Equipment
Bettinardi to release 10 new putters for 2015
Don’t think of it as a new putter line. Think of these putters as distinct models that just happen to be released at the same time. That was my takeaway from a conversation about Bettinardi’s new putter line with Sam Bettinardi, vice president of sales and marketing for Bettinardi Golf, and it’s not a hard conclusion to reach.
Last year, Bettinardi took a more conventional strategy with its 2014 line of BB Series putters. It included several different models, and every putter (sans the BB55) had the same finish, face milling, paint fill and headcover.
Demand for Bettinardi’s putters was greater than ever in 2014, which led to the company’s expansion of its Chicago-area production facility from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet. But for 2015, the company wanted to do something different.
“We don’t just want to change the paint fill every year,” Bettinardi says. “We want to be innovative and creative.”
This year, the company will release 10 new putter models, each of which is unique in some way or shape. Putters such as the iNOVAi (pronounced in-o-vey) and Kuchar Model 2 are completely new models, while the others are classic Bettinardi shapes that have been refined for 2015.
The putters will be available through Bettinardi.com and at select retailers on Jan., 15, 2015.
The iNOVAi is a high-MOI mallet with a 6061 aluminum body and a stainless weight located on the back of the putter that pushes its center of gravity rearward to improve its forgiveness. It’s available in both a standard-length and a counter-balanced model that has a heavier putter head and a longer-length, back-weighted grip to improve overall MOI.
The Kuchar Model 2 (above) was designed specifically for Matt Kuchar, who asked Bettinardi to make him a halfmoon-styled Arm Lock putter that had no offset. The putter is available in a standard-length model, as well as the Arm Lock model used by Kuchar.
The Queen B Model 6 and Model 7 putters have the company’s new Savannah Blue PVD finish, which emits hues of purple, orange, yellow, turquoise and aqua, depending on how the light hits it.
The Studio Stock 2 and 16 putters have an Olympic Bronze PVD finish that fits somewhere between chocolate, bronze and oil can.
Several of the putters also have have Bettinardi’s new Super Fly-Mill Face, which offers a slightly different feel than the company’s Honeycomb and F.I.T. Face milling patterns.
[quote_box_center]”All our tour players are using our F.I.T. Face, which has our softest feel,” Bettinardi says. “But people were asking, ‘Can you make something a little firmer?’ The Super Fly-Mill is a nice middle ground between our F.I.T. Face and our firmer Honeycomb Face.”[/quote_box_center]
Bettinardi’s Signature Series 9 and 10 putters are the most exclusive in the line, limited to 1000 pieces. They’re stamped with the initials of company founder Robert J. Bettinardi, and milled from what the company calls D.A.S.S., or double-aged stainless steel.
To create D.A.S.S., 303 stainless steel is cooked to a temperature of 600 degrees fahrenheit, cooled, and then re-heated to a temperature of 375 degrees. The “double-aging” process creates a softer-feeling putter, Bettinardi says.
The putters will be available through Bettinardi.com for pre-order starting Dec. 17 and in stores on Jan., 15, 2015.
Learn more about each of Bettinardi’s new putters below, and click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the putters in our forum.
iNOVAi ($299)
Face Balanced, Super Fly-Mill and F.I.T. Face Milling. Also available in a counter-balanced model ($350).
- Weight: 358 grams
- Material: 6061 Aluminum (body), Stainless Steel
- Finish: Black Anodized
- Grip: Black Pure (standard or midsize)
- Headcover: iNOVAi Black
- Dexterity: RH and LH
Kuchar Model 2 Halfmoon ($375)
1/4 Toe Hang, F.I.T. Face Milling. Also available in an Arm Lock ($375).
- Weight: 350 grams
- Material: Mild Carbon Steel
- Finish: Meridian Blue
- Grip: Gray Pure (standard or midsize)
- Headcover: Kuchar Signature White/Blue
- Dexterity: RH and LH
Queen B Model 6 ($375)
Face Balanced, Micro Honeycomb Face Milling
- Weight: 360 grams
- Material: Mild Carbon Steel
- Finish: Savannah Blue
- Grip: White Pure (standard or midsize)
- Headcover: Queen B Royal Purple
- Dexterity: RH Only
Queen B Model 7 ($375)
1/4 Toe Hang, Micro Honeycomb Face Milling
- Weight: 360 grams
- Material: Mild Carbon Steel
- Finish: Savannah Blue
- Grip: White Pure (standard or midsize)
- Headcover: Queen B Royal Purple
- Dexterity: RH Only
Click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the putters in our forum.
Studio Stock 2 ($399)
1/4 Toe Hang, Super Fly-Mill Face
- Weight: 358 grams
- Material: Mild Carbon Steel
- Finish: Olympic Bronze
- Grip: Blue Pure (standard or midsize)
- Headcover: Studio Stock Legend Blue
- Dexterity: RH Only
Studio Stock 16 ($399)
Face Balanced, Super Fly-Mill Face
- Weight: 358 grams
- Material: Mild Carbon Steel
- Finish: Olympic Bronze
- Grip: Blue Pure (standard or midsize)
- Headcover: Studio Stock Legend Blue
- Dexterity: RH Only
Signature Series 9 ($495)
Face Balanced, Super Fly-Mill Face
- Weight: 348 grams
- Material: Double-Aged Stainless Steel (D.A.S.S.)
- Finish: Tour Blast
- Grip: Red Leather Gripmaster (standard or midsize)
- Headcover: Signature Red
- Dexterity: RH Only
Signature Series 10 ($495)
1/4 Toe Hang, Honeycomb Face Milling
- Weight: 348 grams
- Material: Double-Aged Stainless Steel (D.A.S.S.)
- Finish: Tour Blast
- Grip: Red Leather Gripmaster (standard or midsize)
- Headcover: Signature Red
- Dexterity: RH Only
Click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the putters in our forum.
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Whats in the Bag
Steve Stricker WITB 2024 (April)
- Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 7.2 X
3-wood: Titleist 915F (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist 816 H1 (17 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 9.2 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (3, 4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 (46-10F @55), Titleist Vokey SM10 (54-10S @53), Titleist Vokey SM4 (60 @59)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 w/Sensicore
Putter: Odyssey White Hot No. 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Grip Rite
Check out more in-hand photos of Steve Stricker’s clubs here.
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Whats in the Bag
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2024 (April)
- Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 TX
Irons: Ping iCrossover (2), Titleist T100 (4-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 9 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 56-12D, 60-08M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Bettinardi SS16 Dass
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Fitzpatrick’s clubs here.
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Equipment
What’s the perfect mini-driver/shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss
In our forums, our members have been discussing Mini-Drivers and accompanying shafts. WRXer ‘JamesFisher1990’ is about to purchase a BRNR Mini and is torn on what shaft weight to use, and our members have been sharing their thoughts and set ups in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- PARETO: “New BRNR at 13.5. Took it over to TXG (Club Champ but TXG will always rule) in Calgary for a fit. Took the head down to 12, stuck in a Graphite Design AD at 3 wood length and 60g. Presto- numbers that rivaled my G430Max but with waaaaay tighter dispersion. Win.”
- driveandputtmachine: “Still playing a MIni 300. The head was only 208, so I ordered a heavier weight and play it at 3 wood length. I am playing a Ventus Red 70. I play 70 grams in my fairways. I use it mainly to hit draws off the tee. When I combine me, a driver, and trying to hit a draw it does not work out well most of the time. So the MIni is for that. As an aside, I have not hit the newest BRNR, but the previous model wasn’t great off the deck. The 300 Mini is very good off the deck.”
- JAM01: “Ok, just put the BRNR in the bag along side a QI10 max and a QI10 3 wood. A load of top end redundancy. But, I have several holes at my two home courses where the flight and accuracy of the mini driver helps immensely. Mine is stock Proforce 65 at 13.5, I could see a heavier shaft, but to normal flex, as a nice alternative.”
Entire Thread: “What’s the perfect Mini-Driver/Shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”
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FTWPhil
Dec 18, 2014 at 12:34 pm
Haters gonna hat.
Andy
Dec 17, 2014 at 4:31 pm
Putters look amazing, those that are upset are scared Bettinardi is on the up and up. Those new finishes, I mean, how do they get those colors!
T-MAC
Dec 17, 2014 at 2:09 pm
Need a Newport and/or Newport 2 style head with a flow neck Betti!
Love the 3 different milling patterns though.
Preston
Dec 17, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Are these carbon steel or SS? The craftsmanship looks good, but not paying those prices for SS. I don’t even buy new Scottys (thank you ebay)…
John
Dec 17, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Same old crap being relabeled “New”. Overpriced and poorly marketed.
dot dot
Dec 17, 2014 at 12:19 pm
releasing 10 pieces of crap just makes a bigger pile of crap
Bryan
Dec 17, 2014 at 11:44 am
Worst looking putters ever lol
Matt
Dec 17, 2014 at 10:33 am
Ouch! My wallet!
Bubba Watson
Dec 17, 2014 at 10:14 am
Sexy putters. Wish they would help me get the ball home.
Jonny B
Dec 17, 2014 at 10:09 am
LOVE. I like how they explain the different feels of the various milling patterns on the face. Reminds me of what Ping has done with their stroke arc fitting based on hosel length/offset – they are aiming at the variety of golfers out there by creating products for individuals, not mass producing one-for-all like many equipment companies do.
Henry
Dec 17, 2014 at 12:53 am
Why no flow neck or #9 style!!! You’re killing me Betti
Josh
Dec 17, 2014 at 11:54 am
Looks like a funky little flow neck on the Queen Bee #7, but I would bet you’re looking for a blade with a flow neck and more toe hang than 1/4?
TheBrokenTee
Dec 17, 2014 at 12:47 am
Each one of these putters are starting to really grow on m . They looked funky at first but I’m starting to really like how the iNOVAi looks. Might have to grab tha .
other paul
Dec 16, 2014 at 9:14 pm
Is the arm lock in LH?
chad ryan
Dec 16, 2014 at 9:06 pm
Mother of god…..the studio stock will be mine