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Axis 1 pushes its putters as an answer to anchor ban

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The Axis 1 Golf putters may be the stereotypical black sheep with their looks, but that does not mean golfers should not give a second look to them.

Thanks to its perfectly balanced design, Axis 1 says that its putters will help golfers roll more of their putts on line.

Axis 1 putters have the center of gravity in the middle of the club face and aligned to the axis of the shaft. Its patented heel counterweight causes more weight to be on the front of the club.

According to Phil Long, Axis 1 vice president of sales and marketing, Axis 1 putters could be the answer to the looming anchored putter ban. He said the putters offer the same balance and stability as an anchored putter.

Despite the advantages of the putter, most comments in GolfWRX’s forum showcasing the putters from the 2013 PGA Merchandise Show Demo Day tended to dwell on the unorthodox look of the putters.

[youtube id=”j53cmg8o1Gg” width=”620″ height=”360″]

For those golfers who look past the non-traditional look, there are two variations from which to choose. There is the classic-looking blade Eagle putter, which weighs 340 grams. It sells for $299 and comes in three different lengths — 33, 34 or 35 inches.

There is also the slightly heavier, modern-mallet putter, the Umbra. This 350-gram putter also sells for $299 and comes in the same three lengths as the Eagle. Golfers can also get the heavy version of the putter for $349 and is available in either 34- or 35-inch models.

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9 Comments

9 Comments

  1. Jeff

    Mar 4, 2013 at 9:15 am

    If $299 is too rich for you, then wait a bit for the knockoffs to start arriving from china…

  2. Phil Long

    Feb 14, 2013 at 12:39 am

    Hello Steve,

    The answer to your question is EVERY other putter (not only center shafted but heel shafted too) flops wide open at address. Ours does not. This video better explains what I am talking about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7-075NYY14.

    If you have any other questions please contact me at [email protected]

    • Preston Webster

      Apr 15, 2013 at 11:46 am

      I have been playing golf since I was 14….I’m now 64. I am also considered an avid putter collector. I have used Scotty Camerons, Bettinardi’s, Edel, Palombi, Piretti, C&L, Sunset Golf, Odyssey, Lajosi and others. I took a severe gamble on the Axis1 Eagle putter. I watched all the YouTube videos I could find and checked the website. I admit, the design initially looked more than just different. But, after listening and reading about the putter I just had to try it. I have been using this putter religiously for close to a year now. Sure, I get the usual “stares” from onlookers on the practice green and lots of questions. I challenge everyone I meet to putt a few balls with this putter and then putt with their own brand of specialty. The look on their faces spell volumes! They are quickly convinced how the Axis1 Eagle provides immediate “feedback” when the clubhead meets the ball. My putting has improved considerably since using this putter. On putts inside 15 feet, I am as confident of making the putt as I am with a 3 footer! My scores and handicap have both dropped as a result of not missing the “money putts” inside 5 feet. At 64 I still carry an 8 handicap which I am quite proud of. I post every score no matter what course I play or what tee box I play. My handicap is legitimate enough to play courses of varying slope rating and know that I will play pretty close to my handicap. The look on the faces of my playing partners is what I treasure! Due to the “weird” shape of the putter head, when I make a long “bomb”, my partners just say “Snaked Again!” I am such a believer in this putter that I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. Anybody and everybody uses a Cameron or Ping or Odyssey? Just because those companies spend multi-millions on advertising doesn’t mean they are “the best” putters? If one was the best, why wouldn’t all the other putter makers just close up shop? I have been an insurance salesman for 42 years, but I feel like I could sell these putters to anyone! If you are sick and tired of 3 putting with your fancy Cameron or Bettinardi, take a chance like I did. This might be the best money you have ever spent on a golf club! I would love to try the Umbra or the newest model clubhead offered by Axis1. I sincerely feel like this company is a winner and if I ever get a chance to play “against” you, I WILL make a believer out of you!

  3. Saul

    Feb 12, 2013 at 10:08 pm

    This putter will not twist off line no matter how soft of a grip you have. It promotes a tension free feel. The look is disgusting but what gives if the face twists when you make contact. I putt straight back and through with a doubele interlocking grip so it works for me…those who putt on an arc might think it feels weird in their hands.

  4. Tony

    Feb 11, 2013 at 4:40 am

    Was thinking the same thing, do centre shafted putters have a COG at the centre? The shaft will be on the same axis.

    Don’t think you can charge $299 for a putter that looks like that, halve the price and you might start getting people buying.

  5. Steve

    Feb 10, 2013 at 9:04 pm

    So what does this do that a center-shafted putter won’t do?

  6. Troy Vayanos

    Feb 10, 2013 at 8:08 pm

    Yes I would agree the look of the putter seems to be the biggest sticking point. I would feel very uncomfortable over the ball using that.

    The price seems a bit excessive as well.

    Be interested to hear any feedback from anyone that has used one.

  7. Kyle

    Feb 10, 2013 at 11:27 am

    Theres a much better answer. Its called a fore arm putter. its still ok to use one. I been using one for years now. Im the best putter iv ever seen.

  8. Mark H. Davis

    Feb 9, 2013 at 6:00 pm

    This is conforming?

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Whats in the Bag

Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)

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Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX

Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)

Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4

More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.

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Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.

The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?

Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.

When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.

To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.

Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.

“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.

“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”

Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.

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Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird

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With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.

On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.

Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.

See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here

GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?

Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’

So that’s why I went back.

 

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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?

It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.

Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.

It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.

Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.

Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.

So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?

Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.

Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play? 

Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.

There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.

It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.

Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.

And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?

Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’

If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’

My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’

I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”

And you’re going with it this week?

Hundred percent.

Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week. 

Thanks, man.

See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here

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