No4. Kael Deherrera

ISSUE: No4
Kael Deherrera
Golf Gear Disruptor

We shine a light on some of Aotearoa's best and brightest.
They shine a light on their favourite 3 Wise Men Clothing.

Whether you are a pro golfer or a weekend duffer, most golfers are focusing on simply making contact with the ball when standing on the tee.

For Vollé Golf co-founder and "lifelong social golfer", Kael Deherrera, looking at the ball during a weekend game got him thinking about something much bigger than a potential slice out of bounds.

Frustrated at the outdated, corporate golf brands that had a monopoly on the industry and wondering why there wasn’t more of an industry focus on sustainability, Kael and friend Nick Whitmore saw an opportunity to create a modern golf brand that did things differently. And better.

“We founded Vollé Golf with a similar vision to 3 Wise Men. Easy-to-buy, quality gear at an affordable price.”

In September last year, the boys launched the first New Zealand owned premium golf ball, the Origin. “We went through four years of exhaustive product testing with golf pros and robots to make sure our golf balls were able to compete with all the big players”, says Kael. A fact verified at a Californian independent equipment testing firm used by every major ball manufacturer.

“Easy-to-buy, quality gear at an affordable price. And when I need to step it up, I definitely look to 3 Wise Men’s stylish formal range." The 3 Wise Men Vecna Dinner Suit, $700 / included in the 2 for $1200 bundle is the perfect suit for formal occasions. Pair with the Prince Shirt $120 / included in the 3 for $300 bundle, and the Santana Leather Oxford Shoe $230 / 2 shoes or boots for $333 to the complete the look.

“The machine testing results were really impressive and we decided to push forward into bulk production - but the testing process is not cheap.” So, with typical kiwi ingenuity, they built their own machine swing robot in collaboration with the Canterbury University Engineering Department. With their tour performance, great value and stripped-back, more environmentally-friendly packaging, the balls are going gangbusters.

We’re big fans of the balls and it seems the feeling is mutual. “Vollé Golf was started with a similar vision to 3 Wise Men”, says Kael, “Easy-to-buy, quality gear at an affordable price. And when I need to step it up, I definitely look to 3 Wise Men’s stylish formal range."

With a toddler son, family time rightly calls at the moment. However Kael has even bigger plans for the company to shake up the industry. “Recently we’ve launched Coffee Tees, a biodegradable golf tee made of up-cycled coffee grounds and biomaterial. We’re also exploring new sustainable fabrics for golf gloves and apparel - as well as recycled materials for driving range balls.” Yep, life’s busy, but clearly Kael loves what he does.

“My grandfather, who first taught me golf when I was seven, always told me: Be happy with what you do, and do something with purpose.”

We reckon you’ve knocked those wise words straight down the fairway mate.