Equipment
WRX Custom Putter Showcase: Pick the Winner!
You have just stumbled into putter heaven, a land where no one cares about making putts. There’s only one thing that truly matters here: how awesome looking is the club?
We sent out a challenge to some of the industry’s top boutique putter makers and told them to dream big. No rules, just design the coolest custom putter anyone has ever seen before. Easy enough, right?
The Participants
So we’re putting the vote to you, the reader, to decide which company churned out the best design. To help you out, we’ll provide the project name, the designer, the technology and what went into designing each putter. Of course, there are also a ton of of photos.
Make sure to vote — the poll is at the bottom of this page — and leave your thoughts about each putter in the comment section at the end of this story. Enjoy your experience in a land where three-putts don’t matter and looking good reigns supreme.
Machine Golf
Project Name: Delta Proto-1
Custom Designer: David Billings
“You can change the toe hang by up to 15 degrees,” Billings said. “That’s the first time that’s been offered on a putter.”
Tech Info: This putter remains true to its name; it’s a MACHINE. It has all the bells, whistles and gadgets you’d expect from something with such a name. The Delta Proto-1 offers three interchangeable grips (two leather, one aluminum), six weights and two back flanges, which like the head and neck are made from flame-torched Stainless Steel Damascus with a Damascus Titanium logo medallion and has Delta Mod Adjusters that can be stacked to adjust the balance/toe hang.
Wait, did I just say that one of the grips was made from aluminum? Yes, one of the grips, called a Hog, is made from 6061 Aerospace Aluminum Alloy that offers a unique, round grip feel and helps with counterbalancing.
The putter also has a “skeletonized” neck and hosel, which come in the form of spine-like cut outs, and one of the back flanges has “bongo” cuts that look like bongo (or zebra) stripes. The finish on the putter was also produced with a torching process that makes this prototype feel right at home in the jungle.
Do golf courses actually allow this putter near their premises? Just add a “dab of epoxy” and this baby is USGA conforming, Billings says.
Kingston Putters
Project Name: The Chive
Custom Designer: Kyle Sears
“We wanted to showcase that we can do anything to a putter,” Sears said. “Any random logo or saying, we can do.”
Tech Info: The Chive and WRX unite at last. “Keep Calm and Chive On” is The Chive’s calling card, and you’ve undoubtedly seen someone on the street or in a bar with a Chive T-shirt or sweatshirt. Surely there’s some GolfWRXers who are also part of Chive Nation?
And it’s for charity. A certain percentage of profits from each “Keep Calm and Chive On” putter will go to ChiveCharities.
The putter was milled from a solid block of soft carbon steel, but this is different from Kingston’s other designs in that there’s no nickel or satin finish. Sears, the custom designer from Kingston, decided to leave the putter with a raw look, which will produce a nostalgic, patina rust over time. Since it’s raw with no finish, remnants from the milling process are left all over the club head: a crude but flattering look.
This a one-off, but knowing Chive Nation and GolfWRX, the demand will be high.
Byron Golf Design
Project Name: Roll Abides
Custom Designer: Byron Morgan
“I’ve never seen anything that looks like this putter in my life,” Morgan said.
Tech Info: We haven’t either. The Roll Abides was handmade by Byron Morgan himself. For this custom design, he used carbon steel in the back and aluminum in the front to make the back part of the putter two-third’s heavier than the front.
The cut out behind the putters’ face allowed Morgan to eliminate weight near the face, without a see-through cut seen from other putters on the market. He described the club head’s profile as more conventional looking than other oversized mallet putters, with more technology to produce a higher MOI. The weight proportions give the putter maximum forgiveness.
With a “Tight Tuna Mill” on the face, the face-milling has high points that grab the golf ball, which gets the ball rolling quicker on the ground.
Surfing was a large part of Morgan’s childhood, which inspired the look of the custom headcover design. The woman’s silhouette is called, “Sally the Surfer,” who was named after his wife, Sally.
SeeMore Putter Company
Project Name: Tour Limited Private Reserve “Diving Board” Prototype
Custom Designer: Andre Shmoldas, VP of Design
“This putter is something new to the world that no one has ever seen before,” said Jim Grundberg, CEO of the SeeMore Putting Co. “You won’t see it in stock anytime soon. It’s a one-off, a tour limited.”
Tech info: SeeMore recently secured the patent for the “diving board,” as the company calls it. Of course, someone already has the patent for the one that sits near the deep end of your local pool, and both are currently non-USGA conforming.
SeeMore’s putter does conform, however, if you take off the detachable aluminum diving board. When it’s attached, it serves the same purpose as the company’s conforming Rifle Scope Technology (RST), which helps golfers make a perfect, arcing stroke time after time, but makes the technology available for putter designs with traditional offset.
The one-off stainless steel putter was heat-treated and torched to achieve its honey-like finish, and its Argyle face design, which was created using the company’s diamond cut milling process, giving it a Scottish vibe.
There’s only 25 of these putters in existence, and each has a different finish to make every one of them truly one of a kind.
Time to vote
Which putter is your favorite?
- Machine: Delta Proto-1 (50%, 1,274 Votes)
- SeeMore: Diving Board (21%, 523 Votes)
- Byron Morgan: The Roll Abides (15%, 375 Votes)
- Kingston: Keep Calm and Chive On (14%, 370 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,542
Loading ...Note: Each of these putters will be returned to their designers. We would have (really) loved to hold onto them, but it would be wrong to keep them from their rightful owners.
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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.”
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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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It seems like the RBC Heritage is full of new gear to be spotted, and you can add TaylorMade’s P-UDI utility irons to that list.
We spotted a 17-degree P-UDI 2-iron in Nick Dunlap’s bag yesterday, and now have some photos of both the 3- and 4-irons. Nick has his P-UDI 2-iron setup with a Project X HZRDUS Black 4th Gen 105g TX shaft.
From what we can tell, this new P-UDI utility iron looks to have some of the usual TaylorMade technology as we can see the Speed Slot on the sole of the club for additional face flexibility. A toe screw is usually used to close off the hollow body design that will probably be filled with a version of TaylorMade’s Speed Foam that is present in the current iron lineup. This hollow body, foam-filled design should offer additional ball speed, soft feel, and sound, as well as an optimized CG for ball flight.
“Forged” is etched into the hosel, so we can assume that either the face, body, or both are forged for a soft and responsive feel. The club looks good from behind and at address, where we can see just a little offset and a topline that I would consider medium thickness. We don’t have the full details on what is under the hood or how many loft options will be available yet.
TaylorMade P-UDI 3-iron – 20°
TaylorMade P-UDI 4-iron – 22°
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
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- Collin Morikawa what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (4), P7MC (5-6), P730 (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid 115 X100 (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (7-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-SB09, 56-LB08), TaylorMade MG4 TW (60-TW11)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Soto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0
Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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Spotted: Bettinardi irons at the Arnold Palmer Invitational
Collin Morikawa WITB 2024 (April)
Collin Morikawa what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. More photos from the event here. Driver: TaylorMade...
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At the 2022 RBC Heritage Jordan Spieth defeated Patrick Cantlay on the first playoff hole after nearly holing his greenside...
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Jason Day what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees @10) Shaft: TPT...
Ludvig Åberg WITB 2024 (April)
Ludvig Åberg what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)...
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Doug Sevier
Aug 31, 2014 at 11:08 pm
I love the Kingston KCCO putter. Would love to see how it feels, and would definitely bag it!
David Smith
Aug 31, 2014 at 8:35 pm
I feel like I just threw up in my mouth… these are hideous!
Stan
Aug 31, 2014 at 1:37 pm
I’m a huge Morgan fan but the Machine is hands down the winner in my humble opinion. The mod selection is incredible even if it’s not my preferred shape. I drool nightly over their Damascus M9 putter minus the $4000 price tag. If any rich, childless couples are looking to adopt a 38 year old son your prayers have been answered.
John
Aug 30, 2014 at 6:58 pm
None of the above!!!
Mike
Sep 1, 2014 at 10:18 am
I have to agree.
Sean
Aug 29, 2014 at 7:22 pm
The Delta Proto-1 is a really beautiful putter.
j.a.
Aug 29, 2014 at 4:58 pm
No matter than my favourite head style is the Kingston, in this post my attention went immediately to the Machine and the Byron.
The Machine blew me away. That’s an incredible design, truly a custom putter that can be customised at any time. Dave Billings is thinking out of the box with this piece that looks out of this galaxy. It would be super interesting to try it and find out how it performs. Not sure about those stripes though, I’d prefer a simpler finish.
The Byron is elegant, unique an minimalistic up to the extent that it doesn’t say it’s a Byron. I like the idea of using two materials with the heavier at the back as it increases the MOI. I guess that putts come “automatically” with this design.
No one method
Aug 29, 2014 at 12:42 am
Isn’t the contest about being creative? Doing something new that the maker doesn’t normally do?
Byron wins hands down. A completly HAND made all new model with all the modern day bells and whistles in an easy package.
Two nice Anser heads and another pretty steam punked machined machine with a million parts.
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Hi No one method, as I’ve posted below, I hope you can see I didn’t just focus on the head with this entry, although the head does contain brand new technologies nobody had seen when we submitted it, including the alloy morph spacer (allowing you to change the shape and depth of the head), and the Delta Mods in the hosel (allowing you to change the loft, lie and toe hang / face flow). The shaft and grip technologies are also totally new – first seen in public here. I hope you’ll see the creativity and ingenuity in these systems and innovations. I do love the Byron too – it reminds me somewhat of my old HOG 1004 with the architecture being very similar but the lines more square.
Drew
Aug 28, 2014 at 10:14 pm
I am a Scotty Cameron collector and that Machine putter is fantastic. I love it when something with lots of modern features and interchangeable parts comes together so beautifully. I think a lot of people, especially golfers, don’t try newer equipment because it looks odd or too different and with looks and feel being so important in golf it IS something that matters. Great work and that is definitely something I would LOVE to give a roll.
Second place to me goes to the Kingston. I am partial to the more traditional looking putters and even I get burnt out on seeing the same Anser style putters and looks. But when you pull it off this beautifully and make a great statement about the level of craftsmanship, people will notice. GREAT work, love the decision to keep it raw and let the milling shine, its beautiful, why cover it up with a finish? Great work.
The See More is really well done too. It isn’t as striking to me but the removable diving board it cool. I was so glad when I read it was removable. I would definitely give it a roll.
The Byron is the most ambitious and I think it looks pretty cool. It just seems to be slightly off? I thought that maybe a few small changes would make it more appealing. Knowing his craftsmanship I am sure it would roll it beautifully and I love the theme, but a few more touches and changes would be great.
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 12:04 pm
Thanks Drew! Really appreciate it especially coming from a Scotty collector. Just wish he and some of the other makers had joined us in this fun project. Maybe next one!
J.Jimenez
Aug 28, 2014 at 10:03 pm
Let be truly honest here:
If originality is what this contest is about, Byron
If we are looking for the best PING Anser based design, MACHINE .
Winner, Byron
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Thanks J. Respect your vote and opinion. I hope the new technologies in the neck, spacer and grip and shaft do qualify as being original – at least that’s what we tried to accomplish with this entry. I love all the other entries and could have voted for any of them too.
Ed Robertson
Aug 28, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Machine is stunning. WOW! And, after putting with their putters for over a year now, nothing compares in feel and craftsmanship. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Thanks so much Ed! I and the whole team here really appreciate it! (but you knew that!).
Smitty
Aug 28, 2014 at 7:13 pm
Have to ask cuz it stands out to me, is that a steelfiber in the machine??
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 11:58 am
Hi Smitty, yes, good eyes! That’s a Steelfiber proprietary putter flex shaft made for us by Aerotech. With a few modifications at the butt-end done in our in-house machine shop. 🙂
slide13
Aug 28, 2014 at 4:51 pm
That Machine putter is sweet, really nice! I love Byron putters, play with a DH89 and wouldn’t trade it for anything, but the one above is just not my style and not as cool as the Machine. Hard to not vote Byron because I love his work, but with those 4 putters above, the Machine is where it’s at!
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 11:56 am
Thanks Slide13!
Merty Huckle
Aug 28, 2014 at 4:47 pm
I feel like I’ve seen all the putters before except the idea Byron created. We have a Machine that looks like a Machine, and two Ping Ansers.
Something new was the idea, right?
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 11:56 am
Hi Merty, I hope you may have noticed the new Delta Mod Adjusters, the new Alloy Morph Spacer, and the new Delta Adjustable and Interchangeable grip and shaft technologies? All of these are brand new!
Bob Halvorsen
Aug 28, 2014 at 4:41 pm
Their is a putter maker from Melbourne,Australia..Mr. Kari Lajosi..his putters blow all these makers away.
j.a.
Aug 29, 2014 at 4:22 pm
Oh yes! You are so right. Kari Lajosi deserved a spot here.
West
Aug 28, 2014 at 4:18 pm
That dog on the Machine is pretty awesome!
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 11:50 am
Thanks West – that’s our former family dog and mascot Birdie – she shagged balls for me when I was prototyping the very first HOG putter 20 years ago so she had to go into our logo. We engrave her on all heads now made in house in our machine shop here in Plano Texas (we moved from Dallas eight years ago). Birdie is now in doggie Heaven keeping everyone there happy and in stitches. Hopefully we are honoring her memory well.
blink3665
Aug 28, 2014 at 4:06 pm
They are all fantastic putters. My vote goes to the Machine. The finish and look of that thing is gorgeous!
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 11:47 am
Thanks Blink, so glad you like the finish on the Stainless Damascus – I actually used three different techniques – working to make the flanges match the head and hosel, but also tie in the colors from the Aerotech steelfiber shaft and the Aluminum HOG Grip.
Zmangolf
Aug 28, 2014 at 3:51 pm
The Byron is the must see putter here..As usual..Byron is the winner!!!
TR1PTIK
Aug 28, 2014 at 3:46 pm
The Machine Delta Proto-1 is definitely the most impressive of the bunch, but the Kingston and SeeMore putters have a great look as well. I especially like the fact that the “diving board” on the SeeMore is detachable so you have something to practice with, but a nice clean looking putter to game. The Roll Abides mallet putter by Byron just doesn’t do anything for me.
Chad
Aug 28, 2014 at 3:45 pm
That Machine putter is insane.
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 11:44 am
Thanks Chad!
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 11:45 am
Thanks TR1PTIK!
Albert Sewill
Aug 28, 2014 at 3:31 pm
BestGrips Silver Carbon Fiber Pistol Putter Grip with the Machine Delta-1 Proto. What what!
Dave Billings
Aug 29, 2014 at 11:44 am
@Albert Sewill, thanks for the awesome grip! Very proud to show it off with our new Delta interchangeable and adjustable grip and shaft technology!