Equipment

This French company is selling an $1,100 putter

Published

10 years ago

Apr 14, 2016

Move over Scotty Cameron and your $379 retail offerings… French luxury putter manufacturer, ValGrine, is introducing the $1,100 Caesar mallet.

What’s so special about this flatstick? In passing along key product details, ValGrine emphasized the putter’s alignment lines, which allow a golfer to position the ball centrally with his or her eyes positioned directly over the two lines, claiming such a setup “generates stability” and “manages the kinetics of the swing.”

The company also emphasized the Caesar’s insert, which is backed by a hollow cavity for a precisely honed sound at impact and feel. ValGrine indicates the insert cavity creates a “subwoofer” effect, amplifying the sound at impact so a player knows exactly how a putt was struck.

Yet none of this would seem to justify a price point in excess of $1,000.

Moving onto the Caesar’s specs

71-degree lie
Grip: Neoprene, silver cotton stitching
Putter head: Aluminum 2024
Micro-pearled finish
Polished finish on bottom, sides
270 grams
3.5 degrees of loft
Aluminum 2017 insert, cross-engraved
Red/black/pink

And what of this $1,000-putter producing ValGrine golf? As best we can determine from the company website, the ValGrine line, which includes at least five other similarly priced putters, seems to be the brainchild of a Gregory Morea, a “mechanical engineer” with “a passion for golf” and “beautiful objects.”

Apparently dissatisfied with market offerings, Moreau sought to “mix the utilitarian with the pleasant, and marry elegance with performance.” And the resultant putters are the “answer for golfers looking for refinement, comfort and novelty.”

With inspiration and technology from the aeronautics and marine industries, Formula 1 racing and watchmaking, the company’s putters are presented as “hand-made in France … chiseled like real aerodynamic sculptures.”

“It takes 1,000 operations and 18 to 22 trades to make a single putter, which takes two to three months of work. Each manipulation is thoughtful, precise and controlled, to provide putters of indisputable quality,” the ValGrine website states.

If you’re wondering why the ultra-premium price point, then, it seems the answer has mostly to do with labor costs (“two to three months of work”).

So, what do you think? Compelled to drop more than a grand on the Caesar?

Related Topics:putters

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

26 Comments

Gaby

Apr 27, 2016 at 8:59 am

Come on. Try the club first.
I came from France, I love golf and I’ve got a ValGrine blade model since february. Maybe you hate french people but seriously these putters are worth it !!! I’m a big putting fan, I’ve almost 10 putters at home and yet I’ve never seen that before. It significantly improve performance, technologies are smart, the sweetspot is huge and feeling is amazing. I’m pretty impressed by what french people have done in this company, so I couldn’t allow you to say this without reply. Believe me they’re not putters’ specialists for nothing… Anyway, to each his own!

Reply Report comment
chris

Apr 20, 2016 at 11:12 am

i’ve seen this before……

Reply Report comment
8thehardway

Apr 16, 2016 at 6:08 am

Well Supersize my Freedom Fries and call me exceptional, but they’d have been better off moving to central Africa and creating a line of Cameroon putters.
Let’s be franc, it takes two months to build a Rolls Royce Phantom but they need 3 months to stick a hunk of metal on the end of a shaft? That’s some fishy vichyssoise right there. I hear next year’s line of ANGST putters is demo’ing well with focus groups; that figures ’cause these guys are just out to focus.

Who puts the GRIN in ValGrine putters? Whoever buys one.

Reply Report comment
Large chris

Apr 15, 2016 at 8:23 am

1000 operations… Hahaha
I tried that sort of line with a customer once and it didn’t fly.

Reply Report comment
:-p

Apr 15, 2016 at 3:09 am

The French are so weird. Why do they want to play golf anyway? It doesn’t suit their personality

Reply Report comment
- Ezra
  
  Apr 16, 2016 at 7:12 am
  
  Yeah Yeah strangers in general are so weird… Why we Americans should even care of what’s happening outside the US? Our country is obviously the Alpha and Omega of everything 😉
  
  Reply Report comment
  - :-ppp
    
    Apr 17, 2016 at 3:50 am
    
    No, truly, the French are weird and should not be playing golf.
    
    Reply Report comment
D Louis

Apr 14, 2016 at 2:03 pm

If you search, they actually have putters between 13,350 and 30,350 euros…crazy stuff

Reply Report comment
Scooter McGavin

Apr 14, 2016 at 1:24 pm

All of the 65 year-old, pudgy, Asian businessmen will be thrilled. And they’ll try to haggle and buy it for $600 and pay with an envelope of twenties.

Reply Report comment
- Jamie
  
  Apr 17, 2016 at 5:19 pm
  
  Racist stereotypical comments are not needed.
  
  Reply Report comment
Mark

Apr 14, 2016 at 12:56 pm

Looks like it should be on sale in Walmart. The standard of workmanship looks awful.

Reply Report comment
eva

Apr 14, 2016 at 12:48 pm

If I’m going to spend over $1000 for a putter I rather have one of those gold Majesty putters. $1000+ putters are nothing new, lots of them in Korea and Japan.

Reply Report comment
Philip

Apr 14, 2016 at 12:21 pm

What? No jewels, gold or platinum? Maybe I can get the company to invest in my idea to build a golf course on Venus – after the planet is terraformed, of course.

Reply Report comment
Nolanski

Apr 14, 2016 at 12:18 pm

Just bought one and I got the shaft pured…

Just kidding. Smiley face.

Reply Report comment
B Hock

Apr 14, 2016 at 12:12 pm

The title is misleading….because I doubt they have actually sold any! 😛

Reply Report comment
Fug

Apr 14, 2016 at 11:35 am

Please make it uglier. Thank you.

Reply Report comment
steve

Apr 14, 2016 at 10:55 am

For his sake I hope they are made to order. Other wise he will be stuck with a lot of inventory. This has zero chance of succeeding.

Reply Report comment
Richard

Apr 14, 2016 at 10:54 am

I wouldn’t pay $10 for that out of a bargain bin.

Reply Report comment
AllBOdoesisgolf

Apr 14, 2016 at 10:53 am

Could be $5 and I wouldn’t buy it or anything French for that matter.

Reply Report comment
- Ezra
  
  Apr 14, 2016 at 12:05 pm
  
  May we know why?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - slider
    
    Apr 14, 2016 at 12:57 pm
    
    soft
    
    Reply Report comment
- Tim
  
  Apr 16, 2016 at 10:36 pm
  
  French fries?
  
  Reply Report comment
ca1879

Apr 14, 2016 at 9:20 am

Someone will but them – we golfers have proven that we’ll fall for just about any half-baked idea.

Reply Report comment
George

Apr 14, 2016 at 8:59 am

http://www.kramski-putter.de/en/putter.html

Reply Report comment
bill

Apr 14, 2016 at 8:51 am

Ridiculous sub-par paint fill from the top view. Have French people fall so far back behind to do this? So lazy but want to make money by calling ridiculous prices.

Reply Report comment
Weekend Duffer

Apr 14, 2016 at 8:43 am

Trash

$1.1K for a no-name putter that’s not even milled. I’ll stick with my $30 odyssey 2 ball.

Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Interesting clubs at top of bag – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

12 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, users are talking about top of bag setups that are non-traditional or thought-provoking in some way. Original poster @SuperSpurs106 inquired about other members who might use unorthodox set-ups to help with gapping issues or weak spots.

They wrote:

“I currently have a PING G430 driver, TM Qi35 3W and a TM Qi4D 7W. Driver and 7W are fine but can’t get on with my 3W and have always struggling with this club over the years. Thinking of adding a 2H which I know would look odd. Just wondering if anyone else had a weird set up at the top of their bag?”

Our members in the forum have offered up their thoughts and personal experiences with non-traditional top of bag set-ups, and their reasoning for thinking outside of the box to begin with. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

BowMain42: “Don’t worry about what “looks” odd. If the club does what you need it to do, it’s the right club.”
scooterhd2: “I cant hit 3 woods either. Thats why I roll with a unicorn XL Hibore 2 wood. 400 cc head at 16 degrees of loft and its just a monster 3 wood off the tee. Off the deck, we are playing the f6 baffler. 5 wood at 41.75 inches and its easy to control.”
phizzy30: “I had driver, 3 metal, 2/4 hybrid once upon a time as a higher ss player. 4 hybrid is gone and in place is a driving iron nowadays. I don’t think what you’re proposing is weird in anyway, however the yardage gap might be glaringly huge between driver and 2 hybrid. What is it about your 3 metal that has got you all messed up? You could always go 4 metal with shorter shaft and see if that works.”

Entire Thread: “Interesting clubs at top of bag”

If you aren’t a member, join us in the GolfWRX forums today!

Equipment

Members of the Mini Driver Club – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

12 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user has gone searching for fellow users of a mini driver. In a post, @TightFade asked for other mini driver users to chime in with their weapon of choice, the reason for employing a mini, and what club follows it in the bag.

@TightFade asked:

“What mini are you playing? What spot in the bag did it take over? What’s the next club after it? For me: Elyte mini 13.5. Replacing 3w. Next up club looks like it’ll be 5w.”

Our members in the forum have been sharing their own bag setups featuring the mini driver, and the various reasons they purchased one in the first place. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

RCGA: “Ping G430 Max 12* ‘Thriver.’ Next club is a 4w and 2i (I play a weird course).”
JMB3: “R7 at 12.75 with Diamana BB 63s. 3w replacement. Next Club: Elyte Ti 5w at 17*.”
ColdOkieGolf: “R7 15.5 turned down to 13.5 It replaces the 3w. I found it surprisingly easy to hit off the deck, and it’s very rare that I need or want to hit something beyond 250 from the fairway, so next club is my 7w.”
ChaosTheory: “I’m sub-90 MPH with driver. But I’m able to hit DOD. I have been wanting something like the R7 15.5, so I just ordered one. I have a spot in the bag so nothing has to go. But I could see it replacing my trusty 4 wood, which I never use for approach shots. Just tee shots and lay ups. If I drop the 4 wood, I will turn my 7 wood down to ~20 degrees and will have good gaps. I recently tried a thriver build: 12 degree driver turned to 14, with a heavier 44 inch shaft and added head weight. I hit it great. Very accurate and not overly high, but the problem was that it sometimes went as far as a typical drive. And that’s not what I needed. So I will probably turn the 15.5 up to 16.5 or even 17.5. It’s all theoretical at this point. ?”

Entire Thread: “Members of the Mini Driver Club…Check In.”

If you aren’t a member, join us in the GolfWRX forums today!

Whats in the Bag

Chris Gotterup WITB 2026 (June)

Published

12 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Chris Gotterup had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.

Drivers: TaylorMade Qi4D (8 degrees), Ping G440 LST (9 degrees @8), Ping G440 LST (7.5 degrees)
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Grey 6.5 TX 70 g, Project X HZRDUS T1100 Handcrafted 6.5 TX 70 g, Project X HZRDUS Smoke Grey 6.5 TX 70 g