PutterZone – Best Putter Reviews
The shiny new toys of the 2009 golf season will be unveiled next week at the annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida—including dozens of new putters that aim to raise your game.
If you can’t make it to Orlando, don’t worry, because the following exclusive putter roundup is the next best thing to being there. Here is what PutterZone.com has learned about what the top putter companies will be featuring at the upcoming PGA Merchandise Show:
YES! Golf will introduce numerous new models in 2009, including the Madison mallet (pictured above). According to the company, “this putter is similar to a metal wood. The enlarged mallet incorporates a hollow head with extreme perimeter weighting to create the highest MOI in the YES! putter line.” The head is made of 304 stainless steel with a total head weight of 360 grams. The alignment lines on the top line of the face along with a ball-width stripe on the top of the putter form a T-square for “effortless alignment.” The Yes! Madison putter will be available on February 15 for $150.
T.P. Mills Co. will showcase its 1310 series putters in Orlando, advancing a family putter-making tradition that dates back to 1962. Crafted by David Mills, son of the legendary designer T.P. Mills, the 1310 putters are a first for T.P. Mills: one-piece, completely milled plumber’s neck designs. According to the company, “These putters are milled from a forging of 1030 carbon steel and represent one of the finest ways to manufacture a CNC milled putter head. David Mills did this to ensure the finest quality carbon steel putter on the market today.” The hottest of the bunch promises to be the 1310 Softtail, a plumber’s neck adaptation of the original T.P. Mills classic softtail design. The T.P. Mills 1310 Softtail putter is available now for $499, with custom options for grip, length and headcover.
The SeeMore Putter Company is set to unveil two new incarnations of its legendary FGP model, the FGP Stainless blade and the FGP2 Stainless mallet. Payne Stewart and Zach Johnson both employed the original FGP en route to winning, respectively, the U.S. Open and the Masters. According to the company, “The new FGP Stainless series is an enhancement to the design, construction and materials of the original FGP that features our proven and proprietary RST alignment system. It adopts the look and feel of the putter that won two major championships.” The new SeeMore FGP Stainless putters will be available in February in black satin or nickel satin finish for $185.
Cleveland Golf is releasing two new Visual Performance (VP) putter models for 2009. The new VP 509 mallet features a textured elastomer face insert that is 30 percent larger than earlier models, with the intent of providing a soft yet responsive feel. According to the company, “this low density material, which is seven times less dense than steel, also helps move the center of gravity lower and deeper in the head.” As with all VP models, the 509 incorporates “Dual Axis Alignment technology,” which provides visual cues for a consistent and proper setup. The Cleveland VP 509 putter begins shipping in mid February. The price is $129.
Boccieri Golf is rolling out a new line of Heavy Putters under the banner of the MID-WEIGHT Series. The Heavy Putter MID-WEIGHT CX2 features a classic blade design with a plumber’s neck hosel. According to the company, “The CX2—like all MID-WEIGHT Series offerings—weighs 750 grams, lighter than the company’s previous models (900 grams) and heavier than traditional offerings (500 grams)…(It’s) a perfect synergy of classic design and Heavy Putter’s game improving technology.” The CX2 comes in two finishes: black or silver satin. It will be available in February for $169.
Rife Putters is back in black in 2009 with its Two Bar Hybrid Tour Blade, which was inspired by the input of several professional tour players. The putter is the successor to the popular Two Bar Hybrid models introduced last year. According to the company, “The bars have been shortened to allow for the extra weight of the hosel and the head is slightly more compact overall. The black finish, the plumber neck and the new compact shape make for an entirely new look and feel.” Customizable Two Bar weighting, horizontal RollGroove face technology and an aluminum-polymer face insert complete the package. The Rife Two Bar Hybrid Tour Blade putter is available now for $199.
STX Putters combines fine art with function in its new Envision TR putter designed by world-renowned sculptor Bob Engman, the latest in STX’s Impressionist Series. According to the company, “The Envision TR Putter is the perfect line extension for the Impressionists Series. Its elegant lines are stunning but, more importantly, they serve as alignment aids. Bob does a great job of combining art with function.” The Envision TR Putter comes with a choice of black or green face insert. In the words of STX, “The black insert is “extremely soft and delivers a high coefficient of friction and resilience rate plus increased dwell time. This insert continues to be a favorite on the PGA Tour. For golfers who prefer a firmer feel, the green insert provides a harder feel with less resilience.” The Envision TR will be available soon for $165.
PING Golf celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2009, marking a half century since founder Karsten Solheim crafted his first commercial putter. The new iWi putter series putters feature a 304 stainless steel insert that is encased in a half shell of elastomer. According to PING, this two-piece insert offers “steel-face performance and response with a softer feel.” The iWi putters also include customizable weighting technology, inclusive of 12-gram removable steel weights inserted into the heel and toe. An optional weight kit ($69) includes pairs of 20-gram and 28-gram tungsten weights, resulting in nine possible weight combinations. The PING iWi putters are available now for $169.
Slotline Golf is currently rolling out three new putter series. The SL-584F Center Stroke mallet from the Slotline 500 series is made from forged and milled 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum. According to the company, “Milled cavities in the heel, toe and underside of crown are filled with 132 grams of our proprietary tungsten blend. The triangulation of the tungsten weights inserted into the light aluminum body stabilizes the head and reduces the amount of twisting on off-center hits.” As with all Slotline putters, the Center Stroke mallet also features the company’s signature “slot and line” alignment aid. It is available now for $159.
Bob Burns Golf will feature its new Roll-In mallet putter at the PGA Merchandise Show. According to the company, “The Roll-In Putter includes seven weight portals and adjustable screws of varying masses that you can use to customize your putting game…These adjustable weight screws offer a basic three-point stability system, with a dense tungsten screw in both the heel and toe, and two back weights equidistant from the center line, resulting in an enlarged sweet spot. If you tend to push or pull your putts, you can also bias the weight towards the heel or the toe to correct your problem.” The Bob Burns Roll-In putter is available now for $125, inclusive of a weight kit and custom grip options.
GEL Golf is adding four new models to its Paul Hurrion Signature Range of putters. The Pondera model is a heel-toe weighted mallet with a crank neck hosel and full shaft offset. According to the company, “In an industry first, Dr. Hurrion’s putter line comes equipped with a True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 iron shaft rather than a standard putter shaft used by the rest of the industry. This innovative approach has been designed to help increase the size of the sweet spot on the putter face…GEL putters also feature horizontal grooves that are milled at a precise angle onto a soft aluminum insert. These new technologies create instant forward roll of the golf ball, reducing the effect of skidding providing truer roll off the ball immediately after it’s been struck.” The GEL Pondera putter will be available following the PGA Merchandise Show for $299.
Thanks for giving this information about the golf putters. Their designs and features are quite innovative and I will definitely purchase one.
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