Equipment
Review: SeeMore Giant M1T Putter
Pros: RifleScope alignment system ensures that the putter is aimed at the target. The Giant M1T is larger than most SeeMore putters to improve forgiveness, as well as the effectiveness of its alignment aids.
Cons: The SeeMore method isn’t for everyone. Forward shaft lean at address defeats the putter’s purpose.
Who’s it for: Golfers looking to improve their putting mechanics, as well as fans of oversized-blade style putters who are a fit for the SeeMore system.
Overview
SeeMore is a putter company known for its original FGP model, used for nearly a decade by two-time major champion Zach Johnson (’15 British Open, ’07 Masters). That Johnson has stayed with the same putter for 10 years says a great deal about his confidence in the company’s technology.
SeeMore offers a diverse line of putters, however, with the vast majority being center-shafted. Some heads are traditional in size, while others are much larger. Mallets, anser-shape, blade and barrel are some of the looks available. SeeMore offers seven different grades of putter, ranging in price from $150 to $495.
This review begins with an understanding of the unique SeeMore system, called RifleScope Technology, or RST for short. After clarification, we examine my session on the SAM putting system, followed by a series of rounds of golf, specific to the Giant M1T putter.
SeeMore’s Giant putters, which are shown in the photo above and detailed in more depth here, respond to the need for greater forgiveness by increasing moment of a inertia (MOI), through widely-spread weights on the perimeters of the expanded club heads.
Our setup to testing began with a study of RST. Each SeeMore blade has an identical, top-of-the-heel design of two white lines around a red oval or elipse. The bottom portion of each SeeMore shaft is colored black, making the two white lines stand out clearly against this darkness. For the face angle to be properly aligned, the white lines must be completely visible and the red dot, completely obscured. SeeMore offers a 30-second video on how to properly achieve this alignment.
The Review
The putter I reviewed was the Giant M1T, introduced in January of 2016 at the PGA Show in Orlando. The club weighs in at 355 grams and is available in lengths from 30 to 39 inches (with standard and counter balanced options available). Standard loft is 2.5 degrees, with a toe-to-heel length of 5.3 inches. The putter face is 1.2 inches deep, with an extra 0.4 inches of depth on the flange. The head is milled aluminum with copper weights, and is face-balanced at impact. The added copper weighting, not found in the smaller SeeMore heads, increase the MOI of the putter and, as you’ll read, make a difference in a certain golfer’s putting performance.
The M1T putter retails for $295, placing it in the middle of the cost spectrum of SeeMore putters. In shape and styling, it looks more like a traditional anser-style putter than any of the company’s other Giant putters.
The Giant M1T was pitted against a TaylorMade Rossa mallet putter that had been in the bag for the better part of a decade. What I liked most about the Rossa was the combination of shaft angle and putter insert. The angle felt comfortably flattish to me (I’m 5-feet 9-inches tall), and the face insert always gave a sensation of soft contact. The Giant M1T offered the same two attributes, albeit without a face insert. So from ground zero, the putters were tied.
Impact with the TaylorMade Rossa
In the data I collected on SAM PuttLab, which analyses the way a golfer moves his or her putter, the years of squaring the Rossa led to a 0.1-degree closure (almost square) versus a 1.4-degree open alignment at address with the SeeMore. This differential could be attributed to the massive 2-degree open first set-up, but certainly, my aim was better with the Rossa. By the time we got to impact, however, things had changed.
Impact with the SeeMore Giant M1T
With the SeeMore, my average face angle at impact was 0.7 degrees open, a movement of 0.7 degrees in the proper direction. With the Rossa, my average impact face angle was 1.3-degrees closed, a 1.2-degree variance. I’m not a putting expert, but for my game the half-degree improvement is substantial. More importantly, the closer to square (0 degrees), the better. At this point, my performance with the SeeMore begins to stretch ahead of the Rossa.
One final set of numbers convinced me of the value of trying one putter over the other. An examination of the variables of face rotation revealed that the Rossa putter was, on average:
- 1.2-degrees open 10 centimeters prior to strike
- 1.3-degrees closed at impact
- 8.1 degrees closed 10 centimeters after the hit, on average.
Face Rotation with the Rossa
The consistency of my rotation weighed in at 72 percent. I passed that class, but with a grade of C. In contrast, the Giant M1T offered this set of numbers:
- 2.6 degrees open at 10 centimeters prior
- 0.7 degrees open at impact
- 6.2 degrees closed at 10 centimeters post-strike.
Face Rotation with the SeeMore Giant M1T
Consistency of rotation jumped up to 90 percent, all the way to an A- grade. In the final analysis, SAM gave my putts with the TaylorMade a 68.8 percent overall rating, versus a 75.9 percent for the SeeMore.
The Takeaway
The SeeMore Giant M1T replaced the Rossa in my bag for a 3-week journey through the states of the Southeastern U.S. Taking the putter to the course is critical in my estimation, as a laboratory setting is consistent, without distractions and offers a view of how a putter should perform. I wanted to know how the Giant M1T would perform on actual greens and diverse grasses.
I golfed in the Pinehurst, Charlotte, Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Tampa areas during that stretch, and hit the ball well from tee to green. Those rounds took place after my SAM fitting, and add the intangible to the scientific. I often found myself a good distance (over 40 feet) from the hole, but was able to approach the cup remarkably well with the new putter. Although I don’t have precise statistics on three-putt greens, I do know that my number of three-whacks was minimal.
Also important was the number of putts that I holed in the intermediate (15-35 feet) range. I’ve always been a distance-over-direction guy, so getting the ball within 18 inches of the cup on the first putt trumps being spot on with my aim. The consistency of rotation of the SeeMore putter bore fruit, and more mid-length putts tumbled into the cup for an unexpected birdie or par save.
As for the short putts, the ones from 15 feet and in? Those also benefited from less face rotation. I was more consistently on the mark when confronted by a putt that I presumed I could make, unlike the aforementioned putt ranges, where close-enough was good enough.
The end result is this: The Giant M1T will remain in my bag through this year’s competitive season. Having just turned 50, I’ll try my hand at some of our local and regional senior events. What I will need is 100 percent confidence in my putter to save me from errant shots and capitalize on accurate ones. I expect the Giant M1T to offer these opportunities. My review is a positive one for this putter. If you’ve tried SeeMore putters in the past, with mixed results, give the company another look with their Giant series. Your perfect flat stick might be among the offerings.
Special thanks to Kevin and Donna at Woods To Wedges Buffalo for their expertise in running the SAM device for this review.
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Whats in the Bag
Martin Trainer WITB 2024 (March)
- Martin Trainer what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Wilson Staff Staff Model (6.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li Blue 70 TX
3-wood: Wilson Staff WLabs Prototype (13 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 80 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Staff Model (2, 4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Wilson Staff Staff Model (52, 56, 60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Bobby Grace Greg Chalmers Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Equipment
Putter roundup from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
It seems like we spot some really amazing putters each week out on the PGA Tour, and in that vein, the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open didn’t disappoint. We spotted some new and really great flatsticks out on the practice green and in a few players’ bags. Here’s a sampling of the putters that caught our eye this week in Houston.
Kevin Dougherty’s Scotty Cameron Timeless
This might be one of the most classy Scotty Cameron gamer putters on tour at the moment. It looks like a Timeless head as the cavity has the “ears” in the upper corners and the bumpers look to be a touch larger. The head has a flat black finish to it and just a simple site dot on the topline. The back flange is naked, but we do get two Circle T stamps in the cavity where the name “Tristyn” is stamped. A shallow face milling is present, along with a small Circle T logo over on the heel. The sole is pretty clean with just the Circle T, Scotty Dog, and the 350g stamps on it.
Ping PLD Anser
OK, so this might actually be the cleanest putter on this list! An antique finish that looks to be a bit more bronze in color than usual adorns this putter. A traditional L-neck is in place and the topline is clean with just a simple alignment line on the flange. The back cavity features Ping’s PLD logo in matching white paint and the sole of the putter is completely blank; we don’t even see the model name on this one. The face looks to have a very shallow milling pattern as well that should offer a slightly firmer feel and louder sound at impact.
Tom Hoge’s Custom Scotty Cameron Phantom T-11
Scotty Cameron’s Phantom 11 is probably the most advanced putter they have ever created with a head made from 303 stainless steel and 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum. Tom wanted a little different look and feel for his and opted for an L-neck hosel to be welded on. The L-neck, or plumbers neck, will create additional toe hang compared to the traditional bent shaft in the Phantom 11. Hoge’s T-11 was given a deeper milling on the face that should offer a little softer feel and more quiet sound at impact.
Piretti Tesora 2 CU
Piretti had a good amount of putters on the green, but this Tesora 2 CU stood out as a real stunner. The head shape takes cues from the iconic Anser 2 and Newport 2 with a squared-off shape and sharper corners on the bumpers and shoulders. The head is milled from 303 stainless steel, and then Piretti installs a soft copper insert for additional feel. A single site line, paint filled in black, is milled onto the flange and the cavity contains Piretti’s lion logo and four bolts to hold the copper insert in place. The sole contains twin adjustable weights to let the player dial in the perfect feel and balance.
Bettinardi Proto D.A.S.S. Hexperimental
Bettinardi is showing us that heel-shafted putters aren’t just a thing of the past with this Hexperimental prototype. Heel-shafted putters like this usually have full toe hang and a unique feel through the putting stroke. Bettinardi milled this out of their double-aged stainless steel (D.A.S.S.) that is annealed twice to ensure it has a very soft and responsive feel. The topline is straight and on the thicker side with a single site dot for alignment. A round back of the putter slopes gently from the face back and has a slight concave shape to it.
Scotty Cameron Circle T T-11 “Long”
The second Scotty T-11 on this list, this one is built a little different as well. I am calling this a “Long” because it looks like a counterbalanced build, and those are usually a little longer in length to get some weight up into the hands for stability. A standard T-11 head with the traditional single bend shaft should offer a face-balanced, or close to it, feel through the stroke. A deeper milling, and a red Circle T logo, are applied to the face for a softer feel and more muted sound. On the sole we can see that two heavy 30-gram weights have been installed to compensate for the longer build and heavier grip. This T-11 is also shafted up with UST Mamiya’s All-In multi-material shaft and finished with a long Super Stroke grip.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Open
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (3/27/24): Miura TC-201 irons
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 set of Miura TC-201 irons
From the seller: (@Vinny Nguyen): “Miura TC 201 5-PW w/ Modus 105X Black shafts. Half inch short of standard, 2 flat, standard loft. $825.“
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Miura TC-201 irons
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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Ronald Montesano
May 10, 2016 at 12:28 pm
John Rogers from Facebook,
I believe that Lexi is using a twig from Cure Putters.
Ronald Montesano
May 10, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Keith Olson from Facebook,
I did not anticipate an oversized putter, but found that this one is, as you say, quite nice.
Ronald Montesano
May 10, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Ben Lewin from Facebook,
The putter came as-is to me. 34 inches long and standard SeeMore grip. I did not like the grip and replaced it with a SuperStroke grip (can’t give you specs, as putter is not with me.)
chris m
May 9, 2016 at 5:57 pm
did I miss something? I didn’t know zach won the “2016 Open”…in fact, I don’t know if anyone won it, yet.
Andrew Prezioso
May 10, 2016 at 11:10 am
Thanks for catching that, chris m. We updated the post
Ronald Montesano
May 10, 2016 at 12:23 pm
There I go, playing the role of sooth-sayer again. Thanks, chris m.
Double Mocha Man
May 8, 2016 at 9:23 pm
I have one of the original See More FGP putters I picked up for a few bucks on eBay. It swings beautifully and has a nice soft feel but using my dominant right eye (right hander) it looks like I’ve leaned the putter backward at address. No black bottom of the shaft on mine… but I still have no problem covering the red dot with the shaft.
Ronald Montesano
May 10, 2016 at 12:24 pm
I think that we have a tendency to deloft our putters, given that many of them have 3-4 degrees of loft. How many degrees of loft does that FGP of yours have, Double Mocha Man?
Double Mocha Man
May 10, 2016 at 3:49 pm
69
Double Mocha Man
May 10, 2016 at 5:12 pm
Whoever posted “69” I am not sure how you hijacked my username but that was a very childish response.
Ron, not sure of the loft, minimal, I am sure.
Ronald Montesano
May 10, 2016 at 9:55 pm
I actually like the idea of having my left (forward) wrist a bit notched, as opposed to straight. I’ve been forward-pressing for so long that the notion of true loft is refreshing.
O
May 8, 2016 at 10:55 am
You can’t go back on the million negative and small-minded comments you already put up Mary, but you wouldn’t understand that since somebody locked you up and threw away the key at the mad house a long time ago
10-8 Smizzle
May 8, 2016 at 1:29 pm
I’ve never been negative. I’ve been honest.
I don’t always post on golfwrx…
But when I do it’s truthful
Ronald Montesano
May 8, 2016 at 7:33 pm
We appreciate any posts written with thought and intent. Our perspectives are incomplete and your insights allow us to fill out each complex issue.
Ronald Montesano
May 8, 2016 at 7:34 pm
Feel like the train left the station before I arrived on this one…
Ronald Montesano
May 7, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Totally trolling for reactions, y’all. You can pick more than one “Reaction” up above.
Ronald Montesano
May 7, 2016 at 3:31 pm
Part of the business, friend, part of the business.
O
May 8, 2016 at 10:53 am
No he doesn’t, Mary, because you just irritated and insulted the man. Now apologize, you little girl
10-8 Smizzle
May 8, 2016 at 1:26 pm
See what I got to put up with Ron….
Text book self loather and takes it out on me
Ronald Montesano
May 8, 2016 at 7:35 pm
Certainly would prefer to know what you think about SeeMore, the review and the putter, O. Any thoughts?