Piretti Cottonwood II Putter Preview

PutterZone.com today shares the accompanying in-hand photos of the new Piretti Cottonwood II putter

This new addition to the Piretti Fine Putters lineup is milled from 11L17 carbon steel. The head weighs a hefty 365 grams, and the wide flange aims to enhance alignment. The finish is called Midnight Black.

The Cottonwood II putter costs $245.

As you can see, the Piretti Cottonwood 2 putter is a real looker. In early test driving, this putter has proven to offer an exquisitely soft native feel off the face.

For more on Piretti Fine Putters, read PutterZone.com's interview with founder Mike Johnson.

Stay tuned for PutterZone.com's Piretti Cottonwood II putter review.

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Golf Putter - Which One's The Best?

What’s the best golf putter out there? While PutterZone.com often fields this question, there’s no easy answer.

Look around the practice green at a PGA Tournament, and you will see putters of every shape, style and even price point. If there was a “best” putter, don’t you think the guys with the most at stake would all be using it?

The fact is, there is no best putter in general, but there may be one for you—one that fits your game, your eye and your pocketbook. On that note, to help you narrow the field, here are some of PutterZone.com's current favorites arranged by cost category:

Bargain Putters (under $100)

Cleveland Golf pretty much owns this category right now with the one-two punch of the Cleveland Classic putters ($69) and the Cleveland BRZ putters ($89). The Classic putters are nothing less than a steal—and could be classified as an outright bank robbery. The BRZ putters are similar to the Classic putters, but with a copper insert and an exquisite bronze finish. The insert isn’t worth the extra $20 by itself, but the bronze finish is hard to resist. Honorable mention goes to the PING Karsten putters ($89), which also offer excellent value.

Affordable Putters (under $130)

This isn’t the most exciting category at the moment, but you can still find some winners that won’t break the bank. The Heavy Putter Mid-Weight and Lite-Weight putters are a nice option at $120, particularly for golfers seeking added stability in their stroke. The TaylorMade Core Classic putters ($120) and Cleveland T-Frame mallet ($120) also deliver bang for your buck.

Premium Putters (under $200)

The Slotline 600 putters ($180) offer excellent feel in a stunning visual package. The Never Compromise X-Ray putters ($150) also stand out from the crowd with their futuristic look and advanced face technology. The TaylorMade Ghost putter ($160) is another solid option, particularly for golfers seeking alignment assistance. The Rife Island Series (averaging $150) and numerous YES! C-Groove putters under $200 combine a wide variety of designs with reliable performance.

Ultra-Premium Putters (over $200)

The Nike Method putter ($250) recently stormed into this category, serving notice that Nike Golf is now a serious player when it comes to putters. The Method earns high marks in the departments of feel and innovation. It’s also hard to go wrong with the Yes! Dawn putter ($299), TayorMade Kia Ma putters ($299) and Odyssey Black Tour Design putters ($250 to $299). The Yes! Dawn is meticulously crafted, while the Kia Ma putters are visual beauties. The Black Tour Design putters are, for the lack of a better word, badass.

Artisan Putters ($250 and above)

SeeMore is always atop the artisan leaderboard with its mSeries putters ($325), which combine SeeMore’s proven RifleScope alignment system with exquisite quality and inventive design. The Bettinardi BB putters ($265) are masterworks as well, showcasing Robert Bettinardi’s fanatical attention to detail. DeLaCruz Golf Designs putters ($250) offer excellent quality along with a proprietary Sweet Slot technology for enhanced feedback. Watch out for Piretti putters, too, as they are hitting their stride.

P.S. Check out PutterZone.com's Putter Buyer's Guide for crucial insights into putter fitting, and how the right fit can shave strokes off your score.

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Bubba Watson's Putter - PING Redwood Anser

Bubba Watson won the Travelers Championship today with two notable tools in hand—a pink driver shaft and a PING Redwood Anser putter.

With the former, he boomed his signature bombs off the tee. With the latter he outlasted the competition by sinking a four-footer in a playoff. His take? A cool $1 million.

The PING putter that Watson wields isn’t the old Anser from your childhood; you know, the cast putter made from manganese bronze. No, it’s an ultra-premium Redwood Series putter milled from 303 stainless steel.

But at its heart, it’s still a classic Anser, with the heel-toe weighting, plumber’s neck and timeless design that made the original Anser famous.

The Redwood Series putters ($250) are PING’s first foray into the milled putter category. The series name is a nod to Redwood City, the town in California where PING founder Karsten Solheim crafted his first putter in the family garage.

More than 50 years later, Solheim's legacy is still going strong, and the extraordinary influence of his Anser design shows no sign of abating.

P.S. Get the Ultimate Putter Buyer's Guide by PutterZone.com to ensure that your putter is the right fit for your game.

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Putter Buyer's Guide: Updated and Expanded

We are excited to announce the release of the updated and expanded Ultimate Putter Buyer's Guide by PutterZone.com, the groundbreaking easy-to-understand guide that enables you to get your putter working for you, not against you.

The new "standard" in putters is that there is no standard. Gone are the days of simply grabbing a putter off the retail rack and hoping for the best. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to putters and putting.

If you are going to raise your game, you need to understand how you can harness basic putter fitting fundamentals to your advantage—just as the touring professionals do.

Enter the Ultimate Putter Buyer's Guide, which aims to demystify crucial fitting concepts before you spend big bucks on a putter. It can also help you adjust your current putter for a better fit. Read what others are saying about the guide:

“I thought it was a great overview of all the important aspects to consider when purchasing a putter.” -Feedback from Brandon

"I found it very informative, easily understandable and full of common sense approaches to narrowing down the right putter for me." -Feedback from Duey

"It was a great help...I appreciate that the information was unbiased. Too often these information guides steer you to a particular product." -Feedback from Bill

This one-of-a-kind guide comes in a downloadable PDF format for just $7, the cost of an average sleeve of balls.

Click the button above to purchase the guide via secure shopping cart with PayPal or credit card. Upon purchasing, you will receive an email with a link for downloading the guide. You do not need a PayPal account to purchase (just choose the "Don't Have a PayPal Account" option at checkout).

If you use a putter without first understanding concepts like length, loft, lie angle and swingweight, you will be flying blind on the green. Conversely, if you use these fitting concepts to your advantage, you can shave strokes off your score.

And nowhere else will you find this information explained in such a comprehensive yet easy-to-read format.

"The guide is excellent. I really enjoyed reading it and I do wish that I had found it years ago." –Feedback from Patrick

If you are in the market for a new putter, or if you are thinking of making a switch, the Ultimate Putter Buyer’s Guide will help you make an informed purchasing decision. With the right stick and the right fit, you can shave strokes off your score.

Chapters include:

-What should you pay for a putter?

-Putter balancing (and why your stroke matters)

-Putter weighting

-The three Ls—length, loft and lie

-Putter materials and technologies

-Putter buying tips

Enhancements to the updated version include the addition of illustrations to demonstrate key fitting concepts, expanded chapter content and a bonus chapter on recommended putting drills.

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TaylorMade Ghost Putter Review

First it was the Spider, now it’s the Ghost. TaylorMade sure has a knack for spooky putter names. What’s next—the Witch?

That said, “Ghost” is a perfect name for a white putter that has managed to scare up a ton of attention, not to mention a PGA Tour victory in the hands of Justin Rose.

Does the Ghost putter ($160) deliver the goods despite its unconventional color? Or will it make you scream in horror?

Following is PutterZone.com’s TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost putter review.

The Storyline

TaylorMade presents the Ghost as, first and foremost, a visual animal. The primary unique selling point is the white finish, which aims to offer groundbreaking contrast for superior alignment.

The alignment features of the TaylorMade Ghost putter are threefold. First, the white leading edge offers vivid perpendicular contrast to the target line. Second, three black sightlines frame the ball and provide in-line visual reference. Third, a circular cutout in the flange echoes the ball for added aiming assistance.

According to TaylorMade, “Our goal with Ghost was simple: Design a putter that's easier to aim than any other. That's where the white head comes in. Ghost's ‘golf ball white’ color complements the white color of the ball, and also stands out easily and beautifully against green grass so you don't have to strain to see the topline. That takes the strain off your eyes and promotes a calm and confident state of mind, according to an expert in the field of color perception, whom we consulted during the development of Ghost.”

The Ghost also features TaylorMade's signature AGSI+ grooved face insert, which is designed to impart immediate topspin for consistent forward roll.

The loft of the Ghost putter is four degrees, and the lie angle is 70 degrees. The head weight is 345 grams, and the head is made from 6061 aluminum. It is face balanced with a double bend neck with ¾ offset. It comes in lengths of 33 to 35 inches, in both right- and left-handed models.

The View from PutterZone.com

When I first played around with the TaylorMade Ghost putter indoors, I didn’t realize what I was missing. But then when I took it outside, under the sun and against the grass, I had my “ah-ha” moment.

I was immediately captivated by the vivid contrast of the white against the green. It was almost electric, but not in an obnoxious way. The concept is simple yet brilliant, and it works as advertised.

The leading edge of the Ghost is crisply defined, helping you ensure that the putter isn’t slightly open or closed at address. The three black sightlines along the crown provide a nice in-line visual bracket for the ball. The white finish is bright, and yet somehow soothing.

This is one of those putters that sounds questionable on paper, yet makes sense in practice. Not everyone is going to love the look, but I have no doubt that many golfers will benefit from the totality of the Ghost's alignment package.

I wasn’t bothered by the circular cutout in the heel. To my eye, it provides some visual relief from the white. It’s also handy when practicing your putting with several balls, as you can stay in position, lean over and press the cutout onto the next ball, then drag it precisely into position for your next putt.

If there’s a weak link with the Ghost, I would say it’s in the feel department. The feel of the putter isn’t particularly sensual or sophisticated. Nor is it very soft, as the presence of the insert might indicate. On slight miss-hits, it can even feel hard and unyielding. I think it’s another case of aluminum not quite offering the “stuffing” of stainless steel.

Some have noted the Ghost’s resemblance to the old Zebra putters. But another putter it resembles is the TaylorMade Spider Balero putter. If you clip the Balero’s wings and paint it white, you get something very close to the Ghost. Personally, I love the shape and size of the Ghost. It’s a full mallet, but it’s not oversized or bulky. To my eye, it’s just right.

I’m curious about the durability of the white painted finish. I was tempted to bang the putter around a little to find out, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I sure wouldn’t leave the Ghost unprotected in the bag. Any sort of nick or gouge or mark along the top of this putter could have devastating visual consequences, as it would be amplified by the contrasting white finish.

The included head cover is quite nice. It feels thick and sturdy, and it boasts a firm magnetic closure. Use this cover properly, and your Ghost should be amply protected from dings and scratches. Kudos to TaylorMade for taking the head cover seriously. The proliferation of junky head covers is a pet peeve of mine.

I think that TaylorMade missed an aesthetic opportunity when making black, not white, the primary color of the grip. I’d bet a dollar or five that a white grip was discussed—how could it not be? But from a practical standpoint, I understand why they didn’t do it. Can you imagine what a white grip would look like after a few days on the retail floor?

All in all, the Ghost lives up to its sales pitch. It stands out from the crowd, offers real alignment benefits and ultimately earns its asking price.

The Bottom Line

The TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost putter is a breath of fresh white air in a putter world draped in black and silver. It breaks the mold, but in a good way, delivering on its promise of superior alignment qualities. The Ghost isn’t for everyone, but it is that rare putter that immediately creates its own niche.

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Graeme McDowell's Putter - Odyssey White Hot #7

Well, that was quite a finish to the U.S. Open, with Graeme McDowell fending off a who's-who of golf superstardom to clinch the trophy with a 20-foot lag and a tap-in for par on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach.

McDowell's putter is one of the original Odyssey White Hot #7 putters. This model is a mid-mallet with a plumber's-style neck most commonly associated with a PING Anser and its various offshoots.

Odyssey had a strong showing on the leaderboard today, with Phil Mickelson wielding his trusty Odyssey White Hot XG old-school blade putter to contend for the U.S. Open crown. While neither McDowell's nor Mickelson's model is in current production, you can still find some fairly close iterations in Odyssey's lineup of White Hot XG, White Ice and Black Series putters.

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Touring The Vans: Nike and TaylorMade

They are known as the “tour vans,” the toy stores on wheels that race from tournament to tournament, making sure that the world’s top players have everything they need—the right shaft, the right lie angle, the right grind and, sometimes, just the right mind to know that everything’s in good shape.

On Wednesday in Pebble Beach, PutterZone.com editor Sean Weir popped into the tour vans of Nike Golf and TaylorMade, who both just happen to be behind two of the hottest putters on tour—the Nike Method putter and the TaylorMade Ghost putter. Lucas Glover won the previous U.S. Open with a Nike Method putter, while Justin Rose recently won the Memorial with the Ghost putter in hand. Following is Sean’s report from inside the tour vans:

These tour van drivers must have mad parking skills, because their trailers are all jammed tightly into a small area riddled with Monterey pines. TaylorMade, Nike, Titleist, Cleveland, Callaway…all of the big boys are here, as they are on every significant tour stop.

The fact that this is the U.S. Open seems to have added a little extra crackle in the air. The guys inside the vans tend to be fairly loose under pressure, but you can see in their eyes that this isn’t just another tournament. The buzz around the vans is audible today.

My first stop is the Nike Golf tour van, where I meet Rob Burbick. The van is big but not huge. The perimeter of the interior is lined with counters and drawers. An island in the middle is loaded with the tools of the trade, such as grinders and benders. Rob is the one who drives this rig. He had some epic stretches on the highway to get here from Texas, yet doesn’t look any worse for the wear.

Rob pulls out one of the slim slide drawers—similar to the drawers in a large shop box—to reveal a bunch of raw-shafted putters that can be cut and gripped and bent in a matter of minutes. Each of the putters has “The Oven” stamped on the sole, a nod to Nike’s research and development facility in Texas (Rob calls the tour van the “Microwave Oven”). The Oven logo is also incorporated into the putter covers.

We talk about the Method putter. Rob tells the story of one tour pro who, before trying the Method, wanted it bent to four degrees of loft instead of the stock 2.5 degrees, so that the loft would match that of his existing putter. But he was persuaded to roll some putts first under high-speed camera, and was amazed to discover that he was getting the same launch angle with less loft while reducing ball skid from four inches on his current putter to one inch with the Method.

Rob notes that most grooved putters feature lower lofts, “sacrificing launch angle to achieve quicker forward roll.” But with the Method, he says, “we get correct launch and faster roll. We get both.” How? He says that the polymetal groove technology on the Nike Method putter boasts added rebound that, despite the lower loft, increases launch angle.

My next stop is the TaylorMade van, where I meet tour representative Todd Chew (pictured above), who says that the TaylorMade Ghost is the ticket right now. In other words, if this van were a diner, you would say that the Ghost is selling like hotcakes.

Todd shows how the two oblong metal plugs on the sole of the Ghost—which are fixed in the retail version—can be customized for the tour professionals. So they stock numerous Ghost heads with empty ports in the sole, into which they can install plugs of different weights to match the specific swingweight requests of the players.

The sightlines on the Ghost are also customized. While the retail version has three parallel black signtlines on the crown, Todd shows me one with a single black sightline (pictured here). Something tells me that more than a few people will be drooling over this single-sightline version.

The energy inside the van seems to be intensifying. It's time for me to get out of the way and let these guys do their work. Will the Method or the Ghost find itself in the hunt on Sunday? Based on recent history, I wouldn't be surprised.

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Postcard from The U.S. Open

For the next few days, you will see dozens of stories documenting the drama at Pebble Beach. Is this the week that Tiger Woods finally roars back? Will Phil Mickelson finally break through at the U.S. Open? Will someone like Ernie Els rediscover his major magic, or will a young star like Rory McIlroy turn himself into a superstar?

What you won’t see are many articles about the U.S. Open experience itself, from a spectator’s perspective. But you will get one here at PutterZone.com. Editor Sean Weir had the privilege of attending Wednesday’s practice round, and here is his dispatch:

A refreshing breeze is blowing off the Pacific, and the morning skies are bright blue. Across the shimmering bay, the silhouette of Pt. Lobos commands the far horizon. And the near horizon is draped in velvety green fairways.

Welcome to Pebble Beach—one of those rare places where it’s not an overstatement to say, “What a beautiful day in paradise.”

This is a sort of homecoming for me. Once upon a time, I lived in Pebble Beach, literally a stone’s throw from where the tour equipment vans are parked for the tournament. No, I wasn’t a business mogul, nor was I a trust-fund hippie. I was a caretaker for rent while I launched my writing career. I spent nearly three years living here. Lucky me.

Naturally, I initially gravitate toward the practice putting green adjacent to The Lodge. Rory McIlroy is talking on his cell phone while sinking eight-foot putts with one hand. At one point McIlroy and Tiger Woods practice their putting together (pictured above), enjoying some chuckles while they’re at it. Camilo Villegas is doing a circular drill. Rory Sabbatini is roaming around, looking mischievous.

Aside from the remarkable talent on display, two things really stand out on this practice green compared to the average recreational practice green. First, the wrists of the players are almost universally quiet. You see none of the “handsy” strokes that plague us mortals. Second, the lie angles on the putters are almost always correct. You don’t see the toes or heels of the putters sticking up in the air. Let that be a lesson, folks.

At the same time, there is tremendous variety here, too. The players are wielding hulking mallets, slim blades and everything in between. The grip styles vary, too. McIlroy’s thumbs are parallel down the shaft, while Woods’ right thumb pad is on top of his left thumb. I am surprised by how many players are putting with a “left hand low” grip. It seems as though every third of fourth golfer is employing this method. Some players are upright in their setup, others more bent toward the ball.

In other words, here we have the world’s greatest collection of golfing talent, and they can’t even come close to agreeing on what’s the best way to putt. This is why I love putting.

At the practice green, I meet Jim Sorenson of Momentus Golf, who is working with several pros with his Down The Line putting track, which promotes an “inside and down the line” stroke. Sorenson says that this is the stroke used by Tiger Woods and most other touring professionals. They take the putter back with a natural arc, but release the putter straight down the line. I talk to Jim about interviewing him on PutterZone.com, and he says he’s game. Stay tuned.

Another early stop is the driving range. The grandstand at the driving range is almost right on top of the players, giving you memorable proximity to some of the most impressive ball strikers on the planet. Padraig Harrington—who is smaller in stature than I had imagined—is just ripping ball after ball with his driver in an awesome display of pure ability.

Between the driving range and the course is a massive gateway superstructure that includes a food court and a merchandise tent the size of an airplane hanger. The tent is jammed with people snatching up souvenirs. I buy few things, but resist others—such as the $50 ball cap and $100 putter cover (with a velcro closure, no less).

What the USGA and the Pebble Beach Company have done here is nothing short of remarkable. It would be easy to take their efforts for granted. But if you step back and consider the enormity of orchestrating this event amid the highly nuanced terrain of the Del Monte Forest—from transportation to support structures to crowd management—it’s hard not to be impressed. On top of that, nearly everyone working here is unfailingly polite, if not truly eager to help. Who knows, they might be burned out by Sunday afternoon, but right now, they are happy campers.

The atmosphere is already supercharged. I can only imagine what Sunday will be like, particularly if a dramatic finish is in the works. But I’m not sure I would trade it for today. There’s something to be said for the casual nature of the practice round, and the opportunity to see awesome talent up close, in the absence of big crowds. At one point, I watch McIlroy and Ian Poulter send balls into the stratosphere on the par three 17th hole with the most beautiful pure “thwack” off the club face. But they’re not done—they tee it up again, just for fun. Such are the joys of the practice round.

At times, you must cross the fairways to get from one place to the next, a passage that is closely regulated and timed by the volunteers. While crossing, you get a brief sense of what it might be like to play the course with U.S. Open conditions. I’ve never seen Pebble Beach so shaggy on the perimeters. The bunkers are rimmed with nasty native grasses that rise up to knee level (pictured above, with Zach Johnson putting in the background). The fairways are unimaginably crisp and tight, and the distant greens look like tiny islands surrounded by hostile territory.

Sadly, the day must end, but the memory of it will never fade. If you’ve never been to a U.S. Open, I encourage you to find a way, if only for a day, if only for a practice round. For now, turn on the television, and let the drama begin.

P.S. Stay tuned for a dispatch from the tour vans of TaylorMade and Nike at the U.S. Open.

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The Greenside Now Airing

The latest episode of The Greenside radio is now airing at The Hacker's Paradise and via podcast on iTunes. Click here to listen to the show at THP and search "Greenside" on iTunes to download it.

The Greenside is a collaboration between Sean of PutterZone.com and Josh of The Hacker's Paradise. True to its name, the show focuses on the short game, with an emphasis on putters and putting.

The latest episode features Odyssey Backstryke putters, SeeMore SB putters and DeLaCruz putters. It also includes a spirited discussion about belly putters, as well as insights into putter balancing. Check it out and let us know what you think.

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SeeMore Putters in Business Week

Anyone interested in the putter industry will enjoy this recent feature story in Business Week, showcasing the fall and rise of the SeeMore Putter Company.

At the time the company was acquired by Jim Grundberg and Jason Pouliot in 2006, the company's annual sales were just $50,000. Today, sales are more than 30 times that amount. PutterZone.com is happily quoted in the story as saying that the new owners "took a good thing and made it better."

From our viewpoint, SeeMore's growing success is based on two business fundamentals: quality and customer service. Yes, when Zach Johnson won the 2007 Masters with a SeeMore putter in hand, the company got a "major" boost in visibility. But the impact of that exposure would have been fleeting if the aforementioned fundamentals were not in place.

Simply put, and at the risk of sounding like "fanboys," SeeMore is turning out putters of superior quality, and selling them with a remarkable commitment to serving the customer. It's a powerful one-two punch that has positioned SeeMore as one of the golf industry's strongest niche players. And it is, therefore, a story worthy of being spotlighted in Business Week.

P.S. Read PutterZone.com's SeeMore m7 review for more on the SeeMore story.

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SeeMore m7 Putter Review

When Zach Johnson won the Colonial Invitational a few weeks ago, he yet again turned the spotlight on the SeeMore Putter Company and its RifleScope alignment system.

Indeed, wielding his trusty SeeMore FGP putter, Johnson needed just 26 putts in the final round to set the tournament record with a score of 21 under par.

But while Johnson has been printing money with one of the original SeeMore putters, the company has been busy expanding its mSeries and other lines, including the recent release of the SeeMore m7 putter ($325).

Does the m7 earn its rather lofty asking price? Following is PutterZone.com's SeeMore m7 putter review.

The Storyline
The m7 belongs to SeeMore’s mSeries line, which was launched a little over three years ago with the m1, m2 and m3 putters, as well as the mFGP.

At the time, the mSeries heralded a new era for SeeMore. Under inspired new ownership, the venerable brand—which had fallen on hard times—roared back with a fresh commitment to quality, as evident in the milled mSeries putters.

Rather than simply try to blow a little wind in the sails of the SeeMore brand, the new owners, Jim Grundberg and Jason Pouliot, re-imagined and retooled SeeMore as a leader in the premium putter category.

Shortly thereafter, Zach Johnson won the Masters with his SeeMore FGP putter, and the new SeeMore Putter Company was more than ready for the ensuing attention. The brand hadn’t seen that much buzz since Payne Stewart won the U.S. Open with his own SeeMore FGP eight years earlier.

The mSeries putters are 100-percent milled in the U.S.A. The SeeMore m7 putter is milled from stainless steel, and it is the first mSeries putter to feature a softer milled aluminum face insert. A second aluminum insert in the rear cavity is designed to enhance the feel and enlarge the sweet spot. The m7 is joined by the m6, m8 and m9 as new entries in the mSeries.

As with all SeeMore putters, the m7 features the company’s signature RifleScope alignment system. A red dot on the rear crown of the putter is visually hidden by a blackened lower shaft when proper setup is achieved. Two parallel white lines frame the shaft to provide a further indication that the golfer is in position to make a consistent and reliable stroke.

When queried about the m7, Grundberg said, “The m7 is a tour-inspired option, keeping the best-selling m1 in mind. Having a cutaway heel and a soft aluminum insert allows for less rebound. Some players wanted a blend of the m1 and m2 along with slightly less rebound and softer feel. It simply extends and enhances the variety of offerings in the flagship mSeries, taking the best from both of those heads and combining them to make the m7.”

The m7 weighs 335 grams. It can be ordered from SeeMore in a wide variety of custom lengths and lie angles. It also comes with two shaft options—a straight shaft, and the offset “whistle” shaft. You also get your choice of one of seven head covers, and numerous grip options. The putter is almost fully toe down with the straight shaft, with a little less hang on the offset version.

The View from PutterZone.com
The m7’s general resemblance to SeeMore’s m1 was obvious right out of the box. The first thing I did was grab the m1 from the PutterZone.com vault and line the two putters up. Only then did the subtle enhancements stand out—the slightly smaller head, the cutaway on the heel, the softer bevels.

Happily, I was one of the first to write about the re-birth of SeeMore back in early 2007, and to publish a full-length review of the new m1 a few months later. At the time, I called the m1 a “masterwork,” and I can now say the same about the m7.

In the hyperactive consumer world of today, the pressure is on most golf companies to come out with a new UFO every six or 12 months, something they can shoot through the sky that will make you “ooh” and “ahh” and whip out your credit card.

In that context, it’s rather quaint of SeeMore to release a putter that is an iteration—and not reinvention—of its predecessors. I would compare the m7 to the evolution of the iPhone (which, like the mSeries, was also introduced in 2007). It’s an update that takes a fundamentally brilliant product line to the next level. When you have a better wheel, there’s no need to reinvent it.

I can’t say that the m7 feels noticeably softer than the earlier mSeries putters, despite the presence of the insert. However, I could say that the m7 is perhaps a bit more sensual and enveloping. And I can definitely say that the m7’s aluminum insert feels and sounds very native and not the least bit synthetic or incongruous.

Similarly, the insert looks native as well. If you didn’t know any better, you might mistake the insert as simply a brighter polish on the stainless steel. It is perfectly seamless with the surrounding face, and even boasts the same swirly milling pattern. Inserts rarely look this cool and unobtrusive.

What can I say about the RifleScope alignment system that I haven’t said already? Its timeless effectiveness lies in its simplicity. Once you get used to hiding the red dot, it becomes helpful part of your subconscious routine, and not a conscious intrusion.

At setup, the m7 is an elegant beauty with a stylish blend of crisp lines and gentle bevels. The face features the aforementioned milling pattern, as well as the brand name stamped in a whimsical and asymmetrical font. The stamping on the sole is limited to a few lines of specs—100% Milled, USA, 335g, m7—and a repeat of the RifleScope red dot and white lines from the crown.

The m7 does throw off some glare when it catches the sun at certain angles. It flashed me good a few times, but I can live with occasional glare on the m7 more than I can with a lesser putter.

There’s a problem that oddly seems to be getting worse, not better, in the premium putter category, and that is the inclusion of weak head covers that don’t match the quality or price point of the putter itself. Well, not with SeeMore. This is how it’s done, folks: quality materials, sweet embroidery, soft magnetic closure.

In other words, SeeMore is delivering on all fronts with the m7 and other mSeries putters.

The Bottom Line
The SeeMore m7 putter accentuates the earlier mSeries blades with a sleeker profile and a sweet aluminum insert while maintaining the line’s signature workmanship and RifleScope alignment system. The m7 putter is worth the splurge and ultimately confirms that SeeMore remains at the top of its game, producing distinctive putters that deliver superior quality and performance. SeeMore belongs in any conversation about the elite putter producers.

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Insider Interview: Axis1 Putters

It's a bird, it's a plane it's a...putter? That was the reaction by many when Luis Pedraza unveiled his alien-looking Axis1 Eagle putter at the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show. But Pedraza got the last laugh pretty quickly, earning numerous high-profile accolades by the end of the show. Luis is no stranger to innovation. He is an industrial designer with more than 25 patents to his name. Among is accomplishments is the design of the Spaceball, a three-dimensional computer mouse that was used to control the Mars Rover. As an avid golfer, Luis was driven to explore ideas focusing on putting. In his words, he "recognized a critical flaw in contemporary putter design: that all major putters on the market today are actually out of balance." Following is PutterZone.com's exlusive interview with Luis Pedraza, in which he elaborates on the patented properties of the Axis1 putter.

What do you mean by “100 percent perfectly balanced putter”—can you explain it in layman’s terms compared to the average putter?
The Axis1's patented technology evolved from a simple insight, that all major brand putters are designed to naturally open up while a player is addressing the ball and swinging the club.

Take a typical putter, address the ball, relax your grip, and you will notice the club head will naturally flop open about the axis of the shaft. This tendency to open up is due to the weight of the club not being balanced with respect to the location of the shaft. This means that before a golfer even begins to swing the club, he or she is already compensating for the club's natural tendency to push the ball off line. The Axis1 putter is the first putter to place the center of gravity of the club exactly on the sweet spot of the striking face and in line with the axis of the shaft at the same time.

This perfect balance provides a golfer with a putter that remains perfectly perpendicular to the direction of the putt, no matter how lightly he or she holds the grip, and because the putter will not torque when it strikes the ball, it ensures more on-line putts and lower scores.

How did you achieve this type of balance in the Axis1 putter?
The Axis1 perfect balance is accomplished by pushing the heel weight of the club forward of the striking face and creating a patented heel counter weight to the toe area. The heel counterweight allows for center of gravity of the club to be placed exactly on the sweet spot of the striking face and in line with the axis of the shaft at the same time.

What are the benefits to the average golfer—and does it work with an arcing stroke as well as a straight-back-straight-through stroke?
Regardless of whether a golfer prefers an arcing stroke or a straight-back-straight-through stroke, the Axis1's perfect balance ensures that the face of the club remains steady throughout the stroke. By eliminating the club's tendency to open up, the Axis1 benefits the golfer by increasing confidence that their putts will be more on line with better distance control and more feel. And because the center of gravity of the club is located exactly at the point of impact, the ball will have a true roll and the player will experience zero twisting when the club hits the ball.

The unconventional shape of the putter is definitely a conversation starter. How do you overcome the hesitation that many will have toward such an unfamiliar look?
Real innovation often challenges the norm of what consumers expect a product should look like. Within the golf industry, products like large head titanium drivers, hybrid irons and tight lie woods, have also encountered some initial resistance to the unfamiliar shape. However, if a given technology is sound, the consumer eventually recognizes the benefit and embraces it. After all, why would you ever want to keep using an inferior product?

You’ve said that the putter industry has tended to overlook balance in favor of alignment features. But that tide may be turning. Do you think that the BackStryke by Odyssey and others are going to nip at your heels?
Ever since the introduction of the Odyssey 2-ball, must putters have focused on designing new alignment features. Unfortunately, the deeper the alignment features have gotten, the more these clubs tend to open up due to more weight being placed further away from the shaft.

The fact that Odyssey has introduced a new line of putters that rotate their face balance 90 degrees to match the Axis1's face orientation suggests they clearly see the merit of what Axis'1 is doing. Fortunately, the Axis1's patented approach should ensure that it remains the only company that can place the center of gravity of the club right where it belongs, exactly on the sweet spot of striking face.

What’s next from Axis1?
Axis1 will continue to develop new putters styles based on our patented technology. Regardless of your putter style preference—blade, mallet, urethane insert, metal face, long shaft, etcetera—you will also be able to get the perfect balance only Axis1 can deliver.

Thanks, Luis! Stay tuned for PutterZone.com's Axis1 putter review.

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Justin Rose's Putter - Rossa Corza Ghost

Well, that didn't take long. It was only a month ago that the existence of the TaylorMade Ghost putter was revealed, and already it has notched its first PGA Tour victory in the hands of Justin Rose, who won the Memorial tournament yesterday.

Rose first in putts per green-in-regulation and second in putts per round (27). He said, "It's a bit of a pun, but I putted scary good with my new Ghost putter."

This is reminiscent of another spooky TaylorMade putter, the Spider, which notched a PGA Tour victory in the hands of J.B. Holmes shortly after its debut.

The TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost (that's its mouthful of an official name) features a white head for maximum contrast with the green, making it very easy to use the leading edge of the face as an alignment aid in tandem with the three black sightlines. It also has a TaylorMade AGSI+ Titallium insert to promote smooth forward roll. The price of the Ghost putter is $159.

P.S. Check out PutterZone.com's Putter Buyer's Guide for crucial insights into putter fitting, and how the right fit can shave strokes off your score.

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