Insider Interview: Piranha Putters

With their boisterous enthusiasm and distinctive accents, the boys from Piranha Golf were hard to miss at the recent PGA Fall Expo in Las Vegas. This Australian company makes a full range of clubs, and is most known for its irons. Now they are rolling out their first flatstick, the Piranha Proto-10 putter, which was a hit with PutterZone.com at the PGA Fall Expo. The Proto-10 boasts a hefty head weight of 450 grams to assist with stroke stability and confidence; a “friction-less” sole shaping to prevent stubbing and catching; and a topline alignment dot similar to SeeMore’s RifleScope system. PutterZone.com recently caught up with Piranha Golf’s owner and chairman, Antonio Gelonesi, to get the scoop on the Proto-10. Following is our exclusive interview:

What is the core mission of Piranha Golf?

We are an alternative to the major golf brands. Our motto is that when your timing is right, Piranha is ready provide you with an excellent product for an excellent price, so that you can “unleash the player within.”

As a niche golf OEM (editor’s note: original equipment manufacturer), we can continue to push hard on new innovation quickly. We just basically love golf and want the OEM-to-player experience to be as enjoyable as possible. The culture of Piranha Golf sees everyone involved in the company loving golf and wanting to provide first-class equipment that will resonate with our players. So we have spent lots of research and development on trying to be best of class in drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, wedges and now putters. This builds on the reputation we have for making high-level irons, which feature key paradigm shifts in technology and materials.

What are the features and benefits of your new Proto-10 putter?

The soft, bronze-coated CNC-milled head has a special base arc that achieves friction-less action on the green. This, coupled with a subtle grooved face that imparts immediate roll, makes this new putter a true weapon.

The heavy weight helps create a truer arc and offers other bio-dynamic benefits, and the simple scoping tool gives some legal alignment benefits if needed.

Can you describe the process of creating the putter?

The Proto-10 putter is a manifestation of a lot of Piranha players’ input. Over two seasons we have investigated the bio-mechanical aspects and physics of putting, and the players have given input on feel, roll and touch. This lead to the early prototypes, The new Proto-10 is the only putter we have, as it represents the sum total of all Piranha fans’ desires. It’s their wish list in a putter.

The 450 gram head is heavier than most by about 100 grams on average. Why did you decide on that weight?

The weight is a key part of using the putter in a variety of situations on the golf course. The stability on and off the green of this heavier weight has already received critical acclaim. In the right situation, you can now approach the green and putt onto it, thus preventing player stress in a clutch situation. Working in tandem with the friction-less base arc, the putter has the weight to get the ball close to the pin from well off the green. The weight helps a lot on the fringe and slight rough near the green, and provides confidence in the stroke. We listened to our players and we believe that we have addressed many important problems that they have raised about putters.

What are your plans for the U.S. market? When and where can someone buy the putter?

Since introducing the putter at the PGA Fall Expo, we have been busy addressing which retailers will carry the Piranha Golf lineup, please contact us directly via our web site and we will put you in touch the closest retailer where you can see and purchase all the Piranha equipment. As we have been around for 14 years. Piranha Golf will slowly build its reputation and presence in the USA, and that follows its growth in Australia, the U.K. and Europe.

Thank you, Antonio! Stay tuned for PutterZone.com's Piranha putter review.

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Nike Method Putters Set for 2010

Few putters can claim two victories in major tournaments before their existence has even been officially acknowledged, but such is the backstory of the new Nike Method putters.

The prototype Method putters have been widely seen on the PGA Tour since early this year, and Lucas Glover and Stewart Cink wielded them in winning, respectively, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.

But even as they were racking up tour victories, the putters remained cloaked in secrecy. The folks in “The Oven”—Nike’s research and development facility in Texas—might as well have been working at Area 51.

It wasn’t until August that Nike took the official wraps off the putter, revealing its name as well as details about its technological attributes. PutterZone.com had speculated earlier that the putter would be part of Nike’s Victory Red line of clubs, but it turns out that they had a different naming “Method” in mind.

The Nike Method putters will not be available at retail until February 1, 2010 (making this possibly the longest tease in putter history). Limited-edition versions, however, will be available on November 1. The MSRP is $299 on the standard versions, so you can expect a street price of around $249.

At first glance, the Method putter looks pretty simple, with polymer grooves embedded into a steel face. But there is, in fact, a lot going on under the hood of this putter.

The polymer is actually “ported” behind the face, “allowing 30 grams of internal weight to be excavated from the face and body and relocated to the perimeter for higher MOI and added stability.” This solid polymer layer behind the face also aims to dampen vibration upon contact. Meanwhile, the polymer grooves are designed to give way to a secondary steel groove for “controlled forward roll.”

The Nike Method line consists of five models: Nike Method 001 putter (classic blade), Nike Method 002 putter (heel-shafted blade, pictured here), Nike Method 003 putter (heel-shafted mid mallet), Nike Method 004 putter (face-balanced blade), Nike Method 005 putter (face-balanced mid mallet, pictured above).

When it comes to putters, no brand elicits more hand wringing than Nike Golf. The company's first foray into the ultra-premium putter category, the Nike Unitized line, was met with mixed feedback (PutterZone.com considers the Unitized line underrated). Nike has also taken shots for pushing the visual envelope with its all-green IC putters.

Also, folks like to point out that Nike staffer Tiger Woods uses a Scotty Cameron putter, not a Nike putter, as if Woods having a longtime bond with his Cameron putter somehow reflects poorly on Nike.

But with the Method putters, Nike may have the last laugh. To the naysayers, they can now point to the two major victories this year and simply say, "Scoreboard, baby."

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Win A Scotty Cameron Putter

Danny Orr, a friend of PutterZone.com and the founder of SeeItGolf, is launching a unique interactive Twitter promotion with 10 prizes, including a Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport putter and a $100 putting aid package from SKLZ Golf.

It works like this: Follow SeeItGolf on Twitter (@seeitgolf), then send a direct message with a question for PGA Tour professional Aaron Baddeley by September 27.

Those who are deemed to have asked the 10 best questions will be awarded prizes, with the top prize being the Scotty Cameron putter. Other prizes include a dozen ProV1 balls, Daphne's head covers, SeeItGolf DVDs, and a Grayhawk Golf Club eighth hole flag from the Frys.com Open signed by Baddeley.

Additionally, the top 10 questions will be answered live by Baddeley at 10 p.m. Eastern time on September 30.

Baddeley is the star of SeeItGolf's innovative "imagery training" video (screen shot show above) that is available for the iPhone as well as on DVD. This video focuses solely on putting, and earned high marks in an earlier review on PutterZone.com.

P.S. While you're at it, don't forget to follow PutterZone.com on Twitter (@PutterZone).

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The Best Putters of 2010

Which will be the best putters of 2010? It’s not too soon to start asking that question, as new models will begin rolling out this fall in anticipation of the new year, with additional putters being unveiled at the PGA Merchandise Show in January and in the early months thereafter.

(Note: Check out PutterZone.com's Buyer's Guide on how to make sure that the putter you buy is the right fit for your game)

Some putter makers are being secretive or coy about what’s to come for 2010, but PutterZone.com has already uncovered some solid contenders.

As reported here several months ago, Robert Bettinardi—who is parting ways with Mizuno—will release a new line of BB Series and Studio B putters in November.

Also in November, Slotline will release its new 600 Series putters (pictured here), while Odyssey will unveil its new White Ice putters. Also, look for the new Nike Method putter in the early spring. Meanwhile, PING just released its new iN putters. Newcomers this fall include Utopia Putters and Piranha Putters.

PutterZone.com also wouldn’t be surprised to see new offerings from Yes! putters, Rife putters, Cleveland putters and Never Compromise putters for 2010, to name a few.

Stay tuned at PutterZone.com for updates on the best putters of 2010. We will also kick off the new year with our annual Power Picks, featuring our selections for best blades, best mallets and best buy putters. What will be your best putter for 2010? You may just find it right here.

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Red Hot Odyssey White Ice Putter Photos

It's getting warm in here, because PutterZone.com is revealing some hot new photos of the upcoming White Ice putters by Odyssey Golf.

The exclusive photos shown here, from top to bottom, feature the Odyssey White Ice Rossie putter, Odyssey White Ice 7 putter and Odyssey White Ice 1 putter.

As reported yesterday on PutterZone.com, the Odyssey White Ice putters will be released on November 15 at a price of $129.

The initial models will be the 1, 7, 9, Rossie and Sabertooth. More models will follow in 2010.

The White Ice putters will replace the Odyssey White Hot XG putters. The White Ice line is distinguished by a new insert and a black nickel "stealth" finish.

The new insert has been tested and fine tuned on the PGA Tour since earlier this year. It is designed to offer improved responsiveness, feel and audio feedback.

The White Ice blade models will also feature swingweight optimization, with varying head weights offered to match varying putter lengths.

At first glance, the sole stamping on the Odyssey White Ice putters looks very cool (pun intended), with little icicles dripping down beneath the word "Ice."

And how about that three-dot sightline in black on the crown of the 7 model? Sweet.

Odyssey appears to have a hot, err, cool, new putter line on its hands.

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Never Compromise Scores with New Site

Never Compromise hits a home run with its new web site for its Never Compromise X-Ray putters.

What sets the web site apart is its emphasis on educating the visitor about the fundamentals of putter fitting.

Indeed, there's a link on the site called "Fundamentals," which leads to a section that clearly explains everything from loft to length, offset to lie angle, inclusive of helpful illustrations. This section also explores key engineering factors, such as Moment of Inertia (MOI) and Center of Gravity (CG). Few places on the web, or anywhere for that matter, offer such a crisp and visual overview of putter fitting fundamentals.

The site also earns points for making it easy to see the loft, lie angle and head weight of each Never Compromise putter. You might think that this would be automatic for anyone selling putters, but amazingly that is not the case.

So kudos to Never Compromise for not compromising in matters of consumer education.

P.S. If you are interested in learning even more about putter fitting fundamentals, you might want to check out PutterZone.com's Ultimate Putter Buyer's Guide, which goes into considerable detail.

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Odyssey White Ice Putters Coming Soon

Odyssey Golf is teeing up a new line of putters for 2010 under the banner of Odyssey White Ice.

According to Odyssey, the development of the White Ice putters was guided by active input from Odyssey staffers on the PGA Tour and other professional circuits. The White Ice putters will replace the White Hot XG line.

The new White Ice face inserts promise improved responsiveness and audio feedback, particularly when used with softer balls. A black nickel "stealth" finish brings a sleek look to the line, which is composed of the 1, 7, 9, Rossie and Sabertooth (pictured here) models.

Look for the Odyssey White Ice putters starting on November 15, 2009 at a street price of $129. At that price, the White Ice putters will likely produce red-hot sales.

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PING iN Putters Roll into Stores

On the home stretch of its 50th anniversary year, PING Golf has released its new PING iN putters featuring "nano-nickel" technology inserts as well as center-body cutouts for heightened perimeter weighting.

For example, the Anser model in the PING iN Series features two cutouts in the sole of the putter (pictured here), ensuring that a higher percentage of the overall head weight resides in the heel and toe. Such weight distribution elevates the putter's Moment of Inertia, or MOI, for enhanced stability, especially on miss-hits.

In addition to the Anser, the PING iN putter line features familiar PING shapes such as the ZB and B60. It also introduces two new models for PING: the Wack-E putter (mallet) and Lil Wack-E putter (blade).

The cost of the PING iN putters ranges from $139 to $169, depending on the model. Stay tuned at PutterZone.com for more insights into the new iN putters.

P.S. Thanks to reader John B. for prompting this story!

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SKLZ Putting Gate Review

Squaring the putter face at impact is essential to successful putting.

If the putter face is just a degree or two off your intended line at impact, it can send your ball wide of the hole.

Yet consistently squaring the putter face is easier said than done. It requires practice and disciplined mechanics.

Enter the Putting Gate ($20) by SKLZ Golf, a new putting practice aid that aims to instill impact squareness with vivid and immediate feedback. Does the SKLZ Putting Gate deliver the training goods? Following is PutterZone.com's SKLZ Putting Gate review.

The Storyline
SKLZ Golf produces a wide range of training aids in affiliation with leading PGA Tour instructor Rick Smith. The SKLZ product line features everything from full-swing devices to short game trainers.

The SKLZ Putting Gate consists of a small rectangular rubber mat with Velcro pads on both ends. Two included wooden blocks fasten to the Velco and create a “gate” for the putter head. A white alignment line, or target line, intersects the center of the matt.

The Putting Gate also comes with a Deuce 2-Ball Trainer, which consists of two balls conjoined by a small shaft. A shallow track in the front of the mat is designed to mate with the Deuce. This track ensures that the Deuce can be consistently set perpendicular to the target line.

When the two conjoined balls are struck squarely and simultaneously, the Deuce rolls forward, end over end. However, if the putter face is not square at contact, the Deuce spins out to the left or right, giving you instant visual feedback on your error.

The View from PutterZone.com
The SKLZ Putting Gate essentially unites two common putting drills—the tee drill, in which you stick two tees in the green to act as a narrow gate for your putter; and the two-ball drill, in which you place two balls together and try to roll both along the same path by squaring the putter face at impact. These drills, respectively, (1) reinforce a consistent swing path and (2) verify squareness at impact.

Assembling the Putting Gate is easy. You just attach the blocks to the mat with their matching Velcro pads and off you go. You can easily detach and reattach the blocks to create more or less room around the heel and toe of your putter, depending on how tight of a challenge you want to create for yourself.

The Deuce can be maddening (in a good way), because it amplifies the slightest error in face angle, and ultimately forces you to look your demons straight in the eye. I hate hitting the Deuce and seeing it spin out!

It took me a little time to get acclimated to the Putting Gate. At first, seeing two blocks and two balls along the putter's pathway prompted some anticipatory flinching at impact. Soon enough, however, I was able to ignore the potential obstacles for a smooth, uninhibited stroke.

I really like the fact that the Putting Gate can be used in multiple ways, and that the challenge level can be customized. If you don’t want to keep bending over to set the Deuce on the matt, then you can just play around with it by itself.

There is also a shallow dimple in the mat that mates with a regular golf ball—which is a good option if you just want to focus on getting your putter head cleanly through the gate without the added challenge of rolling the Deuce.

I can see the Putting Gate providing fun family entertainment as well. For example, you could play a game to see who can stroke the Deuce along a straight path the most times in a row.

I would prefer the Putting Gate mat to be another color besides black, because black putter heads—which are popular these days—tend to visually blend in with mat. A mat color that vividly contrasts with both black and silver putter heads would be advised for future iterations.

The Bottom Line
The SKLZ Putting Gate effectively combines two fundamental putting drills into a simple and affordable package. The Putting Gate earns points for offering customized challenge levels and multiple usage options, and it can provide fun for an entire family of golfers.

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Shop with PutterZone.com

We are excited to announce that PutterZone.com has partnered with the OpenSky Project to offer a personalized shopping experience featuring our favorite putters, putting aids and other golf gear.

The OpenSky Project is driven by a small team of forward-thinking entrepreneurs who are revolutionizing the online shopping experience, giving it a human touch by connecting consumers with trusted and knowledgeable shopkeepers.

In their words: There was a time when Main Street shopkeepers had the trust of their community. Then big box retailers created enormous warehouses with every item under the sun, which seemed wonderful but destroyed the intimacy and experience consumers had with local merchants. Internet giants emerged and built efficient but sterile destinations selling millions of items in endless online lists. Over time, the humanity and trust of shopping have been lost. Until now.

Bravo! This is exactly why PutterZone.com is honored to be one of OpenSky’s inaugural shopping hosts.

We personally test and review dozens of products each year, and only those that are deemed the “best of the best” are selected for sale in PutterZone.com’s OpenSky store. We are committed to offering competitive prices and insightful product details for an informed shopping experience. Our goal is to put the best putter for you in your hands.

PutterZone.com is dedicated to helping you raise your game and lower your scores by giving you the inside scoop on the latest products and news in the world of putting. By shopping with PutterZone.com, you will help support this mission.

We look forward to being one of your trusted shopkeepers!

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The Fringe: Ruletwentyone Towel Review

So you’ve just hit one of those made-for-television approach shots, your ball spinning down from the heavens, biting the green and rolling back to within 10 feet of the hole.

Now you have a crucial birdie putt, but when you walk up to your ball, you see that its dimples are caked in mud. Now what, Tiger? You look around for your caddie—wait, you’ve never had a caddie. You peer down at your nice tan golfing slacks…Nah. You glance over at your bag and towel that you left on the far side of the sand trap. Nope, too far away.

So instead of focusing on your putt, you hurry over to the fringe and desperately try to wipe your ball clean on the grass before it’s your turn. Nice going, champ. If only you’d had a Ruletwentyone towel in your pocket…

Under The Hood

Ruletwentyone by RuleGolf is a two-sided pocket towel made of absorbent bamboo terry cloth with a waterproof shell. Before your round, you soak the towel in water, then wring it out. The terry cloth stays moist, but the shell quickly dries. The towel is fastened and folded in such a way that it can be placed in your back pocket with only the dry waterproof side touching your pants.

-Allows you to conveniently clean your ball while reading your putt

-Allows you to clean your club when away from your bag

-Bamboo terry cloth stays moist for an entire round

-Tucks into your back pocket

-Waterproof exterior ensures that pants and hands stay dry

-11 inches long, four inches wide

-Available in a variety of colors

-$10 retail price

Why It Rocks

The Ruletwentyone towel is pure genius, as it affordably and stylishly solves a common golfing problem. It sits in your palm and buffs your ball while you focus on your putt, and the waterproof shell ensures that your hands stay dry. It’s easy to use, easy to carry and easy to clean at the end of your round.

The fixed plastic clip at the top of the towel ensures that it never loses its fold. The clip also weights the top and help keeps the towel secure in your back pocket. If you don’t like the sensation of a towel hanging out of your back pocket, you can simply roll it up and place it in your front pocket.

Truly, whatever you’ve done until now to clean your ball on the green pales in comparison to the convenience and effectiveness of this innovative little towel.

The Final Word

Get one—now. You won’t be disappointed. You will be enlightened.

About The Fringe

The Fringe is where PutterZone.com roams "beyond the green" in search of golf's hottest new gear. This bi-weekly series is reserved for products that truly earn the spotlight by demonstrating superior quality and ingenuity.

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Insider Interview: Utopia Putters

Can the next big thing in putters come from a little town in Texas populated by a grand total 250 people? The guys behind Utopia Golf Products are certainly betting on it, and they are off to a great start, having earned the “Best New Product” award at the recent PGA Fall Expo in Las Vegas. Utopia putters are distinguished by a horizontal face ridge that the company calls “The Edge.” The ridge is designed to strike the ball just above its equator to produce immediate forward roll. The Utopia TXR 1 blade ($169) and TXR II mallet ($179) are now available for sale via the company’s web site. Utopia Golf Products was started by three residents of Utopia, Texas: Bill Deichler, Mike Hillis and Scott Saunders. PutterZone.com recently spoke with Bill Deichler about the new Utopia putters, and about their journey from concept to product. Following is our exclusive interview:

What are the features and benefits of your putters?

The feature that separates our line of putters from all others on the market is immediately noticeable. The club face, or “The Edge,” is designed to put the sweet part of the club on the sweet spot of the ball. Traditional putters can cause the ball to skid or hop a few inches or more, producing inconsistent results. We tested our putter against some of the more high-end putters on the market using a high speed camera and we recorded the results. Our club had the ball rolling instantly off the clubface, well within the first half inch after impact. The other putters that were tested caused the ball to “knuckle” or scoot along as much as eight inches before starting to roll.

The sooner you can start the ball rolling, the sooner it gets on target. Our new and radical design gives you the advantage of a true and consistent roll, and a softer feel in a perfectly balanced club. Our design produces immediate topspin or instant forward roll on the ball to produce a straight and true roll, even when miss-hit off the toe or heel. It also performs remarkably well from the fringe.

Where did the idea of The Edge come from, and how did it go from concept to reality?

Mike and Scott are credited with coming up with the design. They showed up at the local course to play 18 holes and realized that they had left their putters at home. So they used their sand wedges and bellied the ball. The ball came off the club clean and rolled instantly.

We then got together and built a prototype and played with the location of The Edge. From that crudely made prototype a second prototype was machined and perfected by a local machinist who loves golf. He was able to provide insight and experience from his time spent playing the game. When that club produced the effect on the ball we were looking for, we signed up for the PGA Fall Expo and started working toward the goal of attending and winning the “Best New Product” award.

What does The Edge specifically do, in a physical sense?

The Edge is .100 in front of what is called the traditional club face. However, The Edge is our clubface. It is virtually impossible—at least without abusing or misusing the club—to strike the ball with any other part of the club. The Edge strikes just above centerline of the ball, not so high as to cause downward movement of the ball, and not so low as to cause the ball to hop.

Can you describe what it’s like to build a new putter company from the ground up? Building any company from the ground up is challenging. However if you have a product that works and improves the way people do things, you will succeed. The TXR line of putters is new and radical in design, and, best of all, they work better than any other putter on the market today. We produced a great looking club and focused on the details. We mill, assemble, paint and polish each club by hand in Utopia, Texas. It’s the small details that you spend hours working on that have the biggest effect.

Can you tell us about your week leading up to the PGA Fall Expo, and the reaction or results you got from the show?

The week leading up to the show had its moments, and was very hectic at times, but once the clubs were packed and shipped off to Las Vegas the pressure was off. We all knew we had a great product and that it would impress everyone who would see it in Las Vegas. We all had high expectations and had discussed our chances of winning the “Best New Product” award.

On Monday we set up our tent at demo day and began our task of putting our club in every attendees’ hands. From the first person to see it to the last, it was a hit. Tuesday and Wednesday were even better. The members of our team didn’t even have time to sit down or eat lunch. We spilled over into the surrounding area and took over the corner we were on. People would walk by and test our putter, then a few minutes later they would show back up with one of their friends to show it to them. Then a few minutes later that person would be back with someone else. Paul Piro of the PGA told us on Wednesday morning that we had won the “Best New Product” award and we celebrated appropriately.

I still catch myself thinking about it and smiling. It feels like it was all a dream now. In the last week the phone and emails have been non-stop and the orders are starting to come in.

Thank you, Bill! Stay tuned for the PutterZone.com Utopia putter review.

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The Scoop on New Slotline Putters

Slotline Golf is set to unveil a new line of putters—and PutterZone.com has the first look.

The new Slotline putters fall under the banner of the 600 Series, and they will be released on November 1 at a retail price

of $179.

The 600 Series consists of the SSi-691 (pictured here) and SSi-692 blades, and the SSi-693 mid-mallet (pictured below). Each putter features a tri-milled 6061 aluminum face insert as well as 15-gram tungsten plugs in the heel and toe for heightened MOI. The total head weight is 360 grams.

Slotline product manager Chad Lehr told PutterZone.com: "The vision of the new line was to create a high-performance putter that appealed to a wider segment of golfers. The feedback we have received from the Champions Tour players was the inspiration behind the design. They liked the technology that the 300 Series putters offered, but requested a heavier head with a softer feel. The head weight of the 600 Series is set at 360 grams and the 6061 milled aluminum face insert provides a softer, yet very solid feel that still provides feedback at impact. The combination of a heavier head, 30 grams of Tungsten in the sole and the aluminum face insert resulted in a 15 percent increase in MOI over the 300 Series."

Slotline Golf has been on a roll since being re-launched last year. Slotline was once a giant in the putter industry, ranking only third behind PING and Titleist in total sales in the late 1980s, and known for making some of the game's best putters. The brand later fell on hard times, but was acquired by Dynamic Brands in 2007, at which point Lehr and company quickly set the rebirth of Slotline putters into motion.

The new 600 Series putters are heavier and generally smaller that last year's Slotline putter releases, which had 340-gram heads that tended to be on the larger size. The nickel finish is also a departure from the black finish of the earlier models.

Stay tuned for the PutterZone.com review of the new Slotline 600 putters.

P.S. For more on the Slotline story and mission, read PutterZone.com's interview with Chad Lehr.

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Vegas Recap: Best Putters, Hottest Gear

PutterZone.com is back from the PGA Fall Expo at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, the annual showcase for golf’s hottest new gear and a preview of what’s coming for 2010.

What happens in Vegas usually stays there, but not this time.

Below are the highlights we discovered while roaming the aisles of this virtual toy store for golfers:

The exuberant Aussies behind Piranha Golf revealed their brand-new Piranha Putter, which features a hefty 450-gram head weight while maintaining a svelte, classic profile. Stay tuned at PutterZone.com for more information on this exciting new entry into the U.S. market.

Blair Philip, director of research and development of Yes! Golf, revealed two new prototype blade putters. He swore us to secrecy on the specifics, but let's just say that these two putters will open some wallets on looks alone. Wow!

STX Putters unveiled its new ProFit 4 and ProFit 5 putters featuring three interchangeable faces ranging from ultra-soft to firm. The ProFit 5 putter (pictured here) also offers custom weighting. These putters boast a rock-solid profile with a hint of industrial chic. Look for them soon, and stay tuned for the PutterZone.com review.

Utopia Golf made its debut with its Utopia putters featuring a horizontal face ridge designed to impart instant forward roll. This ridge is a radical departure from the traditional putter face, but seemed to deliver the goods in limited testing. Utopia Putters also earned the "Best New Product" title at the show.

Spherical Blade putters showcased its diverse line of S-Blade putters, all featuring a convex curved face designed to strike the ball just above its equator for immediate topspin. They also showed off their smart PerfectaPutt training accessory. This spool-like device catches only those balls that are putted with proper accuracy and speed. Very cool.

The Putting Lane is a unique new practice aid that helps you focus on the process of putting. You set it down in line with your putt about one foot in front of the ball. An alignment line along the top helps you get square to the target. Then you putt the ball through the device, giving you the mental picture of a one-foot putt on longer putts, thus inspiring consistency and confidence.

Sumi-G showed off its magnificent line of ultra-smart golf gear. It's hard to put into words just how artful and practical the Sum-G products are. From divot tools to head covers, golf shoe totes to money clips, every Sumi-G product solves a common golfing problem with remarkable style and craftsmanship.

RuleGolf showcased its RuleTwentyOne "waterproof back-pocket towel," which is made for cleaning your muddy ball after an approach shot to the green. Trust us, this is one kick-ass invention. Bravo! Stay tuned for the PutterZone.com review.

Golfactor offered its new Golfactor belt featuring a removable magnetic divot tool and magnetic ball marker within the buckle for nice three-in-one convenience.

The Flip n' Go push cart seemed similar to the popular Clicgear folding cart, but with a fourth wheel for added stability and ease of navigation. We saw a prototype with stand-in wheels, but it looks like a very promising entry into the tight-folding push cart category.

The duo behind Quagmire Golf showed off their stylish golf attire that's "not fit for the fairway." In other words, this is clothing that looks sharp anywhere, anytime.

Sol Sunguard offered samples of its golf-specific sunscreen. Trust us, this is no gimmick. It solves three common problems that golfers experience with mainstream sunscreens: stinging eyes, oily hands and stained clothing. We rubbed some right in our eyes to no ill effect.

The PGA Fall Expo was ultimately a reminder that there’s still plenty of room for true innovation and enthusiasm in the world of golf products. Just when you think it’s all been done before, along comes something fresh that opens your eyes. Kudos to the inventors who put their heart and soul into creating products that aim to raise our collective game.

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PutterZone.com Heads to Vegas

PutterZone.com is off to Las Vegas today to atted the PGA Fall Expo featuring some of the hottest new products in golf.

As always, we will be on the lookout for the best new putters and golf innovations. Exhibitors include Yes! putters, STX putters, S-Blade putters, Feel Golf, Tour Edge, Pukka and more. In all, more that 200 vendors will show their wares at Mandalay Bay.

Stay tuned for a full report!

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