Coming Attraction: MxV1 Putter

An exotic new putter is poised to turn a few heads and, according to its creators, sink more putts.

The MxV1 putter by MxV Golf features a ball-shaped Center Strike Technology face that is designed to provide truer roll and improved accuracy.

Says MxV Golf's Brian Wittman, "By essentially striking a ball with another ball, you almost can’t miss the center of gravity. The radius of our putter face is exactly that of a standard golf ball, and even with a minor tolerance we have found more accurate strikes and optimal roll, time after time."

According to Wittman, the concept was inspired by "Newton's Cradle," a popular desk toy that demonstrates conservation of momentum and energy via a series of swinging spheres.

The MxV1 features a 400-gram milled brass head with a black finish. It will be available in both center and offset shaft configurations, and will begin shipping in mid December.

Stay tuned for a PutterZone.com interview with Wittman, to be followed by a MxV1 putter review.

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Insider Interview: Radi-Eye Putters

The Radi-Eye by Precision Putting Products is a new putter that aims to change the face of putting. Indeed, the face of the putter features a radius from heel to toe to provide true roll as well as enhanced forgiveness.

In fact, according to the company, the Radi-Eye putter will eliminate up to 4.5 degrees of push or pull during a putt: "We set out to design a putter that would stop us from pulling and pushing putts, especially the short 'money putts' that put all the pressure on you. The Radi-Eye is the ultimate putter to forgive the mistakes that we make day to day on the green." We caught up with Alec Lockavitch of Precision Putting Products to learn more about this putter. Following is our exclusive interview:

In simple terms, can you describe the unique face of the Radi-Eye putter?

What makes the face of the Radi-Eye putter so unique is that the face has a radius that runs from heel to toe that forgives the user of their mistakes. The face also has no loft, which ensures that you always strike the ball at center or above. This always gives you that sought-after overspin without having to press your hands forward at address and to try to maintain that position through the putting stroke just to take the loft off of the face.

How is your putter different from other putters with radius faces?

The other putters have a radius that runs from top to bottom, and not heel to toe. The top-to-bottom radius is only for overspin, and not for forgiveness. I also think there was a company overseas that played with the idea of having a radius to help with forgiveness, but they were way off the mark. Over the four years that we researched this putter idea, we made prototypes with different sizes of radiuses and that research led us to the final product.

How does the face work to keep balls on the target line even when the face angle is open or closed at impact?

The Radi-Eye putter uses a radius on the face of the putter that runs from heel to toe, so as the face opens or closes at impact, the ball still goes down the intended line. With a flat faced putter the ball always moves at an angle of 90 degrees of the face, and there is no room for error. We have studied all types of putting strokes--inside back and inside through like your golf swing, inside back and down the line, and straight back and straight through--and we discovered that all of these strokes open and close the putter face, which means that there is only one spot in your stroke to make a perfect putt. If you miss that spot, then you either push or pull the putt and to make things worse, that's without opening or closing the putter face by torque in your wrist, shoulders, arms, back, turning your waist, tilting your head or being off balance. Imagine that you have a framing square on your putter face. If you move the putter left or right, the square will always point 90 degrees off of the face.

Now, imagine if the face of the putter has a slightly rounded face, and as you turn the face it still looks like it is in the same position. That is why the ball maintains the original line, which builds confidence on the green. You can be so confident in those short putts that you can be very agressive and drive the ball into the cup, Tiger-like, and it doesn't stop there. As you gain confidence with the putter, your chipping circle of comfort begins to grow larger and larger, which gives you more confidence chipping. This also starts to affect your approach shots by giving you confidence to get up and down, then back to the tee box which means more fun on the coarse and less stress!

Where did the idea come from—and was it hard to get USGA approval?

The idea came from missing those short money shots that put you under pressure and cause you to have the yips. I was so tired of hitting the ball well from tee to green just to blow it by missing three, four, five and six foot putts for birdies and pars. The idea came in a dream after long days of coming up empty. I always say it was a gift from God, because man could never make something this forgiving and perfect.

As for the USGA approval, sure it was tough. They have a lot of rules that you must maintain, and even when you think you have it right there is always that little shadow of doubt in the back of your mind that you may have made a mistake somewhere. But I guess that all those years of R&D paid off in the end, because we got through the first time around.

Can you describe the differences between the two available models?

The pro model is machined on a CNC milling center and the standard is a stainless cast model. Machining a putter from one piece of steel is a costly process, so keeping the customer in mind, we made the standard. The forgiveness is equal on both models, but we get a softer feel from the steel we use on the pro model.

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PING Precision Milled Anser Putter Review

More than 40 years ago, Karsten Solheim created a putter that would literally ignite a revolution in putter design—the PING Anser. Today, the Anser remains the most popular, most iconic and most copied putter model on both the professional circuits and retail marketplace.

In a testament to the Anser’s staying power, PING has now launched a new line of high-end putters dedicated to the legendary design: the PING Precision Milled Anser putters.

The PING Precision Milled Anser line ($325) consists of six models, each with varying degrees of balance that can be matched to the golfer’s stroke type, as indicated by colored shaft bands. Historically, the Anser featured a plumber's neck offset hosel, but the new line breaks the mold, enabling PING to offer different Anser models to fit a range of stroke types.

Is PING doing justice to the Anser by offering six new variations, or simply overdoing it? Following is PutterZone.com's PING Precision Milled Anser putter review.

The Storyline

The PING Precision Milled Anser putters follow the Redwood Series as PING’s second foray into the high-end milled putter market. They are also the first putters to feature an integrated putter fitting system that corresponds to a smartphone application, specifically the iPING app for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Among other things, the iPING app measures the golfer’s average degree of face rotation during the putting stroke, registering as Straight, Slight Arc and Strong Arc. An accepted aspect of putter fitting is that the balance of the putter should match the golfer’s stroke type. For example, a “face-balanced” putter is generally a better fit for a straight-back-and-straight-through putting stroke, while a putter with "toe hang" will appeal to an arcing stroke, with the degree of hang corresponding to the degree of the arc.

The strength of the PING system is that it takes all of the jargon out of the discussion and provides the same putter head design in a variety of color-coded balance configurations. Thus, the model with the blue shaft band (Anser 5) is designated for players who employ a straight-back-straight-through putting stroke (0 to 3 degrees of face rotation). The putters with a green shaft band (Anser 1, Anser 2 and Anser 3) are for golfers with a slight arcing stroke (3.5 to 7.5 degrees of face rotation), while those with a red shaft band (the Anser 4 pictured above and Anser 6 pictured below) are recommended for golfers with a strong arcing stroke (7.5 or more degrees of face rotation).

The varying degrees of balance in the new Anser putters are achieved by matching the same general putter head design to a variety of hosel types and hosel lengths. Additionally, while very similar in overall appearance, each new model exhibits slight variations in the topline and toe radius to give each Precision Milled Anser putter its own distinct look.

The Precision Milled Anser putters are forged and milled from 303 stainless steel, and they feature a satin nickel finish. The head weight of each model is 345 grams, and the loft and lie angle can be customized.

The View from PutterZone.com

First off, I must stand and applaud PING for integrating the concept of putter fitting so seamlessly into their new offerings. I am passionate about helping golfers reap the benefits of putter fitting—see my book Putter Perfection—so I find it exciting to see PING creating practical innovations that will further bring putter fitting to the masses.

On that note, according to the iPING app, my stroke registers as a “Strong Arc.” Personally, I wish it were more in the “Slight Arc” category, but the numbers don’t lie. So the app recommended one of the two models with full toe hang. I opted for the Anser 6 because I liked the look of the stubbier hosel compared to the Anser 4 model.

The Precision Milled Anser putter exhibits a modern aesthetic, and there’s no pretense of a handcrafted look. From the high-tech fonts to the sophisticated satin finish, this putter exudes it own moniker: precision. Even the grooved milling pattern on the face is lean and linear, compared to the more curved patterns often seen on milled faces.

PING has been known to get a bit carried away in the cosmetics department, but admirable and appropriate restraint has been applied to this high-end putter line. In other words, the Precision Milled Anser looks the part. The face is tastefully free of logos, and the burgundy and black paintfill scheme is elegant. I’m not crazy about the little serial number along the top heel of the face—it’s inconspicuous but still a bit annoying.

This may sound strange, but to me, this putter feels like it looks: sleek and cool and modern. It offers a confident click upon contact, with a signature crispness that reaches the hands and ears with equal clarity. That’s not to say it feels hard or harsh—there’s some give in there, too. But if you prefer your putter to feel warm and plump, then you may want to look elsewhere. This is a putter of a different breed, and it’s made for golfers who seek something more crystalline in the feel and feedback departments.

The custom PING Golf Pride grip and the accompanying head cover are both high-quality accessories that do justice to the putter's price point. Ultimately, there's nothing artsy about the presentation of the Precision Milled Anser putters. The Anser may have a remarkable history, but these new versions almost look like they came from the future.

On a closing note, I must add that I really enjoy practicing with the Precision Milled Anser 6 in tandem with the iPING app. Simply put, the app is a phenomenal tool that can provide invaluable feedback. Sometimes I just lose my consistency—I’ll wake up one day and simply be “off.” At such times, the app helps lead me out of the woods. It tells me when a slight adjustment to my grip or posture is bringing things back into line. I can't recommend the app enough, and using it in tandem with an app-generated fit is a cool way to build confidence and consistency.

The Bottom Line

With its new Precision Milled Anser putters, PING delivers a sleek and modern interpretation of its iconic Anser model. Better yet, this new line offers golfers an unprecedented range of personal fitting options for the Anser design, ensuring that there is finally an Anser for everyone.

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The Fairway Buzz: Triumphs and Presidents

The belly putter wins again. Wow. And this time it was worth $10 million, as Bill Haas took the FedEx crown. Bill Haas's putter is a Scotty Cameron Studio Select Kombi belly putter. Devil Ball Golf

A touching story about Special Olympics golfers: “When he came down off the podium and looked at Jim (his dad), he said, ‘I’m so proud of myself, I could cry.’” PGA.com

President Obama played golf with Bill Clinton. Wonder who took the first mulligan. Bloomberg

The FedEx playoffs weren’t the only action at the PGA Tour Championship, as a man crashes through barricades at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club and gets shot by a state trooper. ESPN

Rock Bottom Golf, home of the caveman, has acquired the famed Ray Cook brand, where putter designer Scotty Cameron got his start. Marketwatch

Putter of The Day: Tiger Woods may be taking a break, but the Nike Method putter that he uses remains a hot performer on the PGA Tour, and has notched three major victories along the way. According to Nike, the Method putter's polymetal groove technology gets the ball up and onto the grass and into a tight forward roll more efficiently, resulting in improved consistency and accuracy.

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Never Compromise Connoisseur Putter Review

As we head into the twilight of the 2011 golf season, Never Compromise has launched its third quartet of putters over the past nine months, punctuating what has proven to be an epic year of rebirth for the brand.

Indeed, the new Never Compromise Connoisseur Limited putters ($299) follow the Gambler Limited and Dinero Limited putters as Never Compromise’s latest entry into the high-end milled putter market, and like their predecessors, they offer a playful presentation along with a promise of elite performance.

Is Never Compromise spinning its wheels or moving the ball downfield with its new Connoisseur putters? Following is PutterZone.com’s Never Compromise Connoisseur putter review.

The Storyline

With its Gambler and Dinero putters, Never Compromise ushered in a new era for a brand that had been quasi-dormant over the preceding years. Along the way, the putters have earned widespread accolades as well as considerable success on the PGA Tour.

The Gambler putters boasted the aesthetic ambiance of a Vegas cardroom, while the Dinero putters doubled down with their money-driven iconography. Now come the Connoisseur putters, which borrow from the world of fine cigars in both name and style.

Like the Gambler and Dinero putters, the Connoisseur putters are forged from 303 stainless steel prior to being precision milled and hand polished. According to Never Compromise, “The forging process produces greater consistency and quality in the metal, which ultimately enhances feel.”

The Connoisseur line is composed of four models: the Portofino heel-toe weighted blade; the Robusto classic blade; the Culebra Zing-style blade; and the Perfecto mallet.

The putters come with a stock lie angle of 70 degrees and a loft of three degrees, but Never Compromise offers a full suite of putter fitting and paintfill options with its cutting-edge “My Custom Putter” putter fitting platform. The Connoisseur putters will be added to this platform within the next few weeks.

The View from PutterZone.com

The quality of the Connoisseur putters is a bit of a foregone conclusion, given that they are made with the same methods and materials as the earlier putters that have earned high praise from myself and many others. In fact, it would be easy to view the Connoisseur, Dinero and Gambler putters not as separate lines, but rather as siblings of the same putter family.

With the Connoisseur putters, however, Never Compromise may have aesthetically outdone its predecessors, which is saying something.

The cigar motif is smoking-hot, with a striking paintfill color scheme of baby blue, black and red with accents of white and gold. The accompanying head cover is a rich tobacco brown color with a new Never Compromise badge insignia, which evokes the imagery often seen on cigar boxes.

Each model also boasts its own individual graphical flourishes. For example, the Perfecto is emblazoned with the words “Specially Blended,” while the Portofino is “Extra Rare.”

The Perfecto (350 gram head) model introduces an entirely new design to the Never Compromise mallet family, with a crank-neck hosel and one-quarter toe hang. The Perfecto has a clean, linear front-end look at setup. It offers a thick, resonant feel as well as a distinct metallic “ting” sound at contact. With it’s classy looks, offset hosel and slight toe hang, this is the kind of putter that can convert a blade user over the mallet side of the aisle.

The Culebra blade (340 grams) happily goes out on a limb, blending a classic Zing-style head with a minimal-offset hosel. It’s a rare combination that is going to make some golfers very happy. The head is similar to that of the Gambler Boat model, but the topline is slightly thicker and the flange is accordingly thinner.

Of the four models, my heart aches most for the Robusto classic blade (pictured at top). What a beauty. I suspect that it’s going to grown wings and fly off the shelves once people get their eyes on it. Alas, the Robusto doesn’t love me as much as I love it. I tend to struggle with controlling old-school lightweight blades like this one (the head weight is a mere 310 grams). Your own ability to control this type of putter is something you might want to consider before you heed the Robusto’s siren song.

Not surprisingly, in the end, I gravitated most to the Portofino heel-toe weighted blade (340 grams), which is similar to the Gambler Royal that I favor. A nice improvement over the Royal, in my opinion, is the inclusion of a sight dot on the crown instead of the more common sightline along the flange. The corners of the Portofino are also more slightly rounded for a softer visual presentation at setup.

The feel of the Portofino and Culebra are similar to earlier Never Compromise editions, with a beautiful balance of plumpness and resonance. The Perfecto has the added “ting” as noted above, while the feel of the Robusto is naturally a bit less substantial, owing to its thin profile and smaller mass.

My nitpicks with the Connoisseur putters are the same that I've had with Never Compromise's earlier offerings. I feel that the Winn grip and Velcro closure (instead of magnetic) on the head cover miss the mark for high-end putters that are billed as limited editions. The Winn grip is fine, but it's just feels a bit pedestrian compared to the rest of the putter. Then again, Never Compromise redeems itself by offering a wide range of custom grip options, including grips from Winn, Lamkin and Iomic.

The Bottom Line

Never Compromise hits the trifecta with its Connoisseur putters, adding an exclamation point to its earlier Gambler and Dinero offerings. The aesthetics of the Connoisseur putters are utterly charming, while the feel and performance meet the high standards set by their predecessors. In matters of style, quality and customization, Never Compromise continues to keep the bar raised in the high-end milled putter market.

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The New Cleveland "Almost Belly" Putter

Cleveland Golf is once again aiming to offer the biggest bang for your putter buck, and this time they're doing it with the $129 "Almost Belly" putter.

The new Cleveland Classic Almost Belly putter is a 39-inch heel-toe weighted blade in a "black pearl" finish.

So did Cleveland just jam a longer shaft onto the familiar Classic blade for a quick re-positioning to leverage the belly putter market? Nope. The Almost Belly features a heavier 400-gram head weight, a 20-inch-long large diameter grip and a more upright lie angle of 72 degrees compared to the standard 70 degrees found on the regular Cleveland Classics putters. In other words, it's specifically designed for the belly style of putting.

According to Cleveland Golf, "The versatile 'Almost Belly' can perform like either a traditional-length putter or a belly depending on feel and preference." Word is that three additional longer lengths of 41, 43 and 45 inches will also be available. Look for the Cleveland belly putters to hit the market in mid October.

Considering that most belly-specific putters cost well north of $150, Cleveland Golf appears poised to hit a serious sweet spot in the rapidly growing belly putter market.

P.S. Stay tuned for PutterZone.com's Cleveland Almost Belly putter review.

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Nike Method Core Drone Putter

Nike Golf today announced the latest addition to its Method Core family of putters: the Nike Method Core Drone putter.

The Nike Drone putter has already racked up two victories on the LPGA circuit in the hands of Suzann Pettersen.

The aptly named Drone boasts a space-age design that ensures high Moment of Inertia (MOI) to minimize twisting and turning on miss-hits. According to Nike, "The extreme mallet design and Opti-mass weighting in the center and wing tips keep the clubhead on its path."

Look for the Nike Method Core Drone putter starting on November 1 at a suggested retail price of $203.

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The Fairway Buzz: Mini Golf and Rough Review

Rough review for new golf movie: “Seven Days in Utopia is not so horrible in that you’ll hate yourself for watching it…it’s actually too soft and harmless to warrant any kind of emotional response.” Examiner

A unique new miniature golf course pops up in Minnesota: “He wanted it to be low-maintenance and to be one-of-a-kind. He calls the finished product a simple, rational construction. ‘I think if someone gets angry and bends a putter over the wall, the wall can take it.’” Star Tribune

Meanwhile, a pioneer of miniature golf has passed away at 87. “He and his brother took what might have been a passing craze…and helped establish miniature golf as a fixture in American recreational life.” Washington Post

A former Senior Amateur champion thinks the belly putter should be banned. “I wish the USGA had the guts to outlaw them…We shouldn't be able to putt with anything attached to our bodies.” Palm Beach Post

Putter of The Day: The TaylorMade Corza Ghost is the pick today, in honor of Justin Rose using it to win the BMW Championship over the weekend. The white finish of the Corza Ghost provides ample visual contrast to help the golfer achieve improved alignment, while the larger mallet head instills confidence.

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Yamada Putter Review

Billed as an “eccentric putter craftsman,” Tohru Yamada has been making putters since 1986, a vocation originally inspired by the workmanship of a T.P. Mills putter that he had purchased for himself.

After producing putters for other big-name companies, he set out on his own a few years ago, launching Yamada Milled Putters. Yamada may not be a household name in the United States, but his putters have enjoyed success on professional tours across the world.

Do Yamada’s Limited Edition models ($425) live up to their lofty price tag? Following is PutterZone.com’s Yamada putter review, specifically the Samurai Limited Edition model in a "burning copper" finish.

The Storyline

Yamada offers two tiers of putters: Yamada Limited Edition and the Yamada 2011 Series ($299). All of the putters are precision milled in Japan from “zero tolerance” carbon steel. The Yamada Limited Edition putters such as the Samurai, however, present more options in terms of shaping, finish and fitting.

The putter models are also colorfully named and feature eloquent supporting storylines. For example, for the Samurai model, the company writes: “The concept of a Samurai as opposed to that of a knight, has led to a major gap in how a warrior or a hero is characterized throughout the world. A Samurai does not have to be tall and heavily muscled to be strong. Also equating size with power and strength does not readily appeal to the Japanese aesthetic.”

Accordingly, the Samurai is a heel-toe weighted blade that doesn’t veer into the heavier, bulkier territory of many modern putters. According to the company, “The Samurai is milled from the finest carbon steel giving it the unique feel you only get with a genuine limited-edition handmade Yamada putter.”

The putter is available in two finishes: burning copper (pictured above) and smoked charcoal (pictured below). The standard loft is four degrees, the lie angle is 71 degrees and the head comes in three available weights: 335, 340 and 345 grams.

The View from PutterZone.com

While Yamada Milled Putters appears to be fairly well established, I was, I must confess, unaware of the company until recently. How did this little gem of a brand elude my editorial radar for so long?

The Yamada Samurai with the “burning copper” finish is a beauty to behold. With exposure to the elements, this finish matures from a bright copper color to a darker, richer patina. At the same time, it doesn’t require the maintenance of raw carbon steel, so you get the cool effect of the weathering without the hassle (note, the picture accompanying this paragraph is the Samurai in the charcoal finish, not the burning copper).

There is nothing particularly groundbreaking about the general design of the Yamada Samurai, which follows in the familiar Anser-style vein with its heel-toe weighting and crank-neck hosel. Yet there are also some artful touches that set it apart from the pack—such as curvaceous beveling, softly rounded rear corners and an elegantly scooped upper flange. The white sight dot on the crown instead of the typical sightline is a nice flourish, too.

Another thoughtful attribute is the textured quality of the putter’s milled surfaces. Indeed, in an era where so many high-end putters are models of smooth, unblemished, CNC-orchestrated perfection, the Yamada Samurai offers an attractively grittier ambiance. For example, the rear bumpers are scored with rough grooves, while the cavity exhibits the imperfect nuances that you might associate with a much-used penny. A lot of putters lay claim to being handcrafted, but this putter actually looks the part.

The engravings are elegantly understated on the sole and cavity, showing the Yamada name and icon, with the words “Handmade by T. Yamada” scripted along the sole as well. The face has a more pronounced Yamada Milled logotype along the heel side.

The feel and performance of the Yamada Samurai are spot-on for a putter of this price point. The sweet spot is smooth and plump, and the audio feedback is distinguished by a subtle crispness. The putter sets up beautifully, with the scooped upper flange providing a visual embrace of the ball.

The Yamada Samurai putter comes with a high-end leather Gripmaster grip whose burnt orange hue nicely complements the coppery color of the head. The leather offers a distinctive tactile experience—the texture is soft and smooth, but there’s a baseball-like seam along the back that helps anchor the fingers.

The included head cover is white with orange embroidery and lining and a Velcro closure. At this price point, I would have hoped for a more substantial cover with a magnetic closure, but the killer grip makes up for it.

So, should you pay $425 for this putter? That’s a tough question for any putter in that price range. There’s no question that, with the Yamada Samurai, you’re paying a premium for something more ineffable and alluring than mere performance. You’re paying for luxury, uniqueness and what I might call “bad-assness”—and I think that you can make a case for these things being collectively worth the splurge.

The Bottom Line

The Yamada Samurai putter doesn't disappoint in matters of feel and performance. The design of the Yamada Samurai putter exhibits grace and thoughtfulness, and the burning copper finish is distinctively gorgeous. Mr. Yamada has positioned himself among the ranks of the elite putter craftsmen.

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The Fairway Buzz: Fowler, Stricker & A Mystery

While more and more golfers heed the siren call of the belly putter, the PGA Tour’s putting leader, Steve Stricker, says he fixes putting slumps with practice, not club changes: “I’ve putted with that same style putter my entire career.” ProGolfTalk

A mystery as to why a small plane, flying normally, suddenly nosedives into an Illinois golf course. Washington Post

Rickie Fowler continues to make media waves with his colorful attire: “Rickie Fowler is impossible to miss on the golf course. So, too, all these kids showing up at tournaments sporting his look.” Maybe Jason Day should get a purple mohawk. Associated Press

Instructor Jim Suttie has some tips on putter fitting: “To be a better putter, a good place to start is the putter itself.” Scripps

Putter of The Day: Perhaps one of the hottest steals in the history of putters, the Cleveland Classic putter offers rock-solid quality and sharp looks for just $69. Jerry Kelly even used one to rack up a $1 million victory on the PGA Tour. Talk about a good return on investment!

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The Greenside: Bellies, Yamada and PING

The latest episode of The Greenside radio show is now airing on The Hacker's Paradise, and is also available for podcast download via iTunes.

A collaboration between The Hacker's Paradise and PutterZone.com, The Greenside focuses on news and gear around the green. The new episode covers the belly putter phenomenon, the new PING Precision Milled Anser putters, and Yamada Putters. There's also a lively discussion about price vs. quality in putters.

Tune in and let us know your thoughts!

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The Fairway Buzz: Wounded Warriors, Custom Scotty

In this new feature series, PutterZone.com veers off the green and across the greater fairways to bring you the latest compelling news in golf, as well as our Putter of The Day:

Star LPGA Rookie Jennifer Johnson teed it up on behalf of the Wounded Warriors: “Pressure putts may give professional golfers the jitters, but they can hardly compare with enemy ambushes, improvised explosive devices and snipers.” Montgomery Advertiser

An Australian golf enthusiast won a $15,000 Scotty Cameron putter in a raffle, customized with the colors of his favorite rugby team. MacArthur Chronicle

Former San Antonio Spurs players fill the competitive void by playing and practicing golf, with one of them hitting 400 shots per day on average. What a life! MySanAntonio

In Illinois, echoing similar situations across the nation, a longtime community course struggles for survival: “For the first time in the more than eight decades the course has been open, the city this year had to cover costs by transferring more than $20,000 from its recreation fund.” TribLocal.

This photo demonstrates the rather unappealing side of the belly putter. USAToday

Putter of The Day: The Piretti Potenza (pictured above) is the latest offering from Piretti Fine Putters. It's similar to Piretti's signature Cottonwood heel-toe weighted blade, but with softer lines, a flow-neck hosel and full toe hang. The milled stainless steel head is also weighty 360 grams for those who prefer a heavier stick.

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Heavy Putter Q2-MT Review

While Boccieri Golf now produces everything from drivers to wedges, the company’s origins are rooted in the Heavy Putter, the brainchild of inventor Stephen Boccieri.

Today, after more than five years on the market, the Heavy Putter is still going strong, with newer Lite-Weight and Mid-Weight options adding diversity to the portfolio. And one of these newer offerings is the Heavy Putter Mid-Weight Q2-MT blade, a 100-percent milled “Tour” edition.

Does the Q2-MT raise the bar for the Heavy Putter? Following is PutterZone.com’s Heavy Putter Q2-MT review.

The Storyline

The Q2-MT is a heel-toe weighted blade that belongs to the Heavy Putter Mid-Weight series. The Mid-Weight putters weigh 775 grams total, or around 250+ grams heavier than conventional putters.

Not all of that total weight is concentrated in the putter head, however. As with all Heavy Putters, the Q2-MT includes a counterweight in the butt end of the grip, which raises the balance point of the putter for added control.

According to Stephen Boccieri, “The Heavy Putter’s greater total weight engages the golfer’s larger and more stable muscles, while the higher balance point disengages the golfer’s hands, promoting a smoother, more consistent pendulum stroke. Lighter putters that have a lower balance point tend to cause the golfer to have more wrist breakdown.”

The standard loft of the Q2-MT is three degrees, and the lie angle is 70 degrees. The head is precision milled from stainless steel. The putter comes with a newly developed Winn mid-size grip featuring a V17 Super Soft compound with a cord base material which, according to the company, “produces an extremely tacky but firm feel, preferred by better golfers.”

The Heavy Putter has become part of a larger vision for Boccieri, who has developed an entire bag's worth of counter-weighted clubs under the Control Series banner. Four years ago, in an interview with PutterZone.com, Boccieri hinted at what was to come: "I will be developing a driver that I have had on the drawing board for a few years now that will rock the industry." Indeed, the Heavy Driver was met with rave reviews after being unveiled at the 2011 PGA Merchandise Show in January.

The View from PutterZone.com

The evolution of the Heavy Putter over the past five years has been dramatic and fun to watch. The original Heavy Putters were totally out of the box, weighing upwards of 900 grams and boasting some excitingly original designs. I still have a soft spot for those original Heavy Putters, particularly the A1-M blade that’s still in the PutterZone.com library.

Over time, the Heavy Putter shapes have become more traditional, and the weights are trending lighter. Some may miss the countercultural ambiance of the original Heavy Putters, but there’s no doubt that the current offerings will appeal to a wider audience. And if the goal is to get more Heavy Putters into bags to help more golfers and generate enhanced sales, then the company can’t be faulted for making a stronger pitch to the mainstream market.

Into this picture steps the Q2-MT, with its classic Anser-style shaping, thin topline, crisp silver finish and brightly polished sole and bumpers. It’s a handsome stick, with soft, elegant cornering along the flange and a confident look at setup. The white grip is snazzy, too. If you’ve ever dreamed of a putter that combines the Heavy Putter technology with a traditional high-end ambiance, this is it.

The feel of the putter is distinctive, sending a chunky pop to the ears but not a lot of fine sensation to the hands. There’s bound to be some tradeoff in feel when you add weight to the head and upper shaft for a higher purpose. If you're buying this putter for feel, then you may be barking up the wrong tree. But if you're buying it because your stroke is wristy or otherwise ragged, then you may be onto something.

Some golfers have said that they struggle with distance control when using a Heavy Putter, but I haven’t detected any difficulties on that front. I’m not saying I’m a fantastic putter who’s a master of distance control. I’m saying that I don’t sense any variance in my typical distance control abilities when it comes to using the Heavy Putter compared to a regular one. The counterweight works as advertised, allowing for smooth control over the heavier head.

After spending time with various Heavy Putters over the years, I am convinced that the technology has merit. The Heavy Putter has enjoyed success on the professional circuits, proving that it can compete at the highest levels of golf.

At the end of the day, some golfers probably won't feel totally comfortable with the weightiness, while others will find that it brings smoothness and consistency to their stroke. Putting is personal, and the Heavy Putter is no exception.

The Bottom Line

The Heavy Putter hits its stride with the Mid-Weight Q2-MT blade, enrolling the signature Heavy Putter technology into a sleek, high-end package. Golfers who struggle with the yips or stroke consistency may find that the Heavy Putter is just what the putting doctor ordered.

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Exclusive: Connoisseur Putter Photos

We are pleased to share the accompanying in-hand photos of the new Never Compromise Connoisseur Portofino Blade.

The Connoisseur putters feature a smoking-hot cigar motif, with a striking paintfill color scheme of baby blue, black and red with accents of white and gold.

The accompanying head cover is a rich tobacco brown color with a new Never Compromise badge insignia, which evokes the iconography seen on cigar boxes.

Click here for our recent overview of the new Connoisseur line, and stay tuned for

PutterZone.com's Never Compromise Connoisseur putter review.

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News Around The Green

We periodically survey the golf landscape to showcase interesting developments in the world of putters and putting. Here's the latest roundup:

Phil's Belly Putter

Well, the belly putter trend may have already jumped the shark now that Phil Mickelson is using one.

Last week, belly putters were the hot new weapon being wielded by the young guns to help forge the next generation of elite golfers. But in Mickelson's hands, it seems more like the same old curiosity, if not a familiar act of desperation.

Of course, the truth is probably in between: Belly putters are likely on the rise, but the trendiness may be short lived. As Marius Filmalter recently noted on Golf.com, the top putting performers on tour—as measured by a new putting statistic (more on that below)—still use traditional-length putters.

Stockton's Signature Trick

In a recent Wall Street Journal feature, Dave Stockton shares his thoughts on the role of the left hand in putting: "Most people teach that the right hand [for right-handed players] controls the putting stroke. This is where I'm different. The rest of the game, the long game, is right-handed, but putting and low chipping are the exceptions. The right hand controls feel and speed in putting, but the left hand should be in charge of direction."

Stockton prefers that the back of the left hand travel directly down the target line after impact, as opposed to completing a fluid arc, as is taught by other leading instructors.

The New PGA Tour Putting Statistic

Did you know that the PGA Tour has implemented a new putting statistic that is reportedly much more effective at determining a professional's putting prowess.

The new (and, alas, horribly named) Strokes Gained-Putting stat "measures a player's putting performance relative to his fellow competitors in a tournament and will offer a more accurate portrayal of his overall putting performance."

The new stat aims to replace Putts Per Round as the dominant measurement. Putts Per Round "simply measures the average number of putts a player takes over 18 holes and can be skewed by chipping close to the hole after missing a green."

In other words, Putts Per Round is sort of like a pitcher's wins and losses in baseball: a general indicator, but not the whole story.

Strokes Gained-Putting, however, "takes into account putting proficiency from various distances and computes the difference between a player's performance on every green—the number of strokes needed to hole out—against the performance of the other players for each round. This ultimately shows how many strokes are gained or lost due to putting for a particular round, for a tournament and over the course of a year."

(Click here for the full explanation, because you'll need it after reading that FedEx Cup-style summation).

So who's the tour leader in putting according to the new stat? Steve Stricker.

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