or look good you will never get those two things to work together.

While I do not disdain technology I do try to work around and with it instead as taking it at face value. I do not believe in truly face balanced putters, even the few I will make with a double bend shaft will not be 100% face balanced. My centershafts are not face balanced. There is a reason for this, if golfers were iron byron and actually made a 100% straight back and straight through stroke then they would be needed, but as soon as a putt is longer than about 5 feet no one has a straight back and straight through stroke.

Everyone needs some toe hang, but too much toe hang I have found detrimental to 90% of golfers, and no toe hang(face balanced) to be detrimental to 90% of golfers as well.

So you do the design, Lamont does the build and who does the milling?
I own the company and do the design, Lamont does the build and the Milling is currently done overseas. We will be doing the milling here once I get some more putters sold. I am looking to outsource the milling to the US as we speak until that time, but with my pricing being so low I cannot afford to use a US miller yet, plus the samples I have gotten from a couple of people in the US has been very poor quality.

Tell me some more about Lamont.
Is he a college bud?
Lamont was being contracted out by LUX to do the stamping and finishing on their putters when we met. Lamont was a framing carpenter by trade and started refinishing putters a three or so years ago. We fell in together in that I was distributing the putters and I kind of brought him in under my wing into Sunset Beach Golf Company. Since then with his artistic ability and my drive to offer the best we have blossomed into what we are now. A two/three man company that strives to offer the best products on the market for the lowest price possible.

James Nierodzik is our web designer and another internet sales representative. He is the driving force behind our webpage and online order forms. He also is the webmaster for our Sunset Beach Golf forum. James came to us through a friend of a friend and has been a great asset to tell me what can and cannot be done in web design.

Thanks Chris, I hope I can someday say "I knew him when....."

[Rockford35]

Great stuff. And nice looking putter!

R35

[indacup]

Excellent article!

May I make a few comments? (inserted below)

When and why did you start sunset?
Sunset Beach Golf started about 6 months ago with one mission to offer something unique and unavailable to most at a great price point without sacrificing quality. I did not want to be a cookie cutter guy like some of the other companies out there, that make only anser style putters for custom stamping. I wanted something new, and with our milled line and the cast lUX line I can offer personalized putters starting at 115.00 going all the way up over 300.00.

Comments on design philosophy?
One thing I know more than anything else as far as design philosophy is this.... You cannot make a good putter through technology. You can augment a consistent stroke through technology. However one thing remains constant, a good looking putter that feels good in the wielders hands will putt better for that person than some technology maxed out space station on a stick. Putting is not rocket science it is all about direction in relation to speed and if the putter does not feel or look good you will never get those two things to work together.

Thank you for stating what I have told people for years..... If you think about it, the golfer spends more time looking at and holding the putter than ANY OTHER club in his bag during play.

If it don't feel and look right...it ain't right.

"...but as soon as a putt is longer than about 5 feet no one has a straight back and straight through stroke..."

So true!

One of the best putting training devices out there is the Putting Arc...which instills a curvature stroke....

Think about it.....every stroke in golf.....let alone any natural body movement from side to side is an arc....why would a putting stroke be different? It would be unnatural.

Everyone needs some toe hang, but too much toe hang I have found detrimental to 90% of golfers, and no toe hang(face balanced) to be detrimental to 90% of golfers as well.

I am very impressed with Chris's philosophy and logic......

No offense, but until I read this I thought Chris was "just another Sponsor"....I am grateful this article was done.....I believe Chris an be a breath of fresh air for a side of the industry that has become very stagnant.

[mddubya]

I had already planned on buying a putter from them after the 1st of the year. But it was just going to a show putter done up in UT Vols colors. But after reading this interview, it sounds like it may very well knock the Scotty out of the bag.

[ASUisNumber1]

Good read. It is good to see some people starting up companies on their own and really work hard and truly deliver. Made me almost think about what I would want a custom one for me to look like.

[VtDivot]

Awesome!

Good luck, I love custom putters

[xamilo]

It does make you want to own one doesn't it? (Yeah, like if I didn't want one before lol). A custom-made putter does make you feel unique. I have just one worry about it and maybe one of you guys might be able to help me. If you can't try one of them, how do you know it feels right? I mean, is the feel closely similar for example, between an ANSER and an ANSER-like head like SSB offers? THanks mates...

[JEFF4i]

Great interview!