Every high school student’s least favorite game is Truth or Dare.
When was the last time someone chose dare when faced with two choices?
More often than not, participants choose to tell the truth to some vague question rather than risk succumbing to an embarrassing dare.
ABOUT Weston Maughancollege golfer and former PGA pro who now works at one of Silicon Slopes (that’s Utah County for those who don’t know) many tech companies, a dare is no game.
It is a challenge to do something, be something or create something. And the truth is, a friendly dare from one of Maughan’s friends prompted him to create one of his own the most popular boutique golf brands in the business.
Can you do a Tiger Woods Scotty?
This question that started it all. When a friend dared Maughan to recreate one of the most iconic players of all time, Maughan jumped at the challenge.
After all, he is the son of an artist.
“My father is a fine artist by trade, so at a young age I took in art history and learned drawing skills,” Maughan said.
“While reverse engineering this barrel, I learned a lot about Scotty Cameron and gained a great deal of respect for what he was able to do with milled machinery. The excitement I experienced during that process was ultimately the steps that led me to expand my business and release new designs. I don’t think there is anything I enjoy more than creating product.”
That single shooter turned into an obsession that led Maughan down a path of art: the art of (hopefully) perfecting the shooter.
And this obsession can be seen in each of his handmade designs.
“There is a technique called chiaroscurowhich is the use of high contrast between light and dark. As I designed my machines, I always took note of how light bends and reflects off the surface and curves of the gauge. Because of this, I paid close attention to when the reflected light begins and ends, and I play with those elements to create an illusion of symmetry in my designs.”
A detail that, if not pointed out, is likely to go unnoticed. One that is, however, a staple of his premier highland shooter.
“On my Highland model, I widened the lamp cavity to ensure that the beam at the bottom corners of the pocket, where it meets the flange, bends the light along the flange, leaving a reflected light surface exactly 1.68 inches wide. This is the same width as a golf ball, allowing the player to frame the ball perfectly.”
Where are we now?
That all sounds well and good, but a putt is only as good as its results, right?
And the truth is, Maughan has succeeded on that front as well.
One of his happy customers shot a course record 59 at Tobacco Road using a West Maughan Forestdale putter. Dustin Johnson holed one on the opening green at a past US Open.
“The conqueror still has to perform, so the blend of aesthetics with function and physics is what I believe makes them stand out“, Maughan said.
What’s next?
What’s next for the scrappy manufacturer from Highland, Utah? A prototype set of irons inspired by the famous Titleist 962B and, hopefully, PGA Tour victories.
“I’ve always been fascinated with them and thought the small, tour-style profile was incredibly attractive – it’s one of the most compact iron heads I’ve ever seen,” said Maughan. “My version features CNC-milled faces, pits and hollows, is made of forged 1020 carbon steel for a smooth feel, and has dramatically increased bounce to optimize ground interaction. I built a prototype set and played them all year—they’re some of the cleanest irons I’ve ever hit.”
Stretching out into the bars is a dare that, ultimately, Maughan is ready for. Because he has high goals. The things you don’t put out into the universe if you don’t have the talent, work ethic and sheer guts to back it up.
“Within five years, I hope to have a PGA Tour win and maybe join the ranks of a major manufacturer as a lead shot designer – similar to Scotty Cameron with Titleist. In 10 years, I hope to be working with the best players in the world, creating amazing players that perform and bring absolute joy to their users.”
The truth is, if anyone can do it, it might be this guy who took an ordinary dare and turned it into a complete business in the world’s toughest industry.
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