Nike CCi
nikegolf.com
(888) 799-6453| $700
 These irons sound and feel awesome.
Features: The CCi irons feature a composite insert in the cavity, a Tungsten plug in the sole and two polymer-filled ports, resulting in an iron that yields a soft feel.
Advantages: The CNC-milled face e
 If you’ve ever been humbled after having your stroke analyzed at one of those high-tech putting studios, you know why the adage “feel is not real” is, well, real. After all, when examined under a microscope, all the flaws of your stroke are magnified. Your path goes left, your clubface is open, you hit everything off the toe–the data doesn’t lie and sometimes all that bad news is enough to make you want to impale your flatstick into the monitor. What’s important to keep in mind, however, is that our strokes demand specific kinds of putters. Whether it’s mallet, blade, movable weights or specific inserts, there’s a putter for you.
High MOI
Drivers aren’t the only clubs incorporating high MOI in their designs. A number of putters, like the Odyssey White Hot XG, place the weight deep and low to promote a truer roll. Also, its unique and light textured-weave insert helps move weight away from the face.
Moving Weights
The newest offering from Never Compromise features movable weights in the club’s heel and toe, thereby creating a putter adaptable to specific course conditions and putting styles. The GM2 Exchange gives players the opportunity to alter the putter’s weight by as much as 50 grams.
Rollgrovin’
Some putterfaces feature a one-of-a-kind Honeycomb face, others opt to soften their feel via a polymer insert. Rife Putters, however, include “RollGroove” Technology, in which milled grooves actually grip the ball and lift it from its depression, thus imparting forward spin and a better roll.
Milled, Not Cast
PING putters of the ’70s and ’80s set the standard for all the heel-toe-weighted models that followed. Now they’re back with a few of these early classic models (like the Redwood Anser). But there’s a twist: They’re 100-percent precision-milled from 303 stainless steel.
Putter Shopping 101
Here at Golf Tips, we’re a fortunate lot. Over the course of the year, we get to test new putters regularly, rolling putts on the local practice green or, more commonly, down our office’s hallway. We know that’s not how most golf nuts find their new clubs; they see what’s hot on Tour, walk into their local pro shop, pick up a bunch of new sticks and make a couple of strokes. Based on the way it looks, feels or fits them (or all of the above), they decide whether it’s worth sticking in their bag. But that’s not the only way. When buying a putter, there are a number of technical matters to consider, such as whether your stroke arcs (blades) or is more straight-back/straight-through (mallets). Also, putters with heavy (good for slower greens) and oversized (straight-back/straight-through strokes) grips are coming on the market. The more you know about your game, the better your purchases will be.
Understanding Our Charts
Features: The primary design elements that make the putter noteworthy.
Advantages: How the primary design elements are meant to elevate the performance of the putter.
What We Like: We have our preferences, too. A quick description of what impressed us in our review and testing.
Lineup: The other models available from the manufacturer.
Putterhead: The primary material from which the body of the club is forged, cast or milled.
Putterface: Indicates the material used for the strike area or if it has otherwise been altered to enhance performance. Check for putters with a milled face, as the process, if performed correctly, ensures a flatter contact area, which is key for consistency.
Weight: The overall head weight of the model listed in grams. Most putters fall in the 325- to 350-gram range.
Designs: Here you’ll find a description of the general shape of the club and its hosel structure. We limit the descriptions to either heel-toe blades (Anser style) or mallets. Also, face-balancing is noted as is the hosel/head connection point. If a putter isn’t labeled as face-balanced, it’s considered toe-down.
Adams DiXX Training Putter
adamsgolf.com
(800) 709-6142 | $1,000
 The DiXX marks a technological breakthrough in the putting world. A tiny computer terminal attached to the putterhead offers instant feedback.
Features: The DiXX provides immediate information related to swing path, impact position, tempo, face angle and a swing’s “speed balance.”
Advantages: With the DiXX, you have an instructor with you wherever you go. Although it’s a little pricey, it’s cheaper than taking a lot of lessons at your local high-tech putting studio.
What We Like: Gadgets! Not only is it just plain cool, but the DiXX tells us where we need to improve immediately after we make a stroke. Also, it’s great for people who don’t have access to the latest in computer analysis. One other thing: Did we mention we love gadgets?
Lineup: DiXX Training Putter
Putterhead: Aluminum
Putterface: Same
Weight: Std.
Designs: Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet with a detachable computer |
Cobra Optica Series
cobragolf.com
(800) 225-8500 | $159
 The Optica is the world’s first putter to employ Fiber Optic Technology (in this case, via Cobra’s TruGlo technology) to help golfers get their putts lined up.
Features: An efficient weight distribution in the Optica provides forgiveness while the putter’s tri-material construction produces soft feel and dampens unwanted vibration. The TruGlo actually looks illuminated.
Advantages: Connecting the aluminum clubface to the steel bar is a urethane section that minimizes vibration, perfect for golfers who play by feel.
What We Like: The TruGlo alignment aid makes lining up putts a breeze.
Lineup: Optica Series, IM Series
Putterhead: 6061 forged Aluminum with Forged Steel weight bar
Putterface: 6061 forged Aluminum
Weight: Std.
Designs: SL-01–Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet; SL-02–Center-shafted, face-balanced mallet (available LH) |
F2 Hamilton Series
f2golf.com
(800) 683-2390 | $129
 From the company that designed the popular f2 wedge come the Hamilton Series putters.
Features: Its MicroDome face insert ensures players will make better contact and hit straighter putts. Its perimeter back weighting increases the putter’s sweet spot and keeps mis-hits on-line and rolling the right distance. But no face-forward tech here!
Advantages: The Hamilton Series combines all the latest in face and weighting technology to create a putter that’s both cutting edge and user-friendly.
What We Like: The adjustable heel and toe weights make it easy to adapt to different green speeds. Also, the Hamilton Series comes in two different models.
Lineup: Hamilton Series
Putterhead: 17-4 Stainless Steel
Putterface: Proprietary Polymer
Weight: Adj.
Designs: HM1–Offset-style hosel blade; HM4–Offset-style hosel mallet, heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet |
Fisher Talon Tour Series
fishergolf.com
(800) 465-3473 | $179
 A four-way insert and the ability to alter weight by as much as 100 grams? Yes.
Features: The TS-1 (pictured) face insert features different contact materials on each of its four sides, from extra-soft to extra-firm. This allows the user to adapt to different green conditions (or dial in feel) without altering the stroke.
Advantages: Customized feel is key, but so is the stability provided by the high-MOI design, complete with four different areas to adjust weight using three different metals.
What We Like: If this putter was any more trick, it would require batteries. The TS-2 and TS-3 models feature reversible inserts, but are no less prone to twisting on off-center hits.
Lineup: Talon Tour Series, Cobalt Series
Putterhead: Stainless Steel (milled)
Putterface: Kevflex polymer
Weight: Adj.
Designs: TS-1, TS-2, TS-3–Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet (available LH) |
Goolie BGS Series
gooliegolf.com
(858) 699-4331 | $179
 A very sharp-looking and well-conceived design that earns
the title “game-improvement putter.”
Features: Goolie artfully combines an aluminum body with two nickel-chromium sections. The nickel has a specific gravity three times that of aluminum, which creates a high polar MOI.
Advantages: The resultant MOI and CG location (positioned directly in line with the strike area) successfully negates twisting during all segments of the stroke for more consistent contact. The CG also promotes more topspin for a truer roll.
What We Like: We really like the look and shape of the Goolie. If you need directional control on the greens, the BGS will help (especially the larger BGS-Ex model, pictured).
Lineup: BGS Series
Putterhead: Aluminum, Nickel Chromium (cast)
Putterface: Aluminum (milled)
Weight: Std. Designs: BGS-33, BGS-Ex–Heel- or center-shafted, face-balanced mallet |
Heavy Putter Matte Series
heavyputter.com
(800) 546-2952 | $199
 The “barbell of putters” now comes with a green aluminum plumber’s neck hosel and matte finish.
Features: Two models (blade and mallet) come with a plumber’s neck hosel that’s offset by one full shaft. Add to that a hefty 250-gram Winn grip and 475-gram putterhead, and you’ve got a putter that keeps the larger muscles engaged and the smaller muscles quiet.
Advantages: The heavy grip moves the club’s balance point 75% higher up the shaft than a conventional putter, making it easier to make a pendulum stroke.
What We Like: The weight, of course. It isolates the larger muscles and eliminates the yips. The nifty matte finish and green hosel ain’t too shabby, either.
Lineup: Matte Series, Original Series
Putterhead: Stainless Steel (CNC milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: Adj.
Designs: A2-M–Plumber’s neck, full shaft of offset, face-balanced blade; B2-M–Plumber’s neck, full shaft of offset, face-balanced mallet (available LH) |
Izzo Black Mamba
izzo.com
(800) 284-1220 | $199
 Killing two birds with one stone, the Black Mamba putter from Izzo doubles as a training aid. Three pieces attached to its head cover easily affix to the putterhead. The head cover actually looks like a snake getting ready to attack. Plus, it conforms to USGA rules.
Features: The aluminum CNC-milled Black Mamba mallet features an offset shaft and, not surprisingly, is black in color.
Advantages: If your stroke is out of sync, you can get it back in line after using the training aid that comes attached to its head cover. If it’s working fine, then just let the snake roll.
What We Like: Outside of the bonus training aid, the name. The black mamba is considered to be the world’s deadliest snake. With a little practice, you could become the world’s deadliest putter.
Lineup: Black Mamba
Putterhead: Aluminum (CNC milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: Std.
Designs: Center-shafted, face-balanced mallet (available LH) |
Louisville Earthwood Series
louisvillegolf.com
(800) 456-1631 | $159
 Handmade with over 100 precise hand operations, each beautiful Earthwood putter incorporates three perfectly matched exotic species of wood in its design. When finished, the putters are as specific as a fingerprint.
Features: The EW-FM1 (shown) uses a persimmon center with blood and cherry woods to create an unparalleled feel. Comes with name engraving.
Advantages: Its soft persimmon putterface provides a soft feel most insert putters would die for.
What We Like: In a world filled with synthetic materials and high-tech gadgetry, it’s nice to know a golf company is “keeping it real.” Did you know that persimmon has a modulus of elasticity that’s not too soft or firm? That makes for perfect feel on the greens, a quality we love in Louisville’s lineup.
Lineup: Earthwoods, 2601, Tomahawk 3, True Center, Louie3, AAW Mallets
Putterhead: Three-wood variety
Putterface: Persimmon center
Weight: Std.
Designs: Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet |
MacGregor Response
macgregorgolf.com
(800) 841-4358 | $199
 Manufacturers have long tried to increase their other clubs’ sweet spots, and MacGregor is applying that philosophy to putting.
Features: MacGregor’s Distance Corrective Technology (DCT) places energy in the putterface’s heel and toe so mis-hits don’t equal loss of distance and accuracy.
Advantages: Straightens (and lengthens) mis-hits, so hitting the sweet spot isn’t always necessary. The dual-insert system affords golfers a chance to adapt their putter for different green speeds.
What We Like: Most club companies have put the golfer in control of their drivers. MacGregor is doing the same for putters.
Lineup: Response, The Fat Lady Swings, GT Series, GT Mini, M-Series
Putterhead: 303 Stainless Steel
Putterface: Polymer and Milled metal
Weight: Adj.
Designs: Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet |
MacGregor FLS
macgregorgolf.com
(800) 841-4358 | $179
 One of the most popular names in putting in the mid-1990s returns with major technological upgrades and a greater potential to help you make more than your fair share of putts.
Features: Bobby Grace’s original Fat Lady Swings and its renegade shape paved the way for most modern mallets. Add to that classic profile some MacGregor ingenuity, including three-way weighting for a high polar MOI and user-adjustable heel-toe weighting, and you have one of the top flatsticks for 2007.
Advantages: Excellent feel, controlled stability and ease of alignment. The FLS flat out works!
What We Like: MacGregor and Grace made magic with the GT line, and this is even better.
Lineup: The Fat Lady Swings, GT Series, GT Mini, M-Series
Putterhead: Aluminum (milled)
Putterface: Beryllium Copper (milled)
Weight: Adj.
Designs: Heel-shafted mallet (available LH) |
Macro Golf Square Stroke Mallet
macrogolf.com
(877) 270-9402 | $159
 First it was Heavy Putter that shook things up by placing a lot of weight in the grip end of the shaft, now Macro Golf hopes to make golfers reconsider how big their grips should be. Hey, anything to drain more putts, right?
Features: The dominant feature on these putters is a 14-inch BlackVelvet forward onset MACRO_¨ Grip that’s long, wide and flat. Despite asking you to alter your normal putting grip, we think players will gravitate to the unique design.
Advantages: The internal cavity weighting system keeps the putter square at impact. The flat grip promotes a square stroke.
What We Like: The MACRO grip, of course. It was specifically engineered to balance the putterhead.
Lineup: Square-Stroke Mallet, MACRO Blade
Putterhead: Stainless Steel
Putterface: Aluminum Weight: Std.
Designs: Center-shafted, face-balanced mallet (available LH); Center-shafted, face-balanced blade (available LH) |
Mizuno Bettinardi A Series
mizunousa.com
(800) 966-1211 | $179
 Another modern classic from the mind of renowned putter creator Bob Bettinardi.
Features: Mizuno is one of the top forgers in irons, so it makes sense it teamed with one of the great putter millers in Bob Bettinardi to create two face-balanced mallets with high-MOI properties (as well as heel-toe models in the B Series).
Advantages: Purchase either the A-01 or A-02 (pictured) and you receive an artfully milled, high-performance putter with Bettinardi’s classic Honeycomb face for consistent contact. How much quality can you expect? Every putter receives 20 checks against exacting tolerances.
What We Like: The modern shape without all of the distractions–a clean, pure mallet.
Lineup: Bettinardi A Series, B Series, C series
Putterhead: Aluminum Steel (milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: Std.
Designs: A-01, A-02–Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet;(A-02 available LH) |
Mizuno Bettinardi C Series
mizunousa.com
(800) 966-1211 | $229
 Design guru Bob Bettinardi mills both the putter’s head and hosel from one block of low-carbon steel, and it shows in the C series’ subtle craftsmanship.
Features: Bettinardi’s patented Honeycomb face encourages consistent ball-striking. Each model comes with four degrees of loft and a 71-degree lie angle. A sublime-plated satin pearl finish makes the C Series that much more impressive.
Advantages: The traditional head shape places the emphasis on putting, not on unorthodox looks–a distinct advantage for purists.
What We Like: It’s hard to beat Bettinardi’s handiwork. It’s so well made, we can’t decide if we want to play with it or frame it.
Lineup: Bettinardi A Series, Bettinardi B Series, Bettinardi C Series
Putterhead: 11L17 Carbon Steel (milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: Std.
Designs: C-01, C-02, C-03, C-04–Heel-shafted, heel-toe-weighted blade (C-03 available LH) |
Never Compromise Milled Series
nevercompromise.com
(800) 999-6263 | $255
 These premium putters are 100% milled from a single piece of high-grade Japanese carbon steel, which is among the softest and most consistent in the world. That alone is worth the purchase.
Features: A tungsten sole weight for not only an increased MOI, but a precisely centered sweet spot directly in front of the sight line. Each of the six heel-toe models has a different neck structure and design for varying putter preferences (#3 pictured).
Advantages: The Milled Series offers proven, high-MOI performance, plus the feel of a pure carbon-steel putter–a highly sought-after combination.
What We Like: A lot of options and a lot of feel make for a classic flatstick.
Lineup: Gray Matter 2 Series, Milled Series, Speed Control Series, GM2 Exchange
Putterhead: Carbon steel (milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: Adj.
Designs: Milled Series 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7–Heel-shafted heel-toe blade; Milled Series 4–Heel-shafted half-mallet (available LH) |
Never Compromise GM2 Exchange
exchangeputters.com
(800) 999-6263 | $229
 Never Compromise didn’t leave anything out when they thought up the new GM2 Exchange Series.
Features: The GM2 Exchange is made of strong, lightweight aluminum and gives golfers the option to alter the headweight by up to 50 grams, a significant advantage, especially when playing on a variety of green speeds.
Advantages: Being able to significantly manipulate the weight in the toe and heel helps players adapt to different green speeds.
What We Like: The clean lines, butter-soft aluminum-infused weave face insert and, of course, the adjustable weights.
Lineup: Gray Matter 2 Series, Milled Series, Speed Control Series, GM2 Exchange
Putterhead: Aluminum (milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: Adj.
Designs: Exchange
1–Heel-shafted mallet; Ex. 2–Center-shafted mallet (available LH); Ex. 3–Center-shafted mallet/blade fusion; Ex. 4–Heel-shafted blade; Ex. 5–Heel-shafted blade (available LH) |
Nickent PIPE Series
nickentgolf.com
(888) NICKENT | $199
 Nickent’s breakthrough cylindrical design is now offered on two new blade-style heads.
Features: The PIPE (PP/005 pictured) features a white cylindrical pipe that extends behind the face to facilitate a square setup by helping golfers better determine face alignment at address.
Advantages: A rear tungsten weight plug increases MOI, while the polymer face insert helps distribute weight toward the heel and toe. The polymer face also is designed to reduce backspin and excessive skidding.
What We Like: The two new blades elicit a better feel and are as easy to align as the originals.
Lineup: PIPE Series
Putterhead: Stainless Steel (cast)
Putterface: Polymer (milled)
Weight: Std.
Designs: PP/001–Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet; PP/002–Center-shafted, face-balanced mallet; PP/003–Heel-shafted mallet; PP/004, PP/005–Heel-shafted heel-toe blade (PP/001 available LH)
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Nike Golf Unitized
nikegolf.com
(888) 799-NIKE | $249
 Nike Golf’s new Unitized putters feature a shaft and milled head that are laser-welded together, resulting in resounding feel and performance.
Features: A distinctly clean visual look that’s brought about by the melding of the head and shaft. Its uniform black nickel plating of the head/shaft unit and WINN Advanced Integration Pistol Grips come on all models.
Advantages: Putting is all about feel, and the Unitized is the epitome of a great-feeling club.
What We Like: It’s the only putter whose head and shaft are designed and engineered as one piece, resulting in less vibration and better feel, all of which results in improved d
 One major reason for the tremendous improvement in shaft technology lately is the proliferation of oversized drivers. The unique demands a 460cc head places on the shaft has given designers a whole new segment of equipment to work with. As a result, driver shafts (as well as hybrid and iron shafts) are more advanced and of a higher quality than ever before.
This explains why so many golfers are spending extra money to replace their stock shafts with premium aftermarket models. Today’s shafts simply provide superior performance to stock models, and although they do come at a premium cost, any avid player who finds the right aftermarket shaft for his or her game will immediately notice improved feel and performance. In addition, most stock shafts don’t feature the impressive array of technologies found in premium shafts, most of which are the result of years of research, millions of dollars of investment, and the dedication to providing golfers with superior performance.
Hot Technologies
Today’s advanced driver shafts are built with specific levels of flex, weight and torque just like yesterday’s models. So what makes them so much better? Basically, in the way these performance parameters interact with one another and the inclusion of one or more of the following hot technologies.
1. Carbon Nanotubes
By definition, carbon nanotubes are cylindrical carbon molecules. About 1/10,000th the width of a human hair, they exhibit extreme strength (supposedly around 200 times stronger than titanium), which, along with their other properties, give them the possibility of creating a technological revolution in golf shafts.
Several shaft companies (notably AccuFLEX, Aldila, Grafalloy and Harrison) employ carbon nanotechnology. Some manufacturers use the technology to increase the surface area of the shaft material, which in turn creates a tighter molecular structure. Others use it simply to make a stronger shaft that’s more resilient, helping it to deform less and recover more quickly for extra distance and greater control.
 2. Reinforcement Layers
If you ever saw a shaft being built, you’d be amazed. Multiple layers and multiple sections work alone and in unison to create greater torsional stiffness to help golfers take advantage of large 400+cc head designs.
3. Customized Lineups
In perusing this Guide, you’ll see that manufacturers realize that one shaft certainly does not fit all. This is why most models are available with varying weights, flexes, torques and flex points to help golfers of all abilities achieve the desired high-launch, low-spin launch parameters.
4. Advanced Materials
Any product is only as good as its parts, and several companies have gone out of their way to employ the highest-quality materials and processes to ensure the ultimate in performance. The strength of Fujikura’s famed Speeder line rests in its Triax material (pictured). The woven honeycomb structure adds resiliency, even against the forces generated by 120+ mph swings. Graphite Design and Mitsubishi Rayon are two other shaft manufacturers that favor materials-influenced performance. This explains the high price, but you get what you pay for.
5. Low Torques
It used to be that only fast swingers could enjoy the extra control allowed by low torque ratings (less twisting). But thanks to ingenious designs and innovative midlayers, manufacturers can add torsional stiffness while retaining a relatively soft bend profile, a combination from which most swings can benefit.
6. Stiff Tips
The revolution of tip-stiff designs spearheaded by UST and its ProForce line continues. Grafalloy’s Blue, for example, uses a multi-layer Micro-Mesh tip design to better control large 400+cc clubheads and promote a squarer face at impact.
Material Matters: Flex Points
You may have heard the terms “bend point,” flex point” and “kick point.” Flex points have relatively little to do with launch when compared to tip design, but they do play a role in how a shaft feels. Shafts with low flex points tend to feel softer than do models with high flex points. Typically, high-launch shafts will have softer tips and lower flex points than will lower-launch shafts. A shaft designed with a stiffer tip for lower launch is fine for certain drivers, but if yours is a seven-degree model, this low-loft head/low-launch shaft combination might limit your ability to get the ball airborne. The opposite is true if your driver is a high-lofted model and you combine it with a soft-tip, high-launch shaft–you may end up ballooning your drives and losing distance as a result. –Mike Chwasky _Ê_Ê_Ê _Ê _Ê_Ê
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Accuflex AccuLaunch Series
www.accuflexgolf.com
(800) 721-3342 | $N/A
 Designed to match any golfer, these shafts are available in over 500 fitting options within 13 models.
Features: Four weight categories within 13 different flex/weight models, all tuned for optimal launch and spin conditions within each weight and flex profile.
Advantages: Because the series comes in a wide variety of weights, flex points and spin options, players can be properly fitted for their individual swing needs. Greater distance, improved accuracy and optimized trajectory are the end result.
Benefits: Just about any golfer who desires a shaft that fits their swing.
What We Like: The same quality throughout the line, from slow-swing models to low-launch designs.
Material: Nano composite
Weight(s): 50g, 60g, 70g, 80g
Torque(s): N/A
Flex Point: N/A
Flexes: X, S, R, A, L |
Accuflex Evolution
www.accuflexgolf.com
(800) 721-3342 | $89
 A high energy-transfer shaft.
Features: The Evolution features Nano Composite technology, which increases the surface area of the shaft. This effectively creates a tighter molecular structure by eradicating voids in the material.
Advantages: What this means for the golfer is a shaft with a lighter overall weight that has greater fiber density, making it stronger and more able to efficiently transfer energy than models with less-dense materials. In addition, the superior quality provided through Nano Composite technology creates more feedback and a better feel.
Benefits: Low torque, mid flex point designed for fast swingers.
What We Like: The high-quality materials and lighter weight.
Material: Nano composite
Weight(s): 70g-74g (X-R)
Torque(s): 2.8__
Flex Point: Mid
Flexes: X, S, R
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Aerotech SteelFiber
www.aerotechgolfshafts.com
(888) 733-8988 | $N/A
 An uncommon construction and blending of materials makes the SteelFiber unlike any other shaft._Ê
Features: A unique combination of steel and graphite fiber, extreme uniformity of shape and relatively low torque ratings.
Advantages: Typically, golfers associate steel shafts with control and consistency, and graphite with light weight and increased swing speed. The combination of materials in the SteelFiber shafts are aimed at producing both the control of steel and the power of graphite.
Benefits: Golfers who desire the ultimate control and consistency of a steel shaft, with the added torsional properties and feel of graphite.
What We Like: Best steel/graphite hybrid we’ve seen yet.
Material: Graphite, Steel
Weight(s): 65g, 75g
Torque(s): 65g–4.3__-4.6__; 75g–3.8__-4.0__
Flex Point: Mid
Flexes: S, R |
Aldila NVS
www.aldila.com
(858) 513-1801 | $87
 Same technology as the original NV, but with a more responsive tip.
Features: High-quality Micro Laminate construction that provides increased consistency. A flexier, more responsive tip section gives players with slightly lower swing speeds more optimal performance.
Advantages: Micro Laminate construction makes the NVS more consistent and more capable of efficiently transferring energy throughout the swing and into impact.
Benefits: Players who want a Tour-quality shaft but with a more flexible tip section that will allow them to optimize trajectory and distance. Players who swing more than 100 mph should opt for the NV._Ê
What We Like: The performance.
Material: Nano carbon
Weight(s): 55g, 65g, 75g, 85g, 95g, 105g
Torque(s): 2.1__ (105g)-4.4__ (55g)
Flex Point: Mid
Flexes: X, S, R (A, L 55g only) |
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Aldila VS Proto
www.aldila.com
(858) 513-1801 | $N/A
 Aldila’s next-generation Micro Laminate Technology featuring carbon nanotubes produces the company’s ultimate performance model.
Features: Micro Laminate Technology makes a jump to the future with the addition of carbon nanotubes. Aldila’s proprietary A65 Performance Resin System also contributes to the overall performance of this advanced player’s shaft.
Advantages: The extreme strength of carbon nanotubes in combination with Aldila’s other impressive technologies makes the VS Proto extremely resilient and consistent, producing longer, straighter shots for those who can handle it.
Benefits: Stronger, more accomplished players who generate plenty of clubhead speed.
What We Like: Nanotechnology.
Material: Nano carbon
Weight(s): N/A
Torque(s): N/A
Flex Point: N/A
Flexes: N/A
|
Fujikura E300 Series
www.fujikuragolf.com
(800) 728-6420 | $135
 A company known for ultra-premium performance (and price) shafts offers a new, more affordable series that can fit almost any golfer.
Features: Available in 55g (350), 65g (360) and 75g (370) models, all of which are built with the extremely high-quality materials and processes expected from Fujikura. Other features include a relatively high kickpoint and stiff overall profile, as well as attractive ion plating.
Advantages: Range of weights and torques make the E300 Series perfect for clubfitting purposes. Fujikura’s top-quality materials provide outstanding consistency and distance.
Benefits: Golfers who want a more boring trajectory and mid torque.
What We Like: Top-notch Fujikura quality at a reasonable price.
Material: Graphite
Weight(s): 55g, 65g, 75g
Torque(s): 3.2__-3.8__
Flex Point: High
Flexes: X, S, R |
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Fujikura Speeder Series
www.fujikuragolf.com
(800) 728-6420 | $300+
 One of the most expensive and highest-quality shaft lines currently available, the Speeder Series from Fujikura is both technologically advanced and diverse.
Features: The key to all Speeder shafts is the company’s proprietary Triax material, which is a carbon fiber that’s woven in a honeycomb structure, giving each shaft greater resiliency and a better ability to withstand force.
Advantages: Speeder shafts deform less during the golf swing than many competitive models, resulting in more consistent performance, better vibration dampening and enhanced energy transfer at impact.
Benefits: Better players.
What We Like: The Speeder Series is about as good as it gets.
Material: Graphite
Weight(s): 42g-77g
Torque(s): 2.5__-4.4__
Flex Point: Mid, Mid/High
Flexes: X, S, R
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Grafalloy Prototype Comp NT
www.grafalloy.com
$79
 One of 2005’s top designs continues to be a popular choice among discerning golfers.
Features: The Comp NT is built with carbon nanotubes in its resin system, which dramatically increases the strength properties of the shaft, as well as the uniformity of the material from the butt to the tip.
Advantages: This feature helps provide greater resiliency during the swing and a greater transfer of power for increased ball speed. Another benefit of the Comp NT’s makeup is a low amount of twisting (torque), which helps produce less dispersion and more accurate drives.
Benefits: All players.
What We Like: The Micro-Mesh tip, which provides great consistency.
Material: Nano composite
Weight(s): 65g, 85g
Torque(s): 3.1__ (65g), 2.7__ (85g)
Flex Point: Mid
Flexes: X, S, R
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Graphite Design YS-6 Type II
www.gdintl.com
(888) 707-6132 | $73
 A more player-friendly version of the very popular YS-6+ model.
Features: Shaft construction features the use of a very high grade of modulus graphite geared toward producing a more responsive feel and superior playability. These shafts feature a higher degree of torque than the original YS-6+ models._Ê_Ê_Ê
Advantages: The high-quality materials utilized by GD always lead to greater accuracy and an increased transfer of energy at impact. In addition, the higher degree of torque makes the Type II easier to hit for a wider range of golfers.
Benefits: All golfers who desire a premium-quality aftermarket driver shaft that provides excellent distance characteristics and feel.
What We Like: More torque.
Material: Graphite
Weight(s): 69g
Torque(s): 5.0__
Flex Point: Mid
Flexes: X, S, R |
Fujikura Rombax
www.fujikuragolf.com
(800) 728-6420 | $350
 The most advanced model yet from a company known for
producing the ultimate in high-performance composite shafts.
Features: Anyone familiar with Fujikura’s line of Speeder composite shafts knows how well they perform and how good they feel. The new Rombax, which is said to surpass the Speeder in overall performance, takes Fujikura’s patented Triax technology (used in the Speeder) and combines it with another box weave to form a new patented technology called–you guessed it–Rombax. Other features include the extremely high-quality materials normally used by Fujikura as well as a stiffer overall profile and lower torque, resulting in more boring trajectories and lower spin rates.
Advantages: The new Rombax design helps the shaft maintain its shape and resist deformation during the loading and unloading that occurs during the swing, producing an earlier squaring of the clubhead and more consistent impact. Greater stability for oversized clubheads provides superior shot dispersion, as well as superior clubhead speeds and distance.
Benefits: Designed primarily for more accomplished players who desire the ultimate in high-quality materials, construction and overall performance, particularly for oversized drivers. However, this shaft will work for a wide variety of players.
What We Like: Fujikura’s dedication to innovation and quality.
Material: Graphite
Weight(s): 55g, 65g, 75g
Torque(s): N/A (low)
Flex Point: High
Flexes: X, S, R |
How To Buy A Shaft
Virgil Herring, PGA, owner of the Higher Performance Golf Academy in Nashville, is a shaft expert. Being a two-time Middle Tennessee PGA Teacher of the Year, he’s seen many golfers opt for the wrong shaft.
His advice on getting the right shafts: “I strongly recommend you go to a place with a launch monitor, one where you can see the ball fly. Hit as many different clubs with different shafts so that you can see what kind of feel and trajectory you like. Sometimes people might be playing the right shaft but they’d rather hit it higher. So they go from extra-stiff to stiff, or stiff to regular.”
With balls being made the way they are now, the higher you hit it, the better off it’s going to fly for you. “That’s certainly true,” says Herring. “Those are the two big keys to me. Experiment with different shafts in the clubhead that you like at places that have launch monitor technology, preferably where you’re hitting from indoor to outdoor or just outdoor completely. Get accurate information about how far and how high each ball goes from each shaft. As for steel versus graphite, I haven’t hit any of the graphite iron shafts lately, but I understand from Tour players that they are equal to steel now. Graphite in irons is supposed to be unbelievably good. The quality is no different than steel–graphite is just lighter.”
–Scott Kramer
Graphite Design Tour AD
www.gdintl.com
(888) 707-6132 | $329
 A Tour-style shaft for every swing.
Features: Graphite Design’s proprietary Ultra-High Modulus Material strengthens the shaft and makes it more resistant to twisting.
Advantages: The I-65 model is designed with an exceedingly low amount of torque, making it a good option for stronger players. The W-60 possesses a more flexible bend profile and a very low kickpoint, making it perfect for players who need help getting the ball in the air. The W-70 has a similar bend profile to the W-60, but is slightly heavier for those who swing faster.
Benefits: The three models make the Tour AD a shaft for all players.
What We Like: Options, options.
Material: Graphite
Weight(s): 62g-74g
Torque(s): 2.2__ (I-65), 3.6__(W-70), 4.8__ (W-60)
Flex Point: Low (W-60, W-70), Mid/High (I-65)
Flexes: X, S, R |
Harrison Mugen
www.harrison.com
(800) 347-4646 |_Ê $N/A
 Harrison’s first ultra-premium model promises to be the company’s best.
Features: Innovative construction that features the fusion of Ultra Thin Ply (UTP) prepreg resin and satellite-grade graphite fiber, as well as the addition of single-walled carbon nanotubes that are embedded in the tip section of the shaft.
Advantages: The extreme strength of the fusion material as well as the carbon nanotubes combine to produce the highly desired high-launch, low-spin characteristic that all golfers looking for distance want.
Benefits: Any serious player who wants a very high-quality shaft with an extremely strong tip section for increased durability and feel.
What We Like: The combination of fusion materials and nanotubes.
Material: Graphite, Nano carbon
Weight(s): 62g, 72g, 82g
Torque(s): 2.8__
Flex Point: N/A
Flexes: X, S, R, A
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Harrison Striper Tour
www.harrison.com
(800) 347-4646 |_Ê $60
 The success of the Striper Tour is due to a proprietary laminate material formed with a low resin content for a torsionally tight design.
Features: The shaft is very strong and flexes consistently for a high launch with less spin, making this shaft the ideal blend for driver clubheads more than 400cc in size. Three weights (62g, 72g, 82g) are available in all flexes.
Advantages: The fusion material as well as the carbon nanotubes combine to produce the highly desired high-launch, low-spin characteristics.
Benefits: If you’re interested in souping up your driver and want something a bit different, take a close look at the Striper Tour.
What We Like: Negated shaft twist.
Material: Graphite, Nano carbon
Weight(s): 62g-82g
Torque(s): 3.0__
Flex Point: Mid
Flexes: X, S, R, A |
Mitsubishi_Ê Bassara
www.mitsubishirayongolf.com
(760) 929-0001 | $150
 An easier-to-hit model from MRC that can be played by both Tour pros and weekend golfers.
Features: A softer bend profile and more moderate torque ratings than the Tour-intended Diamana Series, as well as three different weights to fit a wide range of players.
Advantages: Higher trajectory, higher ball speed and more distance are the goals that the softer overall bend profile and more torque accomplish.
Benefits: Recreational to better players with moderate swing speeds who want the feel and performance of a Tour-quality shaft but don’t want the extreme stiffness that normally accompanies such products.
What We Like: MRC quality.
Material: Graphite
Weight(s): 63g, 73g, 83g
Torque(s): 3.6__-3.9__
Flex Point: Mid
Flexes: X, S, R (L 63g only) |
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Mitsubishi Diamana Red Board
www.mitsubishirayongolf.com
(760) 929-0001 | $350
 A Tour-level model that features a slightly softer tip section for players who want a higher shot trajectory.
Features: A more flexible tip than the closely related Blue Board model, as well as a construction that utilizes more than 20 different types of materials._Ê
Advantages: The softer tip section is aimed at making it easier for players to get the ball airborne and on a higher trajectory. It also makes it easier to produce a right-to-left shot shape. Accompanying low spin rates complement the high-trajectory characteristics to produce distance.
Benefits: Anyone who wants to hit the ball higher and longer.
What We Like: Mitsubishi getting serious in U.S. shaft market.
Material: Graphite
Weight(s): 63g, 73g
Torque(s): 2.8__ (73g), 3.2__ (63g)
Flex Point: Mid
Flexes: X, S, R (L 63g only)
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Penley ETA
www.penleygolf.com
(800) 543-2396 | $60
 Penley’s high-performance ETA (Energy Transfer Accelerance) shafts have high-modulus fibers and high resin content in critical shaft flex areas for absolute distance, accuracy and minimal twisting.
Features: The ETA 55 is a worthy choice for players with slower swing speeds. The ETA 75 is designed for players who prefer a heavier-shafted driver. The company also offers a low-torque Tour version of the ETA.
Advantages: More energy at impact for more distance, thanks to quick tip-recovery time.
Benefits: The ETA 55 and 75 are primed to please a variety of golfers.
What We Like: Both shafts are equally effective in fairway and hybrid woods as well.
Material: Graphite
Weight(s): 55g, 75g
Torque(s): 2.5__ (75g), 4.3__ (55g)
Flex Point: 55g–Low, Low/Mid or High); 75g–Mid/High or High
Flexes: X, S, R, A |
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Tech Talk
A Few Tips On Tip Stiffness
By Chad Hall
Director of Marketing
True Temper/Grafalloy
The primary goal of a shaft is to optimize ballflight and maximize efficiency for each individual swing profile. With the heightened focus the past few years on launch monitor fitting and proper launch and spin, it’s important for golfers to understand the significant consideration these features are given during the design of each shaft. The most important design feature is the tip design, or the relationship between the stiffness in the shaft’s grip section and tip section.
We identify a particular player profile, and then make sure the appropriate tip flexibility or stiffness is achieved through extensive testing to produce the desired ballflight. By the way, tip stiffness is independent of the shaft flex.
When you see a shaft with an X, S or R designation, you’re essentially seeing its stiffness at the grip end. So you can still have a flexible shaft with a stiff tip section. That’s very important, particularly in large-headed drivers that need to be more stable at impact.
With the highly publicized USGA regulations in place regarding clubhead design, the shaft will continue to play an even more significant role in upcoming years.
–Scott Kramer
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Royal Precision Project X Woods
www.royalprecision.com
(800) 920-4747 | $N/A
 The same technology that made the Project X a great iron shaft is used to create an outstanding wood shaft.
Features: All Rifle steel shafts feature four distinct technologies–Frequency Matching, Stepless Design Technology, Flighted Technology and Internal Rifling.
Advantages: Frequency Matching provides superior consistency from club to club, allowing golfers to match the performance of their driver and fairway woods perfectly. Stepless Technology helps prevent_Ê loss of energy and distance, while Flighted Technology provides variable shot trajectories that can be customized to the individual. Internal Rifling dampens harmful vibrations.
Benefits: You name it.
What We Like: The whole deal.
Material: Steel
Weight(s): 115g-130g (X-R)
Torque(s): N/A
Flex Point: N/A
Flexes: X, S, R |
UST Proforce V2
www.ustgolfshaft.com
(817) 267-2219 | $65
 A high-performance shaft that delivers higher launch angles and increased ball speed with less spin for less shot dispersion.
Features: A low-torque design that’s optimized to work with modern drivers that measure over 400cc in volume. In addition to stabilization properties, the V2 also features a more flexible overall profile, including
 That closet in your house full of putters that never truly made the cut might soon have company, as the new flatstick pool houses a model that’s far better than the one in your hands. _Ê_Ê_Ê _Ê
When poet William Cowper coined the phrase “Variety is the spice of life,” he obviously had putters in mind. Unlike every other club in the bag, which generally follow similar shape and size guidelines, putters are unquestionably the most unusual. Ranging from big to small, blade to mallet, light to heavy, cast to milled and so on, today’s putters are anything but run-of-the-mill. Exciting advancements in metallurgy, polymers and weight science have enabled putter designers to push the envelope of MOI, skid reduction and feel to achieve a new breed of putters designed to accommodate the needs of all golfers. And if you find that they don’t, a few models give you the freedom to self-adjust a putter to meet your own criteria.
As far as trends are concerned, oversized putters are holding court. These include models with improved alignment aids and weighting schemes to help the golfer produce more forward roll and less skid. Also, check for putters that position the CG behind the sweet spot but far away from the face.
Mallets are definitely here to stay, but ’06 also welcomes a proliferation of classic putter styles with modern features that make them perform far better than the originals. Does all this technology signify the end of the so-called, traditional blade-style putter? We’ll leave that up to you to decide.
Our Pro’s Take On: Putters
When it comes to purchasing a new putter, heed fundamentals:
Lie–How the club sits relative to your hand and body position affects how well you putt. A putter that’s too upright or too flat can cause it to drift off line, even if your mechanics are sound.
Length–The length of your putter directly affects your stance. If your putter is too long or short, your ability to create the desired forward and back pendulum movement can become almost impossible.
Grip–The size of your putter grip can change not only the way your arms and hands move during the swing, but also your setup and stroke.
The best way to make sure you’ve got these three variables under control is to consult with a clubfitter. I promise you’ll see better results.
– Dr. David Wright, PGA Wright Balance Golf Academy
 Hot Hosel Design
When selecting a new putter, there’s a lot to investigate, but don’t forget about the hosel. This seemingly innocent design feature often has the most significant effect on how the club actually swings. Furthermore, knowing the difference between one hosel design and another can provide some insight into your stroke and what type of putter you are. Let’s examine some of the more popular hosel configurations, using Odyssey’s White Hot line as an example.
1. Plumber-Neck The plumber-neck is characterized by a horizontal bend just below where the end of the shaft and the hosel meet. This design, which generally provides a medium amount of offset, does a great job of keeping the hands ahead of the clubhead through impact. This tends to make the putter more forgiving and easier to use, which is the reason it’s so popular. Putters with plumber-neck hosels tend to be somewhat toe-down in their weighting scheme, which encourages a slightly inside-square-inside stroke.
2. Flare-Tip The flare-tip is typically a “shaft-over” hosel, meaning the shaft covers the top of the hosel where the two connect. Putters with flare-tip hosels generally have less offset and are more blade-like in their design. These putters tend to be quite a bit toe-down in their weighting scheme and usually work best for golfers who like to rotate the blade open and shut through the stroke.
3. No Hosel Face-balanced putters often have no hosel, but instead an S-bend shaft that goes directly into the putterhead. These putters are designed specifically for golfers who want to take the club straight back and straight through in a piston-like motion. If you typically like to rotate the clubhead during your stroke, these types of putters probably won’t work as well for you, although there are no absolutes in this regard.
4. Long Hosel These designs are usually elongated plumber-necks and are used to create face-balancing. Although they look very similar to the standard plumber-neck design, the extra length definitely creates a different feel, which you should take into consideration before selecting a putter with this type of hosel structure. Be aware that the elongated plumber-neck design doesn’t always result in face-balancing; many, in fact, are toe-balanced.
5. Slant-Neck These hosels often are plumber-necks that bend back from the shaft line. Usually, this type of putter is used to create a more substantial amount of offset, which promotes more of an upward strike into the golf ball. Another beneficial aspect of the slant-neck design is the position it places the hands in just prior to, and through, impact–just slightly in front of the golf ball.
6. Center-Shaft The majority of putter models feature shafts that enter the putterhead near the heel. Some, however, feature a more centered shaft insert position. This design typically is associated with a flatter lie angle, promoting a low-hands position. Also, the center-shaft position places the swing axis closer to the golf ball, eliciting extra control and a feel many golfers prefer.
Material Matters: Aluminum
The silvery-white alloy known as aluminum has become a popular ingredient in putters these days. Reason being, it’s roughly one-third the weight of steel and easily machined, making it an attractive element for equipment manufacturers to explore radical putter shapes without weighing the putter down in areas where excess weight isn’t desired. More important, aluminum’s light weight gives putter creators freedom to add high-density materials to key areas and produce higher moments of inertia while keeping the overall head weight in the modern 350-gram range standard. Corrosion-resistant and durable, aluminum is the second most malleable alloy on earth (behind gold) and sixth in the ductile rankings. –Ryan M. Noll
Mill To Win
One of the most popular methods of producing extremely high-quality putterfaces, like that found in MacGregor’s The Fat Lady Swings, is CNC (computer numerical control) milling. This technique, which utilizes computer technology to precisely control milling cutters, typically produces the most exacting tolerances and best striking surfaces possible. Milled-face putters not only produce superior consistency due to their extreme flatness, but also tend to provide a superior feel. You can generally identify a milled face by the milling lines made during the cutting process.
Body Shop
Just as insert materials are of the utmost importance when it comes to creating putters that feel and perform well, so, too, is the material used to create the putter’s body. Throughout the history of golf club design, clubmakers have experimented with nearly every type of alloy in the attempt to make a better putter, and the results have been decidedly mixed. However, today’s putter designers have seemingly come to the consensus that soft, strong materials tend to work best, as they lend themselves well to shaping, can be fitted with inserts and a variety of weights, and provide solid durability. Currently the most popular materials for putter head design are stainless steel, carbon steel and aluminum. Of course, each of these materials come in a variety of hardness and quality, each of which provide a slightly different look and feel than the other.
Weigh Your Options
Though most golfers probably don’t realize it, putters need to be tuned to provide optimal launch conditions in a similar way to drivers and irons. If a given putter doesn’t get the ball out of its own depression and rolling end over end in a speedy fashion, crooked rolls and missed putts are the likely result. To address this issue, many of today’s putter designers, particularly those who produce mallets, position fixed weights low and deep in the clubhead to promote a high launch angle and low spin rate. Though this probably sounds like the recipe for a high, bouncing putt, the truth is this is the ideal combination for putts that get up and rolling quickly and smoothly.
Another popular use for sole weights, most of which are made of heavy tungsten, is to give golfers the opportunity to customize feel and performance by making the weights movable. For example, players who tend to miss to the left can add weight in the toe area, and those who miss to the right can add weight to the heel.
Face The Music
The original Odyssey putters that were introduced in the mid-’90s, which featured polymer inserts the company called Stronomic, can be largely credited with the current popularity and success of putter insert technology.
The important thing to know about putter inserts is that they serve two basic functions: to provide a unique feel, and to move weight away from the putterface, which can then be repositioned to other areas, like the heel and toe, to provide enhanced forgiveness. Other than polymer, which is basically plastic, designers also favor materials like stainless steel, aluminum, ionomers and beryllium copper (as seen in MacGregor’s The Fat Lady Swings).
Understanding Our Charts Features: The primary design elements that make the putter noteworthy. Advantages: How the primary design elements are meant to elevate the performance of the putter. What We Like: We have our preferences, too. A quick description of what impressed us in our review and testing. Lineup: The other models available from the manufacturer, listed from most expensive to least expensive. Putterhead: The primary material from which the body of the club is forged, cast or milled. Putterface: Indicates the material used for the strike area or if it has otherwise been altered to enhance performance. Check for putters with a milled face, as the process, if performed correctly, ensures a flatter contact area, which is key for consistency. Weight: The overall head weight of the model listed in grams. Most putters fall in the 325- to 350-gram range. Design(s): Here you’ll find a description of the general shape of the club and its hosel structure. We limit the descriptions to either heel-toe blades (Anser style) or mallets. Also, face-balancing is noted as is the hosel/head connection point. If a putter is not labeled as face-balanced, it’s considered toe-down.
Aserta The Monster
www.asertasports.com
(408) 251-7888 | $199
 If medals were awarded to companies dedicated solely to preventing excessive putter backspin, Aserta Sports would take home the gold.
Features: Inverted Mass Technology, which raises the putter’s CG above the equator of the golf ball at impact for the absolute in backspin reduction. The higher CG is attained by designing the putter “upside down,” with the majority of the weight on the top half of the putter.
Advantages: According to Aserta, backspin is what derails putts off line and off speed, making it very difficult to maintain a consistent roll.
What We Like: Aserta’s genius answer to the riddle of why you come up short on one putt, then blow it two feet by on the next.
Lineup: The Eclipse, The Monster, Cavity Back
Putterhead: Aluminum (milled)
Putterface: Stainless steel (milled)
Weight: 350 grams
Design(s): Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet (available LH) |
Carbite TRi-Weight Series
www.carbitegolf.com
(800) 272-4325 | $79
 A high MOI for extra stability and putts that track like they’re supposed to.
Features: The TRi-Weight putters feature Carbite’s Polar Balanced technology, which takes the form of two tungsten weights–one each in the heel and toe sections of the putterface. A third weight is positioned deep behind the face.
Advantages: The weighting scheme is said to increase MOI and yield a straighter and smoother stroke with less skid and greater stability. The three inserts add 6.5 times more weight than the aluminum they displace.
What We Like: The visible sight lines and the weighting scheme. Putters available in either black or Carbite blue.
Lineup: Tour Blade, TRi-Weight Series, Tour Classic, Z Series
Putterhead: Aluminum (cast)
Putterface: Same (milled)
Weight: 360 grams
Design(s): Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet (no LH)
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Cleveland “Designed By” Series
www.clevelandgolf.com
(800) 999-6263 | $165
 Cleveland applies its soft-feeling Carbon Metal Matrix material to two throwback-style putters with modern tungsten weighting.
Features: The 1948 pure blade and 1905 Calamity Jane putter (made famous by Bobby Jones, pictured) are milled from Cleveland’s CMM and augmented with tungsten sole weights.
Advantages: If you need a lot of help producing a pure, on-line stroke, these may not be your flatsticks. But if you’re a feel putter, you’ll love the “Designed By” sensation.
What We Like: Putters that actually look like putters and adherence to classic putter design. The all-leather grip is a great touch and a perfect complement to these ultra-classy flatsticks.
Lineup: “Designed By” Series
Putterhead: Carbon Metal Matrix (milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: N/A
Design(s): 1948–Center-shafted blade;
1905–Heel-shafted blade (available LH) |
Guerin Rife Two-Bar
www.guerinrife.com
(800) 496-9373 | $199
 Although still relatively new, Guerin Rife putters have quietly taken several professional tours by storm. Among the most favored is the popular Two-Bar.
Features: With adjustable weighting, Roll Groove technology, a four-point weight scheme and a specially designed Lie Aline system, the Two-Bar has more adjustable features than perhaps any putter you can buy.
Advantages: Basically, the milled Roll Groove face both lifts the ball from its depression on the green and imparts immediate forward roll, resulting in true, straight rolling putts. The weight system and Lie Aline mechanism let golfers choose the right putter schematics based on both stroke type and posture._Ê_Ê_Ê _Ê
What We Like: Adjustable weighting is becoming more and more common, but the ability to adjust lie in seconds is the stuff of pure innovation.
Lineup: Two-Bar Series, Aussie, Tour Blade
Putterhead: Aluminum (forged)
Putterface: Same (milled)
Weight: 355 grams
Design(s): Mallet, heel-toe blade (available LH) |
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Heavy Putter Matte Series
www.heavyputter.com
(888) PUTTER-4 | $229
 The popular Heavy Putter receives a new matte finish in 2006.
Features: The Heavy Putter flatsticks (about 100 to 200 grams heavier than common putters) boast an impressive list of features, the most notable of which is an innovative Weight Management System. This WMS, as the company calls it, consists of a 250-gram insert located in the upper portion of the shaft, which effectively prevents an early release of the putterhead and the accompanying wrist breakdown errors that lead to pushed and pulled putts. _Ê
Advantages: The heavier weight encourages more use of the bigger muscles, not the tiny ones that can break down your stroke.
What We Like: The industrial looks. Plus, the adjustable tip weights allow the user to closely control balance and feel.
Lineup: Matte Series, Original Series
Putterhead: Stainless steel (milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: 450-550 grams
Design(s): A3–Heel-shafted, face-balanced blade; B3–Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet (available LH)
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Fisher Talon Tour Series
www.fishergolf.com
(800) 465-3473 | $179
 A four-way insert and the ability to alter weight by as much as 100 grams? Yes.
Features: The TS-1 (pictured) face insert features different contact materials on each of its four sides, from extra-soft to extra-firm. This allows the user to adapt to different green conditions (or dial in feel) without altering the stroke.
Advantages: Customized feel is key, but so is the stability provided by the high-MOI design, complete with four different areas to adjust weight using three different metals.
What We Like: If this putter was any more trick, it would require batteries. The TS-2 and TS-3 models feature reversible inserts but are no less prone to twisting on off-center hits.
Lineup: Talon Tour Series, Cobalt Series
Putterhead: Stainless steel (milled)
Putterface: Kevflex polymer
Weight: 375-475 grams
Design(s): TS-1, TS-2, TS-3–Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet (available LH) |
Delacruz PW Series
www.delacruzgolf.com
(877) 430-4653 | $99
 The PW Series shows that Dick De La Cruz can make something special out of something as simple as stainless.
Features: The PW-1 (pictured) features a rear perimeter-weighting bar that places more mass in just the right spot for a true end-over-end roll.
Advantages: The weighting bar on the PW-3 putter includes a golf ball-sized alignment aid. Place a ball in the circle and practice rolling putts. The design allows you to improve alignment and grooves a smooth stroke by watching the ball’s roll as you move back and through.
What We Like: The PWs weigh in at a rather hefty 360+ grams, consistent with the current trend of heavy putters.
Lineup: PW Series, Bolero
Putterhead: Stainless steel (cast)
Putterface: Same
Weight: PW-1–350 grams; PW-3–365 grams
Design(s): PW-1, PW-3–Heel-shafted, perimeter-weighted blade (available LH)
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Gauge Design GAA Series
www.gaugegolf.com
(760) 591-9869 | $325
 If you prefer top-tier quality and manufacturing and Tour-proven head shapes, then look no further than Gauge Design putters from master craftsman Dave Whitlam.
Features: The name Gauge should give you a clue about the exacting tolerances to which these putters adhere, including the popular GAA Series. These stainless-steel beauties include Gauge’s Aluinser insert structure, which creates a very solid feel and actually raises the CG to promote a quick forward roll. The unique hosel configuration is state-of-the-art.
Advantages: The design of the GAA putters create Tour-level performance with a good dose of perimeter weighting. The new GAA3 ETBW (pictured) features tungsten heel-toe weighting.
What We Like: Gauge’s purity and performance.
Lineup: J-Spec Series, GAA Series, Type M
Putterhead: Stainless steel (milled)
Putterface: Aluinser (milled)
Weight: 350 grams _Ê
Design(s): AA3, AA8–Heel-shafted heel-toe blade; AA8–Face-balanced mallet (available LH)
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Goolie BGS Series
www.gooliegolf.com
(858) 699-4331 | $179
 A very sharp-looking and well-conceived design that earns the title “game-improvement putter.”
Features: Goolie artfully combines an aluminum body with two nickel-chromium sections. The nickel has a specific gravity three times that of aluminum, which creates a high polar MOI.
Advantages: The resultant MOI and CG location (positioned directly in line with the strike area) successfully negates twisting during all segments of the stroke for more consistent contact. The CG also promotes more topspin for a truer roll.
What We Like: We really like the look and shape of the Goolie. If you need directional control on the greens, the BGS will help (especially the larger BGS-Ex model, pictured).
Lineup: BGS Series
Putterhead: Aluminum, Nickel chromium (cast)
Putterface: Aluminum (milled)
Weight: 355 grams
Design(s): BGS-33, BGS-Ex–Heel- or center-shafted, face-balanced mallet (no LH) |
Macgregor FLS
www.macgregorgolf.com
(800) 841-4358 | $179
 One of the most popular names in putting in the mid-1990s returns with major technological upgrades and a greater potential to help you make more than your fair share of putts.
Features: Bobby Grace’s original Fat Lady Swings and its renegade shape paved the way for most modern mallets. Add to that classic profile some MacGregor ingenuity, including three-way weighting for a high polar MOI and user-adjustable heel-toe weighting, and you have one of the top flatsticks for 2006.
Advantages: Excellent feel, controlled stability and ease of alignment. The FLS flat-out works!
What We Like: MacGregor and Grace made magic with the GT line, and this is even better.
Lineup: The Fat Lady Swings, GT Series, GT Mini, M-Series
Putterhead: Aluminum (milled)
Putterface: Beryllium copper (milled)
Weight: 352 grams
Design(s): Heel-shafted mallet (no LH) |
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Mizuno Bettinardi A Series
www.mizunousa.com
(800) 966-1211 | $179
 Another modern classic from the mind of renowned putter creator Bob Bettinardi.
Features: Mizuno is one of the top forgers in irons, so it makes sense it teamed with one of the great putter millers in Bob Bettinardi to create two face-balanced mallets with high-MOI properties (as well as heel-toe models in the B Series).
Advantages: Purchase either the A-01 or A-02 (pictured) and you receive an artfully milled, high-performance putter with Bettinardi’s classic Honeycomb face for consistent contact. How much quality can you expect? Every putter receives 20 checks against exacting tolerances.
What We Like: The modern shape without all of the distractions–a clean, pure mallet.
Lineup: Bettinardi A Series, Bettinardi B Series
Putterhead: Aluminum steel (milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: N/A
Design(s): A-01, A-02–Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet (A-02 available LH)
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Never Compromise Milled Series
www.nevercompromise.com
(800) 999-6263 | $255
 These premium putters are 100% milled from a single piece of high-grade Japanese carbon steel, which is among the softest and most consistent in the world.
Features: A tungsten sole weight for not only an increased MOI, but a precisely centered sweet spot directly in front of the sight line. Each of the six heel-toe models has a different neck structure and design for varying putter preferences (#3 pictured).
Advantages: The Milled Series offers proven, high-MOI performance plus the feel of a pure carbon-steel putter.
What We Like: A lot of options and a lot of feel.
Lineup: Gray Matter 2 Series, Milled Series, Speed Control Series
Putterhead: Carbon steel (milled)
Putterface: Same
Weight: 335-345 grams
Design(s): Milled Series 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7–Heel-shafted heel-toe blade; Milled Series 4–Heel-shafted half-mallet (available LH) |
Nickent PIPE Series
www.nickentgolf.com
(888) NICKENT | $199
 Nickent’s breakthrough cylindrical design is now offered on two new blade-style heads.
Features: The PIPE (PP/005 pictured) features a white cylindrical pipe that extends behind the face to facilitate a square setup by helping golfers better determine face alignment at address.
Advantages: A rear tungsten weight plug increases MOI, while the polymer face insert helps distribute weight toward the heel and toe. The polymer face also is designed to reduce backspin and excessive skidding.
What We Like: The two new blades elicit a better feel and are as easy to align as the originals.
Lineup: PIPE Series
Putterhead: Stainless steel (cast)
Putterface: Polymer (milled)
Weight: 345-357 grams
Design(s): PP/001–Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet; PP/002–Center-shafted, face-balanced mallet; PP/003–Heel-shafted mallet; PP/004, PP/005–Heel-shafted heel-toe blade (PP/001 available LH) |
Nike Golf Black OZ Series
www.nikegolf.com
$169
 Multi-density materials and eye-catching shape have helped make the Black OZ putters some of the most talked about this season.
Features: Each of the three models (Black OZ T100 pictured) are all about stroke improvement, with aluminum bodies paired with tungsten plugs to move weight away from the clubface for reduced skidding.
Advantages: They’re weighted to forgive, and the face-balancing helps. The soft polymer insert is even lighter than the aluminum used for the body, further enhancing the perimeter weighting.
What We Like: The shape is round, but the design adds up to a squarer face at impact.
Lineup: Black OZ Series
Putterhead: Aluminum (milled)
Putterface: Polymer (milled)
Weight: N/A
Design(s): Black OZ T100, Black OZ T160–Heel-shafted, face-balanced mallet; Black OZ T130–Center-shafted, face-balanced mallet (available LH)
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Odyssey Dual Force 2 Series
www.odysseygolf.com
(800) 588-9836 | $110
 Dual Force putters were some of the most popular of the past 15 years. In 2006, welcome back an old friend.
Features: The original DFs never had a ton of technology in their favor, just a great number of shapes that were pleasing to the eye and, of course, the little insert that started the craze, Stronomic. With the DF2s (#2 pictured),
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The talk of the shop this year when it comes to driver technology is definitely the leaps we’ve seen in exciting new driver geometries. The golfer today can choose from just about anything: square, traditional, scoopback or even triangular. The fact is, the driver category is chockful with scores of options to choose from, making the category not only better, but more confusing for the golfer jonesing for a new big dog.
Just consider their Pulsar brand. It’s available in all three of today’s most popular golf shoe insert systems and features a first-of-its-kind color-coded thread ID system that allows users to select their proper golf shoe thread type. Pretty adaptable, eh?
It doesn’t matter if it’s a long par-3, a short par-4 or a reachable par-5, making the right shot choice first depends on having the right clubs to choose from. Today, fairway woods have become longer, bigger and more powerful than ever, and hybrids, on the other hand, have become more specific, acting as either long-iron replacements or high-lofted fairway-wood replacements. The key is to begin analyzing your current set makeup in order to determine what’s missing. Need a club that goes 215 yards and stops on a dime? How about a 3-wood that flies almost as far as your driver, albeit a lot straighter? Maybe both? Discerning your needs is crucial to hitting better shots. And with today’s models, it’s hard to go wrong.
Built to be exceptionally forgiving, the Insight BUL is also very long.
Slicers know that slices aren’t just limited to tee shots. The No Bananas is designed to help straighten out shots from both the tee and fairway.
Jesse Ortiz has taken his vast knowledge of both traditional and modern wood design to create a unique club with an elegant look.
The new Big Bertha fairway wood is bigger than the original Big Bertha driver! 
Equipped with the kind of technology normally reserved for drivers, the new X Hot Fairway from Callaway begs golfers to go for more par-5s in two. 
Traditional profile designed for more accomplished players, but with the addition of modern technological advantages.
Cleveland’s HiBore Fairway woods use Distance Driven Geometry and make hitting from the fairway a piece of cake. 
Cobra’s latest entry in the fairway wood category includes a diverse collection of woods designed for maximum power and slice reduction.
Movable-weight technology continues to be a valuable asset among more seasoned players seeking the utmost in fairway wood shotmaking.
With Greg Norman now a principal investor, MacGregor is even more hell-bent on helping golfers improve than ever before. 
The ITX3 fairway woods incorporate the same cool technology found in the ITX3 driver. 
Mizuno applies composite-crown technology to fairway-wood design.
The latest club to enter Tiger’s bag, the SQ2 is already considered to be the best fairway wood ever from Nike. 
The original Perfect Club was designed to replace long irons. Now the company has developed an easy-to-hit alternative to almost every long iron and fairway wood in your bag.
PING continues its rise in the wood category with the new G5. 
The Rapture drivers are already wildly popular and successful. Will the same hold true for the fairway woods? (We think so.)
From the company who quietly became a fairway wood superpower comes a much louder entry into its fairway wood arsenal. 
The steel version of the r7 fairway holds its own against the rest. 
No, it’s not the surface of the moon (right), it’s a super-close-up shot of a golf ball. In golf’s modern era, the small, round dimpled orbs that fill the pockets of your golf bags are truly the sum of their parts. From the materials that make up their covers to how it’s filled inside, a golf ball’s composition greatly affects its behavior on the course. Among other things, it determines how high or low it launches off your clubface and spins around the green and how much it compresses when hit. In short, the modern golf ball is a technological masterpiece, with a number of different varieties built specifically for players of varying skill levels. They’ve truly come a long way since a bunch of feathers were sewn inside a piece of leather. 
It’s the customized performance, driven by the latest in urethane and core technology, that makes the new e5 and e6 golf balls the ones to watch.
These two Tour-validated golf balls from Bridgestone just got better. 
For the distance-obsessed golfer who needs extra yards with every club in the bag.
Callaway’s premium golf ball model gets significant improvements.
With John Daly on the box, do we really need to explain what this ball is designed to do?
Maxfli’s latest entry into the distance market is backed up by none other than the original long bomber, John Daly. 
You have to check out the latest commercials online. Nike Golf blows up a lava lamp.
The reinvented One Series is better than ever. 
Known for being the popular choice among long drivers, Pinnacle shows it can also make a golf ball that looks nice too. 
A high-performance two-piece model designed to provide all golfers with Tour-like distance and feel. 
The second-best player in the world uses this ball. 
Designed with Tour professionals in mind, the TP Black and TP Red are already making a huge impact across several professional Tours. 
Could Titleist really improve on arguably the most popular golf ball ever? 
There’s a reason why the distance from within 100 yards is called the scoring zone. It’s the “make it or break it” area, where a great wedge shot can redeem a bad drive or poor approach to the green. Any miscue from this zone is considered an unforced error that should have been avoided (especially from the fairway). So, what’s that mean? Choosing the right wedges can be the difference between one or more strokes on any given hole! To start, it’s important to find a wedge that matches your needs, and luckily, if you’re in the market for game-improvement models, ’07 is chockfull of new choices. 
The brain child of veteran club builder Max Puglielli, this self-named wedge is designed with the low-handicapper in mind. Featuring CNC-milled grooves and a Fly-Cut face for superior flatness, consistency and improved spin around the green, this wedge performs well. 
Recently Bridgestone opened a West Coast Design unit, and the WC Design represents their first wedge offering.
Thanks to a refined tail-end sole grind, classic shape and the maximum allowable groove width, the Apex wedges deliver championship-caliber performance.
Renowned clubmaker Roger Cleveland designed these traditional forged wedges for Phil Mickelson. 
A new 60-degree wedge designed for extra help escaping from the sand. 
The original 588 is still considered by most golfers and club designers to be the industry benchmark. However, Cleveland’s R&D staff has been hard at work bringing the timeless design into the 21st century.
Designed to be both forgiving and versatile, with increased bounce and a widened sole for less digging into the turf and sand. A soft, vibration-absorbing urethane insert helps create the feel of a traditionally shaped blade-style wedge. 
Check out the brilliant dual-bounce sole, which gives golfers the option to significantly open or close the clubface without the club digging into or bouncing off the turf. Each groove is CNC-milled for increased levels of spin and greater face consistency. 
F2 follows up their highly popular “face-forward” wedge with the f2 Plus.
The Infinity IP-3 was conceived from the ground up and is constructed for better players. 
From master equipment maker Don Wood comes the DW-1 wedges, featuring micro-abraded milled grooves that produce maximum spin rates without damaging the golf ball. The high-toe shape and minimal offset enhance versatility. 
These KZG wedges are double-forged and handcrafted from super-soft S20C carbon steel.
Joining the already successful MP-T series, the new MP-R wedges are aimed at players looking for minimal offset and a classic, round head shape.
A leading name in hybrids offers a high-tech wedge with enhanced feel.
Last year, four members of Nike’s Tour Staff won tournaments using the SV Tour wedge. This year, maybe you will, too. 
The Tour wedge from PING gets a muted, black-nickel makeover, but retains the same playing attributes that made the Tour wedge a popular addition to many golf bags.
Much like the extremely popular PING Eye 2 wedge, the new PING iWedge combines playability, forgiveness and feel. 
The PS-3 features three weight ports that allow golfers to customize feel and perimeter-weighting characteristics based on personal preference. 
One of the best ways to get your golf gear back into tip-top shape is to consider a new shaft upgrade. Sounds simple enough, right? If you’re among the many confused, heed the following. Choosing the right shaft is a matter of first determining what you need. Is it more distance that you want? More control? Both? The variations of shafts available are crafted to meet specific demands, and it looks like no demands are too great. To find the right shaft, it’s imperative you read up on the details and carefully consider the info and specs presented to you. Flex, which used to dominate shaft-buying decisions, has become somewhat arbitrary when considering varying flex points, torque ratings, weights and load profiles. Speaking of which, some shafts are designed to flex more at lower speeds, while others flex less at higher speeds. Some are fine-tuned for drivers, others for woods, hybrids and irons, and so on. The key is first determining the right weight and length for your swing and then deciding what type of action you want the shaft to perform. For instance, if you want a high launch, you’d look for a shaft with a low kickpoint. More forgiveness? Try a shaft with more torque. Whichever shaft you choose, always do so with a certified clubfitter. They’ll help you find the right shaft that will make a huge impact on your game._Ê 
Iron design has been evolving since the earliest days of golf. Though crude and often unwieldy, the first primitive tools quickly proved to be indispensable in situations where accuracy was the primary goal. In the modern era, the iron has become the staple of the set, and accordingly, iron designs are now better than ever. Of course, muscleback blades are still around for the most accomplished players, with some that actually incorporate advanced technologies to make them more player-friendly than your father’s VIPs or Goosenecks. Game-improvement designs, which now dominate the iron market, feature multi-material, perimeter-weighted designs that allow all types of players to hit towering approach shots from all types of lies. And what’s left in between? Combo sets, which meld the best of shotmaking in short irons, and extreme forgiveness in the shape of a hybrid as a long-iron replacement. So you ask, have we come a long way since the early days of raw iron and hickory shafts? You bet we have. 
The new IDEA Pro Forged combo set from Adams proves that even the best players in the world have opted for iron/hybrid sets. Features: The irons are classically shaped with no offset and forged for a Tour-wanted, soft, resounding feel. The thin topline gives better players the look they like.
The latest iron from Bridgestone has the ideal genetic makeup for the player looking to hit better shots.
Better players will be drooling over this slick new iron from Callaway.
The hippest Callaway iron to date is also the company’s best.
We weren’t sure where to classify this set at first, considering there’s not a single “iron” in the mix.
According to Cobra, the S9 is “the most technologically advanced and most forgiving iron” made by the company.
The popular, odd-shaped wedge line that’s virtually unshankable is proud to introduce a full line of irons.
HiPPO does golfers a favor by replacing the hard-to-hit long irons with two hybrids.
Smooth looks and classic lines dominate the newest gem from Infiniti Golf.
Designed to feel like a forged blade but perform with the strength of a cast cavity-back.
A solid blend of forgiveness and playability from a top-notch oversized design.
From a company whose tradition is built on persimmon comes a beautiful new forged blade…or is it?
Look for the new MP-67 to make a big impact this season.
MacGregor’s newest iron is ready to win.
The MX-25 is poised to do what the MX-23 did for the game-improvement category: become the best-selling Mizuno iron.
Are these the longest irons ever? Give them a whack and see.
