Hot List: Blade Putters

CRITERIA

Our judges evaluated Hot List candidates in four areas.

1. Performance ( 45%)
   The utility of a product, or what happens to the ball when it’s struck by the club.
2. Innovation ( 30%)
   How a club’s technology, including custom-fitting, advances the category.
3. Look/Sound/Feel ( 20%)
   What the golfer experiences before, during and after impact.
4. Demand ( 5%)
   The relative interest in a product and its reputation.

All judging is based on a 100-point scale.
97-100 ★★★★★
88-96 ★★★★
70-87 ★★★
51-69 ★★
≤50  ★

(L) Low-Handicapper | (M) Mid-Handicapper | (H) High-Handicapper

BETTINARDI
BB SERIES

Performance ★★★★★
Innovation ★★★ ½
Look / sound / feel ★★★★★
Demand ★★

VERDICT Bettinardi’s classic, milled-carbon steel blade putters get a makeover for 2016. New features include an obsidian-like finish to the head and a stepless, brushed-nickel look to the shaft. A honeycomb face-milling pattern provides the Bettinardi firm feel.
COMMENTS (L) An instant classic in looks. The shaft contrasts well with the head. (M) Incredible feel. (H) Precise and elegant. Great performance in every way.

ODYSSEY
WHITE HOT RX

Performance ★★★★★
Innovation ★★★★ ½
Look / sound / feel ★★★★ ½
Demand ★★★★ ½

VERDICT Odyssey’s new face insert has a cushioned yet resilient inner core and a firm outer layer featuring a rough, oval-textured surface that’s designed to grab the cover at impact for maximum initial roll.
COMMENTS (L) The generic look is clean, but the money is in the insert. (M) A ton of positive feedback. A roll machine. (H) Buttery soft, but you still feel like it has power and control.

ODYSSEY
WORKS VERSA/TANK CRUISER

Performance ★★★★★
Innovation ★★★★★
Look / sound / feel ★★★★★
Demand ★★★★ ½

VERDICT The most interesting part of this putter is how Odyssey fused stainless-steel mesh with its trademark polymer insert to create increased friction for a better roll without sacrificing feel. The line also features an adjustable counterbalanced model.
COMMENTS (L) Everything about this putter says control. (M) The way it sits at address gave me complete confidence I was lined up correctly.

PING
TR1966

Performance ★★★★★
Innovation ★★★ ½
Look / sound / feel ★★★★★
Demand ★★★★ ½

VERDICT It has been 50 years since Karsten Solheim invented the iconic Anser. This release maintains every aspect of the original Anser and Anser2: top-rail bevel, toe radius, face thickness and grip. But there is one difference. Grooves etched into the face to improve roll consistency make this putter more than just a replica.
COMMENTS (M) Elegant-looking. Exclusive is the best way to describe it. (H) The original Ansers had a finish that isn’t as well done. This is higher quality.

PING
CADENCE TR

Performance ★★★★ ½
Innovation ★★★★★
Look / sound / feel ★★★★ ½
Demand ★★★★ ½

VERDICT A lot of golfers struggle with missing the sweet spot on long putts. The grooves – varying in size and depth – produce consistent ball speed across the face. The inserts for this blade putter come in two weights: traditional for mid-to-fast strokes and a heavier insert for those with a slower, more controlled tempo.   
COMMENTS (L)  Ping does a good job of keeping things simple. (M) The feedback gave me confidence. (H) It felt like the face helped my misses.

TITLEIST
SCOTTY CAMERON SELECT

Performance ★★★★★
Innovation ★★★★ ½
Look / sound / feel ★★★★ ½
Demand ★★★★★

VERDICT Only Scotty Cameron could find a way to make a stainless-steel insert in a stainless-steel body feel even softer. The key is a vibration-dampening membrane behind the face. The wraparound look to the insert helps maintain a clean appearance at address.
COMMENTS (L) What you see, hear and feel all match up. (M) Sets up well and seems to have more pop off the face. (H) A crisp release from the clubface.

CURE
CLASSIC SERIES

Performance ★★★★
Innovation ★★★★ ½
Look / sound / feel ★★★
Demand ★

VERDICT With almost twice the resistance to twisting of your typical blade, these oversize and weighty blades are designed to eliminate torque and minimise face-angle variation. In short, the design keeps the clubface square and stable through impact. Its mallet-like weight and blade-like control make it unique.
COMMENTS (M) Looks heavier than it feels. Easy to power it through the ball. (H) Consistent distance control and performance.

EDEL
THE BRICK

Performance ★★★★
Innovation ★★★★ ½
Look / sound / feel ★★★★
Demand ★

VERDICT The design is patterned after the putter Bryson DeChambeau used to win the US Amateur. Edel’s hollow design subtracts weight from the toe, facilitating a smoother, easier through-swing. Less resistance, Edel believes, helps the club return to square at impact.
COMMENTS(L) The design on the bottom looks sporty. (M) It performs better than it looks. (H) Any hit across any part of the face tractor-beamed back to the middle of the line.

LOW TIDE
FLOW

Performance ★★★★ ½
Innovation ★★★
Look / sound / feel ★★★★ ½
Demand ★

VERDICT There’s nothing off the rack here. You choose every aspect, from lie angle and loft to the metal and finish. (Coastal Fog, anyone?) Every putter is precision-milled and hand-finished to your exact specifications.
COMMENTS (L) It’s a solid, well-made blade putter. All the elements work well together. (M)  Less is more here. You don’t need a lot of aids to get it right. (H) It has great feel on long putts, and it sits so flush to the ground.

RIFE
SWITCHBACK

Performance ★★★★
Innovation ★★★★
Look / sound / feel ★★★★
Demand ★★

VERDICT Adjustable weight pads on the heel and toe make this a versatile putter, catering to feel-based swings and those seeking more forgiveness. Despite the interchangeable parts, the stainless-steel body produces consistent sound and feedback.
COMMENTS(L) An eye-catching appearance. (M) It’s sturdy at address, and you feel that confidence through the stroke. It talks back in a pleasant way. (H) The colours are a little loud for my taste, but it still produces a good roll.

SEEMORE
GIANT FGPT

Performance ★★★★
Innovation ★★★★
Look / sound / feel ★★★ ½
Demand ★★★

VERDICT The putter Zach Johnson used to win the British Open at St Andrews gets supersized. It’s 2½ times larger and uses tungsten heel and toe weights for stability. The putter has the familiar white lines and hidden-red-dot system to indicate the face is square to the target.
COMMENTS (L) Good distance control. (M) The centre-shaft feel is great at impact. (H) The first putter I’ve tested where every putt rolled farther, and I mean that as a compliment.

TAYLORMADE
OS/OS CB

Performance ★★★★
Innovation ★★★★ ½
Look / sound / feel ★★★ ½
Demand ★★★ ½

VERDICT Bigger means mores forgiveness, but this wide, hollow-bodied construction is filled with foam. This way it’s larger size doesn’t get too heavy. There’s also a counter-balanced version, and both use a milled-aluminium insert to help soften the feel.
COMMENTS (L) A familiar style, but with more alignment aids. That helped a ton at address. (M) I’m confident I can roll any length up close. (H) Feels like the ball jumps off the face and immediately starts rolling.