TINLEY PARK, Ill. – Bettinardi Golf and Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery have joined forces to create a collaboration rooted in two distinctly American traditions: golf and bourbon. United by generations of family ownership and a shared respect for craftsmanship, the collaboration brings together Bettinardi’s precision approach to putter design with the Van Winkle family’s longstanding bourbon heritage.
The collection pairs Bettinardi’s signature putter designs with distinctive finishes and details drawn from the world of Old Rip Van Winkle. Highlights include a BB1 finished in Oil Rubbed Bronze and a 3 Step Jam finished in Steel Patina, both featuring wood inlays from Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon barrels.
Beyond the putters, the collaboration extends to a collection of accessories, including custom headcovers and milled metal accessories. Together, the pieces interpret the visual character of Old Rip Van Winkle through Bettinardi’s approach to precision milling and custom design.
The partnership also carries a personal connection to golf. Pappy Van Winkle was an avid golfer who passed his love of the sport down through generations. His appreciation for craftsmanship extended well beyond bourbon, making the collaboration a fitting for two family businesses built around tradition and attention to detail.
“Our family has always taken pride in making something worth the time and care that goes into it,” said Preston Van Winkle, Vice President of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery and fourth-generation bourbon maker. “We see that same pride in Bettinardi’s work. It’s meaningful to see [Pappy’s] legacy interpreted in a way that honors both the game he enjoyed and the bourbon tradition he helped build.”
“Golf and bourbon naturally go hand in hand. Both have a way of bringing people together, and both have rich traditions that are worth celebrating,” said Sam Bettinardi, President of Bettinardi Golf. “Partnering with the Van Winkle family felt like a natural fit, and we’re proud to bring that connection to life through a collection that reflects the character of both brands.”
The Old Rip Van Winkle x Bettinardi collaboration will be available in limited quantities in THE HIVE™ starting October 20 at 10 AM CT.
About Bettinardi Golf
Founded in 1998, Bettinardi Golf is a family-owned manufacturer of precision golf equipment headquartered in Tinley Park, Illinois. Built on a commitment to craftsmanship and American manufacturing, Bettinardi designs, mills, and assembles every putter domestically, a standard that extends to its headcovers and metal accessories as well. The company’s forged irons and wedges are designed and assembled in the United States. With a family legacy rooted in feel, precision, and performance, Bettinardi Golf has earned more than 100 professional victories worldwide.
About Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery
The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery carries a proud four-generation legacy, tracing back to the late 1800s with Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr., who rose from traveling whiskey salesman to co-founder of the renowned Stitzel-Weller Distillery. After the family distillery was sold in 1972, Pappy’s son Julian Jr. revived a pre-Prohibition label the family had kept — Old Rip Van Winkle — and the tradition has passed through Julian III to his son Preston ever since. In 2002, the family partnered with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, where every bottle is now crafted to the same uncompromising standards. Learn more at www.oldripvanwinkle.com.
