Richard Helmstetter, the inventor of Callaway Golf’s iconic Huge Bertha driver and plenty of different ground-breaking golf golf equipment, handed away in California final week on the age of 82.
Helmstetter joined Callaway Golf in 1986 and spent the subsequent three many years on the firm as senior govt vice chairman and the principal architect of innovation, creating lots of the model’s most profitable golf equipment.
His earliest concepts included the weight-redistributing short-hosel designs that had been basic to first the S2H2 woods and irons and subsequent golf equipment throughout future wooden and iron ranges.
He led the event of the Nice Huge Bertha, Callaway’s first titanium mannequin and essentially the most dominant driver of its time. It offered 1.8 million models worldwide and ushered within the period of not solely super-sized drivers however driver faces that deflected at influence, propelling balls with a brand new velocity that got here to be generally known as ‘spring-like impact’.
He additionally served in numerous management roles, together with Chief of New Merchandise and director of Callaway’s worldwide operations, earlier than shifting to a consultancy position in 2005.
Throughout his in depth profession, he was granted greater than 700 patents worldwide for designs he created.
“Richard Helmstetter was a legend and a real innovator within the golf trade,” mentioned Chip Brewer, president and CEO at Topgolf Callaway Manufacturers. “He was so obsessed with his work, and for making the sport extra pleasurable for golfers. Extra importantly, he was a fantastic man; he cared deeply concerning the subsequent era of membership designers, mentored so many colleagues, and handled everybody warmly and with respect.”
