Background

To get us started, here is some detailed information about the design of the club as well as club specifics from the manufacturer. As always, we will continue with a detailed review following the specifications. Within this review there are several photographs comparing the Deep Face series to the Mid-Weight series. The Mid-Weight CX2 putter is the black matte finish, while the C2-DF is the same I reviewed last year, in grey (see picture below – Mid-Weight left, DF right). Be sure to click on any photos to get a closer look.

This classic blade design incorporates the tour proven patented weighting technology in a new MID-WEIGHT (750gm) category. The CX2 is a face balanced blade with a plumber’s neck hosel and has a full shaft offset. The putter is constructed of Stainless Steel and has a CNC milled face and is offered in a PVD Black or Satin finish. Each MID-WEIGHT uses a True Temper proprietary shaft with a 200 gram weight inserted in the butt end of the shaft; this creates the necessary weight to give the golfer more control of the stroke and also produces a balance point 75% higher than conventional putters that eliminates the wristy action in the stroke. Heavy Putter uses a newly developed Winn Mid-size grip with a V17 Super Soft compound with a cord base material which produces an extremely tacky but firm feel, preferred by better golfers.

• Stock lengths 32″ – 36″ (custom lengths available 30″- 38″)
• Dexterity: Right and Left Hand Available
• Total Putter Weight = +/- 750 grams
• Head Weight = +/- 400 grams
• Weight Management System (weight in grip end of shaft) = 200 grams
• True Temper Proprietary Steel Shaft
• Custom Winn Mid-Size Grip
• Custom Head Cover included
• Stainless Steel Material
• CNC Milled Face
• Loft = 3° (custom loft adjustments +/- 2 degrees)
• Lie Angle = 70° (custom lie adjustments +/- 2 degrees)
• Custom Mid Length Putters available

Look and Feel

The CX2 model is a traditional Anser style blade and ours is coated in a matte black finish that is just spectacular. The finish seems to have held up well over the past 6 weeks and should look sharp for many more rounds to come I would think. With the Mid-Weight putter, not only has Heavy Putter gone towards a more traditional weight, they have gone to a more traditional putter face size. Sticking with this theme the grip that the CX2 ships with is also more subdued. The C2-DF putter we had reviewed featured a flashy camouflage style Winn putter grip that really stood out. I did not have an issue with it in the least, but some more ‘refined’ players might. Speaking of the grip, it has that slightly tacky Winn Grip feel to it, little cushion, but no real loss of feel. Last thing I will say about the look of the

On the feel side, at impact the CX2 feels a lot like the B3-M. They are both CNC milled stainless steel and produce a nice click off the golf ball. A little off center, and you know that you have missed the sweet spot. But hit that sweet spot and you are rewarded with nice feedback that you just do not get with most insert face putters. The weight of the putter head will still force you to use a smooth, pendulum like putting stroke and really try to take your hands out of the equation. I still found this putter to be very deadly within 6 feet, much like its predecessors.

The CX2 is a face balanced putter, which, personally I prefer, as I am a straight back and through kind of putter. If you are unfamiliar, next time you’re at a golf store, pickup a putter and place your finger down near the neck of the putter head (on the steel shaft). A face balanced putter will balance nice and perpendicular to the ground, a toe weighted putter will point the toe down to the ground. This toe weighting will help keep the putter face from closing too fast on you if you open/close the club face along the arc. So, if you’re pulling a lot of putts left, check out a toe weighted putter. Now…back onto our regularly scheduled program!

On to the most important part, long distance putting feel. With the B3-M and C2-DF, my only complaint was with the feel on long range putts. If I was playing fast greens and had a 30 or 40 footer, I really had a hard time ‘feeling’ the distance. With the Mid-Weight, you’re looking at about 750g instead of 900g of total weight. 400g in the putter head vs 475g in the B3-M. This may not seem like a huge amount of weight, but it is noticeable. How does it translate on the putting green? I found the quick putts from long distance were a little easier to judge with the Mid-Weight, I was able to lag them up there close far more frequently than with the previous generation Heavy Putters. So, if you have struggled with this issue with your old Heavy Putter, be sure to check out the Mid-Weight, you might be surprised.

Performance

As I mentioned in the feel area, the putter is still pretty heavy and you will quickly become less ‘handsy’ with your putting stroke if that is a part of your game. If you are new to the game, or feel your putting stroke needs some work, you cannot go wrong with a Heavy Putter. I do not care which model, just go buy one, and commit to playing it for a season. Trust me, you’ll see a major improvement in your putting stroke. For someone with a solid putting game, it is a great tool to have around the house for ‘indoor’ or ‘winter’ putting practice. Just work on grooving that solid putting stroke.

I generally have found that the Heavy Putters are not quite as forgiving as high MOI putters like the TaylorMade Spider, but I think you will find, that over time you will have FEWER off-center hits using a putter like this. This particular model, the Mid-Weight seems to be similar in the forgiveness department to prior models, perhaps slightly less forgiving than the Deep Face model. Hits off the toe or heel do lose distance, however it seems to be a predictable loss. I know some players certainly intentionally try to hit it off the toe at times to deaden the impact, like say on a severely downhill putt, coming off the fringe. Shots like this, you can execute with the Mid-Weight, that I find more difficult to pull off with something like the Spider.

Conclusion

If you have never laid your hands on a Heavy Putter, it is an eye opening experience. I do not know how many times playing partners of mine have said, ooh, a Heavy Putter, I have heard of those…can I see it? Oh wow it is REALLY heavy! You’ll certainly get over that initial shock of a very Heavy Putter and will be pretty psyched when you are dropping everything inside 6 feet.

For a weekend hacker that has been strugling with his putting stroke, I would almost suggest going to one of the earlier model Heavy Putters like the B3-M (used ones can be had for $50 on eBay these days) and work on grooving a solid putting stroke. Once you have that down, and if you have found that you like the weight, but would like to step down a little for a little more feel, the Mid-Weight is a great option. For a younger player or those who might find the 900 gram Heavy Putters just way too heavy, the Mid-Weight could fit the bill for you.

For those of you who may have struggled with feel on longer putts like I did, you may find that the Mid-Weight is the answer for you. I had a much easier time lagging those long putts up real close with this particular model, and still felt like anything short range would always drop with the CX2 in hand.

Lastly, John Daly has been rocking the Mid-Weight on the tour this season and has been having some new found success.

The Mid-Weight Heavy Putter is available in several head shapes (blades as well as mallets) and can be found at your local golf retailer for around $169 or directly through the Heavy Putter website. As I mentioned earlier, you can find some used earlier model Heavy Putters on eBay for around $50 or perhaps even some Mid-Weight putters at this point. But, as always, be aware of the seller and feedback. There are still plenty of scammers to be found.

Heavy Putter C2-DF

Background

Deep Face Explained

The DF, or Deep Face Series is the newest line of innovative putters from Boccieri Golf. The Deep Face technology raises the center of gravity “CG” by combining innovative design elements with a ¼ inch increase in the height of the putter face. By raising the CG, the sweet spot on the face more closely aligns with the equator of the golf ball. With a conventional putter, the golfer must consistently raise the putter approximately ½ inch off the ground in order to strike the sweet spot. Achieving this optimal vertical impact point with consistency is extremely difficult. In fact, with so many putter companies talking about skid-roll and putter face technology, the reality is simply that many golfers are striking the ball too low which causes the dreaded skip and bounce. The DF series sets the CG so that it closely aligns with the equator of the ball, allowing the golfer to simply raise the putter just above the surface to strike the ball on the sweet spot. This optimal transfer of energy results in better roll and more consistent distance control.

C2-DF Specs

This putter incorporates the patented Heavy Putter technology into the classic blade design. The putter head has CNC milled surfaces and is fully face balanced. The head weighs approximately 465 grams, and there is a 250 gram weight in the grip end of the shaft that creates a balance point that is 75% higher up the shaft than a conventional putter. The overall weight is approximately 850 grams.

• 303 Stainless Steel with CNC milled surfaces
• Grooved face pattern
• Total Putter Weight = +/- 850 grams
• Head Weight = +/- 465 grams
• Weight Management System (weight in grip end of shaft) = 250 grams
• Stock lengths 32″ – 36″ (custom lengths available 30″- 38″)
• Dexterity: Right and Left available
• Lie Angle = 72°
• Loft = 3°
• Custom Winn Grip
• Custom True Temper steel satin shaft
• Head Cover included with purchase

Heavy Putter C2-DF

Look and Feel

The C2-DF, as you can see in the pictures, has a traditional blade design look to it. For someone who is accustomed to playing with a blade style putter, the look will be very familiar at address. For me, someone who has been playing with mallet style putters with big alignment aids, it is a bit of a change. At this point, I have become very reliant on the alignment aids to help get my putts on the right track, so that was an issue for me with this particular putter. The matte finish of the putter itself is very similar to that of the B3-M. It is very classy looking, will not reflect any sunlight in your eyes, and is certainly not distracting in any way. The only real visual difference between this putter and a traditional blade, is the face itself. As you may notice in the picture to the left, the face is quite deep, and actually sticks up a little bit (look at where the neck of the putter meets the blade).

The CNC milled steel face is extremely smooth and feels great when you hit the ball on the sweet spot. Feel off the face is quite similar to that of the B3-M series putter, though I had to adjust my stroke a little bit to make sure I got that feeling. Given that the CG is a little higher, you do not need to lift the club up off the ground as much when you are putting. So, I took a bunch of ‘brush the ground’ practice strokes, and then was back to the soft feel of a milled face putter once again. If you have not hit a Heavy Putter, it is definitely an interesting experience. You would think you would loose a lot of ‘touch’ with the putter, but I actually find I have started to feel more with the putter now that I have adjusted to the weight. My ‘big muscles’ are more involved in the putter swing, so my hands are very tension free. That ‘frees’ my hands up to feel more subtleties during my stroke and ball strike.

One thing I’ll note here in the look department, I am not a huge fan of either the head cover or new golf grip. The grip has a camouflage/swirly color look to it, that, well is interesting, but I preferred the more traditional look of the B3-M grip. The B3-M head cover was a nice soft velvet feel to it, with a magnetic closing mechanism. The head cover included with the C2-DF is a bright green vinyl material with a Velcro closure. Not a huge deal, but just something I thought I’d mention. I did not take pictures of either, but you can find them on the Heavy Putter website.

Performance

Performance wise, this putter is as good, if not better than the B3-M. Sure, off center hits are not quite as ‘on the mark’ as some of the newer super high MOI putters like the TaylorMade Spider. However, I find that I have less off center hits when I play with the Heavy Putter. The added weight of the club really smooths out your putting stroke. It takes your hands pretty much out of the game, and I find that I am deadly accurate with this thing inside 10 feet. The Deep Face of the putter, once you have adjusted your stroke a little, really helps add to that consistency. I found the putts to roll much nicer, more often, with the C2-DF. Newcomers to the Heavy Putter will probably struggle with distance control on longer length putts. But just give it some time, you will adapt, and soon the 20+ footers will start rolling out nice for you as well.

The only real issue I had performance wise, and I mentioned this earlier, was alignment. This however, is mostly my own personal issue. I am hopelessly addicted to the alignment aids of mallet putters these days, and the little white tick mark on the back of a traditional blade just doesn’t do it for me anymore. There are, however, a bunch of interesting mallet shaped putters in the Deep Faced line. So if you are like me (Hello, my name is Sean, I am an alignment-a-holic), there are deep face options for you.

Conclusion

As I mentioned in the B3-M review, if nothing else, the Heavy Putter line of putters make an excellent training aid. It really helps smooth out your putting stroke. If you are one who struggles with consistency inside 10 feet…find your hands shaking a lot…inconsistent strokes on short putts…get one of these putters in your hands. It will take a little getting used to, but trust me, it will do wonders for your putting stroke. I have gone back to traditional weighted, insert putters now and then, and always seem to come back to the Heavy Putter. I really just can’t find any putter that is as consistent for me as this is inside 10 feet.

• Heavy Putter C2-DF Putter – $169.95
• Find the Heavy Putter C2-DF on eBay – $100-$150

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

Background

TaylorMade engineers focused on giving the Monza Spider increased stability and forgiveness because poor impact quality is so frequently the cause of poor putting among all levels of golfers. Even tour professionals frequently miss putts because they fail to hit the ball with the center of the clubface. With most putters, when impact is made toward the toe or heel, the head twists and the ball rolls off-line and finishes short of the target. Off-center hits also impart different types of spin compared to center-hits, contributing to inconsistent distance and direction.

To increase Monza Spider’s forgiveness, TaylorMade engineers had to increase its moment of inertia (MOI). They found three key ways to accomplish that:

• A steel wire-frame head construction similar to that used in the Monza Corza™, which allows them to position increased weight at the perimeter, adding stability on mis-hits that helps the putterhead resist twisting when impact is made toward the heel or toe.
• A light and strong aluminum core that allows more weight to be positioned on the perimeter, increasing MOI.
• Monza Spider’s “wings,” into which Movable Weight Technology™ (MWT®) cartridges are inserted, allow substantial weight to be concentrated in areas far from the face, helping to move the center of gravity (CG) rearward, which increases MOI and stability. Of course, another benefit of the Monza Spider’s MWT is that it also gives players the option to customize its feel by changing the weights to make the putterhead heavier or lighter and/or to change the putter’s balance.

As for great roll, Monza Spider has the advantage of Rossa’s renowned and tour-proven AGSI®+ (Anti-skid Groove System Insert) Technology. AGSI+ features 14 polymer-filled grooves in the face that “hold” the ball briefly at impact to promote forwardspin for a smoother roll and more accurate results. The AGSI+ insert, in concert with the putterhead’s extremely high MOI, also delivers superior consistency in forward roll on off-center hits, something not shown in tests of other popular putters.

Download the Complete Product Brochure (PDF)

Look and Feel

Spider’s Alignment Aid

So, putters are generally fall into the love/hate type of relationship. Some players find a putter they love and stick with it for ever (See Tiger Woods). Some players seem to change putters as often as they change golf balls (See Mark Calcavecchia). One thing most everyone will agree with is, the putter needs to first fit your eye then feel right in your hands. You certainly do not want to be making your most important strokes on the course using a club with which you do not feel completely at ease.

In steps the Spider. I will be the first to admit, when I first saw pictures of this putter, I thought wow, how could anyone putt with that thing. Then I saw it in person, and the look grew on me in a heart beat. The putter is quite large, this is true, however, you do not have the overall impression that you are putting with anything larger than a normal mallet style putter. The TaylorMade engineers have done a wonderful job hiding some of this detail from you at address. I am not sure what it is, but I find myself focusing more on the sleek metal part of the putter extending from the front of the blade, rather than the ‘abdomen’ of the spider. It has a very nice…yes…sleek…look to it.

If you have hit an AGSI/AGSI+ putter in the past, you probably have a good understanding of the feel off the actual insert. Similar to other grooved insert putters, you get a little bit of a momentary grip to the clubface feel. Hard to explain, but, putt with it enough, and you’ll notice it. The rest of the feel is quite solid and the putter feels very well balanced in your hands. Given the size of the putter, I was surprised to note that the club felt rather light. I also have a TaylorMade Rossa Monza Corza putter, and that feels noticeably heavier in my hands. I do not have an actual weight of the Spider off hand, but overall, it just felt a little lighter, could be the balance of the club.

Overall, I was very impressed with the look and feel of the Spider. Putts off the center of the face felt solid and provided very pleasant feedback. Putts slightly off center toward the toe/heel also felt reasonable as well. You knew you did not ‘pure’ the putt, but, you felt as if the putt still had a chance.

Performance

Off center performance of this putter is absolutely remarkable. I hit countless putts off the toe and heel, and was continually amazed at the result. Loss of distance is minimal and the putts still held their line. The putter head really does resist twisting and can make up for a pretty poor stroke from time to time. It is tough to say there are any quick fixes out there, especially in the putting game…but I cannot see how this club wouldn’t at least help a few of your poor strokes on the green.

The alignment aid on the Spider is rather interesting. I generally line up my putt by using the alignment aid on the ball, line that up with a spot or the actual hole. Then I will use the putter’s alignment aid (the little nick line or whatever on a traditional putter) to the line on the ball. Make sure I’m square to the target line, then trust the alignment. The Spider has that big line down the middle that makes that pretty easy, but the little half moon lines are interesting as well. For me, it just helped reinforce my faith in my alignment. For someone who is accustomed to using a two-ball style putter, these little half moons would probably help ease the transition.

Distance off the face seemed very consistent. Once I was able to get the speed down, my confidence grew with this putter and I really thought I could sink a putt from anywhere. The really great thing is, you know you have a little margin for error there. Little off the toe, little off the heel…your putt will probably still go around the same distance. And with the AGSI+ insert, skid seemed to be greatly reduced on longer length putts, getting that ball rolling very quickly.

Conclusion

A lot of people will immediately dismiss this putter on looks alone. Fair enough, if you are a traditionalist, blade style putter, yes, this putter may not be for us. But I would suggest at least picking one up when they start showing up at local golf shops. Take a few swings, see for yourself how it works for your stroke. A piece of equipment is never a cure for all that may ail your swing, however, this one goes a long way toward making up for little sloppy mistakes.

In the end, it comes down to your putting stroke and a putter in your hands that you feel confident and comfortable with. Is this the one for you? I couldn’t tell you, soon enough you should be able to find them and give it a test drive for yourself. If you have simply fallen in love with the looks, the TaylorMade Rossa Monza Spider is available in retail stores for $199

You can also find some of these Spiders creeping their way onto eBay. As usual, check the seller’s feedback, there are a lot of shady sellers on the bay.

This hybrid putter is composed of two different materials. The face is made of aviation grade aluminum and the body is made of 304 stainless steel. The combination of a light face and heavy back generates a high MOI. The design of the putter is a combination of a mallet and cavity-back blade design. The heel-toe balance makes it a very forgiving putter. The full offset shaft features a double bend and the cavity of the putter head has a single alignment line.

• Face balanced
• 355 gram head weight
• Loft: 2.5 degrees; Lie: 72 degrees std. (2 degrees flat or 2 degrees upright also available)
• High MOI Cavity Back Blade design for extreme forgiveness
• Features a unique double bend shaft
• Titanium Carbon finish
• Anodized grooves
• Available in RH and LH models, shaft lengths 32″ to 37″
• Custom fitted head cover

The naked eye can’t see it, but when a regular putter face impacts a golf ball it results in loft causing skidding, side- and even back-spinning before the ball can begin rolling forward on the green. So the ball is more apt to be affected by any miniscule aberration it encounters. Even when struck on the right line, these effects are the principal causes of missed putts.

Look and Feel

The Donna putter is a hybrid mallet/blade style putter. While it looks more like the Anser style blade putter than a big mallet, it definitely is larger than a typical blade. It basically looks like a normal blade, with a little extension added to the back. It blends in quite well, and I think someone who is accustomed to playing a blade putter would be fine with this look. Someone who is coming from something like a 2-ball putter, may find it a little too compact. Though, as always, this part of the review is always very subjective. One person loves a Spider style putter, while another loves a clean blade. I commend Yes! for putting together a high MOI putter that looks more like a traditional blade. I am sure there are a lot of people out there who will absolutely love the design.

The alignment aid on the putter is very traditional for a blade putter, just a simple line. The ‘top-line’ of the blade itself is a nice satin style color, while the back of the blade is darker, helping to hide the added size. As always, the Yes! putter grip is quite distinctive. The black/white/yellow stripe is easily recognizable on the course. It is a Winn AVS grip, which has a nice tacky soft feel to it.

Feel off the face is quite nice for an insert putter. I have hit plenty of insert and milled faced putters over the years, and this one ranks up there in terms of feel for an insert putter. Even off center hits felt quite nice. You can still tell you did not ‘pure’ the putt, but it still feels quite nice. One interesting aspect is the feel of the C-Grooves. At times you can almost feel the grooves grabbing the ball. When the ball comes off the face and starts rolling (instead of skidding) almost immediately, it is a real nice feeling. You usually only see that with a milled face putter if you have put an absolutely perfect stroke on the ball.

At 355 grams, the Donna feels pretty solid in your hands. I enjoy playing with heavier putters, so this one felt pretty comfortable. If you are playing on slow greens, especially at municipal courses, a heavier putter should help smooth out your stroke and give you good feel for pace on slower greens.

Performance

Obviously one of the biggest performance component of the Yes! putters is the C-Groove face. The fact that the ball rolls almost immediately is a huge advantage when it comes to putting. As the Yes! website mentions, a ball that starts rolling immediately holds its line better than a ball that skids over the initial foot or two. While I can get my ball to roll well quickly on short putts with a milled face putter, the problem comes in with longer range putts. Right now I play with a Heavy Putter B3-M. I am deadly with the putter inside 8 feet, but long range putts I still struggle with skidding. With the Donna in my hands, I really felt the longer range putts rolled very true.

While you hope that you hit the ball on the center of the putter face, we are not always perfect. The Donna’s high MOI really shines on off-center hits. I deliberately tried to putt a little toward the toe and heel of the putter and was pleasantly surprised. Distance loss was minimal at best. I even sunk a few long range putts off the toe with this putter. Who wouldn’t want this kind of forgiveness?

There is an infomercial running on The Golf Channel for the Rife putters. They mention how C-Grooves are a problem on off-center hits, grabbing the ball on an angle, and creating a side spin. I did not see that at all, at least not with this model. Perhaps it was a problem with older models of the Yes putters, I really do not know. But, off-center hits with this putter both kept their distance and still rolled out true very quickly (little to no skid).

Conclusion

Overall, the Donna is a solid putter. Great feel for an insert putter. Remarkable skid reduction and forgiveness on off-center hits. The traditional shape, mixed with some advanced technology will appeal to a large audience. Those of you using a traditional blade, but looking for some help on off-center hits and getting the ball rolling, you will probably immediately feel comfortable with the look of the Donna.

On a somewhat unrelated note, I really do love the Yes Golf website. It is very sharp, up to date, and very easy to read. Great design work guys!

You can pickup the Yes! Donna putter for $299 from In The Hole Golf. I have not seen any on eBay as of yet, but may be worth a look.

A complete review will be forthcoming, but for now I wanted to post up a few pictures of this bad boy.  You will also find a link to the product details and specifications at the bottom fo the review. Enjoy! 

Download the Product Details (PDF)

For the past month I have been taking a look at the Puku Golf – FIO Putter. Puku Golf has been making some moves lately, introducing some revolutionary products to the putter market place. Earlier this summer I reviewed a putter with a new insert design (GEL Diamond), a putter with an interesting alignment aid (Seemore m3) and recently completed a review of the Heavy Putter. The Puku FIO Putter is equally as different. This is a good thing. Looking at a million and one renditions of the old Ping Anser putter can get to be quite boring! So on we go…

Specifications

Everyone has different body shapes, heights, postures and putting styles which can all require different lengths, yet the lengths available ‘off the shelf’ are normally only 33, 34 or 35 inches)

Adjustable length lets you set the length of your putter to exactly what you want. It’s like having your own personal tour fitting van. A subtle change to the length can provide significant benefits to your game by changing your swing mechanics.

There are many different putting styles, hand positions or postures in use on the PGA tour, and each variation can require a different length. Instead of having to buy all these different lengths the Puku putter allows you to try everything with the same putter. Being able to adjust the length allows you to experiment to find what putting method suits you.

As the belly putter touches the body the length becomes even more critical. The biggest problem with belly putters is getting the right length, typically off-the-shelf putters are 41 or 43 inches, but if this doesn’t fit you then what? Being able to adjust the length ensures that you will always get the exact length you need.

• The regular putter anywhere from 31 to 39 inches
• The belly putter anywhere from 31 to 48 inches

Look and Feel

Personally, I think the Puku FIO Putter looks pretty snazzy. The flowing, curved lines on the back of the putter are quite sharp, certainly pleasant to look at. The logo on the bottom of the putter is pretty neat looking as well. The putter grip is a little different, in that it tapers from small at the end to thicker at the bottom of the grip. This is nice in the belly putter configuration, as you don’t want some huge grip stuck into your mid section, though, not sure how I feel about it in the ‘normal’ putter configuration. To each his own though, this is very subjective.

The weight and balance of the putter is spot on. In belly putter configuration the putter is just the right weight. You feel very confident swinging the putter in a pendulum motion. I could imagine it would be difficult to get the hang of swinging a lighter belly putter. In regular putter configuration some of the weight is reduced as you have a slightly smaller grip, but I wonder if it may be a little heavy for some people. I have been using the Heavy Putter recently, so, it feels fine to me, weight wise. Again, very subjective. You’ll have to pick one up yourself to find out how it works for you.

This is a milled putter face, so you expect the putter to feel soft and solid with a good stroke, and more harsh on off center impacts. This is true of this putter. You’ll definitely know when you hit it off the toe or heel from the feel, though the line and distance were still pretty good. Hits on the sweet spot were nice, and you could definitely tell they were on the center, but I felt as if was a little harsh compared to that of the Heavy Putter. It did have a nicer feel to it than an insert putter, like say the TaylorMade Monza Corza I played last season. Just side by side with the Heavy Putter, I’m not sure I’d choose the Puku on feel alone.

Just a little side note here, on the FIO putter the alignment aid is merely a dot on top of the ‘blade’. This is great for helping you line up with the center of the clubface, but if you rely on alignment aids that extend back from the ball (ala two-ball putter, monza corza, heavy putter) this may be difficult. Puko makes an LCY model that has a more traditional ‘line’ alignment, be sure to check that out.

Performance

The performance feature that stands out in this putter is the ability to adjust the length. It is extremely simple to slide the grip up or down an inch..half an inch..two inches. You can dial this putter in to your exact needs. Play around with it for a bit on the practice green, take the adjustment tool, and I’m sure you’ll find a spot you feel completely comfortable with. I am pretty sure there is no other putter on the market that offers such utility.

The fact that you can play this in regular or belly putter configuration is also an outstanding feature. Personally, I have never played a belly putter, so this was my first ‘belly’ experience. I am a pretty decent putter, using a somewhat traditional stance and grip. I putt very much by feel, and with the Heavy Putter, my hands are really out of the equation. Switching to the Belly Putter configuration was interesting. I practiced with it quite a bit, and quickly got the hang of sinking 3-6 foot putts. It took a while longer to get the lag putts up close, but in time I started to get a hang for that as well. The pendulum motion really takes the small muscles out of the putter stroke, and if you struggle with jerking the putter head in there on long or short putts, this may be a great option for you. I found my putting stroke to be extremely consistent with this putter in my hand. For the most part I played with this putter in the Belly Putter configuration.

As I mentioned above, the off center hits performed quite well. And on center hits rolled as I expected. I sunk a surprisingly high number of putts. I just had a hard time adjusting to the feel of rolling long putts with this. I am sure it’s just a matter of putting in the practice time with this putting technique, as the putter itself is a wonderful tool. I am just not ready to walk away from the regular putting stance at this point.

Conclusion

If you ever wanted to experiment with a Belly Putter, but also wanted the comfort of being able to switch back to a regular putter, Puku Golf has you covered. The tool to adjust the length is super easy to use, and adjusting the length and experimenting with varying lengths of both the regular and belly putter configuration was certainly an informative exercise for me. I am a pretty tall guy, 6’4, yet I really like to get over a regular style putter, and found myself sliding the FIO’s grip all the way down in the 31-33″ range. I loved that versatility, the ability to tinker at will.

The combo package from Puku Golf prices out at $299, which includes the Belly Putter grip, standard length grip, adjustment tool, head cover and a nice little instructional DVD. If you are not interested in experimenting with the standard length or belly putter length, you can choose the belly putter only, or standard length only options, which come at a $50 discount. Personally, I’d spend the extra $50 to get both grips, and the chance to experiment with your putting stroke. Hey, if you’re going to spend $500 on a driver, that you probably don’t use more than 10-15 times a round, I’m sure you can afford to throw $299 at your putter…which I’m sure you use at least 30 times a round.

You can always have a look on eBay for used Puku putters as well, though I haven’t seen too many of them as of yet.

Background

For the last week, I’ve been playing with a 33″ SeeMore m3 milled putter. I have been struggling with alignment, and these putters have an alignment system called “RifleScope” that helps make sure your blade is square to where you are aiming (more on this later, it’s an awesome system!)

The new line of mSeries milled putters takes the record setting SeeMore RifleScope alignment system to an entirely new level of product excellence. The mSeries combines the beauty, precision, accuracy and feel of 100% milled heads with the proprietary alignment benefits of RifleScope Technology (RST)

SeeMore’s patented RifleScope alignment technology allows the golfer to set up the putter perfectly square each and every time in relation to the intended target line, by lining up the black bottom portion of the shaft between two white lines and covering the signature red dot on the heel of the top line. It is like locking radar onto a target

Features

• The m3 is a classic mallet with center shaft and RifleScope Technology.
• 100% milled 303 stainless steel head accounting for 95% of mass.
• 100% milled 6061 lightweight aircraft aluminum back cavity insert.
• • Creates higher moment of inertia (MOI) and an expanded sweet spot.
  • Merges with 303 stainless steel head to enhance feedback and feel.
• Standard head weight 345 grams, loft 3.5 degrees, lie angle 70 degrees.
• Standard grip is a Golf Pride classic 3 size options.
• The m3 is available in left hand.
• Custom lie options available.

Available in lengths of 33″, 33 1/2″, 34″, 34 1/2″, 35″, 35 1/2″, 36″, 36 1/2″, and custom

Specifications

• 345 grams
• 3.5 degree loft
• True Temper shaft
• Golfpride grip

Shaft angles

• Standard (70°)
• Upright (72°)
• Flat (68°)

Look and Feel

For a 33″ putter, this putter is fairly heavy, which is exactly what I am looking for. It’s 345g, which allows me to feel the head throughout the entire stroke. The SeeMore grip is nice and tacky, without being so sticky that you feel like your hands are stuck to the grip. This grip is very similar to a grip GolfPride used to make, but no longer carries that I used to like on all my putters. The look of the putter is just stunning. While I prefer a mallet design over an Anser style, some mallets can be downright ugly. Not this one! There is nothing out of place with the design of this club. The metallic finish does not reflect the sun too much, so it does not get into your eyes. The alignment aid on the top line (1 notch in the center) and the 2 alignment aids on the mallet itself help get yourself lined up properly.

The star of the show, however, is the RifleScope technology. It’s SO SIMPLE it just makes you scratch your head and say, “Why didn’t I think of that sooner?” Basically, you line up your putt so the shaft hides the red portion and you can still see the 2 white lines on either side of it. It’s hard to take a picture of the lines lined up while you are holding a camera and putter, but you get the idea. Trust me, in practice, it’s SIMPLE to see and to do.

The headcover is also awesome looking with “dancing RifleScopes” all throughout the putter. The only critique of this putter I have is that, at least for the m3, the putter cover does not seem to fit what is needed. It looks like it was designed for the m1 or m2 (both Anser like), and it’s difficult to get this cover onto the putter. Also, for the walkers out there, be careful, it popped off twice on me in 45 holes while I was walking. However, if this is the ONLY problem I can find with the putter, then you know you have a good putter!

Performance

As for the putter itself, the extra weight just makes it so easy to stroke in 5-8 footers. I’ve played 45 holes with it so far, and I’ve yet to miss anything inside 8 feet. For those of you who know my game (not many yet), that’s an accomplishment! A typical round for me is 12 greens in regulation (I play to a 4.1 index currently) and about 36 putts. I miss more than my share inside 8 feet normally. My biggest problem is alignment, and this seemed to eliminate that. I felt so much more confident over those putts it wasn’t even funny. One of the guys in my regular Friday group, who usually makes fun of my putting, even came up to me today and said, “You’re putting great, it must be the new putter!” On longer putts, the alignment aid is still very helpful. If you typically put a line on your ball for putting, the RifleScope coupled with the line on your ball running right through the line on the topline of the putter is just an amazing help. I didn’t hit one putt that didn’t start on my intended line in 45 holes (now if I can just get that intended line to be more accurate, I may be onto something!).

Conclusion

Conclusion I would DEFINITELY recommend this putter, even if you are not having alignment issues. It’s worth every penny of the price they are asking for it. The putter just feels like something of substance in your hands. The staff at SeeMore should be commended for making such a great product. I really appreciate the fact that they let us review this putter, and took the time to help me get into the right specs before sending it out. Jeremy from SeeMore gave me a call, and we talked about what I was looking for prior to them sending it over. I think the quality workmanship of the club, plus Jeremy’s help, have got me into a putter that will stay in my bag for a while! Thanks again SeeMore!

• Buy the Seemore m3 Putter Direct from Seemore
• Seemore Putters on Ebay

Recent unbiased testing conducted by Quintic Consultancy Ltd. to analyze a putter’s ability to impart forward roll on a ball has shown that GEL putters outperformed the competition by an average of 14%. The head-to-head comparison tested three GEL putters against models from Titleist, Ping, Odyssey, Taylor Made and Yes! Two GEL models finished 1st & 2nd respectively and generated 20% greater forward roll when compared to the competition.

Those are some pretty amazing results. Who wouldn’t want to put a better roll on the rock? Well, I set out to investigate these claims and see how the putter performed in the real world.

Look and Feel

Currently I play the Rossa Monza Corza putter. If you haven’t seen it, it is a sort of mallet style putter, with a very long alignment aid down the middle. It has a nice weight to it (340g), and generally I am pleased with the AGSI insert performance. The GEL Diamond is a slightly heavier (360g), and definitely has an interesting look. The loud colors of the grip and the strange styling of the putter head itself definitely grab people’s attention. The light blue aluminum insert has a very distinctive look as well.

The feel off the face is somewhat similar to that of the feel off the AGSI. Perhaps a little softer. While the weights of the Monza Corza and GEL Diamond are similar, the GEL feels a lot meatier when one strikes the golf ball. This may be due to the fact that there is more mass in the putter face of the Diamond vs the Monza Corza. Personally, I really liked the feel. The heavy weight helped keep a smooth putting stroke and feedback off the face was pretty nice. The putter feels very well balanced in your hands as well.

Performance
Here’s where the GEL shined. The AGSI insert on the Monza Corza has been touch and go for me in terms of preventing skidding. This may be improved in the AGSI+ inserts, but I wouldn’t know I have yet to try them. The insert on the GEL Diamond, however, is wonderful. Time and time again I would hit 20+ foot putts that would almost immediately start rolling rather than skidding. I always had a problem with this with the AGSI. Anytime I would try to hit longer length putts, I would get a fair amount of skid. Not so with the GEL Diamond.

Really the only time I had a problem with the GEL putter was on shorter putts on fast greens (inside 6 feet). This is probably due to a lack of practice with the putter. I am very comfortable with the Monza Corza at this range, and generally feel like I’ll sink anything inside this range. I don’t quite have that level of confidence with this putter and missed a fair number of those short par putts (at least on the fast greens).

Lastly, regarding the alignment. One of the features I love most about the Monza Corza is the alignment aid on the back of the putter. With the GEL Diamond there really is no such alignment aid, at least not at first glance. With the diamond shape on the back of the putter you would think it would be difficult to align. However, it was actually very simple. That little triangular shape on the back of the putter was actually quite helpful in aligning, for some reason. It’s almost like zeroing in on your target. It worked out quite well for me, especially at longer distances.

The second time I played with this putter, I had one of my better putting rounds ever. I sunk a few 20+ foot putts and several in the 10-14 foot range to save pars. The longer range ones I didn’t sink, often ended up quite close to the hole. Not bad considering the little time I had to get accustomed to the feel of the putter.

Conclusion
I have played with this putter for about a month now. I have had 3 of my best rounds ever using this club, dipping into the 70s each time. It has worked out great for me on the slower municipal greens, especially on long putts. I’m a little out of practice on faster, smooth greens, so I cannot really speak to its performance there. I definitely can attest to the reduction in skid, especially on long putts.

The GEL Diamond is certainly an interesting new putter in the market place. If you currently use a putter without some form of skid control, and notice that your long putts start off by skidding 5 feet instead of rolling, you should definitely do yourself a favor and check out an anti-skid insert putter. While I have not tried out the anti-skid offerings from every manufacturer, I can definitely see how the GEL Putter insert has helped reduce the skid on my rolls.

The GEL Putters are priced with an MSRP of $165, so getting a GEL putter in your hands certainly would not break the bank. If you are not a big fan of the styling of the Diamond, GEL offers 5 other putter styles:

• GEL Jade – Traditional Blade
• GEL Sapphire – Over-sized Mallet
• GEL Ruby – Traditional Toe Heavy Blade
• GEL Opal – Center Shafted
• GEL Emerald – Interesting…400g

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