Equipment
Q&A: Aerotech Golf President Chris Hilleary
The best-case scenario for a small golf equipment company is essentially what has happened for Aerotech Golf in the last six years.
Matt Kuchar began using a set of the company’s SteelFiber composite shafts in his irons in 2008. Since the switch, he’s won five times on the PGA Tour, and along the way he convinced friend and fellow top-ranked golfer Brandt Snedeker to try the shafts. Snedeker liked them so much that he put the same model in his irons, and has used them in route to four PGA Tour wins as well as the 2012 FedEx Cup.
The success of Kuchar and Snedeker has led to several other PGA Tour winners using the shafts, but what seems like an overnight success actually began 17 years ago.
Aerotech Golf President Chris Hilleary joined Aerotech Sports in 1997 as the director of its golf division. The company’s main focus was the production of composite hockey sticks, however, which allowed Hilleary to purchase the golf division in October 2005.
Since that time, Hilleary has grown the Bellingham, Wash., company to an enviable spot in the industry. SteelFiber is the No. 1 graphite iron shaft on the PGA Tour, and its popularity with golfers has led to it becoming a custom iron shaft option for nearly every major equipment manufacturer.
Hilleary took the time to chat with GolfWRX Managing Editor Zak Kozuchowski about the SteelFiber shaft, his company’s success and what the future holds for Aerotech.
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ZK: Chris, you said that you strapped yourself financially to purchase Aerotech Golf in 2005. What was it that made you do that?
CH: I worked for Aerotech Sports (Aerotech Golf’s parent company) for nine years and ran its golf division. During that time, I designed the SteelFiber technology and I knew that this shaft had the potential to revolutionize the iron shaft category. When the opportunity to purchase the golf division came along, I actually had to compete against one of the largest shaft manufacturers in the world to purchase the brand. I initially looked for investors, but I decided to leverage everything I owned and was able to outbid the competition. In retrospect, it was one of the smartest decision I’ve ever made.
ZK: Tell me about the SteelFiber shaft specifically. Where did the idea come from, and why do you think that it has been so successful?
CH: Before I began designing the SteelFiber shaft, I saw a void in the market as composite shafts had not been embraced in the iron category. Over 95 percent of all drivers and fairway woods used graphite at the time and I was confident iron shafts would get there, but I needed to overcome some performance hurdles first. That’s when I set out to create a graphite iron shaft that had all the control and consistency of steel but had all the benefits of graphite as well. The SteelFiber shaft was actually an evolution of several designs over time. Early on in the development I realized that I needed to add a higher density (heavier) material into the structure to achieve the performance enhancements I was looking for. After several attempts co-mingling different materials with the graphite the real breakthrough came when I discovered the micro-thin steel fiber and applied it to the entire surface of the shaft. The unique combination of the graphite core with the full layer of steel has created an iron shaft that outperforms steel shafts that has ultimately accounted for its success.
ZK: What do golfers need to know about SteelFiber shafts if they’re considering purchasing a set? I’ve been told by top custom fitters that the shafts tend to play on the stiff side and that they have a higher balance point than a lot of iron shafts.
CH: First of all, golfers should understand that this is a composite shaft so it has all the vibration-dampening characteristic of a 100 percent graphite shaft. This lowers the risk of injury, aggravation of existing injuries and reduces the fatigue associated with swinging heavier, harsher steel shafts. Secondly, we have designed this shaft with a very stable lower quadrant and tight torque values. Combine that with the full layer of steel and it results in an extremely controllable shaft even as the butt frequencies get lower (softer). Therefore, the shaft plays on the firm side of flex as you mentioned. This is evidenced by that fact that over 80 percent of all the shafts being played on the PGA and Champions tours are our standard stiff flex. Our balance points run about 50 percent (middle of the shaft), which is not necessarily high but when using lighter weight shafts with standard head weights (designed for building steel shafted irons) a club builder may need to add a tip weight or make a slight length adjustment to hit target swing weights.
ZK: When an iron shaft becomes successful on tour, it tends to be successful for a long time. For example, True Temper’s Dynamic Gold steel shafts have been the most played iron shafts on the PGA Tour for decades. Do you think SteelFiber has that kind of staying power?
CH: The Dynamic Gold has been the benchmark in iron shafts for more than 70 years and we can only dream that the SteelFiber shaft has that kind of staying power. With that said, the Dynamic Gold shaft replaced the hickory shaft because of the performance benefits it exhibited over its predecessor. The SteelFiber has now taken iron shaft performance to the next level by adding performance characteristics that the steel shaft could not achieve. If history repeats itself, you never know, the SteelFiber shaft has a chance to become the new “gold standard.”
ZK: Some large golf equipment manufacturers have expressed their frustration with USGA rules that they say have limited innovation. Do shaft manufacturers face similar obstacles, or is there still a lot of room to innovate in the shaft space?
CH: I think the golf shaft is one area that can continue to stretch the boundaries of performance and make the game more enjoyable for everyone. As material science, manufacturing processes and the understanding of shaft performance improves, we will continue to create new innovative designs.
ZK: Tell me what’s next for Aerotech Golf.
CH: Our main focus has been managing the growth that we’ve been experiencing during the past few years and especially in the last 24 months. With that said, we continue to research new materials and expand our knowledge of shaft performance and will be adding to our product line soon. Our next product launch will be a comprehensive line of SteelFiber hybrid shafts. We have been getting several hybrid shafts in play each week out on tour and it’s time to share those designs with the golfing public.
ZK: Thanks for your time, Chris.
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Desmond
Apr 5, 2014 at 11:00 am
My professional club maker, a Top 100 Guy, had no problems dialing in the correct flex and swing weight in my iron sets with Aerotech Steelfibers. I guess club making is an art… experimentation, talent and skill.
Chris
Dec 3, 2014 at 1:21 am
What is your expert clubfitters name, location and contact info? Thanks.
Abu Dhabi Golfer
Apr 5, 2014 at 10:40 am
After playing with an Aerotech rep by chance at Semiahmoo GC near Bellingham a couple of years ago, he encouraged me to experiment with their products through local fitters.
Even though it is the iron shafts that tour players only seem to use, I actually ended up getting a stiff 70 gram SteelFiber in my three wood.
The impact feels so stable and stays square.
It’s money.
Sean
Apr 4, 2014 at 9:29 pm
Chris helped me select the SteelFiber’s I now have in my irons. Very approachable, answered all my questions, asked me a lot of questions, and was very helpful. I am very, very happy with these golf shafts.
Chris
Apr 4, 2014 at 8:54 pm
Im sure these are fine shafts, but they just didnt work for me. Couldnt get the feel down. I even had a GD top100 fitter work with me.
Best of luck to them though!
chris
Apr 4, 2014 at 8:28 pm
I have also had issues swingweighting a set of 125’s. In fact, they still sit unbuilt in the corner of my workshop. I just picked up tungeston tip weights (10g), so im hoping thats enough added weight to make them playable.. Perhaps we need to have a “Steelfiber LB” = low balance. I’d love to have a steelfiber shaft where the last inch of the tip section is just as solid steel rod with epoxy vents,
I just hope when i finally get this issue worked out, that all the great things i hear about these shafts are true.
froneputt
Apr 4, 2014 at 8:27 pm
I love these iron shafts, and they have saved my elbows and shoulders. Their old hybrid shafts work but I want slightly more kick. Looking forward to see what they have in the new versions.
paul
Apr 4, 2014 at 6:55 pm
I love these shafts. Play them in titleist CBs. Dispersion is much better then with the DGs. First time I tried them I hit five 7 irons into a circle with a 10′ diameter (which is absurdly consistent for a 16 handicap)
paul
Apr 4, 2014 at 6:57 pm
Also I wished he would have addressed the balance point issue a bit more. I added lead tape to my 3&4 irons because I couldn’t figure where the head was.
The dude
Apr 5, 2014 at 10:47 am
Good point….so a tighter dispersion was your net gain? How can that be…when you compare them to steel?
paul
Apr 5, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Lower torque maybe? I don’t know. But my accuracy has never been so good.