PutterZone – Best Putter Reviews
Can the Heavy Putter truly compete with conventional putters? Here’s one way to answer the question: Troy Matteson has banked more than $1 million on the PGA Tour in each of the past two years with a Heavy Putter in his hands, and Adrian Mork shot a remarkable score of 59 on the European Challenge Tour with the help of a Heavy Putter.
But the bigger question is: Will the Heavy Putter work for you? Following is PutterZone.com’s review of the new Heavy Putter Deep Face F3 model putter ($169).
The Storyline
The Heavy Putter is the creation of Stephen Boccieri, an engineer and inventor with a deep knowledge of golf and a knack for challenging conventional wisdom. The first Heavy Putters were released in 2005. Click here to read PutterZone.com’s earlier interview with Boccieri.
The Heavy Putter F3-DF is one of several new models in Boccieri Golf’s new Deep Face (DF) series. The DF putters feature the same core weighting technology found on earlier Heavy Putter models, but with the added feature of a taller, or deeper, face. The DF putters also cost $30 less than earlier models.
The F3 is nicknamed the “Stealth” for its shapely resemblance to the F-117 stealth fighter jet. True to the brand name, the head weighs 465 grams, more than 100 grams heavier than a standard putter head. According to Boccieri Golf: “The heavier mass of the putter head disengages a golfer
As with all Heavy Putters, the F3 also features a 250-gram weight in the grip end of the shaft to create a higher balance point. According to Boccieri Golf, this higher balance point “eliminates excessive hand and wrist action for the promotion of a smoother stroke.”
Meanwhile, the new Deep Face feature is essentially designed to sweeten the sweet spot: “With a putter face one-quarter inch taller than conventional putters, the Deep Face more closely aligns the equator of the golf ball with the ‘sweet spot’ of the clubface to optimally transfer energy for improved overall putting.”
The F3 is made from 303 stainless steel with CNC milled surfaces. The finish is matte gray along the crown, with brushed stainless along the sole and face.
The View from PutterZone.com
I’m already on the record as a believer in the Heavy Putter. Is it for everyone? I can’t say that. But will it raise your game? Quite possibly.
With its distinctive design, the F3 puts a new twist on the Heavy Putter experience. An overwhelming percentage of the weight is distributed to the perimeters of the head, so that the only part striking the ball is a thin portion of the face. So while the putter may be heavy, it feels surprisingly light and buoyant in matters of feedback, because there is so little mass behind the point of contact.
This unconventional design also yields rather unconventional acoustics. It’s sort of a “ping,” but with an airy, glassy resonance. An added asset of the F3 design is an arrow-like convergence into the target line, which acts as a natural alignment aid.
As with other Heavy Putter models, I found the F3 to be effective, as advertised, in terms of enhancing stroke stability and consistency. The F3 performed quite well for me on short putts and lag putts and everything in between. The balanced weightiness of the Heavy Putter does, indeed, seem to calm the twitches, resulting in improved command, consistency and confidence.
As for the Deep Face feature, it’s certainly compelling—and comforting—to see the top of the ball nearly even with the top line of the putter at address, and with the centers of both more closely aligned from a vertical perspective. The concept makes perfect sense, and it no doubt lessens one’s need to manipulate the club head in order to achieve optimal contact and thus forward roll.
Of course, there is an acclimation period when switching from a conventional putter to a Heavy Putter. However, I’ve never found this period to be long or troubling. At first, the heaviness can feel a bit alien. Soon enough, however, it feels quite natural.
With the DF series, Boccieri Golf has chosen to accessorize the putters with a marbled grip and glossy vinyl accents on the head cover, flashy touches that I find to be a bit incongruous with the confident industrial aesthetic of the putter itself. Some, however, will love these accents, while party poopers like me can always buy a more sedate replacement grip for $8 from Heavy Putter.
The Bottom Line
Boccieri Golf scores again with the Heavy Putter DF-F3. The F3 fully earns its “Stealth” nickname with its unconventional look, forward-thinking technology and lethal ability to straighten out your stroke. The new Deep Face feature offers added performance security to the proven Heavy Putter technology, and the F3 in particular brings a new level of feel to Boccieri’s lineup.
