Equipment

Toulon Design to launch 5 new putters in 2017

Published

7 years ago

Jan 20, 2017

Callaway’s new high-end putter brand, Toulon Design, is adding five new putters to its lineup in 2017, including four fully milled head shapes and one that’s off the track, you might say.

Toulon Design was launched in 2015 by golf industry veteran Sean Toulon, now Senior Vice President of Callaway Golf and General Manager of Odyssey Golf. The company carved its niche in the industry with premium milled putters that have a distinct face-milling pattern and interchangeable sole plates for improved customization.

The face of Toulon’s new “Long Island” putter

In 2016, Toulon Design released five fully milled models (San Diego, San Francisco, Rochester, Madison and Memphis) that have found their way into the bags of PGA Tour players and golfers around the world. The 2017 release continues down that path, but adds a high-MOI putter that ventures from the norm. It’s called “Indianapolis,” and was inspired by Toulon’s work with Chip Ganassi and his racing team while in Indianapolis.

IndyToulonCollection

Learning from Ganassi’s insight on multi-material constructions, Toulon constructed the uniquely-shaped mallet putter with 6061 aluminum on the face, 303 stainless steel on the sole, carbon composite on the crown and about 65 grams of weight on the putter’s “back wings.” The combination of materials and overall head shape makes for a forgiving putter that has an MOI of 5,400 g/cm² (moment of inertia, a measure of forgiveness).

ToulonIndyPutter

For better alignment, the putter also has 10 different alignment lines that are either parallel or perpendicular to the target, making it “almost impossible to misalign,” according to Toulon.

The other four models in the lineup — Austin, Columbus, Long Island and Latrobe — take after much more classic putter designs. Each of the four putters are milled from 303 stainless steel, and the faces have a diamond cut mill pattern that’s made to improve acoustics and get the golf ball rolling faster on the green.

The special pattern at the center of the face — the company calls it a “contact patch” — has crosshatch grooves to channel vibrations from impact for improved sound and feel. Much like Toulon putters from the past, the 2017 putters also have interchangeable sole plates made from aluminum, stainless steel or tungsten to create different head weights and counter-balanced options.

Like the 2016 lineup and the new “Indianapolis,” all Toulon Putters are named after cities that have influenced either him, his family or the game of golf in general.

Columbus

SeanToulonOdyssey2017putters

Toulon calls Columbus, Ohio, the “most golf-crazed city in America,” which is home to 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus. The Columbus putter is Toulon’s first longer neck design; it has about 20 degrees of toe hang, a notchback and “acts like a mallet” due to its stability.

Austin

ToulonAustin

Also, Toulon calls Austin a “great golf city,” where many Tour players were born and/or currently live. With an Anser-influence, the putter has a wider cavity, taller bumpers and “taller shoulders.”

Long Island

LongIslandToulon

Long Island, New York, is home to some of the country’s greatest golf courses. The Long Island putter has a high-sweeping toe and a flowing neck that results in 60 degrees of toe hang. Toulon says the putter was designed “with Patrick Reed in mind.”

Latrobe

ToulonLatrobe

The Latrobe, named after Arnold “The King” Palmer’s birthplace in Pennsylvania, is influenced by the ever-popular Wilson 8802 putter and had design input from Callaway design gurus Austie Rollinson and Roger Cleveland. Toulon stresses how difficult it is to mill this style of putter well and get the hosel bend correct.

“We’ve done an incredible job,” he says.

The diamond cut milling on this putter, which has a shorter blade length than others in the line, is spread across the entire face. Toulon calls it “magnificently beautiful,” and we tend to agree based on the company’s Instagram photo, pictured above.

The five new models for 2017 will be available on March 31, and prices start at $399.99.

We also spotted a previously unseen Toulon putter called “Atlanta” on the range at the CareerBuilder Challenge, although the company has not confirmed if it will hit retail.

ToulonATLProto

Join the discussion about Toulon Design putters here.

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16 Comments

Travis

Apr 21, 2017 at 7:25 pm

Also love how it’s April 21st and none of these are available yet…

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Travis

Apr 21, 2017 at 7:24 pm

I guess they totally abandoned the Latrobe model? Sad, that’s the only one I wanted…

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joepz

Jan 29, 2017 at 1:43 pm

Didn’t PING and/or Nike have a putter that looked like the Indianapolis? Must admit, it looks interesting.

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JThunder

Jan 26, 2017 at 9:55 pm

Internet comments sections;

“everyone is entitled to my own opinion”

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tlmck

Jan 24, 2017 at 9:23 pm

That Indianapolis would be cool without the big X thing on the back. Just a straight simple blade with double bend shaft. Looks like it is detachable, but that would probably mess up the weighting.

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Drew

Jan 24, 2017 at 4:18 pm

I second the above comment. I’d like to know if Latrobe or Long Island available in left handed!?

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Mad-Mex

Jan 22, 2017 at 6:35 pm

$400 with zero customizing ?!? Really like the Latrobe but Ill wait a year and pick one up along with an Epic driver for less than $300 for both,,,,

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DB

Jan 21, 2017 at 9:20 pm

I see the usual haters in the comments section. Haha

Great looking stuff here from Toulon. I’m sure more pics will be coming after the PGA show.

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rymail00

Jan 21, 2017 at 8:55 pm

Was really hoping to see a few pics of each putter. Like the Austin, Latrobe, and Long Islandl the view to see is from the back so you can see the details of the design, not the face view.

JMHO

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Big Mike

Jan 20, 2017 at 11:54 pm

Loving my Memphis. Best feeling and sounding putter I have owned. Scotty who?

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S Hitter

Jan 20, 2017 at 8:10 pm

Hate the names. Ugh.

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BM

Jan 20, 2017 at 7:55 pm

6061 aluminum is way too soft to be using on the face. Should have used 7075. it is not that much more difficult to machine, but is much harder and more durable.

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BallBuster

Jan 20, 2017 at 2:42 pm

Exciting new styles (yawn)… However, I was intrigued by the Indy picture that had all those jazzy green flow lines and saw the claim “For better alignment, the putter also has 10 different alignment lines that are either parallel or perpendicular to the target, making it “almost impossible to misalign””, but fail to see any but the square face. No lines at all. But I’m just an aerospace engineer who works in aerodynamics I guess!! No imagination. Good marketing hype tho… to some I’m sure.

$400 = insanity to me… I did think it also insane I spent $100 for a Cameron Red X in early 2000’s but that proved to be very worthwhile for over a dozen years. I feel totally confident in it, still love it in every way, and by my own statistical measurements and gut feeling, works quite well for me. I doubt these new models could elevate my game or replace my favorite that has beaten back all other challengers to date! Mine also has a square face plus 2 lines that seem to work well for alignment purposes!!

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Dj

Jan 20, 2017 at 11:32 am

Not one of these is appealing.

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bogeypro

Jan 20, 2017 at 9:08 am

more putters named after cities… how original.

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Michael

Jan 20, 2017 at 7:45 am

Any of the upcoming models available to us lefties? I’m crossing everything that Latrobe does.

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

2 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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