Equipment
Spotted: Bettinardi prototype putters
Updated: June 10, 10:20 a.m.
We spotted new Bettinardi prototype putters on Tuesday at the 2015 FedEx St. Jude Classic, which were built based on feedback from PGA Tour players.
The BB Zero model prototypes use milled, mild carbon steel for a softer feel than the standard DASS Tour offering, according to a Bettinardi representative.
The Innovai 2.0 prototypes use a high-MOI, winged-style head shape that Tour players have been asking for. It’s a bi-metal design, made from both 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum and double-aged stainless steel — a combination said to provide proper weight distribution and to enhance acoustics.
Check out the photos below, and join the discussion about the prototypes in our forums.
BB Zero Tour
Golden Torch finish
Black Chrome finish
BB Zero prototype
Innovai 2.0 prototypes
See more photos and join the discussion about the Bettinardi prototypes in our forums.
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.
From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.
Specs/ Additional Details
-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)
-Original Anser Design
-PING PP58 Grip
-Putter is built to standard specs.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.
The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.
On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.
Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.
At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.
“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.
Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.
“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.
“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.”
In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.
On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.
“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.”
See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here.
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Equipment
Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage
Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.
It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.
When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”
“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”
View this post on Instagram
According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.
Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:
“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.
“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.
“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.
“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.
“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”
So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.
His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.
See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here
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Eric Johnson
Nov 7, 2015 at 11:40 pm
Did anyone read the text above the pics?!!?!?!? The description of the innovai makes it clear that they clearly state that the entire point of the putter is to create a putter that “copies” a style of putter to please their tour players looking for a Bettinardi with a wing-style head shape? Also, checking a dictionary makes it pretty clear that when using the word prototype it doesn’t mean that you’re claiming that you invented something – instead a prototype is an early version of a product that you’re considering manufacturing. Kinda like Toyota has prototypes – it sure doesn’t mean they invented the car. It has nothing to with a claim on the “design.”
Jeff*
Jun 22, 2015 at 9:32 pm
Bettenardi going to call it a WGW Versa #7 too? I mean I know they all copied the Ping guy, but come on, Odyssey will totally win the lawsuit.
TT X
Jun 20, 2015 at 6:19 pm
If a putter being machined=fewer putts I’m fairly sure every golfer playing for a living would be using one. There is nothing wrong with machining, it is a more costly process but that has nothing to do with it being a better performing club. I appreciate the putter creators that really make an effort to design something unique. Unfortunately the tour players are paid so much to go through the Darrell Survey with a particular companies putter it doesn’t allow much opportunity for the smaller designer who really is trying to do something original to get any exposure.
Brendon
Jun 19, 2015 at 6:51 am
I bought the Odyssey 7,not interested in copies
Steve
Jun 13, 2015 at 9:51 am
The rating system is askewed on this site. 102 likes, 65 shanks rates the heart icon? 61% shouldnt be rated love, maybe legit. In my book 61% is a fail
Statute
Jun 12, 2015 at 4:24 am
What’s the statute of limitation on Copyrights? How it been that long for the #7 Odyssey style to have lost its copyright on the design?
Dan
Jun 11, 2015 at 1:31 pm
A lot of comments on not being original – that is fair, but every putter company has an anser style putter – it is simply demanded by the market, so I do not understand the criticism in that ‘anser’ regard. What would a putter company be without some anser style head shapes 🙂
Milan
Jun 10, 2015 at 6:07 pm
while I can see most pov that these are imitation designs imo that is where the similarity ends. Improved craftsmanship and innovative engineering are what makes these unique and utterly magnificent putting devices. Riddle me this: would you rather have a hand made forge Samurai sword or a machine made, stamped one? Even if they looked identical?
Rando
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:42 pm
Bettinardi putters are hardly hand made. They are very much machine made. They make a design on a computer screen, then feed it into a computerized cnc mill, then press a button and watch hundreds of identical putters pop out.
Cnc milling is the opposite of hand craftsmanship. It’s about uniformity and machine precision. The only thing a company like bettinardi can offer is design. This is just a cop out. Odyssey can and does make milled putters. They can make a milled version of this putter too and it will be no different from bettinardi’s version.
Dan
Jun 11, 2015 at 1:05 pm
“press a button and watch hundreds of identical putters pop out”.
This is anything but the truth with CNC milling. Just because the machine has numeric control does not mean you can simply press a button and it cuts out an entire putter miraculously and efficiently. It takes experience, you could have access to Bettinardi’s shop and software and press all the buttons you want and hundreds of putters will not come out with no human effort. I would guess the amount of time a human was interacting with each putter exceeds the amount of time the machine took to cut it.
Ultimately, CNC milling does not mean there is no hand craftsmanship is all I am saying. I make putters myself; I wish so badly it was as easy as you say!
Joe
Jun 11, 2015 at 1:58 pm
Actually it’s exactly the truth. CNC milling is pushing a button and the machine Mills the shape beneath a plexiglass shroud.
You can say that there is human interaction in everything – even modern automotive robot assembly line. But alas the cars do just pop out. There is no “samurai sword” ancient craftsman hocus locus in these new Betti putters. They are CAD designed and CNC milled. Done. Next. And I’ll take the Odyssey #7. Bettinardi painful looks like heck.
Milan
Jun 13, 2015 at 4:09 am
i appreciate everyone’s opinion and commentary here! To clarify, my sword analogy was a directional one, and not an actual comparison of hand made to machine made. I have worked in a machine shop for many years when I was young ( my father owned a CNC milling and lathe shop for 30 years) so I have a bit of insight of what it takes to produce this level of putter. It’s hardly push button! The putter face finishes on Bettinardis is simply miraculous. This is not easy to do just because it involves some cutting tools. And what about the deburring? The polishing? We always did that by hand in the shop and on much more simple products than a putter. I will close by stating that I love Bettinardi’s. To my eye they are beautiful and the feel is sublime. The roll mine produces is awe inspiring. The other putters or “original designs” are really great putters too. I’m sure they are. I hope everyone enjoys their putter as much as I enjoy mine!
john
Jun 14, 2015 at 7:25 pm
Well you obviously work for Bettinardi, what on earth were you guys thinking?
I actually think your #7 knock off looks fantastic, but it’s just that – a knock off. There is no ‘standard’ design that you’ve made better quality using better materials n all that, it’s a copyrighted Odyssey design. This isn’t like saying we’ve made “a car” but it’s made better – because BMW and Hyundai don’t produce exactly the same design – they’re both cars, and ones more expensive using more expensive materials, but they didn’t rip off the cheaper ones design.
It’s truly an embarrassment that your team couldn’t shave off a TINY BIT of the back part of the putter to make it SLIGHTLY different, company killing design right there.
mike tartaglia
Jun 10, 2015 at 4:23 pm
Amazing that all these putters are basically clones of the old Ping models. Use some different metals, graphics, etc. and triple the price !! I guess they feel most golfers have the money and will spend on new, flashy looking equipment. An old Ping off of E-Bay for $40 dollars will work as well as any of these flashy new productions that are ten times as much money
Beauts
Jun 10, 2015 at 3:32 pm
I just have to laugh at anybody that screams anser copy these days.
Jimmy
Jun 10, 2015 at 3:05 pm
Time to upgrade.
Ken
Jun 10, 2015 at 2:44 pm
Ho hum.
birdeez
Jun 10, 2015 at 2:33 pm
looks like the plan is to copy the design from top putters, mill the putter, and double the price.
michael
Jun 10, 2015 at 2:31 pm
What’s next a new prototype driver, steel shaft wooden head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Golfraven
Jun 10, 2015 at 2:05 pm
What can I add what has not been said already? If your money is burning a hole in your wallet, go and by a #7 clone from Bettinardi. Those look very sleak but likely come with a nice price tag. I can wait couple of years and then buy one of ebay.
Bill
Jun 10, 2015 at 1:54 pm
The best putter on the market is the Directed Force putter, lie angle balanced…
Rando
Jun 10, 2015 at 1:46 pm
Ping’s anser patent (if they had one) expired decades ago.
The odyssey clone here is absurd. They even copied the white/black thing.
I have no respect for this whatsoever. They should be ashamed. How hard is it to come up with an original putter design? I hope callaway/odyssey sues and embarasses them.
Mo
Jun 10, 2015 at 12:03 pm
they copy a 60 year old ping anser and it’s a prototype! Sorry guys, this is absurd.
Jack
Jun 10, 2015 at 7:56 am
Yawn…
Jim
Jun 10, 2015 at 7:55 am
How do all these companies get away with copying another companies putters? One looks like a Ping Anser the other like an Odyssey #7. How many companies make Anser clones anyway? Don’t understand how these specialized companies exist when you can go to any golf store and buy a Ping instead. That said, both putters are really nice looking.
Taylor
Jun 9, 2015 at 10:56 pm
At least when scotty copies designs they put their own flip on it. If you were to look down on the tank version of bettinardi without seeing the bottom, you would think it’s an odyssey.
Rodgers
Jun 10, 2015 at 1:13 pm
Yes Scotty’s own “flip” is charging $400
Bill
Jun 10, 2015 at 1:35 pm
What “flip” does Scotty put on in? The three red dots in the cavity?
Taylor
Jun 14, 2015 at 11:33 pm
At least when you look down on it you know its a scotty. They use different angles and shapes even if they are ripping of another companies design. I use a Ping putter that was $80, so I don’t really care what these do. Just making an observation.
Andy W
Jun 9, 2015 at 6:16 pm
The blade looks like Ping Anser clone, the other like a lethal weapon… Something innovative is a blade that doubles as a “surveying instrument putter.” Use that search in ebay..
snowman
Jun 9, 2015 at 6:02 pm
Yep, real innovational right…..Ping Anser (also copied by every other OEM on the planet) and Odyssey #7. ridiculous.
gorden
Jun 9, 2015 at 8:30 pm
I agree, just get in touch with the Chinese metal shop that makes them, color them a little different and shave a few grams off here and there and put what ever name you want on it…there must be about 20 stranded putter head dies that everyone uses. With that idea why would you pay over $300 for a putter that cost just under $25 to make (with the best grip and shaft)???
Fred
Jun 9, 2015 at 10:10 pm
bettinardi’s are made in the USA, brah.
gorden
Jun 10, 2015 at 12:36 am
Yes, I do have one, but it does look a lot like many of the ones made in china or Taiwan.
Matthew H.
Jun 10, 2015 at 11:28 am
And I can say I’ve used a putter that has been cast. CNC Milled only.
Brandon
Jun 9, 2015 at 5:38 pm
BB Zero Prototype sure is a nice Anser
Clowone
Jun 9, 2015 at 5:36 pm
Innovai Odyssey #7 anyone? Isnt this just a lawsuit waiting to happen?
Bill
Jun 10, 2015 at 1:38 pm
There must be some way they get around infringing on the original designs. Every mfg has an Anser clone
tim
Jun 11, 2015 at 11:35 am
Yeah, that is amazing re: the Odyssey 7. I have never seen such a blatant ripoff of a “unique” design like that. The Spider Si was very close, but looked different enough that it didn’t look like the exact same design.