Pros:

A piece of art! Perfect combination of sound and feel. Well balanced. Crisp lines that flow from heel to toe. Made in the USA. Other putter manufacturers take note, Bob Bettinardi is coming on strong in 2010. Are you prepared for the challenge that awaits?

Cons:

Availability. The BB line will only be sold online, select green grass accounts and fitting studios. For those who want to “try before you buy” may have some difficulty finding one depending on your location.

Bottom Line:

Bob Bettinardi is no stranger to the business. He can take a classic design, add his patented Honeycomb face milling to a single block of Mild Carbon Steel (One-Piece Technology) and truly have something unique. This isn’t the first Bettinardi in my collection and definitely not my last.

Look:

The entire 2010 BB line is flat out one of the most elegant putter lines to be released in quite some time. From the stealthy ‘Black Box’ it was packaged in, the minimal use of stampings, all the way down to the elaborate Black Nickel finish, Bob Bettinardi was spot on when crafting this line.

This category is definitely one of the most important key factors for me when deciding on a new putter. If it doesn’t fit my eye, how am I supposed to stand over that 6-footer for birdie with enough confidence that the ball is going to hit the bottom of the cup?

I’m more of a traditionalist when it comes to putters and the 2010 BB8 definitely caught my eye when I first saw it. The smaller top line visually made the putter look like it had much more mass behind it when compared to the BB1. The crisp lines made alignment effortless and again, the Black Nickel finish is one of the best that I’ve seen.

Absolutely flawless!

Performance/playability:

This probably has to be the most difficult category for me while reviewing a putter so let’s put it this way…

Some people cannot putt. Period. Give them a broomstick, place them two feet away from a non-regulation size hole and they’ll still miss. Face it, it’s the Indian and not the arrow…always has been and always will be.

Now, what I can tell you is that Bettinardi’s patented Honeycomb face milling does indeed provide a flat surface that gets the ball rolling faster than a few other manufacturers that I’ve tested. Granted, I’m not a machine, but the dew marks on the greens never lie.

Playability? Yes, the BB8 is secure in the bag this year.

Feel:

This is another key factor for me when choosing a new putter. I want a flatstick that allows me to feel where I’ve made contact at on the face of the club. Many putter manufacturers these days (especially those with inserts) have forgotten about this simple concept.

The 2010 BB line has the perfect amount of feel (responsiveness) without being too harsh. Misses near the heel or toe can definitely be felt compared to those coming off the sweet spot.

Something else that is important to me that fits into this category is sound. The Bettinardi Mild Carbon Steel putters have always had a unique muted ‘pop’ to them. Distinct sound, yet noticeable where the ball makes contact with the face.

Perfect!

Overall bottom line:

I have not been this excited about a new putter line for quite some time now. Besides not being able to drive down to your favorite brick and mortar shop to check one out, I do not have one negative thing to say about these putters. Bob Bettinardi’s 20+ years of experience can be found from pre-production all the way to presentation with the 2010 BB line. You’ll be doing yourself (and your game) a favor by checking one out.

Hands down 5 out of 5 stars!

More information can be found here:

http://www.bettinardi.com