Putter Fitting Tips: Lie Angle

PutterZone.com today launches a new series called Putter Fitting Tips, in which we demystify putter fitting jargon to give you practical information for raising your game.

We begin with "putter lie angle," which is the angle at which the shaft intersects the horizontal sole of the putter.

For visual reference, consider that a croquet mallet has a lie angle of 90 degrees, because the shaft is perpendicular to the head. On a putter, however, the shaft intersects the head at a shallower angle. A typical lie angle for a putter ranges from 70 to 72 degrees.

When you see a golfer address a putt with the toe of the putter raised off the ground, that’s a lie angle issue, because the lie angle of that putter doesn’t properly fit the physique or mechanics of that particular golfer. When the lie angle is properly fitted, the sole of the putter will be flush with the ground, with neither the toe nor heel sticking up.

An improper putter lie angle can cause persistent performance problems with pushing or pulling putts.

There is no “right” lie angle. The lie angle that works for you might be the wrong lie angle for someone else. Again, it depends on your own personal physique and mechanics, and overall approach to putting.

Some companies, such as SeeMore Putter Company, offer custom lie angle options at the point of purchase. Rife Putters makes several models with a special LieAline technology, whereby you can safely and easily change the lie angle of the putter. But most putters come with a fixed lie angle, and if you want to change it, you need to find a trained professional with the right bending tool.

While 71 degrees is probably considered the “average” lie angle, there is considerable variation in the marketplace. For example, the Yes! Dawn putter comes with a lie angle of 72 degrees; the Mizuno Bettinardi Black Carbon putter comes with a lie angle of 71 degrees; and the Cleveland BRZ bronze putter comes with a lie angle of 70 degrees.

So how do you apply this information to your own game? For starters, make sure that the lie angle on your current putter isn’t out of whack. Have a friend watch you putt and tell you if the toe or heel is sticking up.

If the toe is up, you likely need a flatter (smaller number) lie angle. If the heel is up, you probably need a more upright (higher number) lie angle—assuming that you don’t plan to make any drastic changes to your putting setup anytime soon.

Similarly, if you are in the market for a putter, pay attention to the lie angles of the putters you are sampling. Of course, you can always have a putter’s lie angle adjusted, as long as you don’t mind finding and paying someone to do it.

The bottom line is that lie angle can have a significant impact on your putting results, so keep a close eye on it.

P.S. For the complete scoop on putter fitting, check out Putter Perfection: The Groundbreaking Guide to Finding the Right Fit for Your Game by Sean Weir, editor of PutterZone.com.

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The Story of The First CNC Milled Putter

PutterZone.com recently enjoyed the opportunity to connect with golf industry legend Dick DeLaCruz, a pioneer and innovator who says his best work is yet to come.

Editor Sean Weir spent more than three hours with DeLaCruz. Following is his account of the evening:

It's twilight in Carlsbad, California and I'm hanging out in the garage of Dick DeLaCruz.

At one point, Dick starts rummaging around. He reaches into a bin and pulls out a classic blade putter with a wooden shaft and two ports in the flange.

He hands it to me and says, “This is the first CNC milled putter ever created.”

He hands it to me—it’s a Callaway “Bobby Jones” putter with a hickory shaft (pictured here). Surely he means this putter belongs to the first line of CNC milled putters, right?

“No,” he says. “This is the first one.”

In other words, I am holding history in my hands.

Computer numerical controlled, or CNC, milling is today the standard in crafting precision-milled putters from a single block of metal for quality, accuracy and consistency. Twenty-five years ago, however, it was unheard of in the putter industry.

The story of the first CNC milled putter begins back in 1982, when Dick was a partner in Temecula-based Hickory Stick USA, which specialized in wedges and putters with steel-core hickory shafts.

Ely Callaway had recently sold his winery in the Temecula wine country in San Diego County, making a $9 million profit in the process. Callaway became enamored with Hickory Stick USA’s clubs after seeing them at an Indian Wells pro shop, and he later paid the company a visit.

“We weren’t doing real well, to be honest,” Dick recalls. “My partner told me that a man named Ely Callaway wanted to buy into the company. I said, ‘Do it.’ I'd never even met the gentleman.”

As Callaway took over Hickory Stick USA, Dick remained busy in the golf industry, designing and producing automated machinery for several major equipment companies.

Meanwhile, Callaway renamed his company Callaway Hickory Stick USA and moved it to Cathedral City in the desert near Palm Springs. Callaway later summoned Dick for his opinion on plans to relocate to a larger facility in the Palm Desert area.

Says Dick, “I told him that there were a lot of issues to consider before building a new plant. I also told him, ‘One thing you will get from staying in the desert is a high air-conditioning bill in the summertime.’”

Dick recommended Carlsbad in northern San Diego County as a better alternative, as it was ideally situated between local suppliers in Santa Monica, overseas suppliers via the harbor at San Pedro, finishing facilities in Mexico and a new UPS shipping center in San Marcos. The area was also home to a large labor force, and the weather was mild.

He recalls, “So Ely turns to me and says, ‘Okay, Mr. Smartypants, go do it.’ And I said, ‘I don’t work for you,’ and he replied, ‘You do now.’ So off I went to establish the new Callaway plant in Carlsbad.”

To be continued…Stay tuned for part two of PutterZone.com’s story on the origins of the first CNC milled putter, and on what’s next for Dick DeLaCruz.

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Adidas Taunts The Golf Gods

One of these days, a golf company is going to pay for its promotions. You can only taunt the golf gods so many times before the golf gods decide to have the last laugh.

For example, last year, Golfsmith offered a full cash reimbursement on TaylorMade driver purchases if Sergio Garcia won the Masters. Sure, Garcia was a longshot. Then again, so was Angel Cabrera, right?

Now, adidas Golf is getting into the act by offering you a free pair of adidas Powerband 3.0 golf shoes if Kenny Perry or Pat Perez aces the 16th hole on any of the four tournament days at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The promotion is open to the first 10,000 people who register here starting Monday (the link will be live on Monday).

The folks at adidas Golf revealed the Powerband shoe promotion to us after reading yesterday's adidas Tour 360 shoe review.

So what are the chances of winning a new pair of adidas Powerband 3.0 shoes? Pretty slim. Then again, did you hear about the guy who recently hit a hole in one to win a million dollars? Or the guy who nailed a half-court shot while blindfolded to win tickets to the Final Four?

The golf gods probably did, and who knows, maybe they're ready for another good chuckle, too.

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The Fringe: Adidas Tour 360 4.0 Shoe Review

It's easy to find a comfortable shoe. But a stylish comfortable shoe? Not so easy. For example, Ugg boots and Crocs are quite comfortable, but they're hardly going to rival Armani in the style department.

The same goes for golf shoes, where style and comfort often exist independently of one another. Heck, Crocs even makes a golf shoe. Nothing wrong with that if you just want to flop around the course.

But if you want to earn style points, you've got to step it up. Enter the Adidas Tour 360 4.0 golf shoe, which offers exquisite form to match its beautiful function. Lace these puppies up and you'll not only feel good, you'll look plenty sharp, too.

Under The Hood

The Tour 360 4.0 shoe is the successor to the 3.0, and is billed as a tour-caliber shoe that incorporates the latest in performance technology.

-THiNtech low-profile technology to bring the golfer closer to the ground for improved performance

-PINS cleat system that is 32 percent lower than conventional cleats, lowering the golfer's center of gravity

-FitFOAM polyurethane sock liner provides support, cushioning and comfort from heel to toe

-Unibody construction connects the heel counter and 360WRAP technology to the outsole for enhanced stability

-$179 retail price

Why It Rocks

The Adidas Tour 360 4.0 shoes are the perfect pair of kicks for the spring golf season, when spongy, cool and sometimes wet conditions require full support with ample protection from the elements.

And damn, do these things look sweet (the photo doesn't do them justice). They offer a perfect blend of sporty sleekness and stylish grace, and are likely to catch the admiring eye of fellow golfers. It's almost a shame to get them all muddy (especially the white model pictured here), but that's the nature of the beast, and they do clean up quite nicely.

But where these shoes really shine is in matters of comfort and performance. Like its 3.0 predecessor, the 4.0 offers remarkable stability without feeling stiff or constricting. The support structure is superior, minimizing aches and pains even during the most grueling rounds. And the low-profile construction delivers on the promise of keeping you firmly centered and grounded.

Cost? A not-so-cheap $179. Your feet and back feeling fresh as you reach the final holes? Priceless.

The Final Word

If you've been saving up for a world-class, tour-caliber golf shoe, it's time to pull the trigger on the Adidas Tour 360 4.0.

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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Inside BOS Golf's Putter Refinishing

Is your favorite putter hopelessly dented, scratched or otherwise worse for the wear?

Well, before you give up on it, consider sending it out for putter refinishing at Black Oxide Service, because hope, it turns out, just might not be lost.

Indeed, like the rest of us, sometimes an old putter just needs some love.

Some of you may have read the story about how PutterZone.com's own Mizuno T.P. Mills putter was beautifully restored (see below) by Black Oxide Service (they recently launched a new site at BOSGolf.com). At the time, it seemed like magic: the putter left as a rusty old beast, and it returned as a sparkling beauty. How'd they do that!?

Well, PutterZone.com recently had the rare opportunity to peek behind the curtain at Black Oxide Service to see just how, exactly, they do it.

Black Oxide Service occupies an unremarkable industrial building off Highway 78 in San Marcos in northern San Diego County. It's not a structure that calls attention to itself, which is probably by design.

Inside, we met Monica Slivnik and her brother August Slivnik (pictured above with his black oxide bath), who are carrying on their family's tradition of fine machining and metal work under the banners of Slivnik Machining, Black Oxide Service and BOS Golf.

Putter refinishing is just one of their many specialties. They also mill golf club heads and provide services to other industries as well, such as the aerospace industry. While we were there, a man came in looking for a machining fix to a broken water pump.

But golf is most definitely the Slivniks’ passion. August helped establish Scotty Cameron's renowned putter studio back in the day, and his eyes light up whenever the subject turns to golf and clubmaking. His office is strewn with a variety of golf creations and old putters, including original Scotty Camerons.

We asked August to take us on the same journey that our putter had taken as it went from beast to beauty. First, he led us to a small brightly lit room upstairs, where incoming putters are inspected and prepared. Preparation includes removing the head from the shaft and assessing the overall state of the putter. If necessary, the heads are then ground and polished to remove nicks, dents and other imperfections.

From there, we headed downstairs to the black oxide baths, which are simply humble metal bins filled with bubbling liquids. First, the heads are dipped into a cleaning solution. They then transition through a series of liquids, finishing with the steaming black oxide. August was intentionally vague about the process, lest he reveal any trade secrets, such as how they achieve their proprietary "oil can" finish.

Black oxide is essentially a controlled rust. It seeps into the pores of carbon steel and coats the metal, providing a barrier to common corrosive rust. A black oxide finish allows you to protect your putter from the elements while retaining the soft native feel of the carbon steel, in contrast to harder platings. Because stainless steel is naturally rust resistant, stainless putters require different finishes, which BOS Golf also provides.

From the baths, the putter returns to the upstairs room, where it is finished, paintfilled and reassembled. August says that his staff is highly trained, and they go so far as to limit their caffeine intake, lest a shaky hand result in an imperfect paintfill.

While we were there, we spotted some wedges being finished for a famous sports star (we won’t drop names). According to August, it’s not uncommon for them to get a call from the rich and famous to apply a special finish or look to their clubs.

The Slivniks are ultimately a throwback to the good old days of American ingenuity and entrepreneurship, when manufacturing and metal work (including golf club making) were booming businesses instead of industries endangered by overseas suppliers.

When it come to extreme putter makeovers, the Slivniks are indeed at the top of their game.

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Inside Kia Ma's Putter Lair

Over the weekend, while most of the golf world was returning home from the PGA Merchandise Show in Florida, PutterZone.com had the unique opportunity to roam the Carlsbad, California headquarters of TaylorMade Golf and visit the workshop of Kia Ma, the company's lead putter designer.

The TaylorMade Golf facility is tucked into the rugged coastal foothills of northern San Diego County, a gleaming, glassy edifice flanked by stately palm trees. The lobby is capacious and impressive, with museum-like displays of the latest TaylorMade gear.

Once inside the heart of the building, you travel through several windowless corridors until you are unexpectedly spit into a cavernous warehouse that is literally jammed with equipment workstations, with row after row of golf shafts ascending into a visual infinity (sorry, no photos allowed).

Off to one side of the warehouse is Kia Ma's lair, a glass-enclosed area about half the size of a standard residential home. The room is abuzz with activity, with Kia Ma leading the way in a dark blue shop coat. Every horizontal surface is seemingly covered in putter heads, some finished to perfection, others raw from the mill.

Kia Ma maintains a sunny demeanor amid the irritating glare of the flourescent lights (a necessity in the detail business) and white noise of the workshop. He grabs a raw head and ducks into another small glass-encased room, where he begins grinding it into its final shape amid a shower of sparks.

Nearby, dozens of raw putter heads are sprawled along a padded table, a motley crew of various shapes and materials. Some of the heads are new, some have been hanging around for years. They are ideas, concepts, inspirations, castoffs and everything in between. You never know when they might come in handy, which is why they still hang around.

The professional golf season is heating up, and you can sense it here in this workshop. The race is on to keep pace with the custom order requests. One of the finished products is a gorgeous custom putter for Mike Weir, crafted to his precise requests, from weight to loft, lie to hosel, material to balance, face to finish.

Most of us mortals are lucky enough to find someone who can competently adjust our lie angle. Not the professionals. This place is their dream factory. This is where the next PGA tournament's putters are made, right down to the last detail. This is the belly of the beast.

P.S. See more photos of the TaylorMade tour on PutterZone.com's Facebook page, and stay tuned for another story that delves into the company's putter fitting experience.

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Sneak Peek: TaylorMade Spider Vicino Putter

While lurking around TaylorMade headquarters, PutterZone.com got an exclusive sneak peek at the new TaylorMade Spider Vicino putter.

Look for the Vicino to be available starting on March 25 for $199.

The Spider Vicino aims to maintain the performance attributes of the original Spider putter while improving upon the Spider line's aesthetic values, per feedback from the professional tours.

According to the company, "TaylorMade’s putter team went to work to massage the famous shape into something sleeker and more pleasing, while keeping the high MOI and forgiveness."

Based on our early look at the TaylorMade Spider Vicino putter, we can confirm: Mission accomplished.

The Vicino brings a welcome visual maturity to the line, which will likely lure more golfers into TaylorMade's "Spider"-web.

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