Craftsmanship & a Love for The Game

Tucked away in the timbers of Grand Haven, Michigan is a quaint machine shed, with a not so modest vision. The walls of this 20x15 garage are beginning to feel cramped with the energy behind emerging putter designer and manufacture Haven Dynamics. 

What started as a passion project for co-founders Ian MacDonald and Jon Elias, has unfolded into a year’s journey crafting Haven Dynamics first model— BLADE-01. A center-mounted blade designed with the Haven secret sauce, zero torque face technology combined with a custom milled neck providing the ideal lie angle for each player. The design allows for the player to present a square face at impact with less variability introduced by the stroke. As Jon put it, “our design improves the player’s putting by fitting the putter to the stroke, rather than the stroke to the putter.” Between the two of them, Ian and Jon have developed a fitting software that analyzes all necessary measurements needed for a proper fit through a video sent in by each Haven client. What the guys at Haven Dynamics have built, is a complete package of high-performance and handcrafted excellence.

Diving deeper into the weeds, the machine making it all happen is a 1998 Fadal vmc15 CNC machine (for those not savvy with manufacturing equipment, just imagine a metal box the size of a smart car that can precisely shape metal into whatever you tell it to. Pretty sweet.). It was entertaining listening to the two co-founders recall the story of  moving the 6,500 lb beast through the single stall garage door. From the trailer to the threshold of the door it took a quick four hours to maneuver the machine. I couldn’t think of a better example that encapsulates the drive and passion fueling Haven Dynamics. During the time I spent in the shop with the two craftsmen, I began jotting down words that came to mind as I watched them meticulously work and tango around the tight shop. 

The list:

meticulous, passionate, excited, vibrant, dynamic, driven, curious, craftsmen

Why does that matter? I believe that the energy and characteristics of the artists are reflected in their work. The work being produced inside the shop at Haven dynamics is easy to get behind. I was nerding out listening to them explain to me the engineering behind BLADE-01, the milling process, calculating zero-torque, lie-angles, writing the code for the fitting software, etc. To see the finished product after essentially bootstrapping a modern putter studio is exciting and impressive to say the least. 

After a few hours in the shop, we hit the course to shoot some product content and roll some rock. I was eager to test the product and more seriously, see if the pièce de résistance of my Christmas wishlist was legit. When it comes to my personal putter, I have been gaming the same Taylormade TP Mullen 2 since my high school golf days with a weathered grip that is years over due (I personally prefer it this way). That being said, I am biased to my ole faithful; but picking up the BLADE-01 for the first time changed my mind.

Before I give my honest review, I was initially curious to see if the face balance technology actually works. Some of  you may be familiar with L.A.B. Golf, who uses a similar concept as Haven Dynamics. Their putters have taken the professional and amateur market by storm. (Notable L.A.B. gamer, 2025 U.S Open Champ J.J Spaun, who switched out his Scotty Cameron for the L.A.B Golf DF3.) A combination of professional use, alien-spaceship designs, golf-influencers, and game improvement technology has inflated the market for L.A.B. putters, more specifically the secondary market. The reason: customers are typically ordering their putters online through the fitting process and the first time they actually get to roll one is when it arrives at their front door. Pretty expensive bet if you ask me. Naturally if a new L.A.B. owner is unsatisfied, they look to secondary resale to break even. 

OK, yes. That was a tangent, but all a part of what I am trying to get at. I was skeptical. I have a toxic romance with my high school putter. I like what I got. But let me tell you what, when I hit my first putt with the BLADE-01 my mind was made up, I wanted one. The healthy weight and quality of finish provides a heavy, dense feel when the ball is struck. The face felt, and looked, square all the way through my stroke. While I have never been a center mount kind of guy, I didn’t mind it.  The look is what I’m calling modern class— an ode to traditional design with a flair of modern simplicity and finish. For their first model, Haven Dynamics have a very strong foundation. I can only imagine the improvements that they come up with in the future. The feel, the weight, and matte finish came together like a perfectly mixed cocktail. Kiss my high school putter goodbye, give me a BLADE-01.

To date, it has been roughly a year since the Fadal CNC machine entered the doors of the Haven Dynamic shop. Clocking in a combined 1200+ hours designing, prototyping, and testing while excelling in their full-time careers Ian and Jon are the purest example of The Hickory Locker’s mission. Our purpose is to showcase craftsmanship inspired by our shared love of the greatest game created. Haven Dynamics is built on that— quality craftsmanship and a love for the game. What’s next for Haven Dynamics, you may ask? Well, the first deliveries of the BLADE-01 are rolling out the door and the guys are strapping in to begin filling out inventory. Oh and for my mallet gamers out there, get ready. That being said, go check out what Haven Dynamics has to offer, hop on their waitlist, and share their story.

Until Next Time,

Daniel Ferrier

Editor-in-Chief | The Hickory Locker