Putter Talk

New from Byron Morgan: German Stainless Steel DaleHead 89 putter. Flames finish…soft bumpers…loaded with Awesome.

Gene Nead is one of a half-dozen different manufacturers actively making smaller versions of their bread-winners to appeal to the avid collectors. The funny thing that has happened is that people are starting to USE these putters…and they are pretty nice! Some say it’s easier to see what your stroke is doing. Others say it helps targeting. There will also always (always) be those that keep one in the bag for novelty. The Gene Nead MiNi is more than all of the above. This is a serious putter, for serious golfers.

In 2009, Nike won 2 majors with prototypes of their new Method putter. I’d hazard a guess that British Open winner Stewart Cink, and US Open winner Lucas Glover are going to have a Method in the bag for some time. This season you don’t have to be a pro to get your hands on a Method.

Bettinardi Golf is known for milling some of the finest putters in the USA. The Studio Stock series is a return to soft-carbon steel with a Black-Oxide finish but the new customization and ordering options make this a serious contender…right out of the gate.

Byron Morgan has been enjoying quite a bit of success lately. With the addition of the 006, 007, and 008x putters, he’s been on most collector’s “Short List” of preferred putter makers. We got a chance to check out the first “006 Long Neck” last week…take a few min and read what we thought.

After a long hiatus filled with funky-looking plastic inserts, 1/2 bicycle-rim sized branding irons, and a slew of “what were they thinking” putters from our friends in Scottsdale…we have a good-old-fashioned Ping Anser again.

Mizuno and Bettinardi are two names synonymous with quality. The former being one of the largest sporting goods companies in the world, the latter being one of the worlds foremost putter designers. When the two of them team up to put out a line of putters…you are in for something special. The Black Carbon series of putters is the second major release from the Mizuno/Bettinardi team. Read on to find out how they did now that the honeymoon is over.

Wilson Golf has had a good year, but a legendary career. Palmer, Nicklaus and Crenshaw all made Wilson famous, and this year Padraig Harrington threw his name into the mix by winning the British Open. The 8862 is a return to a classic design, but can it honor the legendary status that precedes it?

The Fussell XCITOUR mallet brings technology, craftsmanship, and a few optical illusions to the putting green. With High MOI designs becoming more and more popular, it takes more than a good marketing spin to get into a golf bag. Performance is where putts are made, and good design shines. Fussell has this in spades…or “Disks” as the case would be here.

The Putter Talk Hall of Fame will focus on designers and their creations, plus add historical background & a timelines to the success. Even some avid collectors are unfamiliar with the stories & the people behind many seminal designs. This year, we induct two timeless designs, from one visionary designer.

Scotty Cameron is know the world over for his interpretations of classic putter designs. The 009 is Scotty’s most widely sought-after Tour gamer. The soft lines, outstanding quality, and “Wow Factor” make this one heck of a putter to be seen using on the greens…if you can get past the $2,500+ you’ll need to spend to get one home.

Two guys named Chip and Lee set out this January to create an affordable “Tour Quality” putter. They weren’t ever thinking of putting one in a tour player’s bag, or reaching millions of people with their designs. The just wanted to make a quality putter that was affordable for anyone that wanted one.