Equipment

Review: Rife Two Bar Hybrid Putter

By Sean ⋅ April 16, 2008 ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

You have probably seen the infomercials on The Golf Channel. Interviews with numerous Touring Professionals singing the praises of the Roll Groove technology. With a high tech look, and loads of technology, the Rife Two Bar Hybrid Putter is put to the test. As always, we will start with some information from the manufacturer. This will be followed by our analysis of the putter.

Background

In golf, the word Hybrid has become synonymous with a class of game improvement clubs that is a cross between an iron and a metal wood. Hybrids combine the best or most playable aspects of each. Hybrid, by definition is: “anything derived from heterogeneous sources, or composed of elements of different or incongruous kinds”. Rife putters, is now introducing the worlds first hybrid putter, the TwoBar Hybrid Mallet. This putter is a combination of elements taken from the 2007 Golf Magazine “Mallet of the Year” Island Series Barbados, and the even-more-successful original TwoBar putter. The most distinct features and performance benefits from both models have been blended into one new spectacular design that is a game improving “hybrid” product in every sense of the word.

The new TwoBar Hybrid features Rife’s patented RollGroove Technology TwoBar Alignment, Twin In-Line Moment of Inertia (MOI), Dual Response (DR) insert technology, the LieAline Fitting System, and adjustable Speed Weighting.

Sole of Putter

Putter includes

• Custom Dual Textured Winn AVS grip
• Extruded (no seam) stepless steel shaft
• Two sets of rear weight screws 12.5 grams & 20 grams
• Allen wrench adjustment tool
• LieAlign bending tool
• “Putting to Win” DVD
• Custom head cover with zipper pocket for weights.

Construction

• Body – 431 stainless steel
• “Dual Response” Face Insert – 6061 CNC milled anodized aluminum fused to high durometer polymer
• Rear Weights – milled 303 stainless steel

Specifications

• Head Weight – 345 grams w/light wts. & 360 grams w/heavy wts.
• Lie Angle – 70 degrees
• Loft of Head – 2 degrees
• Effective Loft – 1 ½ degree loft to shaft angle
• Lengths – 35” and 34” RH and 35” LH
• Shafting - 90% face balanced (slightly toe down)
• Offset - 1/2 shaft

Conventional putter having 3 to 5 degrees of loft, hit the ball off the ground with a slight back roll. As the ball lands it skids across the putting surface before changing its back roll to forward roll. During this “skid zone” the grass grain interacts with the ball’s dimpled surface and alters its direction and speed.

Guerin Rife putters have RollGroove Technology™. At impact the narrow space between the grooves grips and carries the ball forward slightly off the putting surface. Because there is only 1 degree of loft, the ball starts its forward rotation while in the air allowing it to continue rolling with out skidding. Eliminating skid reduces the effects of grass grain for a more consistent roll.

The precisely milled grooves slightly press into the cover of the ball gripping and lifting it out of its own depression. As a result, the Two Bar putter only needs 1 degree of loft to simulate the same launch angle as traditional lofted putters (standard is 4 degrees) without the negative effects (backspin). The end result is a ball that launches into the air with a slight forward rotation instead of backspin. This eliminates the skipping and skidding created by traditional putters, creating a more consistent and accurate roll, every time.

At Address

Look and Feel

I was really drawn to the look of the Rife Two Bar Hybrid. The white/blue contrast in the face insert caught my eye, as did the graphic styling of the putter sole. As with earlier versions of the Rife Two Bar putter, two cylinders protrude perpendicular from the face of the putter. This acts as an alignment aid, as well as increasing the putter’s MOI. With this new Hybrid version of the putter, some additional metal rounds out the back side of the putter, making it look and feel more like a larger mallet style putter. Even the grip on this putter is very sharp looking, the custom Winn grip with a white/blue scheme is as nice on the hands as it is the eyes.

At address, the two bars as well as a line between those bars should help anyone with alignment issues. Draw a line on your balls, line that ball up with the cup when you are standing behind the ball on your putting line, then simply line up all these lines on the Two Bar, and if you are still hitting putts off line…you need more help than a piece of equipment can provide!

Another neat aspect of the putter is a little notch on the back side of the face (you can see it in the picture to the left here). You align that little notch so that you can see the entire white alignment line on the putter, and you know you have squared everything up. Given that people come in all different sizes and shapes, Rife provides a tool to adjust the lie angle of the club as well. This will ensure that this alignment notch will line up correctly with your particular setup and build. This is a great little feature that, well, being 6′4, came in quite handy. My first thought was of the RifleScope in the Seemore putters. Similar idea, though, it is nice that Rife added the tool to adjust the lie yourself, making this even more useful.

So those look issues aside, how does the Rife putter feel? Being an insert putter, you come to expect certain things at impact. The Rife is really no different. At impact, you’ll feel the grooves almost bite into your ball. It is not a very prolonged sensation, but for that brief instance, you will feel as if the ball is stuck to the face. For someone who has played a non-insert putter for their whole life, you would notice it. Someone who is accustomed to insert putters, it will feel normal to you.

I was not completely thrilled with the actual feel off the face otherwise. On solid strokes, it is nice to see the ball start rolling immediately, but the butter feel at impact just wasn’t there. It is acceptable, but I would not put this putter at the top of feel department for insert putters. This may not be an issue to someone who comes from playing an insert or less expensive putter style. However, if you are coming from a forged/milled face blade putter, you will probably not be thrilled with the feel. Nonetheless, feel on off center hits was good, you will know where you have missed on the face.

Keep in mind, feel is very subjective. Something that feels good to me, could be a completely different story for you. Do your homework, goto your local pro shop, pickup this putter and feel for yourself.

Last thing I will mention in this department is the head cover (shown above). This head cover is of top notch quality, excellent workmanship. There is a little pouch for your extra weights and wrench. The flap on the cover contains a very powerful magnet. At first, this made it difficult to get the head cover on the putter, the magnet kept snapping unwanted parts on the putter before I could completely cover it. After a few holes, this became a non issue, and it’s actually nice knowing that even if you do not have the putter cover on all the way, that magnet will grab onto something on the putter and keep it attached.

Performance

In the past couple months we have had a look at anti-skid inserts from TaylorMade (AGSI+), Yes Golf (C-Groove) and GEL. They both worked quite well, and for those of you who see your ball hop-skipping across the green for the first couple feet, it is a superb invention. The Rife Roll Groove insert competes quite well. To my unaided eye, skid was nearly eliminated on decent greens with all three of these technologies. There are plenty of scientific tests out there proving one or the other is the best available, but to be honest, they will work pretty well for you.

So what about this MOI business? We looked at the TaylorMade Spider not long ago, which is another super high MOI putter, and the Rife Two Bar Hybrid held up quite well in this department. I took the Spider, Donna, Rife and my trusty Heavy Putter to the putting green to find out which performed best for me on miss hits. Initially, with the default light weights in the Two Bar Hybrid, performance on off-center hits was decent. I pulled the smaller weights out, and installed the heavier weights, and now performance on intentional hits off the center of the face were similar to those of the Spider. The Donna was not far behind, and as expected, the milled face Heavy Putter brought up the rear on intentional miss hits.

I was impressed with the forgiveness of this putter. The Spider literally blew me away with it’s performance on off center hits, and to find another putter that performs to that same level, impressive. I also love the fact that additional weights are included with the package and are a breeze to change out. The little added weight seemed to help stabilize the putter at impact on off center hits, and also has the added side benefit of smoothing out your putting stroke a little more.

All in all, performance wise the Rife Two Bar Hybrid did quite well. If you find yourself missing the center of the putter face on occasion, and want a little added forgiveness, the Rife may be a great option for you.

Rife Grip

Conclusion

Overall I was impressed with this putter. At a shade under $200 this putter is up there in the playing field, but offers a ton of technology and little add on goodies to justify the cost. This putter should appeal to a wide range of players, from the seasoned professional (with a number of touring pros bagging this club) to the casual weekend golfer. I think the grooves and high MOI will certainly help those of you who struggle with your putting stroke. For those of you who are in love with the feel of your SC blade putter, this may not be your cup of tea.

Get out there to your local pro shop, find one of these putters and hit a few practice putts. I think you’ll quickly see what I have seen, your putts will roll quick and smooth, and those times when you miss hit the ball, your ball will still try to get to your intended target.

Where to Buy

• Directly from Rife - $199.80
• GolfSmith - $199.99
• Search eBay - ~$150

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