Company Profile: Buzelli Putters

By Dave Wolfe

Vizzini may have been a bit over-dramatic in his assessment of the golf industry, though his concerns are not inconceivable. Regardless, I think that most everyone can agree that the industry is in a state of flux. It could be improving, or it could still have some room to slide. Whatever the direction it moves, it’s definitely in a transitional state.

Opening any small business is a risky venture. The fledgling proprietor is full of dreams and aspirations, but must still face the business realities of cost and capital. It is even riskier when that business reality is unstable.

Thankfully, brave souls still venture forth and gamble their time, fortunes, and sanity on their dreams. Their beliefs and drives allow them to shove aside the doubts, and make their way into the markets with products that they believe in.

Introducing Buzelli Golf

Today’s brave entrepreneurial soul is Ryan Buzelli. Ryan is a mild-mannered flooring installer by day, but once that time clock is punched, his business turns to milled metal. This thirty-something family man installs floors to pay the bills, but his passion is putters.

So how did this all come to be, and what are Buzelli Golf all about? To answer this, I went to the man himself, Ryan Buzelli.

How did Buzelli Golf come into being?

As a child, I was brought up in baseball, as most normal kids are. It was a team sport with competitive attributes. My parents took me golfing a handful of times, but it didn’t stick. I couldn’t hit the ball for the life of me.

School was never a strong suit for me. I was a more of a hands-on type of guy. I wanted to jump into things without learning first. Trial and error is my preferred way. As a teenager, I was in rock bands, playing bass guitar. That continued till I was roughly 30 years old. Along the way, I created my own small time music studio in my garage. Enjoyable, but I knew there was something else. I dabbled with wine making at this point. Now I have 150 bottles of my creations in my basement. Very fun, but very boring.

At that point, I started golfing with my best friend, and golf started to put its hooks in me. That’s all I wanted to do. That’s all I could think about. I loved the gratification of a well-struck iron, or a bomb drive, or a nice chip in for birdie. I knew there was something else. I still felt there was more.

I was a club junkie. I was buying clubs about every month. Using them, then selling them if I didn’t like the clubs. I actually made a few bucks on some of the sales, and it got my attention.

Most of the clubs and putters were old and beat up. So I started to refinish them. Media blasting, polishing, re-shafting, and re-gripping to make the classics into modern, yet still vintage, gamers once again. This filled my void for a year or two and again, I wanted even more.

I did OK reselling, but I wanted to make a dent in the golfing world. I thought maybe I could open my own golf store. I toyed that idea for a while. Selling other manufacturers clubs, yea that’s all well and good, but hey why don’t I make my own clubs?I love USA-made golf equipment, and I love milled putters. I had found the niche. So I started to look into steps to complete a putter of my own.

From Buzelli trademark, to the putter design, to my wonderful mill guy (he’s very supportive), to grips, shafts, marketing, shaft bands. Needless to say, it was a long journey to get my first completed putter.

What separates Buzelli putters from other putters?

It was very difficult to find all USA manufacturers. The original concept was to mill in China. It would have been close to three times cheaper to buy there, but I knew I needed to stand out somehow. I am proud to make my putters here, and it shows. It took roughly six months to design, manufacture, and move all the pieces in place to make it happen. I actually recently started using PURE grips to add to my full USA-made putter. So I am always looking to better my equipment.

What is the process for ordering a Buzelli putter?

You can customize and purchase a Buzelli putter online at buzelligolf.com

Or contact me directly to discuss your putter at [email protected]

All clubs are personally (i.e. by me) paint filled, assembled, packaged, marketed, designed, and adjusted to custom specs.

What can a golfer expect when he or she games a Buzelli putter?

Golfers should expect quality number one. All components are top of the line and assembled by me. The putter is stable, pleasing sound and feel, easy to look at, limited glare. Not to mention, I will back the putter for life. I don’t cover normal wear and tear of course, but defects I will replace, or even regrip or reshaft for free, you just have to purchase the components. Customer satisfaction is important. I have answered every email sent to me, even ones with their hand out. I am dedicated to Buzelli Golf.

Customer satisfaction is important. I have answered every email sent to me, even ones with their hand out. I am dedicated to Buzelli Golf.

Can you give us a glimpse of things to come at Buzelli?

As of right now I have only one design for a putter and a design for a divot tool. My plans are very large and I intend to take this passion to the grave. I do plan on designing a new model sometime next year along with adding a left-handed current model to the repertoire.

Maybe one day I can make my passion for golf my day job. Open a shop with CNC machines, design and mill all day long. I can only hope step two of my plan will go into effect sooner than later.

More to follow…

A tip o’ the hat to Ryan Buzelli for having the vision and the stones, to take his shot in the putter business. I think that there are more than a few of us who have thought about starting a business, be it golf related or not, but only a select few follow through on their ideas. Again, that takes some stones.

Some of you may be thinking, enough of the biography, what about the putter? Has Ryan Buzelli actually produced a putter that will help him fulfill his dream, or at least allow him to pay his mortgage?

Fear not. We have the Buzelli STA-1 in hand, and we will give you the complete rundown on it in the near future. You will definitely want to check back in to see what that putter is all about. Perhaps you could even win one…

Find out more at buzelligolf.com