What happens when a guy with a Wall Street background decides he’d rather make putters than climb the corporate ladder? For Al Vikmanis, the answer has been a winding path through Arccos, data analytics, custom putter design, metal 3D printing, ferrules, and whatever comes next. The common thread is a willingness to follow the rabbit hole wherever it leads, and a belief that the journey itself is the point.
In this episode of The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf, host Matt Considine and co‑host Dr. Kevin Moore (a.k.a. “The Professor”) sit down with Al Vikmanis, Founder of 3DP Design to talk about the science and craft behind modern golf equipment, from why MOI matters in a putter to how sound actually becomes feel, why 3D printing opens up design possibilities traditional manufacturing can't, and why a ferrule can become a surprisingly personal piece of golf gear. Along the way, he gets candid about leaving Wall Street, embracing work that feels meaningful, learning from spectacular failures, and building a career around curiosity rather than a five-year plan.
The conversation dives into:
- Al's early days at Arccos, helping turn enormous amounts of shot data into something golfers could actually use
- MOI explained without the engineering degree, including why more forgiveness isn't automatically better for every golfer
- How sound becomes feel in a putter, and why putting with headphones on might be costing you more than you realize
- The unlikely path from smuggling putters into a Wall Street office to teaching himself CAD and eventually 3D printing golf clubs
- Why custom ferrules have become a form of personal expression, more like putting stickers on a skateboard than simply changing the cosmetics of a golf club
- The failures behind Al's work, including a collection of enormous 3D-printed mallets that looked like the Starship Enterprise and sounded like tuning forks
Connect with our guests
Al Vikmanis — 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/al-vikmanis-3755671/
🌍 Website: https://3dp-design.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3dp_design/
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Connect with Matt & The Professor
🎙️ Matt Considine — 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/consequential85 | 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consequence18/ | 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-considine-103bb21/
📚 Dr. Kevin Moore ("The Professor") — 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/kevcmoore | 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevcmoore | 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-moore-177b30b3/
Chapters
00:40 - Welcome to The Bag Drop
11:08 - Al Vikmanis joins the show
12:12 - From Arccos data to custom putter design
18:51 - What Al learned from working at an early-stage startup
21:03 - Leaving Wall Street and finding meaningful work
24:21 - MOI explained
30:33 - Why sound is feel
34:11 - How Al got into making putters
37:44 - Why custom 3D-printed equipment doesn't scale
41:20 - How metal 3D printing actually works
43:32 - Where 3D printing fits into the future of golf equipment
47:20 - The early failures of 3D-printed putters
51:08 - Learning from bad ideas
54:09 - How Al and Patrick Boyd started working together
56:52 - Why golfers love custom ferrules
59:24 - Ball markers, divot tools, and personal expression
1:02:21 - The creative side of Al Vikmanis
1:10:53 - What's in Al's golf bag
1:18:12 - What comes next for golf equipment
1:20:12 - “The journey is the point”
What is The Bag Drop?
The Bag Drop features weekly stories from the culture, community and characters shaping golf today. Produced by NewClub Golf Society, each episode blends authenticity and expert insights for passionate golfers at all levels. Special guests from clubs, courses and every corner of the changing landscape join us for thoughtful, in‑depth discussions on all things golf.
What is NewClub?
Founded in 2017, NewClub is the premier private golf society in the United States. It blends the community and access of a private club with the variety and affordability of public golf. Members enjoy thousands of reserved tee times, competitions and events at exceptional partner courses across our local chapters, as well as signature trips and exclusive perks. NewClub is revolutionizing golf membership, making the game more meaningful for those who love it.
