| With
the advent of space age materials, computer aided design programs,
large engineering departments (themselves being avid golfers)
and entrepreneurs entering the putter business, the past few years
have produced “innovative” and decidedly avante -
garde putter designs.
The following putters are those that definitely
have an artistic flair and design and perform magnificently. Do
not for one instant assume that these putters are totally useless
or lack functionality. Many, while appearing to have no lineage
whatsoever as far as putters are concerned, do in actual fact
work extremely well and have even won tournaments since their
initial introduction.
The main theme or “buzz” for putters
today is the MOI (Moment of Inertia), the higher the better, and
the movable weighting systems. Sufficed to say, instruction manuals
and DVDs abound to ensure you understand all the benefits and
procedures to achieve maximum performance with that particular
putter. The best part of all of this is that if you purchase a
putter with a movable weighting system, you can experiment with
a single putter rather than buying additional ones.
TaylorMade’s Corza
Putter
 TaylorMade
has once again introduced a revolutionary putter that gained immediate
acceptance on the PGA Tour, plus recording a win during its first
outing (Tim Petrovic). This is a marvelous putter that makes putting
fun on every hole.
Aside from the futuristic design, this well-balanced
mallet putter features TaylorMade’s new Anti-skid Groove
System Insert (AGSI). The feel and sound when using this putter
is remarkable – just like the sound and feel of a perfectly
hit iron shot.
The Corza features a large putter face insert
made of Titallium, an extremely durable seven-metal alloy that
is 65% less dense than steel. The face of the insert is scored
with 12 CNC-milled grooves filled with a soft polymer to dampen
unwanted vibration at impact, contributing to better feel. Our
group of testers loved the feel and hearing the click of the ball
while putting. They all concurred that the ball rolled much more
smoothly than their existing putters.
Compared to the standard iron or wedge grooves,
AGSI grooves are 66% narrower and 50% closer together. The result
is a truer roll, sooner off the face.
What is really cool about the Corza is the ability
to change the weight and feel of the putter to your personal taste.
Want a heavier putter? Just add up to 28 grams of cartridges into
the putter’s two TLC ports to adjust the weight of the putter
head.
Three Corza models are available: the Corza,
which is heel-shafted and features a double-bend shaft; the Corza
1, which is heel-shafted with an L-neck to create a toe-down option,
and the Corza Center, which is center-shafted.
The Corza models have a manufacturer’s
suggested retail price of $208. Additional models featuring the
AGSI system, such as the Sebring are also available.
www.taylormadegolf.com
The Daito Stealth Putter
 Futuristic
in every aspect, almost Darth Vaderish in looks, yet silky-smooth
on putts, the Stealth performs admirably.
By increasing the putter’s (MOI) moment
of inertia to reduce backspin, done by back-end weighting, the
resistance to torque or twisting on impact, especially on off-center
hits, the putter obtains the desired result – straighter
putts.
The 350 gram putter has a precision insert made
of both copper and nickel that provide the silky-smooth feel and
great response. Granted, however, is the fact that its unusual
looks will take some getting used to.
The putter has 3 degrees of loft, is available
in left-handed and right-handed models with an offset or straight
shaft and standard putter lengths. A black matte or natural matte
finish is available.
MSRP: $199.00
www.daitogolf.com
The Guerin Rife Putter
 Definitely
the oddest sounding names for a putter, but if it works….
The Guerin Rife (it is the name of the inventor)
has already had a win on Tour (Jim Thorpe) and is fast becoming
a favorite on the Champions and Nation wide Tours. Though it was
introduced earlier than the TaylorMade Corza, its concept of movable
weights and grooved milled face is excellent but does lack TaylorMade’s
Anti-skid Groove System Insert (AGSI) technology - to produce
the truest no skid roll of the golf ball.
Therein lies the distinction between the putters
and therefore it comes down to personal taste, feel and design
style. Our group of testers found that the Corza’s roll
and feel to be better than the Guerin Rife’s but not by
that much.
The Guerin does, however, allow the golfer to
adjust the lie angle and also change the weighting with nine different
configurations. You can change either the overall weight or the
heel toe weighting. So if you tend to miss putts to the right
of the hole, try a lighter weight in the toe/outside bar and vice
versa if you are missing putts left of the hole. Its alignment
system works extremely well.
The two bar mallet putter includes the speed
weight kit, 2 DVD’s and head cover.
MSRP: $199.75
www.guerinrife.com
MacGregors V-Foil GT Putter
 Designed
by Bobby Grace, now part of MacGregor Golf, this stylish putter
is in the bags of numerous Tour players such as Fred Funk, who
just won the 2005 Players Championship.
As with many of the new putters coming out today,
it’s all about high MOIs and movable weighting systems.
The putter features an extremely responsive soft
forged beryllium-copper face insert that has been reverse annealed.
It’s 100% milled body is surrounded by strategically placed
holes in its frame to further enhance the MOI.
Three GT models (5K, 6.4K and 7.5K Belly putter)
are available with different MOIs and head weights. The standard
screw weights are copper. A weight customization kit with aluminum
(4.8 grams), copper tungsten (26 grams), and tungsten (30.4 grams)
screw weights, plus a weight removal tool is available for an
additional $49.99. For the GT putters the K-Series weight kit
is required.
MSRP: 5K and 6.4
K models: $289.99 7.5K model: $329.99
www.macgregorgolf.com
Callaway’s I-Trax
Putter
 One
of Callaway’s many new introductions this year is the new
I-Trax putter. Following their enormous success with their 2-Ball
putters, introducing a new model is normally a hard act to follow.
However, Callaway, with the design genius of Bobby Bettinardi,
has succeeded in producing a putter that performs exceptionally
well.
The I-Trax putter is an inertial mallet putter
whose main criteria focus on outstanding balance and an interchangeable
alignment options. The I-Trax has a precision machined aluminum
head that combines with triangulated plated brass weight screws
to provide a balanced feel and a smooth, skid-free roll. The putter
is extremely stable and has a high resistance to twisting.
The I-Trax also features two interchangeable
vision strips (chevrons or 3 parallel lines) which allow you to
choose the alignment configuration that best suits your eyes,
helping you easily square your putter to the target time and again.
It has a milled steel face and is precision weighted.
MSRP: $290.00
www.callawaygolf.com
Scotty Cameron Phantom Putters
 The
new beautifully balanced, minimalist styled Futura Phantom, is
a significantly improved putter over the original high-tech Futura
introduced by Titleist in 2003. The Phantom, with its black anodized
finish, has an aluminum face and T-shaped frame with a deep, semi-circular
steel back weight. The shaft insertion point is behind the face
and the bottom sole rudders have been extended for better stability.
Stability, excellent set up at address; together with the single
sightline are the hallmarks of this putter.
Cameron also introduced both the Futura Phantom
Mallet (single bend) and Mallet 2 (center-shafted) putters, also
with black anodized finishes, that are more conventional both
in profile and size and have excellent graphics. Both are force
balanced with the heavy back weight closer to the face and both
feature a five-sightline configuration making setup and alignment
simple. MSRP: $299.00.
MSRP: $299.00
www.scottycameron.com
Nickent Pipe Putter
This putter definitely stands out in a crowd. The Pipe features
a thermoplastic centerpiece in the shape of a cylindrical pipe
on the top of the clubhead that provides a 3- dimensional visual
readout of exactly where the putter is lined up.
A heavy tungsten plug in the rear of the pipe
section accounts for 15% of the weight of the putter. The superb
feel is provided by a lightweight face insert.
The putter sets up well and aligning the ball
is extremely easy.
Testing putters is perhaps the easiest to accomplish,
as most retailers have in-store greens or putting greens at their
facility. Spend an hour or two testing these putters to see what
works best for you on the playing surfaces that you use the most
frequently.
MSRP: $199.00
www.nickentgolf.com
Barry
Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers
Association of America. He is also a member of the Golf Writers
Association of America and the California Golf Writers Association
and a Mediator for the golf industry. He is a contributing writer
to numerous national magazines. He can be reached at drlotz@cbsgolf.net |
