Equipment

Bettinardi to release 10 new putters for 2015

Published

9 years ago

Dec 16, 2014

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.

Bettinardi’s iNOVAi putter has an aluminum body (260 grams) and a stainless steel weight (128 grams) that increases its MOI. Each piece is 100 percent milled.

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.

A Bettinardi Queen B Model 6 putter with the company’s Savannah Blue PVD finish.

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.

A Bettinardi Studio Stock 2 putter with the company’s Olympic Bronze finish.

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

Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB: 2024 Masters

Published

8 hours ago

Apr 14, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees @8.25) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (45 inches)

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X

Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (3, 4) Buy here, TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW) Buy here.
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Hybrid Prototype 10 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F) Buy here, Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X Buy here.
Grip: Golf Pride Pro Only Cord

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Buy here.

Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.

The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.

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Whats in the Bag

WITB Time Machine: Danny Willett’s winning WITB, 2016 Masters

Published

3 days ago

Apr 12, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Callaway XR 16 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 60 X
Length: 45.5 inches

3-wood: Callaway XR 16 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 70X

5-wood: Callaway XR 16 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 80X

Irons: Callaway Apex UT (2, 4), Callaway Apex Pro (5-9)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Superlite

Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (47-11 S-Grind) Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind (54-11, 58-9)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Superlite

Putter: Odyssey Versa #1 Wide (WBW)
Lie angle: 71 degrees

Ball: Callaway Speed Regime SR-3

Check out more photos of Willett’s equipment from 2016 here.

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Equipment

Project X Denali Blue, Black shaft Review – Club Junkie Review

Published

3 days ago

Apr 12, 2024

Brian Knudson

Originally, Project X was known for low-spin steel iron shafts. However, the company might now be known for wood shafts. Denali is the newest line of graphite shafts from Project X. With the Denali line, the company focuses on feel as well as performance.

There are two profiles in the Denali line, Blue and Black, to fit different launch windows. Denali Blue is the mid-launch and mid-spin profile for players who are looking for a little added launch and Denali Black is designed for low-launch and low-spin. Both models are going to offer you a smooth feel and accuracy.

For a full in-depth review check out the Club Junkie podcast on all podcast streaming platforms and on YouTube.

Project X Denali Blue

I typically fit better into mid-launch shafts, as I don’t hit a very high ball so the Denali Blue was the model I was more excited to try. Out of the box, the shaft looks great and from a distance, it is almost hard to tell the dark blue from the Denali Black. With a logo down install of the shaft, you don’t have anything to distract your eyes, just a clean look with the transition from the white and silver handle section to the dark navy mid and tip.

Out on the course, the Blue offers a very smooth feel that gives you a good kick at impact. The shaft loads easily and you can feel the slightly softer handle section compared to the HZRDUS lineup. This gives the shaft a really good feel of it loading on the transition to the downswing, and as your hands get to impact, the Denali Blue keeps going for a nice, strong kick.

Denali Blue is easy to square up at impact and even turn over to hit it straight or just little draws and most of the flex of the shaft feels like it happens right around where the paint changes from silver to blue. The Blue launches easily and produces what I consider a true mid-flight with the driver. While it is listed as mid-spin, I never noticed any type of rise in my drives. Drives that I didn’t hit perfectly were met with good stability and a ball that stayed online well.

Project X Denali Black

When you hold the Denali Black in your hands you can tell it is a more stout shaft compared to its Blue sibling by just trying to bend it. While the handle feels close to the Blue in terms of stiffness, you can tell the tip is much stiffer when you swing it.

Denali Black definitely takes a little more power to load it but the shaft is still smooth and doesn’t give you any harsh vibrations. Where the Blue kicks hard at impact, the Black holds on a little and feels like keeps you in control even on swings that you try and put a little extra effort into. The stiff tip section also makes it a little harder to square up at impact and for some players could take away a little of the draw from their shot.

Launch is lower and more penetrating compared to the Blue and produces a boring, flat trajectory. Shots into the wind don’t rise or spin up, proving that the spin stays down. Like its mid-launch sibling, the Black is very stable and mishits and keeps the ball on a straighter line. Shots low off the face don’t get very high up in the air, but the low spin properties get the ball out there farther than you would expect. For being such a stout shaft, the feel is very good, and the Denali Black does keep harsh vibrations from your hands.

Overall the Project X Denali Blue and Black are great additions to the line of popular wood shafts. If you are looking for good feel and solid performance the Denali line is worth trying out with your swing. Choose Blue for mid-launch and mid-spin or Black for lower launch and low spin.

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