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Review: SuperStroke Flatso, Flatso Mid and Flatso Ultra putter grips

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Pros: The wide, flat section on the front of the grips helps fill up a golfer’s hands, which can add stability to their stroke and help relieve tension. The pistol-style backing provides more “reminders” for hand placement than SuperStroke’s round-backed putter grips.

Cons: The grips come to a point in the back that is very noticeable in the fingers. Some golfers will love it, others will hate it. The Flatso (100 grams) and Flatso Ultra (85 grams) are also a bit on the heavy side, which could cause swing weight problems.

Bottom Line: They’re still non-tapered, but the Flatso family has a shape that’s much different than… anything else, really. They come in three distinct sizes that should cover the needs of most interested golfers. While they won’t be as popular as SuperStroke’s round-backed grips, plenty of golfers are still going to dig them.

Overview

The Flatso grips build on the platform established by SuperStroke’s extremely popular line of round-backed grips, the Ultra Slim 1.0, Mid Slim 2.0, Slim 3.0 and Flatso 5.0. Like those grips, the Flatso grips are non-tapered, but they have wide, flat section on their fronts that are designed to place goflers’ hands farther apart to help them make a more shoulder-driven stroke.

From top to bottom: SuperStroke’s Flatso, Flatso Mid and Flatso Ultra putter grips.

SuperStroke Flatso, Flatso Mid and Flatso Ultra putter grip revie

The back part of the Flatso grips form a pentagon-shape, giving them a pistol feel that many golfers prefer in their putter grip. They come in three different sizes, the largest being the Flatso, which has a 1.7-inch diameter and weighs about 100 grams. The Flatso Mid has a 1.4-inch diameter and weighs 60 grams, while the smallest model, the Flatso Ultra, has a 1.1-inch diameter and weighs 85 grams. All three grips measure 10.5 inches in length, and a 17-inch Flatso “Arm Lock” grip will also be available.

The Flatso and Flatso Mid grips will cost $24.99, while the The Flatso Ultra will cost $19.99. The Flatso 17-inch grip will maintain the company’s 2013 graphics (more on that in the Looks and Feel section) and will cost $29.99. All four grips will hit stores in April 2014.

Performance

SuperStroke’s Flatso putter grips are exactly what the company intended them to be: oversized putter grips with a shape that makes them feel much different than the company’s round-backed putter grips.

The wide, flat front sections of the grips helped move their edges into the lifelines of my hands, making them feel more stable on the putter. I also enjoyed the very “feelable” seam on the back of the grip, which served as a nice reminder of where my fingers should rest.

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The largest grip in the series, “Flatso,” will most likely be preferred by players with larger hands or by those who want their hands as far apart as possible on the putter grip. For a lot of golfers, Flatso will feel way too big, however, like they’re gripping a pop can. But for some golfers, like K.J. Choi, who has used SuperStroke’s Fatso grip for nearly a decade, it has the potential to kill off the small twitches that can make 3-footers miss the cup.

Most golfers will probably gravitate toward the Flatso Mid and Flatso Ultra grips, which are a much more manageable size. Like SuperStroke’s “Slim 2.0” round-backed grip, the Flatso Mid is a nice middle ground between a conventional-size putter grip and the company’s largest grips. It gives a feeling of splitting the hands without making them feel like strangers.

The Flatso Ultra, played by Jordan Spieth, will probably be the model liked by most better players because of its more conventional size. But it’s still a very unique-feeling grip thanks to its firm underlisting, which maintains the grip’s crisp pentagonal lines that act much like a reminder rib in a club grip.

The 2014 Flatso Mid (red) and Flatso Ultra (silver)

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Personally, I did not care for the Flatso Mid or Flatso Ultra as much as the Flatso, because I could not seem to make the three distinct ridges on the back of the grip fit properly in my hands. But I have very large hands, and know that my preferences will be in the minority.

The Flatso (100 grams) and Flatso Ultra (85 grams) are a little heavier than most models, which gives them the counterbalancing effect that is trending right now in the world of golf. The Flatso Mid, 60 grams, should not affect swing weight on most golfers’ putters.

A note about installation: The Flatso grips were easy to install and remove using the “blow on method.” All three versions of the Flatso were installed with one piece of build up tape and stayed secured throughout the testing process. Aligning the grip was easy and hassle free thanks to the wider flat sections of the grips.

Looks and Feel

SuperStroke’s “CrossTraction” grip texture is used on all three Flatso putter grips. It debuted on its 2013 line of putter grips, and was well received for its improved performance in the rain and hot, humid weather. What’s best about the new grip texture is that it did not change what originally attracted most golfers to SuperStroke’s putter grips in the first place, the tacky polyurethane material that balances a soft feel with a firm underlisting.

In 2013, the company launched the Flatso grips with “split graphics” that were a slight departure from the company’s cleaner design on its round-backed grips. For 2014, the cleaner graphics have returned, with a dual-color thumb-placement design that’s new for the company’s retail grips.

2013 Flatso graphics

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2014 Flatso graphics

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Each of the 2014 grips have their own unique colorway, with the Flatso available in white/black/green, the Flatso Mid available in white/black/red and the Flatso Ultra available in white/black/silver. The new graphics will help differentiate the models being used on the professional tours, and will also make the grips appear smaller because of the removal of the center line on the middle of the flat front section.

The Takeaway

The new Flatso series of grips are a great addition to the company’s product line. They’re a niche product, and for that reason they won’t sell like the company’s original round-backed grips. But players who like them are going to love them, growing SuperStroke’s notoriety in the serious golfer community.

Flatso

[wrx_buy_now oemlink=”https://www.superstrokeusa.com/index.php/products/putter-grips/” oemtext=”Learn more from SuperStroke” amazonlink=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HSRVFCU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00HSRVFCU&linkCode=as2&tag=golfwrxcom-20&linkId=RVNMMW4NVGPSNPVT”]

Flatso Mid

[wrx_buy_now oemlink=”https://www.superstrokeusa.com/index.php/products/putter-grips/” oemtext=”Learn more from SuperStroke” amazonlink=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HSRVFYI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00HSRVFYI&linkCode=as2&tag=golfwrxcom-20&linkId=GT2SAUVERZRLMMI6″]

Flatso Ultra

[wrx_buy_now oemlink=”https://www.superstrokeusa.com/index.php/products/putter-grips/” oemtext=”Learn more from SuperStroke” amazonlink=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HSRVGSI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00HSRVGSI&linkCode=as2&tag=golfwrxcom-20&linkId=IXIVL56SAUA3222X”]

Click here to see more photos of SuperStroke’s 2014 putter grips, as well as prototype putter grips.

Click here to see more photos of SuperStroke’s 2014 putter grips, as well as prototype putter grips.

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Kadin Mahmet has a passion for golf. He has coached at the collegiate level and has worked as an instructor specializing in youth athletics. You can follow Kadin on Twitter @BigKadin. "Like" Growing Up Golf on Facebook @ facebook.com/Growing.Up.Golf for more content.

24 Comments

24 Comments

  1. cory

    Sep 22, 2014 at 3:21 pm

    Agree need all black the white gets dirty and makes slippery.
    I’ll bet to get you to to replace not just for adverticing.
    Scotty Cameron will copy it and make it better…

  2. Danny Sternod

    May 31, 2014 at 11:51 pm

    I used the flatso 1.4 and felt really good but didn’t live up to the hype. I tinkered with it and then turned the flat side toward the target and what a difference. A completely different feel and now I’m averaging 27-30 putts around instead of the normal 32-36 putts. Anything 10 feet and in are automatic.
    Give it a try….

  3. golfraven

    May 9, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    Got the Super Stroke Flatso Ultra now on my Scotty and it grips nice though the grip appears bit slithery at first. Had the Scotty Pistolero for about two years and I am now keen to see how the Ultra performs. Like the fact that this is slightly wider and fairly flat on the top than the usual putter grips. I believe we will become friends for a long time.

  4. Matt

    Feb 13, 2014 at 11:52 am

    Been using the Flatso Ultra since about June. Amazing feel to it. Cant see myself using any other grip for a long time

    • Curtis

      May 1, 2014 at 1:00 pm

      I hear you man, just hope they come out with something counter balanced very soon!

  5. Harvey

    Jan 27, 2014 at 2:59 am

    It’s what you do not how you look doing it! Had one put on yesterday and is 10x better than the Standard super stroke, the flat front keeps you in contact with the position of the club face throughout the stroke. Switched from a std ultra to flatso mid

  6. Rob

    Jan 6, 2014 at 2:32 pm

    launch date? I assume after the PGA show?

    • WhoDey98

      Jan 23, 2014 at 4:47 pm

      Golfworks has them for sale on their site now. I got one on the way in the mail.

      • Mark

        Jan 28, 2014 at 12:50 am

        I just ordered the Flatso 1.1 Ultra so hopefully it’s on it’s way. I tweeted @SuperStrokeGolf and they said that they were planning on having the Ultra out by april, but apparently GolfWorks has them. Crossing my fingers!

  7. BeckyStyles

    Jan 6, 2014 at 2:13 pm

    BLACK COLOR OPTION!!!! I’ll buy it, I promise! Git’er Done!!!

  8. Sam Gray

    Jan 2, 2014 at 12:49 am

    Have not actually put my hands on these but I like the idea. I have a Slim 3.0 on my putter and it is just a little to big and I think that this may be my solution…

  9. nik d

    Dec 21, 2013 at 4:06 pm

    I have the fatso 85(I bought mine well before duff won with it!) on my phil mickelson prototype putter and I love it, the only problem I had was it made the head feel too light, so I put 20 grams of lead powder down the shaft. ive never been steadier. I also installed the flatso ultra (the 1.4″) diameter grip on my playing partners Wilson 8882 blade putter and he has shaved at least 4 strokes off of his game, I might get one for myself even, its like the perfect size, especially with the rib. the grip is the same every time. for people with Arnold palmer sized hands, its a no brainer. imagine if the king had a grip that big, those speedy greens he hated would have been bit easier

  10. Martin

    Dec 21, 2013 at 6:23 am

    I have hooked putts my whole life, generally conquered the problem but still rears it’s ugly head occasionally.

    I tried one of these after Duff won the PGA, had it on my favourite putter for a month or so and never hooked a putt, ever.

    Missed all sorts of putts right instead, went back to my standard grip, didn’t help me.

  11. PeanutsDaddy

    Dec 20, 2013 at 6:40 pm

    Kadin,

    Thank you for the comprehensive review. I am currently using a Super Stroke 2.0 grip and will give the Flatso a chance in the spring. I too wish the company would provide an all-black grip as the mostly white design looks awful in a short period of time.

    • nik d

      Dec 21, 2013 at 4:08 pm

      my fatso 85 is white with black accents. and your right. it has a nice yellow tint too it now. imagine if I was a smoker, it would be even worse! but maybe more tacky from the tar

  12. Just a thought

    Dec 20, 2013 at 5:03 pm

    Reverse the color scheme. Mostly black, some white and some of the “bright” color. Viewers would still know they are SS and users would get what they want. I actually have white iron grips but haven’t gone to SS because too much is going on with all the logo and everything else.

  13. Bout time

    Dec 20, 2013 at 12:30 pm

    Definitely a fan but two things really stick out. One: The release on the ultra has been pretty annoying (dates, color, communication). Two: The colorway is horrible, I would like to see one user that has been able to get more then one season out of these grips without it looking gross. We pay big money for these, and unlike the pros we like our gear to last/look good for more then 4 rounds. It’s time to offer your loyal customers some options.

    I totally understand the marketing concept of making the product stand out, but now that everyone knows what super stroke is. Give us some options! Please! Other companies are now eating into the market share due to color choice alone… Wake up already! I guess there just too busy counting money to listen. A real shame.

    • david

      Dec 20, 2013 at 1:02 pm

      +1. it seems like rbz white and grip white are just to stand out on tv so they can sell em to us

  14. Richard

    Dec 20, 2013 at 11:51 am

    Loving the Flatso Mid I put on about 2 months ago. Never was really into the SuperStroke grips, but the new shape of the Flatso really fit my hands very well and fit my stroke. Great grips.

  15. SuperStroke Doesn't Care

    Dec 20, 2013 at 11:34 am

    They don’t have to make solid colors or less busy graphics. They don’t care that customers are clamoring for better coloring because they are the only ones who make it.

    Pretty disappointing they don’t care.

  16. Rob

    Dec 20, 2013 at 11:24 am

    Let’s hope they actually come out on time as I have been waiting to try the flatso ultra

  17. Sean

    Dec 20, 2013 at 11:21 am

    Nice review Julia, I mean Kadin! I would like to see the grips come in a solid, dark color. The problem with white grips is they get dirty very quickly. I clean my grips regularly, but still…

  18. LorenRobertsFan

    Dec 20, 2013 at 10:34 am

    Graphics are still too busy for me to try one.

    • nik d

      Dec 21, 2013 at 4:10 pm

      I look at the ball when I putt, not the grip lol, its funny how the little things can throw a person off though, so I hear ya

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Equipment

Blade vs. mallet: What style putters do the top-50 players in the world use? (2022 update)

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Four years ago, I wrote an article where I analyzed the putters that the top-50 players in the world were using, and the top-50 players in strokes gained: putting. I wanted to find out whether more mallet-style putters, or blade-style putters, were being used by the world’s best.

In 2018, I found that 44 percent of the top-50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings were using mallet style putters, and 56 percent of the top-50 in strokes gained: putting were using mallet putters.

Flash forward to 2022, and it would seem that more and more top golfers are switching into mallet putters – Scottie Scheffler, for example, just switched into a mallet putter after using a blade-style putter throughout his career.

What are the actual numbers, though? Are more top PGA Tour players really using mallet putters these days, or is the shift overblown?

I wanted to find out.

For my research, I simply went through the most recent GolfWRX WITB photos, and the most recent photos on Getty Images, to figure out what style putter each player in the Top-50 in the OWGR is using, as well as each Top-50 player in strokes gained: putting on the PGA Tour for the 2021-22 season.

Below are the results:

Top-50 in OWGR: Blade or Mallet?

Mallet putter users, 62 percent (31 out of 50)

Rory McIlroy’s TaylorMade Spider Tour mallet putter

Rory McIlroy (No. 1: TaylorMade Spider Tour Hydroblast)

Scottie Scheffler (No. 2: Scotty Cameron T-5.5 Proto)

Patrick Cantlay (No. 4: Scotty Cameron T5 Proto)

Jon Rahm (N0. 5: Odyssey Rossie S White Hot OG)

Xander Schauffele (No. 6: Odyssey O-Works #7 CH Red)

Will Zalatoris (No. 7: Scotty Cameron Circle T Phantom X T-11 Proto)

Justin Thomas (No. 8: Scotty Cameron T5 Proto Tour-Only custom)

Viktor Hovland (No. 11: Ping PLD DS 72)

Sam Burns (No. 12: Odyssey O-Works 7S)

Billy Horschel (No. 16: Ping PLD Sigma 2 Tyne 4)

Cameron Young (No. 17: Scotty Cameron T5 prototype)

Max Homa (No. 18: Scotty Cameron Phantom X T5.5 Prototype)

Sungjae Im (No. 20: Scotty Cameron Flowback 5 Prototype)

Shane Lowry: (No. 21: Odyssey DFX 2-ball)

Abraham Ancer (No. 23: Odyssey White Hot No. 5 Stroke Lab)

Keegan Bradley (No. 25: Odyssey Versa Jailbird)

Sepp Straka (No. 27: Odyssey Tuttle Stroke Lab)

Tyrrell Hatton (No. 28: Ping Vault Oslo)

Kevin Kisner (No. 29: Odyssey 2-Ball 11)

Dustin Johnson (No. 30: TaylorMade Spider GT Black)

Corey Conners (No. 31: Ping PLD Prototype)

Tom Hoge (No. 32: TaylorMade Spider X Hydroblast)

K.H. Lee (No. 33: Odyssey Works Versa 2-ball)

Adam Scott (No. 34: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 prototype)

Aaron Wise (No. 36: TaylorMade Ghost)

Brian Harman (No. 37: TaylorMade OS CB)

Daniel Berger (No. 43: TaylorMade Spider X Hydroblast)

Jason Kokrak (No. 44: Bettinardi Studio Stock 38)

Harold Varner III (No. 46: Odyssey White Hot OG 7S)

Seamus Power (No. 48: Ping PLD3 Mallet)

Harris English (No. 49: Ping Scottsdale Hohum)

Blade putter users, 38 percent (19 out of 50)

Tom Kim’s new custom Scotty Cameron blade-style putter

Cameron Smith (No. 3: Scotty Cameron 009M Prototype)

Collin Morikawa (No. 9: TaylorMade TP Soto)

Matt Fitzpatrick (No. 10: Bettinardi DASS Prototype)

Jordan Spieth (No. 13: Scotty Cameron 009 tour prototype)

Tony Finau (No. 14: Ping PLD Prototype)

Joohyung “Tom” Kim (No. 15: Scotty Cameron TourType GSS Prototype)

Hideki Matsuyama (No. 19: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS)

Joaquin Niemann (No. 22: Prototype Ping PLD Anser)

Tommy Fleetwood (No. 24: TaylorMade TP Juno)

Ryan Fox (No. 26: Ping Anser 2D)

Thomas Pieters (No. 35: Scotty Cameron Squareback Select 2 Tour Only)

Talor Gooch (No. 38: Odyssey Tri-Hot Two)

Brooks Koepka (No. 39: Scotty Cameron Teryllium TNP2)

Kevin Na (No. 40: Odyssey Toulon Madison)

Kurt Kitayama (No. 41: Scotty Cameron Newport prototype)

Louis Oosthuizen (No. 42: Ping Vault 2.0 Voss)

Mito Pereira (No. 45: Ping Vault 2.0 Dale Anser Stealth)

Paul Casey (No. 47: Scotty Cameron 009M Prototype)

Alex Noren (No. 50: Odyssey O-Works 1W)

Top-50 in Strokes Gained: Putting

Mallet users: 70 percent (35 of 50 players)

Kelly Kraft’s custom Odyssey Versa 1-Ball Red prototype mallet

Lucas Herbert (No. 1: TaylorMade Spider X Hydroblast)

Denny McCarthy (No. 2: Scotty Cameron GoLo N7)

Tyrrell Hatton (No. 4: Ping Vault Oslo)

Beau Hossler (No. 5: Odyssey 2-Ball Ten)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout (No. 6: Odyssey White Hot OG #7)

Kelly Kraft (No. 7: Odyssey Versa 1-ball Red Prototype)

Kevin Kisner (No. 9: Odyssey 2-ball 11)

Sam Burns (No. 10: Odyssey O-Works 7S)

Martin Trainer (No. 12: Scotty Cameron Circle T Prototype Phantom T12)

Chesson Hadley (No. 13: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball)

Mackenzie Hughes (No. 14: Ping Scottsdale TR Piper C)

Rory McIlroy (No. 16: TaylorMade Spider Tour Hydroblast)

Ian Poulter (No. 17: Scotty Cameron T-11 Proto)

Justin Rose (No. 20: Axis1 Rose Prototype)

Billy Horschel (No. 21: Ping PLD Sigma 2 Tyne 4)

Matthew Wolff (No. 23: TaylorMade GT Notchback)

Adam Long (No. 24: Scotty Cameron T5 Proto)

Viktor Hovland (No. 25: Ping PLD DS 72)

Max Homa (No. 27: Scotty Cameron Phantom X T5.5 Prototype)

Patrick Cantlay (T28: Scotty Cameron T5 Proto)

Jon Rahm (T28: Odyssey Rossie S White Hot OG)

Wyndham Clark (No. 31: Scotty Cameron T5 Proto)

Xander Schauffele (No. 32: Odyssey O-Works #7 CH Red)

Vince Whaley (No. 33: Odyssey White Hot OG #7)

Rory Sabbatini (No. 34: Scotty Cameron Flowback Prototype)

Austin Cook (T35: Ping Sigma G Tyne)

Sungjae Im (No. 37: Scotty Cameron Flowback 5 Prototype)

Andrew Putnam (No. 38: Odyssey Stroke Lab Black Rossie)

Sepp Straka (No. 39: Odyssey Tuttle Stroke Lab)

Seamus Power (No. 40: Ping PLD3 Mallet)

J.T. Poston (T41: Scotty Cameron GoLo 5 Black Tour Prototype)

Adam Scott (T41: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 prototype)

Troy Merritt (No. 43: Yes! C-Groove Mollie Tour)

Jason Kokrak (T46: Bettinardi Studio Stock 38)

Mark Hubbard (No. 50: Odyssey Metal X Milled #9HT)

Blade users: 30 percent (15 of 50)

Matthew Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi blade-style putter

Brendon Todd (No. 3: Sik Pro C-Series)

Cameron Smith (No. 8: Scotty Cameron 009M Prototype)

Matt Kuchar (No. 11: Bettinardi Tour Department SS28 DASS)

Marc Leishman (No. 15: Odyssey Versa #6)

Alex Noren (No. 18: Odyssey O-Works 1W)

Maverick McNealy (No. 19: Toulon Stanford MM Custom)

Matt Fitzpatrick (No. 22: Bettinardi DASS Prototype)

Tommy Fleetwood (No. 26: TaylorMade TP Juno)

Patrick Rodgers (No. 30: Odyssey Toulon San Diego)

Seung-Yul Noh (T35: Scotty Cameron Select Prototype)

Scott Stallings (No. 44: Scotty Cameron Newport 2.6 Prototype)

Brooks Koepka (No. 45: Scotty Cameron Teryllium TNP2)

Justin Lower (T46: PXG Prototype)

Richy Werenski (No. 48: Scotty Cameron Circle T Prototype)

Patrick Reed (No. 49: Odyssey White Hot Pro #3)

Conclusion

In 2018, 44 percent of the top-50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings were using mallet style putters, and 56 percent of the top-50 in strokes gained: putting were using mallet putters.

In 2022, 62 percent of the top-50 players in the OWGR use mallet style putters, and 70 percent of the top-50 in strokes gained: putting were using mallet style putters.

What do you think this means?

To me, it means that each golfer should try as many putters as possible – under the supervision of a professional fitter or local club professional – and find the best possible putter to fit their stroke style and preferences.

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Putter Reviews

REVIEW: Ping’s new PLD (Putting Lab Design) putters for 2022

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Not every golfer has access to custom-built golf putters like PGA Tour players do, but with Ping’s new PLD (Putting Lab Design) program, they can get pretty darn close.

Through the newly launched website, pingpld.com, golfers will have access to precision milled putters like the ones seen on Tour, and they can even customize their own putter with a Tour-level fitting experience either online or in person.

There’s three essential levels to the new PLD program: PLD Custom, PLD Limited and PLD Milled. Each of the levels comes with different putter options at differing price points.

“The PLD program allows us to bring golfers more of what we do best – design and build the highest-performing custom putters in the game,” said Ping President John K. Solheim, in a press release. “It offers nearly endless possibilities. Golfers can craft their own custom design through PLD Custom, choose the proven performance of a PLD Milled model or add to their putter collection by acquiring a PLD Limited. It gives golfers a chance to play what the pros play and own a piece of Ping history.”

“We established the PLD name several years ago as an extension of the PING Putting Lab,
where we’ve been fitting some of the top players in the world for more than 20 years,” said
Solheim. “Until now, access to the master fitters who deliver these custom putter experiences has been limited to the best players in the game. We can now bring golfers what they’ve been asking for either through a virtual or in-person experience.”

Below, we go further in-depth on each of the three options within the PLD program.

Ping PLD Milled

PGA Tour players such as Viktor Hovland, Tony Finau and Bubba Watson use Ping PLD precision milled putters, and now consumers will have access to those Tour-proven putters.

Each of the heads (Anser, Anser 2, DS72 and Prime Tyne 4) are machine milled from forged 303 stainless steel. Ping offers a breakdown of the specs for each available model, which will sell for $485 each:

Anser

Slight Arc
350g
Matte Black finish
Ping black graphite shaft
Lie Angle: 20° +/- 4°
Loft: 3° +3°/- 2°

Anser 2

Slight Arc
350g
Satin finish
Chrome stepless steel shaft
Lie Angle: 20° +/- 4°
Loft: 3° +3°/- 2°

DS72

Straight Stroke
365g
Satin finish
Chrome stepless steel shaft
Lie Angle: 20° +/- 2°
Loft: 3° +3°/- 2°

Prime Tyne 4

Aerospace grade, machined aluminum hosel
Strong Arc
360g
Matte Black finish
Matte-black stepless steel shaft
Lie Angle: 20° +/- 4°
Loft: 3° +3°/- 2°

“The PLD Milled is an exciting addition to our putter line,” said John K. Solheim. “We’ve
identified a couple of our most popular models from the past and some newer designs that have attracted a lot of attention in the last couple of years. We’ve given the new putters a very clean, premium look to emphasize the precision process they undergo before they are ready for play. As we collaborate on new designs with our engineers and tour staff through the PLD program, we’ll add new models to bring golfers the latest in tour-proven performance on the putting green.”

Ping PLD Limited

Ping’s PLD Limited will feature periodic limited-edition releases consisting of either putters that are played on Tour, or iconic designs from history. According to Ping, these putters are mostly targeted toward collectors, so they will have serialized numbers and will not be available for custom modifications.

For its first release ($790), Ping developed a 2022 version of the original Ping Anser, celebrating the 55th Anniversary of receiving the original Anser Patent on March 21, 1967.

“A lot of time has passed since the invention of the Anser putter,” said John A. Solheim, Ping’s Chairman & CEO and the youngest son of Karsten Solheim, who designed the original putter. “We think it’s important to remind the golf industry and some of the younger golfers that the iconic design they see with other brands’ name on it was created by Karsten in his garage in the mid-1960s. I was fortunate to be at his side building the first Ansers, and continued to do so for many years. It’s time Karsten gets the credit he deserves for inventing the Anser putter.”

Ping PLD Custom

The highest level in the Ping PLD program feature the PLD Custom putters, where golfers can customize their own designs with either the help of a Ping Master fitter in person, or virtually through the PLD program online. To help golfers find their perfect putter, they will use the PLD iPing putting app, and a Ping Master fitter will analyze the player’s data to recommend a putter.

Then, golfers can fully customize the putter to their liking, with ability to change head model, Tungsten weighting, face milling, finish, alignment aids, stampings and paint fill. Ping’s Master Fitters will also help golfers get the correct length, lie angle and loft for their stroke and biometrics.

The putters themselves will sell for $1,290, and a $200 non-refundable payment is required to schedule and participate in a PLD Custom Fitting, whether it’s virtually or in person.

Personally, I received a Ping PLD Custom Fitting in-person at the company’s indoor facility in Phoenix, Arizona. After identifying my stroke flaws (of which there many) using Ping’s iPing putting app, I tried out a slew of different head options and we made head adjustments along the way to figure out what truly works. Here were my final specs:

Head model: Ping Anser
Finish: Patina
Weight: 350 grams
Alignment line/dot: None
Stamping: “T” on the hosel
Length: 35.5 inches
Shaft: Chrome Stepless Steel
Grip: PP58 Black Midsize

What blew me away most was how impactful length and lie angle can be on comfort at address and stroke pattern. Even minor changes felt drastic. Also, the depth of face milling can truly change both feel and sound; I never realized how much.

Another point of note: Switching up alignment lines obviously can affect aim, but for me, they also influenced my stroke itself due to the visual changes. I highly suggest going through a full putter fitting to determine what specifications you prefer for yourself.

Check out the photos below of the putter that was designed for me through my work with a Ping Master Fitter:

Ping PLD putters are available for pre-order today, and head over to Ping’s PLD website to book your own fitting here.

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Putter Reviews

WRX Spotlight Review: T Squared TS-713i Standard Series putter

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Product:  T Squared TS-713i Standard Series Putter

About T Squared: T Squared Putters is a small putter manufacturer just south of Buffalo, New York. The company was founded by Tony Tuber who created his first prototype putters, after hours, in his father’s machine shop. Since then Tony and his father have been creating high-quality putters in the same facility that creates high precision instruments for the medical field. They pride themselves on creating the highest quality, most precise putter they can offer. They offer a few different head shapes from small traditional blades to high MOI mallets and even a custom program to get exactly what you want.

The Ts-713i Standard Series is based on the Ts-713, the first prototype that Tony created. It is a blade-style putter with a slightly longer flange and a unique face insert milled from 6061 aluminum. The body of the Ts713i is milled from a solid block of 303 stainless steel that is produced in the USA and has a Teflon backing between the body and face insert.

This Teflon backing helps give the putter a softer feel at impact and reduce any unwanted vibration. Details are what T Squared is all about and the neck of the putter shows off their milling expertise. The neck is similar to a plumbers neck, built with multiple pieces and offering some cool texture on the section bonded to the head. Another great detail is that all the silver markings on the putter are not filled with paint, they are milled into the head. T Squared finished the head in a sharp matte black and then milled all the markings on the putter for a unique, shiny silver look that really stands out. Ts-713i putters are built for customizing and have a ton of options that you can select if you would like to build something totally unique

On the green, the T Squared TS-713i really performs fantastic. I found the feel at impact very solid without any unwanted vibration. The impact produces a muted click and soft feel that I wasn’t expecting from this aluminum insert and thin face. The deep milling and Teflon coated back to the insert really work together to produce a great, responsive feel that I enjoyed. Deep milling usually makes me a little worried because it can soften the putter too much and lose that feel we all demand.

The TS-713i has no issues and transmits impact feel back to your hands with ease. Mishits are a little louder and harsh, but nothing even close to unpleasant. I have used putters that don’t feel as good on perfectly struck shots as the TS-713i feels on mishit putts. Distance and accuracy on those mishit putts are not as drastic as you would expect with a blade putter. I often just missed the cup by small margins when I struck a putt on the toe or heel of the TS-713i. There aren’t too many blade putters that have shown this level of forgiveness on the green for me.

The “T” alignment aid on the flange of the putter is large and easy to use. Not only do you get a straight line from the face to the back edge for alignment, but the back of the “T” also helps you square the putter up to your target. The Pure grip is not my thing, and it would be great for T Squared to offer a few more options, but that is an easy fix and a very minor criticism.

Overall, the T Squared TS-713i is a great putter from young Tony Tuber that exceeded my expectations. His attention to detail, precision milling, and take on a classic head shape offer golfers something different without sacrificing any performance. If you are looking for a great feeling putter that is made in the USA, you should take a look at T Squared and see what they can make for you.

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