What is a swag?
Swag is the brand that isn’t scared to push the limits in a conservative sport that isn’t evolving to meet changing styles. We like to listen to music on the course, we want to be bold, we love having fun, we love golf, and we’re going to express that both on and off the course. We aren’t going to try to sell you on how great our proprietary materials are and we don’t need to rely on clever marketing to sell more. We're a no BS company. What matters is that our putters feel good and in turn make you feel good when putting. We have some crazy ideas, we love to tinker, and we experiment on how to perfect everything we do.
Who is Nick the Greek Assassin?
Nick is the idea guy with a finger on the pulse of the industry. He pushes the envelope to try to make things his way, even if it doesn’t make sense from a cost perspective. It’s not only about the best or the greatest golf items, it's about having the coolest new golf toys, and that's what makes him the King of Swag. He claims to have never three putted, and although its unlikely, his on course nickname is the “The Greek Assassin”. He can do a little bit of everything around the shop, and usually does…mostly because he can’t sit still for 15 minutes.
Is 2 dimensions good enough?
For most designers, 2 dimensions is good enough, but Trent likes to do what everyone else does plus one more. Anything from Swag that is made of metal went through his computer. He loves a good bourbon and sadly also the Milwaukee Brewers. Little known fact…he always throws rock.
Learning from the Biggest Names
The man behind SWAG Golf is Nick Venson. Nick grew up outside Chicago, and his life was changed forever the first time he saw a Scotty Cameron putter. After acquiring that first Scotty, he went to work for the man himself selling high-end putters. Later he switched to his hometown brand, Bettinardi, in a similar role.
An Unorthodox Debut
As an industry veteran, Nick had been to the PGA Show numerous times. He had seen the standard approach to launching a brand. Send out tons of emails to every media outlet. Have a booth with pamphlets and cheap giveaways. Show everyone everything that you’ve done.
Making Putters Differently
When you look at The Handsome One, SWAG’s first putter, you might think, “Oh, another Anser-style putter.” On one level, you’re not wrong, it is an Anser-style putter. On another level, you’re entirely wrong.
Making Putters Everything Differently
SWAG’s commitment to making the best products doesn’t stop at the putter head. Each putter comes with a black shaft – something other manufacturers typically upcharge for. SWAG’s grip offerings are premium. Each putter is individually numbered.
The Next Step
So far, SWAG has had great success with their covers and The Handsome One, but they’re far from done. They’ve built a putting studio in the Chicago suburbs where they plan to fit putters and host gatherings in the near future. There are seven – yes, seven – models lined up for future release. And that’s just what Nick would share with me.
What is a SWAG handsome putter?
Big picture: the SWAG Handsome One is an Anser-style putter. It has cool engraving on the sole and minimal branding everywhere else. If you’re not into putters, that may be the end of the line for you, and that’s OK.
Where does Matt live?
He's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
MattM97
I only have 1 right now, the Miami Vice one, I would buy more but I'd be beyond poor if I did. I might grab a few more if I see ones I really like and are not $300+ for a head cover.
third-times-a-charm
I'm not mad about the flipping like some people care, they took the Lamb approach and sell more accessories than putters so good for them.
Niketw231
I'm not mad about the flipping like some people care, they took the Lamb approach and sell more accessories than putters so good for them.
dansrixon
Here are my favs. I really like the creativity of the SWAG covers. Thriller and Sour Patch are my favs. Followed by King Putt.
Jarlaxle
Probably going to pull the trigger on this one today. I'm a sucker for The Masters.
mljones99
Probably going to pull the trigger on this one today. I'm a sucker for The Masters.
mikewohlwend
My theory on getting a special from Swag is this: the more you bought from them in the past, the more "raffle tickets" you'll have in that random pool. Who knows...
