black PVD finish on the Orlimar Spin Tech FF sand wedge

When you purchase a titanium driver, stainless steel fairway wood or hybrid today, you expect that head to be black with an accent color on it. But that was not always the case. Prior to 2007, metal woods (drivers, fairway woods and hybrids) were all painted on the crown and leaving the face and sole natural silver. Today, low cost alloy clubs are still made that way.

What is a PVD Finish?

That lustrous black appearance mentioned is called a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating. This a process that involves the “deposition” or buildup of titanium carbon nitride under low vacuum conditions leaving a thin film of material onto the surface of the metal. The PVD coating provides not only a hard and wear-resistant layer on the surface, but a luxurious, non-glare finish too.

PVD coatings are also available in a wide range of colors, although you do not seem them regularly in the golf industry like you do in kitchen hardware or faucets. Aside from black, gold, copper, blue and iridescent (rainbow) are just a few of the colors you might encounter. PVD coatings can be applied to irons, wedges, and putters too.

driver with a golf PVD finishdriver with a golf PVD finish
Gold PVD finish
driver with a black PVD finishdriver with a black PVD finish
Black PVD finish
putter with iridescent PVD finishputter with iridescent PVD finish
Iridescent PVD finish

The PVD finish does add to the cost of a golf club and can wear over time, especially in high contact areas or with golf clubs that are exposed to sandy surfaces. The pro is on the woods, you can immediately see where the dimple marks from where you hit the face of the club, and they are easily wiped away. PVD finishes are not only available to metal clubheads, but steel shafts too.

Additional Black Finishes on Golf Clubs

QPQ nitriding (also known as Black Melonite or Black Nitride) has been added to black wedges years prior. It is a different process that involves heating the clubhead in molten salt bath and then quench it in oil to cool it rapidly. This process is highly wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant, making them suitable for black wedges.

Relatively new to the golf market is DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) which is a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process. You will find this coating on select irons, wedges, and putters.

non-PVD or painted golf club drivernon-PVD or painted golf club driver
Painted Metal Wood

Golfers are accustomed to paying slightly higher prices for items that honestly look cool. Adding a splash of color can attract customers attention when pouring over websites, catalog pages, sitting in a display at a brick and mortar shop and all the options that are competing for their hard earned money.