Balancing The Heel-Toe Weighted Putter

At PutterZone.com, we have made it our vocation to help demystify the jargon that surrounds putters and putter fitting.

On that note, we noticed a bit of jargon misuse in the latest issue of a major golf magazine: “Last year Oosthuizen wanted a face-balanced Redwood Anser (the club is typically heel-toe balanced), so PING built him one with a Z-band shaft (ie: with no hosel that goes right into the clubhead) to achieve that. Although Oosthuizen used the putter for eight months, including his win earlier this year in Spain, he wanted a long-neck version. PING built the putter (which features a hosel nearly twice as long as on the production model) at its Wrx shop in Phoenix and sent it to Oosthuizen, who put it in the bag two weeks before his win at St. Andrews."

(There is no need to specify the magazine—our intent here is to inform, not embarrass. Nobody’s perfect, including us, and we just see this as yet another opportunity for demystification.)

There are two issues with the aforementioned statement. For starters, there really isn’t such a thing as “heel-toe balanced.” Also, the statement makes it sound like the type of hosel or shaft connection is primarily responsible for the balance of the putter, when it is, in fact, only part of the story.

The Anser putter and other Anser-style putters are heel-toe weighted, not heel-toe balanced. The Anser is heel-toe weighted because the bulk of the head’s weight is located along the heel and toe of the putter (see above photo). No matter how the putter is balanced or how the shaft is connected (hosel or no hosel), the head design itself does not change.

There are two general categories of putter balance—face balanced and toe hang, with the latter falling into varying degrees (click here for a more detailed look into putter balance). What determines a putter’s balance is where the axis of the shaft (ie: where the shaft points) lies in relation to the head’s center of gravity. When the axis of the shaft is in direct line with the head's center of gravity, the putter becomes face balanced.

This is why PING was able to turn Ooshuizen’s heel-toe weighted Anser into a face-balanced putter. By mounting a Z-bend shaft in line with the center of gravity, or by extending the traditional hosel so that the shaft is in line with the center of gravity, you go from toe hang to face balanced.

To review: A heel-toe weighted putter typically has toe hang, but it can also be face balanced. A putter's balance is determined by the axis of the shaft and its relation to the head's center of gravity. And a variety of hosel types and shaft connections can be used to alter the axis of the shaft.

P.S. For additional putter fitting insights, check out PutterZone.com's Ultimate Putter Buyer's Guide.

read more...

PING Scottsdale Putters Coming Soon

PING Golf announced today its new line of PING Scottdale putters, a nod to the company's headquarters in Arizona's Valley of the Sun. There's even a cool cactus motif on the sole of the putters. The name also salutes the old PING Scottsdale Anser putters of yore.

According to PING, the new Scottsdale Series putters feature a new insert developed from extensive player testing. The insert is made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) with a face "appliqué."

According to PING, the insert "delivers a soft yet solid feel and crisp sound for assured putting. The combination of TPE and expanded perimeter weighting properties results in improved feel and truer roll."

The PING Scottsdale putter line features a whopping 14 models, several with fanciful names. They include the Anser 2 (pictured at left), B60, Craz-E Too, Half Pipe, Hohum, Pickemup, Pickemup B, Pickemup L, Tomcat™, Wolverine, Wolverine C, Wolverine H (pictured above), Y Worry and ZB. Phew!

Based on the early photos, it looks like PING might be going out on a visual limb with the Scottsdale putters. You can't accuse them of playing it safe, that's for sure.

The cost of the Scottsdale putters is $140 to $180, depending on the model. Look for them in September.

read more...

Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball Putter Review

The Odyssey 2-Ball putter needs no introduction. It’s the bestselling putter of the modern era, and is ultimately a franchise unto itself.

Since the introduction of the original White Hot 2-Ball in 2001, Odyssey has released numerous iterations of the 2-Ball design, culminating in the recent unveiling of the Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball blade putter ($299).

While there is no arguing the success of the 2-Ball concept, the question is: Does the world need another 2-Ball putter? Following is PutterZone.com’s Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball putter review.

The Storyline

The 2-Ball blade putter is one of five models in the Black Tour Designs family, which was developed with input from Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and other tour professionals. The Black Tour Designs putters could be considered the offspring of the ultra-premium Odyssey Black Series and Black Series i putters introduced in, respectively, 2007 and 2008.

According to Odyssey, “The precision-crafted 2-Ball Blade model is our first 2-Ball putter ever created without an insert, providing a new option for players looking for all the alignment benefits of the legendary 2-Ball design with the firmer feel of a milled face.”

The 2-Ball concept was originally conceived by legendary instructor Dave Pelz and licensed by Callaway (Odyssey’s parent company). Two white discs on the crown of the putter mirror the ball and help define the target line for improved alignment.

Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball blade putter is made with multi-material Advanced Roll Technology (A.R.T.), which includes a tungsten weight plug incorporated into a 1020 carbon steel head with a stainless steel sole plate for enhanced durability. The tungsten is placed in the rear sole of the putter, “resulting in a lower, deeper center of gravity to quickly generate true, forward roll.” A urethane dampening layer is designed to improve feel at impact, and a deep, sharp milling pattern in the face “increases interaction between the face and the ball, providing better feel, truer roll and more consistency.”

The Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball putter comes with variable head weights of 360 grams for 33- and 34-inch models, and 350 grams for 35-inch models. The loft is three degrees and the lie angle is 70 degrees. A plumber’s neck hosel features full-shaft offset, and the balance is very slightly toe down. A black PVD finish “produces a durable, glare-free look added specifically based on feedback from Tour pros.”

The View from PutterZone.com

I’ve got to be honest—I’ve never been a big fan of the regular 2-Ball putter, despite its undeniable brilliance in the alignment department. Simply put, the 2-Ball’s record-smashing popularity and overall ubiquity has, ironically, made it easy for me to ignore. I just got tired of seeing it at every pro shop and sporting goods store. The early Odyssey inserts weren’t my cup of tea, either.

Well, I am now happy to report that the Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball blade putter has adjusted my attitude. With its sleek looks, electrifying alignment features and milled metal face, this putter takes the 2-Ball experience to a new level.

In this iteration, the 2-Ball feature is accentuated by the vivid contrast of the two white “balls” against the sleek black finish. A thin black paintfill still surrounds the balls, but you don’t notice it next to the black finish as you do on the earlier silver-finish models. The upshot is that the 2-Ball feature is at once magnified and simplified in the Black Tour Designs version.

The leanness of the blade design further enhances the putter’s linear sense of purpose. If you’re anywhere near the hole, it exudes a “can’t miss” quality that can elevate your confidence level.

Another thing I like about the Black Tour Design 2-Ball is that it seems predisposed to remaining square to the path of the stroke. Like the SeeMore SB putters, it places the bulk of its weight in line with the center of the face as opposed to the far perimeters (as often seen on high-MOI putters). Personally, I find this approach to weight distribution to be effective for maintaining a smooth, stable stroke.

The feel of the Odyssey Black Tour Design 2 Ball is thick and throaty, and, to me, almost oaky in its feedback. When you consider that this putter has extreme rear weighting, a urethane dampening layer, a hollow-body construction and two synthetic “balls” incorporated into the crown, it’s not surprising that the feel would be distinctive. If you like a soft, buttery feel in your milled putter, this may not be the stick for you. But if you enjoy a compact, solid feel, the Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball will fit the bill.

In the cosmetics department, the Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball blade putter gives off a badass vibe, which is not a term I would have used to describe earlier 2-Ball models. It’s probably as svelte as you can make a putter that incorporates the 2-Ball alignment feature, and the sharp corners of the lower flange complement the curvaceous flow of the upper flange. If someone ever breaks into my house and I have to grab a putter in self defense, it’ll be this one.

The black, white and silver motif of the head is echoed in the grip and head cover. The head cover is commendably appropriate for the price point of the putter, with a magnetic closure, snug fit and crisp embroidery.

The Odyssey Black Tour Design 2-Ball is also sure to fuel discussion about the direction of the ultra-premium putter category (roughly defined as $200 and above). This category was founded on pure milled putters with an overt sense of artistry, and with technological bells and whistles kept to a minimum. With the Nike Method putter and the Odyssey Black Tour Designs putters, to name a few, the category is widening to include designs that emphasize technology over artistry. It will be interesting to see how the ultra-premium category unfolds over the next few years.

The Bottom Line

Yes, it turns out that the world does need another 2-Ball putter, as the Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball blade is perhaps the best expression of the concept to date. This putter is a boon to golfers who seek to boost their confidence level on shorter putts, and its center-weighted design promotes a smooth, balanced stroke. The Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball putter is a particularly compelling choice for golfers who demand a lot of technology for the price.

read more...

Putter Buzz: Vijay, Tiger and Boccieri Golf

At PutterZone.com, we sometimes collect little tokens and tidbits that don't necessarily merit a full story, so we toss them into a basket that we call Putter Buzz...

1. Why is Vijay Singh smiling? Perhaps it's the Cleveland T-Frame mallet he's got in his hand. Don't you love it when a tour professional puts a $99 putter into play? Of course, on the bargain putter front, it would be hard to outdo the Cleveland Classic putter ($69), which Jerry Kelly used to win $1.1 million at the Zurich Classic last year.

2. Since the whole Tiger Woods putter drama at the British Open, there's been a lot of talk about how the tail (the putter) doesn't wag the dog (the golfer). Now comes a report in Slate Magazine that reveals the developing numbers behind Tiger's putting woes: "In 2009, he was ranked first on tour in all putts less than 10 feet—he just doesn't miss the short ones. While Tiger hasn't taken enough putts in 2010 to break down his percentages by specific distances, his ranking has fallen to 129th on all putts less than 10 feet. The foundation of his great putting is in danger of eroding."

As for the debate about the tail wagging the dog, we agree—to a point. Yes, the mechanics and skill of the golfer are going to largely determine the results. But to suggest that the golfer is going to putt exactly the same with one putter as any other is dubious. Offset or no offset, face balanced or not face balanced, lower loft or higher loft, bold alignment features or minimal alignment features...suddenly these things don't matter? Putter fitting is just hocus-pocus? Not buying it.

3. Boccieri Golf, the makers of the Heavy Putter, recently launched a wedge line under the banner of Heavy Wedge, and now they are rolling out a "wedge a day" giveaway for 60 straight days. Better yet, you can throw your hat in the ring each day, increasing your odds. Out of the 60 winners, one lucky golfer will win a limited-edition Heavy Putter. Sounds like a cool promotion to us. Get the scoop at BoccieriGolf.com.

read more...

Tune Into The Greenside

We are pleased to announce that the latest episode of The Greenside is now airing. You can tune into it at The Hacker's Paradise and download it as a podcast on iTunes.

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 the Odyssey Black Tour Designs 2-Ball putter and the Piretti Cottonwood II putter, as well as segments on milled putters and Moment of Inertia (MOI). Check it out and let us know what you think.

read more...

Louis Oosthuizen's Putter: Ping Redwood Anser

The big putter news at the beginning of the British Open was Tiger Woods' switch to the Nike Method after 11 years of uninterrupted tour play with his Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter.

But the hottest putter of the tournament through Saturday's third round isn't Tiger's Method putter, but rather the PING Redwood Anser wielded by Louis Oosthuizen, who sank numerous key putts to remain in the driver's seating heading into the final round.

Louis Oosthuizen's putter hails from PING's Redwood Series of 100-percent milled putters, which belong to what we call the ultra-premium putter category (for more context on this category, read PutterZone.com's report on Tiger Woods' Nike Method putter and the growth of the milled putter market).

Launched three years ago, the Redwood Series putters ($250) represent PING’s inaugural move into the milled putter field. The name is a nod to Redwood City, the California town where PING founder Karsten Solheim crafted his first putter in the family garage.

The Anser design has been around for ages, but the PING Redwood Anser isn't the classic cast manganese-bronze Anser from your childhood. Rather, it is precision-milled from 303 stainless steel and it carries a price tag to match. But at its heart, it’s still a true Anser, with the heel-toe weighting, plumber’s neck and enduring look that made the original Anser the most-copied design in the history of golf.

If you are looking for a more affordable option in the Anser family, you might want to check out the PING Karsten Series Anser putter. It may not be as beautiful or as pure in the feel department as the Redwood Anser, but it's still a screaming deal at $89.

P.S. A side note to the the developing British Open putter drama is that even with Tiger Woods faltering, the Nike Method putter is still having a good tournament. Indeed, Paul Casey's putter is, you guessed it, the same Method 001 putter model that Tiger is gaming, and he's currently the only player within seven shots of Louis Oosthuizen.

read more...

Tiger Woods' Putter Reignites Groove Debate

We read with interest the following throwaway quote in one of the major golf magazines regarding Tiger Woods and his switch to the Nike Method putter: “Never mind that the independent research on grooved-face putters seems to suggest the effect of grooves in and of themselves is marginal, bordering on non-existent.”

Not so fast, amigos. Yes, the research on grooves is inconclusive and open to debate, but the issue is by no means settled—particularly as each putter company's groove technology is different from the other. To toss them all into the same basket under a summary judgment would be unwise and unfair.

At the risk of sounding like a Nike apologist, we wonder if any of the referenced “independent research” included the Nike Method’s new polymetal groove technology, which is unlike any other before it? For that matter, did it include the metal ribs (ie: grooves) on the new Never Compromise X-Ray putters?

Just because old grooves may not have worked, does that mean new groove technologies can’t?

We need to be careful when dismissing putter technologies—including grooves—as mere hocus-pocus. Sure, there are a lot of questionable claims out there. At the same time, there are a lot of dedicated putter designers working overtime to engineer a competitive edge into their creations, and we need to remain open to the idea that meaningful innovation is an ever-present possibility.

We earlier tackled this subject in piece titled Putter Technology: Real or Ridiculous, with reference to, yes, “independent research” that showed how different putter designs and face technologies can have a serious impact on the distance of a putt.

Similarly, the Suspended Face Technology (inclusive of the metal face ribs) on the Never Compromise X-Ray putters elevates the MOI and limits the surface contact area for, in the company's words, “more consistent ball velocity off the face.” Sure enough, an independent magazine-sponsored test of 13 mallet putters found that the Never Compromise X-Ray Alpha was the putter that lost the least distance roll on putts struck toward the toe and heel compared to the center.

Getting back to Tiger Woods’ new putter, the Nike Method’s core selling point is that its groove technology increases the launch angle of the putt, enabling the golfer to sufficiently lift the ball out of its natural depression in the grass while benefiting from lower putter loft (click here for a full rundown of the Nike Method putter’s technological features, and the relationship between launch angle, loft and roll).

Sure enough, reports confirm that Tiger Woods’ Method putter features the Method's relatively low stock loft of 2.5 degrees, which is one degree lower than the loft on his Scotty Cameron putter. Additionally, Woods cited St. Andrews’ softer, slower greens as the reason for the switch, and typically you want more, not less, loft on softer greens (see above graphic for visual explanation of loft; graphic generously provided by Never Compromise and Cleveland Golf).

Assuming that Tiger hasn’t changed his mechanics and putting stroke, we can only conclude that he is, indeed, achieving his optimal true roll with a lower-lofted Method putter on soft greens. And if that’s the case, if it’s not the groove technology making it happen, then what is it?

Perhaps it's time for a little more research.

P.S. Every touring professional uses basic putter fitting principles to his or her advantage, and you can, too. To get the scoop on putter fitting and how it can raise your game, check out PutterZone.com's Ultimate Putter Buyer's Guide.

read more...

A Method to The Putter Madness

Now that the British Open is underway and the dust has settled—sort of—on Tiger Woods’ decision to switch putters, PutterZone.com now takes a closer look at where Woods’ Nike Method putter fits into the larger putting universe.

Specifically, we are delving into the “ultra-premium” putter category to which the Method putter belongs, and pondering what it means in the big picture.

If anyone thinks we are overdoing “the decision” coverage here, we disagree. This is a putter-centric site, and Woods’ switch is the biggest putter-specific news story to ever hit the wires. Of course, there have been bigger developments in the putter world, historically speaking, but in terms of straight news stories, this one has no rival. Fan and media interest in Woods’ new putter isn’t just surging. It’s exploding.

Even before last Thanksgiving, a putter switch by Tiger Woods would have been a big story. After all, he wielded his trusty Scotty Cameron putter for a full decade, sinking numerous epic putts while notching 13 major victories and achieving total tour domination. It wasn’t just a putter. It was a virtual fist pump.

But the story of Tiger Woods' new putter is even bigger today than it would have been last year. Why? Because of the context: the faltering of Woods’ once unbeatable putting game; his inconsistent return to the tour, at times brilliant, at times maddening; the speculation about how his off-course trials might be impacting his performance…And right in the middle of this Dr. Phil moment he announces a high-profile divorce, not from his wife, but from his Scotty Cameron putter. On the eve of the British Open, no less.

How We Got Here

Long before the news broke on Tuesday, we gave a rave review to the Nike Method 001 putter, and later showcased it in a story about visiting the Nike Tour van. On Tuesday, we delved into the particulars behind the switch, while yesterday we explained everything you need to know about the design and technology of the Method putter.

Today we are going to look at the larger context of this putter, and its place in the growing category of what we call “ultra-premium” putters.

So what is an “ultra-premium” putter? Loosely defined, it’s a putter that is costly to make and that carries a price tag to match—typically $250 and above. The putter is typically CNC milled from a solid block of metal (in contrast to casting, in which molten metal is poured into a mold). The putter may or may not have add-ons, such as a face insert. Milled putters are regarded as offering better feel and higher overall quality (and quality control) compared to cast putters. The milling process and base materials are more expensive compared to casting, hence the heftier price tags on milled putters.

(It should be noted that some putters are “skim milled,” meaning that the putter head is cast, and then an outer part of the head—typically the face—is milled into its final shape. Such putters should not be confused with 100-percent milled putters.)

Ironically, the suddenly sidelined Scotty Cameron is synonymous with the ultra-premium category. He wasn’t alone in making high-quality expensive milled putters ten years ago, but he was the one who broke the category wide open and paved the way for others to follow. And follow they did, because today the category is loaded, if not suffering from an outright glut.

We won’t delve too deeply into the Scotty Cameron story, as it has been told a million times. Suffice it to say, he was adopted by Titleist and became the top name in high-end putters. The widespread success of his putters—both on the tours and at the retail level, not to mention the collectors’ market—became the siren song of almost every major golf equipment manufacturer, particularly over the past three or four years.

There were earlier rumblings—such as the T.P. Mills putters by Mizuno and the Never Compromise Milled Series putters. But the dam didn’t burst until fairly recently.

PING Golf, for example, launched its first milled putter line, the PING Redwoods Series putters, a little over three years ago. At that time, Mizuno was rolling out its new line of milled putters in collaboration with designer Robert Bettinardi. Odyssey wasn’t far behind with its Black Series milled putters. The SeeMore Putter Company was reborn with its mSeries milled putters three years ago. In 2008, TaylorMade unveiled its Kia Ma line of milled putters. Yes! Golf rolled out several 100-percent milled putters. Nickent (now defunct) and Tour Edge Exotics were among the others that dipped their toes in the ultra-premium waters. The number of independent makers of artisan milled putters also grew exponentially.

In other words, the inventory of expensive putters swelled nearly overnight. Some golfers guffawed at the notion of a $300 putter (while rarely blinking at $400 drivers that get used a mere dozen times or so per round). But others went wild for them, and the era of the ultra-premium putter was firmly upon us.

Nike Joins The Fray

And then there was Nike Golf, which joined the fray with its Nike Unitized putters ($250) in late 2006. The Unitized putters were forged and then milled into their final shape, and the heads were laser welded to the shaft and nickel plated as a single unit, with no bonds or joints to interfere with the goal of pure response.

The Nike Unitized putters were met with mixed reviews, and Nike was widely ridiculed on golf message boards for going out on a questionable technological limb, which some viewed as mixing peanut butter with their pure milled chocolate. Nike was already seen by many as an interloper in the golf industry, and particularly in the clubby world of putters, and the Unitized putters were derided by many who felt that the company just didn’t “get it” when it came to high-end putters.

The truth is that the Unitized putters weren’t bad. In fact, they were quite good, especially the blades (some of the mallets tested one's visual patience). But Nike didn’t help itself by releasing numerous inexpensive putters that were truly weak, undermining its putter credibility. Additionally, the Unitized putters just looked and felt a bit cold. In a category in which a sense of craftsmanship is prized, the Unitized putters seemed to have come straight from the laboratory. The head covers were cheap, too—which is a sin in the ultra-premium category.

We assume that Nike Golf licked its wounds before going back to the drawing board. All was quiet for a while. Then, in early 2009, a mysterious new Nike putter emerged on the PGA Tour. It had a distinctive black groove pattern on the face. Speculation abounded, but Nike’s lips were sealed. What was this putter? The buzz grew when Lucas Glover used the putter to win the U.S. Open, and it reached fever pitch when Stewart Cink wielded it to win the British Open.

The putter was, of course, the Nike Method putter—Nike’s second entry into the ultra-premium category. Again, if you want the full story on the technical aspects of this putter, read yesterday’s piece titled The Nike Method Putter Explained. Compared the Unitized putters, the Method was a significant leap forward. The look was more appealing, if still lacking a little artistry. The technology was more compelling. And the head cover was legitimate. It was, in short, the real deal.

Tiger Woods announced his switch to the Nike Method 001 putter on Tuesday, making this the first time he has put another putter into official play since he started gaming his Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter in 1999. Woods stated that he feels the Method putter gets the ball rolling more quickly, allowing him to make his natural stroke while compensating for the softer greens at St. Andrews. And so far, so good—he shot five under in today’s first round.

The buzz isn’t just surrounding the Nike Method putter, but also the Scotty Cameron empire, and how it might be impacted by this high-profile news. But let’s not jump to conclusions—for all we know, this could simply be a one-week flirtation with the Method putter, and the Cameron putter could be back in Woods’ bag in a few weeks. If there is a backlash against Scotty Cameron putters, we believe it will be driven more by Cameron hype fatigue than the notion that the designer has suddenly lost his touch. Cameron didn’t wake up on Tuesday morning any less capable than he did the previous day. And he still has "scoreboard" over everyone else.

All in all, we believe that this story is great news for the putter industry, and the ultra-premium category in particular. There have been signs that the category was flagging, with not enough demand to keep pace with the surge in high-priced putters amid an uncertain economy.

Surely, it will be a major boost for sales of the Method putters. But we believe that it will also give the entire category a lift, opening many minds to the fact that paying more for a putter may not be so crazy after all, and that all of this talk about milled putters and putter technology may, in fact, be more method than madness.

P.S. Every tour pro uses basic putter fitting principles to his or her advantage. To get the scoop on putter fitting and how it can shave strokes off your score, check out PutterZone.com's Ultimate Putter Buyer's Guide.

read more...

Tiger Woods' Nike Method Putter Explained

Forget LeBron James—the real “decision” this week was Tiger Woods’ bombshell that he is switching from his trusty Scotty Cameron putter to the Nike Method 001 putter, at least for this week’s British Open, and possibly beyond.

Needless to say, there’s suddenly lot of buzz circulating around the Nike Method putter line, including considerable chatter about its features and benefits. Some of the chatter is accurate, but a lot of it is incomplete or downright erroneous.

On that note, PutterZone.com is inspired to give you the detailed lowdown on Tiger Woods’ new putter, the Nike Method 001 model.

Design

When we first got our hands on the Nike Method 001 putter, we knew that it was built for Tiger Woods. For starters, it is very similar in shape and style to Woods’ Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter—but then again, so are a lot of putters (the design is a riff on the classic PING Anser).

But the real “tell” to us was the sight dot on the crown of the putter, which echoes the dot on Woods’ Cameron putter. Sight dots are rare at the retail level. The typical alignment aid on an Anser-style putter is not a sight dot, but a sightline along the flange. To us, the sight dot confirmed that this was a putter gunning for Tiger Woods’ attention.

The origins of the Nike Method 001 putter’s design are rooted, as mentioned, in the original Anser putter developed by PING founder Karsten Solheim. Legend has it that Solheim initially sketched his idea for the “answer” on the sleeve of a vinyl record album. The design featured a rear cavity with weight redistributed to the heel and toe, as well as an offset “plumber’s neck” hosel. At the suggestion of his wife, he removed the ‘w’ from “answer” because the full word was too tight of a fit.

Today, the Anser is the most-copied design in the putter market, a testament to its timeless genius. The Scotty Cameron Newport 2 and Nike Method 001 feature sharper corners and bevels compared to the classic Anser design, but they definitely belong to the extended Anser family.

It makes sense that Woods, if he was going to make a putter switch, would stay in his visual comfort zone—which is exactly what the 001 offers. He is seeking an edge, but he’s not going to dive off the cliff into some crazy oversized mallet, either.

Technology

The core feature of the Nike Method line is its “polymetal” face groove technology. This technology combines milled steel with polymer, as seen in the distinctive black polymer pattern on the face.

The polymer is “ported” through the sole, creating a solid polymer layer behind the face, through which the groove pattern is extruded (see the black line along the sole in the above photo; that is the entry point of the polymer). These polymer grooves, when striking the ball, give way to secondary steel grooves that aim to ensure “controlled forward roll.” Meanwhile, the polymer layer also aims to dampen vibration upon impact.

The ported polymer design also allows for 30 grams of head weight to be redistributed from the front and center to the rear perimeters of the putter for enhanced Moment of Inertia (MOI). In simple terms, MOI is the measurement of a putter’s head weight properties. The higher the MOI, the more resistant the putter is to twisting and turning on miss-hits, resulting in added forgiveness and improved consistency.

What It Means

So what does it all mean to Tiger's (and your) game? We recently visited the Nike Golf tour van at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, where we got added insight into the Method’s polymetal groove technology.

There, Nike representative Rob Burbick shared the story of one PGA Tour professional who, before trying the Method putter, asked for the loft to be bent from the stock loft of 2.5 degrees to four degrees (to match the pro’s existing putter). But he was persuaded to roll some balls first under the watchful eye of a high-speed camera, which revealed that he was achieving the same launch angle with less loft while reducing ball skid from four inches to one inch.

Reports confirm that Woods’ Method putter features the same stock loft of 2.5 degrees, which is one degree lower than the loft of his Cameron putter.

It’s no secret that most grooved putters feature lower lofts, to ensure that the ball gets rolling quickly (and to thus enhance the intended efficacy of the grooves). A potential issue with a lower loft, however, is that it can drive the ball into the ground, especially on softer greens, causing the ball to bounce toward the target. Conversely, too much loft for the playing conditions can result in the ball being launched and skidding toward the target. When the loft and launch angle are optimized, the ball will achieve quick topspin and true forward roll for improved consistency and accuracy.

And therein lies the core benefit of the Method putter, according to Nike Golf. The lower loft gets the ball rolling quickly, but the rebounding qualities of the polymer elevate the launch angle. Most grooved putters with lower lofts, Burbick said, “sacrifice launch angle to achieve quicker forward roll.” But with the Method, he said, “we get correct launch and faster roll. We get both.”

A side note to the polymetal groove technology is the fact that the Method putter is milled from a block of stainless steel. Most putters are produced by one of two processes: casting or milling. Milling is the process of cutting the head from a block of metal, while casting is the process of pouring molten metal into a mold. Milling is considered to be superior to casting, as milled putters are prized for having better feel and higher quality compared to cast putters. The milling process and base materials are more costly than casting, hence the heftier price tags on milled putters (the Method sells for $249).

So there you have it, Tiger Woods' Nike Method putter explained. Now the question is, how will it perform for him at St. Andrews? Regardless, it's shaping up to be nothing less than the biggest putter drama in the history of golf.

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

read more...

Tiger Woods Switches to Nike Method Putter

We wished we'd said it at the time, because now we'd look like Nostradamus.

But when we first reviewed the Nike Method putter earlier this year, we looked at the Method 001 model and thought, "This one was built for Tiger Woods."

Well, here we are six months later, and Tiger Woods says he's going to put the Method putter in his bag for the British Open, according to news reports this morning.

Will it be the Method 001 model? We haven't heard yet, but we're betting it will be some customized version of the 001 model, as it most resembles the Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter that Tiger has been wielding since 1999. In fact, we think that the 001 has been gunning for Tiger Woods all along.

Make no mistake, the Tiger Woods putter switch is an earthshaking event in the putter world. For years, Nike Golf was dismissed as a pretender in the putter category. Then the Method came along to largely rave reviews (including our own), racking up two major tournament victories in 2009 before it was even released to the retail market. And now the best player in the world is going to put one in his bag.

Nike Golf hit the credibility jackpot with the two major victories last year. But with Woods switching to the Method, they have now won a serious marketing lottery. Pretender no more.

Woods says that he was prompted to make the switch to accommodate the slower greens at St. Andrews, as he feels that the Method putter gets the ball rolling more quickly. It remains to be seen whether or not the switch is permanent, or simply a strategic move for this particular tournament. Regardless, the brand impact is huge.

We recently visited the Nike Golf tour van at the U.S. Open in Pebble Beach, where we gained more insight into the Method putter technology. The upshot is that the Method putter has a low loft to get the ball rolling more quickly, but also a "polymetal groove technology" that increases launch angle. So according to Nike, the Method gets the ball up and onto the grass and into a tight forward roll more efficiently, resulting in improved consistency and accuracy.

With Woods' recent putting woes, the switch doesn't come as a total surprise. And it's also no surprise that when he did make a switch, it was to a putter made by the company that makes his other clubs, a sponsor who has resolutely stood by him during his recent trials and tribulations.

But that doesn't mean he selected the Method putter out of mere loyalty. The Method putter has already proved that it can stand on its own. In fact, it helped win last year's British Open. And Tiger Woods is now choosing it because he feels it gives him the best chance to win this year's British Open.

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

read more...

Paula Creamer's TaylorMade Daytona Ghost Putter

TaylorMade's new Ghost line of putters remains white hot as Paula Creamer wielded a custom TaylorMade Daytona Ghost putter to win the U.S. Women's Open yesterday, following two recent PGA Tour victories for the TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost mallet putter in the hands of Justin Rose.

Creamer's stick is a TaylorMade Daytona Kia Ma Tour Ghost putter with a special long hosel and a steel AGSI insert. In other words, it's a totally custom putter crafted by Kia Ma, TaylorMade's chief putter designer. Such are the perks of the touring professional.

In the accompanying exclusive photos, you can see that Paula Creamer's putter features the signature white finish of the Ghost line along with pink accents that are a nod to Creamer's affinity for the color (and "Pink Panther" nickname).

At the moment, the original mallet is the only Ghost putter available at retail. However, with the smashing success of the Ghost line on both professional tours, we wouldn't be surprised to see a line extension in the future.

For more information on the story behind the Ghost putter line, read PutterZone.com's TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost putter review.

read more...

Insider Interview: Momentus Golf

During Wednesday's practice round at the recent U.S. Open in Pebble Beach, PutterZone.com's editor Sean Weir met Jim Sorenson (at left, with Fred Funk), founder of Momentus Golf, which specializes in golf training and fitness equipment. The company is perhaps best known for its Momentus Swing Trainer.

At Pebble Beach, Jim was on the practice green, where several professionals were using his Inside Down The Line Putting Track (pictured below). According to Sorenson, this trainer reinforces the type of stroke employed by Tiger Woods and other leading professionals. An accomplished golfer who played on the 1987 U.S. Walker Cup team, Sorenson spent five years on the mini tours before becoming a teaching professional. Soon thereafter, he developed the Momentus Swing Trainer, which is today used by more than 100 PGA Tour professionals and 500,000 golfers around the world, according to the company.

Following is PutterZone.com's exclusive Insider Interview with Sorenson, focusing the Momentus Inside Down The Line Putting Track and revealing something new on the horizon: a Momentus putter.

When we spoke at Pebble Beach, you said that when a lot of professionals try your Inside Down The Line Putting Track, they say, “That’s my stroke.” What is that stroke—and why do so many professionals use it?

It's a stroke that swings the putter slightly to the inside on the back stroke and then straight down the line on the through stroke. They use it because it is the most natural and effective method of putting. We have three of the top 10 players on the Champions Tour who are faithful Inside Down the Line putting stroke proponents: Tom Lehman, Tommy Armour III, and Larry Mize, who are respectively 5th, 9th and 10th on the money list.

What are your thoughts on the inside-to-inside arcing stroke and the straight-back-straight-through stroke?

The inside-to inside-stroke cuts across the ball through impact and imparts sidespin on the ball causing the ball to slice off to the right. The straight-back-to-straight-through stroke is unnatural, as the putter doesn't sit vertically, but at an angle somewhere around 70 degrees where the golfer stands astride the ball, not like a pendulum of a grandfather clock where the shaft is vertical. Because of this, the putter must swing to the inside on the backstroke, not straight back.

Some putters are face balanced, while others have varying degrees of toe hang. What are your thoughts on putter balance as it relates to the type of stroke that your track aims to reinforce?

Physics is physics, and what makes a ball roll straight is about path and angle of contact, similar to hitting a golf shot. What makes a ball roll straight is an inside to down the line path with the putter, and whatever putter you can best make that stroke with is the putter for you. I don't think face-balanced putters are the best to use because they eliminate the natural desire for the putter to have face rotation. Path and face rotation are the keys to making putts, and a face-balanced putter eliminates the natural face rotation of the putter.

What’s next from Momentus Golf on the putting front?

We have developed a new putter that conforms to the Rules of Golf for play. It is called the Inside Down the Line Putter. It is designed to work best with our Inside Down the Line Putting Tracks and features a 10-gram weight in the toe of the putter to slow down the rotation of the putter through impact.

read more...

The Fringe: Tom Watson DVD Review

Tom Watson is like the E.F. Hutton of golf. When he speaks, people listen. Or at least they should.

After all, the dude nearly won the British Open at the age of 59, and he just made the cut at the brutal 2010 U.S. Open in Pebble Beach, which sent numerous young guns like Rory McIlroy packing for the weekend. ‘Nuff said.

Well, now Watson is speaking like never before in his new “Lessons of A Lifetime” instructional DVD set, which spans two discs and nearly three hours of rock-solid advice on everything from playing uphill bunker shots to hitting with hybrids.

How often do you get to spend time with a golfing legend who is sharing the tips and tricks that make his game tick? Exactly. So listen up...

Under The Hood

Watson says, "It's very important that golfers—whether they are beginners or have played for 50 years—learn and understand the fundamentals. These are the building blocks every golfer needs to have in order to play up to their potential but, more importantly, to have fun."

-Two disc DVD set totaling two hours and 43 minutes

-Included booklet features 44 lessons

-A portion of the proceeds from all sales will be contributed to the Bruce Edwards Foundation for ALS Research.

-$49.95

Why It Rocks

Who couldn’t watch Watson’s miracle chip on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach again and again…and again? Well, happily, here is that highlight, leading off the second disc, after which Watson shares exactly what he did on the shot that essentially clinched the 1982 U.S. Open title.

Not surprisingly, the ensuing segments on chipping are brilliant, with practical tips clearly explained in Watson’s homespun cadence. Each segment—such as basic chip shot, chipping out of heavy rough, chipping out of uneven lies, etc.—wraps with a review of the fundamentals discussed in that segment, making it easy to take notes on what you just watched. The same goes for all of the lessons in the set.

There’s a bit of a retro vibe to the presentation, right down to the occasional background disco music. But it’s retro in a good way. It’s called “Lessons of A Lifetime,” after all. It’s not about some newfangled swing fad. It’s about teaching the timeless fundamentals in a way that the average recreational golfer will be able to understand and apply.

The segments on putting are solid, but, as with all things related to putting, they should be viewed with an open mind. For example, Watson, like many top instructors and professionals, says to get your eyes directly over the line of the putt. The conundrum is that other top instructors and professionals say that your eyes should be slightly inside the line. Ahh, such is the wonderful world of putting.

At $49, this DVD set is not cheap, but it’s worth the investment if you really want to apply yourself and consume the nearly three hours of content. By comparison, Phil Mickelson’s DVD set carries the same price tag for just 105 minutes of content.

The Final Word

Tom Watson's "Lessons of A Lifetime" is an immediate instructional classic, offering timeless insights that will raise your game.

read more...

New SeeMore CS Gunmetal Putters

The SeeMore Putter Company this week announced the expansion of its CS Gunmetal Series putters to now include the mFGP CS Gunmetal blade (pictured here) and mFGP2 Gunmetal mallet.

These putters join the SeeMore DB4 CS Gunmetal putter as the second and third putters in the series. The retail price of the SeeMore CS putters is $295.

The primary distinction between the original mFGP and mMGP2 putters and the CS models is the head material. The originals are milled from 303 stainless steel, while the CS putters are milled from carbon steel (hence the CS moniker). Carbon steel is prized for its soft native quality, giving golfers an added option when it comes to the feel of their SeeMore putter.

The SeeMore CS Gunmetal putters also boast a "multilayer black gunmetal finish for striking and lasting beauty."

The SeeMore DB4 CS putter is an Anser style blade. The mFGP CS putter is a riff on the classic FGP center-shafted, zero-offset putter that Payne Stewart and Zach Johnson used to notch major tournament victories. The mFGP2 CS putter is an FGP-inspired mallet.

read more...