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Getting to know 59 Belts

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After a long day on the range teaching junior golfers in Las Vegas back in 2006, Trevor Derrheim came up with an idea to create a milled-buckle to complement the new micro-fiber clothing and Euro-styling trends that were becoming red-hot in golf at the time.

“I honestly knew nothing — no fashion background or business degree,” Derrheim said, “but I have always had a great imagination, determination and focus when I really get into something I believe in.”

59Belts3

By the spring of 2007, Derrheim’s brainchild, 59 Belts, had opened shop in Las Vegas and after months of prototyping the first buckles that met his approval were finally ready.

“With the Canadian Women’s Open coming up,” Derrheim said, “I decided I would take the first 20 or so buckles ever made straight to the LPGA Tour to be tested.”

Derrheim flew to Edmonton to hand the buckles – stainless “Canuck” (Maple Leaf) styled and personally engraved with the name of each player, the event and the date on the back of each – out to a select group of players he felt might appreciate the Maple Leaf theme and also support 59.

59BeltsLorena

“I managed to get 16 buckles in play that week and Lorena Ochoa won the event wearing her 59 ‘Canuck’ belt on Friday and Saturday,” Derrheim said.

That’s right, 59 not only debuted on a major golf tour but was also worn by the eventual champion.

Derrheim recalls being worried that a buckle wouldn’t work right or fall apart. Quite the contrary, the reaction he received during and after the event from the players was overwhelmingly positive.

“It was very shoot from the hip kind of stuff looking back at it,” he said. “I was just a golf instructor with an idea who did something about it. Those were great times and I owe a lot to those girls who gave me the inspiration to keep grinding.”

It wasn’t too long after when PGA Tour pro Brian Gay sported a 59 buckle while winning the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in 2008.

After a couple years, Derrheim transitioned away from teaching to concentrate more fully on what is today a nearly $500K business, although he says he still sees the occasional student as time permits.

59Belts5

Independently run with everything customized and made in the USA, 59 primarily mills from solid high-grade aluminum or 303 stainless steel stock. The company is also launching an exotic buckle line in the next month or so that will include Damascus, Mokume Gane and also gold-plated options. The exotic buckles are going to be extremely unique one-of-a-kind pieces. The price of 59 buckles ranges from $50 in aluminum up to $1,500 for the exotics. 59 makes just a handful of buckles a day, one at a time, and the workmanship reflects that effort.

“From the beginning, the goal was to produce a product that would outlast any other in the game,” Derrheim said. “I really believe we achieved that with 59 and continue to set the benchmark for quality. We don’t mass produce; instead, every single buckle is individually milled and hand finished. Our goal is to a make classy buckles that will outlast the user. From a brand perspective, 59 is about full commitment, the total sacrifice to be better. The number ‘59’ in golf will always signify excellence and the constant struggle to achieve perfecting something that cannot be perfected. If 59 were a body part, we would be the calloused hands of a golfer.”

Over the past seven years, several prominent Tour players have worn 59 at one time or another including Rory McIlory, Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, Sergio Garcia, Jordan Spieth, Paula Creamer, Annika Sorenstam and Yani Tseng.

59BeltsRory

The company is finalizing a new strap attachment system that will allow traditional style straps to fit on a 59 buckle, the goal of which Derrheim says is to make 59 buckles more user friendly to the public and to pave the way for entry into a more traditional retail environment.

While having a buzz around your products is nice, Derrheim admits, he is much more focused on the long-term.

“I think it’s pretty easy to get wrapped up into what is going on now and to forget about forming a plan for who you are as a brand and how you want to spread that message,” he said. “I also think it is important to actually have a message that people can relate to. 59 is that one kid who is the last one off the course or range every night. Every facility has that kid… That is our brand message. It’s never been about making money for me. Maybe that’s a terrible thing to say as a business owner, but I’ve never needed much to be happy. I really just wanted to make something people could take into battle and appreciate being part of.”

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John Lahtinen is a Connecticut-based writer with nearly 20 years of experience involving news, media, communications, higher education, PR and marketing. He has been playing golf forever and is still finding unique ways to ruin a good round. Adding to his confusion, he plays both right- and left-handed.

10 Comments

10 Comments

  1. Shannon

    Oct 9, 2014 at 2:08 pm

    Hilarious that Tim above says “gawdy”. You have the ability to work with and design something yourself for your belt buckle – that is why the belt buckles are called “custom”?! Unless you prefer to just wear a Nike belt like the majority of clones in the US, go ahead, it’s your choice. I personally love the two belts my boyfriend designed for me from 69 belts and would consider buying for my gal pal golf buddies up in Canada!

    • Rich

      Oct 12, 2014 at 5:11 pm

      It’s 59 belts Shannon. Perhaps not the best typo either.

  2. Bruce

    Oct 9, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    Quality product. Love 59 Belts…been wearing mine on the links for 5 years and it still looks great.

  3. Bleh

    Oct 8, 2014 at 1:23 pm

    69

  4. J

    Oct 7, 2014 at 11:29 pm

    So now we delete comments and censor membership when someone doesn’t like the comment?

    I’ll say it again..

    Making a comment like ” I’m not in it for money ” while charging 1500.00 for a belt buckle is nothing more than elitism and its pretentious as all h*ll.

    • Zak Kozuchowski

      Oct 8, 2014 at 9:43 am

      Don’t use the word h*ll in comments you want to pass through our profanity filters. It’s as simple as that.

  5. RumtumTim

    Oct 7, 2014 at 9:19 am

    So gawdy.

  6. Jeremy

    Oct 6, 2014 at 9:15 pm

    Why is the logo a 69 and not a 59? Don’t go telling me it’s abstract or artistic. That, sir, is a 6 and not a 5.

    • ABgolfer2

      Oct 6, 2014 at 11:44 pm

      A 6 and a 9. Yup.

      • Jeremy

        Oct 7, 2014 at 2:34 pm

        I’m just saying, if you pulled that “5” iron out of your bag you’d be confused when it came up 15 yards short.

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From the Forums: How are you liking TaylorMade’s Qi10 fairway woods?

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In our forums, our members have been discussing TaylorMade’s new Qi10 fairway woods. WRXer ‘ace036’ plans on testing them in the next few weeks, saying: “from how they look from address and frame the ball is much more appealing to my eye versus my current Paradym fairway woods.” And our members have been sharing their positive feedback in our forum.

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Entire Thread: “From the Forums: How are you liking TaylorMade’s Qi10 fairway woods?”

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Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (3/26/24): Cobra Dark Speed X 7-wood

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

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From the seller: (@Rose Park): “Head only with headcover. $225 shipped.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Cobra Dark Speed X 7-wood

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Bettinardi launches first-generation CB24, MB24 irons

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We spotted them on the PGA Tour at the Arnold Palmer Invitational; now they’re heading to retail. Bettinardi Golf today announced its first generation irons: Bettinardi CB24 and MB24 irons.

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Progressive CG: Bettinardi tweaks the positioning of tungsten and CMC elements in each iron. Accordingly, longer irons (lower CG) are easier to launch, and shorter irons (higher CG) deliver a more penetrating flight with controlled spin.

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