Drew Heinze ’25

With one exciting class project, Drew Heinze combined his love of golf and his love of engineering. It also thrust him toward his ultimate ambition of transforming the golf industry.

A mechanical engineering technology student and member of the Pitt-Bradford golf team, Heinze took the unique opportunity to reverse engineer his own golf clubs in his CAD class.

Using the state-of-the-art equipment in the George G. Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building, Heinze took precise measurements of his golf clubs, drew them up in CAD software, made modifications, and 3D printed his improved clubs.

Heinze’s goal was to enhance the performance of his golf irons by incorporating a bulge on the clubface, a feature typically found on drivers. With the modifications, he aimed to make the irons more forgiving, ensuring that even off-center hits would result in straighter shots.

The project was not just an academic exercise for Heinze; it was a glimpse into his dream career.

“I would love to get into the golf club design industry” he said, describing how it would be amazing to combine both his love of golf and engineering.

The theoretical work Heinze did in class was validated when he discovered that a professional golfer had implemented a similar design on his golf clubs.

“One of my favorite golfers on the PGA Tour actually did the same thing I did. He 3D printed (his iron) with a bulge face, and he actually uses it on tour right now,” Heinze said.

Beyond the classroom, Heinze has also gained valuable hands-on experience through his internship at Bayshore Mechanical Services in Rochester, NY, where he has been involved in various aspects of HVAC system design and installation, from CAD drawings to onsite project management and more.

“I've done everything from duct size calculations and load calculations to full estimates for big commercial buildings,” he said.

As he approaches graduation, Heinze is actively seeking internships with major golf brands, hoping to turn his innovative ideas into industry-changing products.

“I've been emailing a bunch of major golf brands looking for internship opportunities next summer,” he said. With any luck, and a wealth of knowledge and experience on his side, Heinze will be a driving force in transforming the future of the golf industry.