Equipment
Bettinardi to release 10 new putters for 2015
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.
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.
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.
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
Daniel Berger WITB 2024 (April)
- Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X
6-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC 2011 (4-PW)
Shafts: Project X Denali Blue 105 TX (3), Project X 6.5 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50-12F), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-14F), Callaway Jaws Raw (60-08C)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (50), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (56, 60)
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Mini DB
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy PistolLock 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Daniel Berger’s clubs in the forums.
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Equipment
Heavy Artillery: A look at drivers in play at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans
What are the driver and shaft combinations of the best golfers in the world? For gearheads, it’s an endlessly interesting question — even if we can only ever aspire to play LS heads and 7 TX shafts.
At this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, GolfWRX got in-hand looks at the driver setups of a wealth of players.
Check out some of the most interesting combos below, then head to the GolfWRX forums for the rest, as well as the rest of our galleries from New Orleans.
Rory McIlroy
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alex Fitzpatrick
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Daniel Berger
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees @9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Rasmus Hojgaard
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alejandro Tosti
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
Grip: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
James Nicholas
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (8 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Kevin Streelman
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Sang-moon Bae
Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (9+ @8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Russ Cochran
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke (9 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD TP 6 X
Grip: Golf pride MCC Align
MJ Daffue
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (10.5 degrees @9.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 65 TX
Grip: Golf Pride ZGrip Cord Align
Check our more photos from the Zurich Classic here.
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Whats in the Bag
Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
- Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Prototype (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Utility: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 85 TX
Irons: Callaway Apex Pro (3), Callaway X Forged (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 130
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S, 56-10S, 60-06C)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X
Putter: Odyssey Ai One Milled Eight T DB
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Hojgaard in the forums.
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FTWPhil
Dec 18, 2014 at 12:34 pm
Haters gonna hat.
Andy
Dec 17, 2014 at 4:31 pm
Putters look amazing, those that are upset are scared Bettinardi is on the up and up. Those new finishes, I mean, how do they get those colors!
T-MAC
Dec 17, 2014 at 2:09 pm
Need a Newport and/or Newport 2 style head with a flow neck Betti!
Love the 3 different milling patterns though.
Preston
Dec 17, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Are these carbon steel or SS? The craftsmanship looks good, but not paying those prices for SS. I don’t even buy new Scottys (thank you ebay)…
John
Dec 17, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Same old crap being relabeled “New”. Overpriced and poorly marketed.
dot dot
Dec 17, 2014 at 12:19 pm
releasing 10 pieces of crap just makes a bigger pile of crap
Bryan
Dec 17, 2014 at 11:44 am
Worst looking putters ever lol
Matt
Dec 17, 2014 at 10:33 am
Ouch! My wallet!
Bubba Watson
Dec 17, 2014 at 10:14 am
Sexy putters. Wish they would help me get the ball home.
Jonny B
Dec 17, 2014 at 10:09 am
LOVE. I like how they explain the different feels of the various milling patterns on the face. Reminds me of what Ping has done with their stroke arc fitting based on hosel length/offset – they are aiming at the variety of golfers out there by creating products for individuals, not mass producing one-for-all like many equipment companies do.
Henry
Dec 17, 2014 at 12:53 am
Why no flow neck or #9 style!!! You’re killing me Betti
Josh
Dec 17, 2014 at 11:54 am
Looks like a funky little flow neck on the Queen Bee #7, but I would bet you’re looking for a blade with a flow neck and more toe hang than 1/4?
TheBrokenTee
Dec 17, 2014 at 12:47 am
Each one of these putters are starting to really grow on m . They looked funky at first but I’m starting to really like how the iNOVAi looks. Might have to grab tha .
other paul
Dec 16, 2014 at 9:14 pm
Is the arm lock in LH?
chad ryan
Dec 16, 2014 at 9:06 pm
Mother of god…..the studio stock will be mine