One of the legacies of the odyssey 2-ball is that it convinced companies that golfers would embrace an unusually shaped putter if it resulted in more accurate aim. That opened the floodgates for today’s wild-looking alignment putters, which usually employ one of three methods to get the player’s eyes over the ball: hide something (such as a line or a dot), reveal something, or offer multiple visual options to align against. Club-fitting is especially important with these types of putters, and chances are the less you have to focus on the alignment aid, the more putts you’ll make.
Odyssey Sabertooth
This member of the White Hot XG family features a high moment of inertia (MOI) and several alignment choices: two dots atop the flange directly behind the clubface; a golf ball–size half-circle cutout behind that; and two black sight lines. They work in concert to make alignment simple. The high-density red-edged “fangs” position 37 percent of the putter’s total weight at the outermost limits, boosting MOI and creating a fine sense of balance. The Sabertooth feels as if it’s destined to travel straight back and through. And the White Hot XG insert feels nice and soft, giving a satisfying click at impact. $169. Call 800-588-9836 or visit odysseygolf.com.
Yes! Golf Groove Tube
This wild design incorporates a 3-D alignment system in which players look through the slot at the top of the tube to reveal the yellow line at the bottom (no black should show). Some may find the height of the face to be too much, but it raises the putter’s center of gravity closer to the ball’s equator. That, combined with the Groove Tube’s deep weight distribution and the company’s famed C Grooves, puts a great roll on the ball. $300. Call 800-845-4327 or visit yesgolf.com.
Profound Dark Ace
This Norwegian newcomer works much like Cleveland’s VP5 (bottom) in that its goal is to get your eyes over the ball and on the target line. When that is accomplished, the orange markings on the lower flange are blocked from view by the bars on the upper flange. The Dark Ace’s milled face produces a solid feel and forgiveness on mis-hits, and the black steel head presents a refreshingly clean and simple look at address. $375. Call 011-47/9847-0210 or visit profoundputters.com.
Rife Two Bar Hybrid
Rife’s latest has two adjustable back-weighted bars that provide a visual track to the hole, but its best alignment feature is the notch on the topline. Once that notch disappears into the white sight line, the clubhead is square to the target and soled properly. It’s a highly effective design for most players, though those who favor a strong forward press at address may not feel comfortable with it—this mallet does not like to be delofted. $200. Call 800-496-9373 or visit rifeputters.com.
TaylorMade Rossa Monza Spider
It seems busy, but it’s hard to argue with the success on Tour that the Spider’s mix of alignment (designed with input from the pros) and forgiveness has produced. Its aluminum core interlocks with a steel-wire frame, creating so much perimeter weighting that the head almost refuses to twist on mis-hits. Movable weights on the “spider legs” mean the putter can be configured for differing green speeds, and the face includes an antiskid insert. $240. Call 800-456-8633 or visit taylormadegolf.com.
SeeMore M3W
SeeMore has added new head shapes (like this milled mallet) to the line of RifleScope putters that helped Payne Stewart and Zach Johnson win majors. This alignment system, in which you hide a red dot behind the black lower portion of the shaft, allows you to set up quickly and consistently in the proper position in relation to your target. Forward-pressers might give this line of putters a look: The offset “whistle” shaft is specifically designed for that putting style. $325. Call 800-985-8170 or visit seemore.com.
Gear Reviews
Energy grips
As anyone who has ever drilled a five-iron off the toe on a cold day knows, there are some bad vibrations in golf. Energy Grips, a new company that has won some early adopters on the PGA Tour, set out to alleviate this by creating evenly spaced air pockets within the butt of the grip to serve as vibration dampeners. That in turn reduces stress on the hands and arms. Worth considering if your old grips are starting to feel slick. Available in three models; $11–$12 per grip. Call 949-812-5908 or visit energygrip.com.
Sun Mountain ClubGlider
A finalist on the Golf Channel’s recent reality-show competition, Fore Inventors Only, the ClubGlider is the next logical step in travel bags. The addition of two retractable legs with caster wheels (they lock securely during travel) elevates the handle to waist level, eliminating the need to bend over repeatedly to lift the bag while in an airport check-in line. The solid performance of the bag itself, with its heavy-duty nylon and thick foam padding, will be familiar to devotees of Sun Mountain’s previous travel models. $300. Call 800-227-9224 or visit sunmountain.com.
Zero Restriction T400 Ghost Mock
The trend in base layers lately has been toward skintight compression garments. They perform well, but not everyone wants to feel like an NFL safety when getting dressed for golf. Zero Restriction’s mocks offer wind-stopping performance in an easier fit. The impressively soft T400 fabric (a mix of microfiber, CoolMax and Lycra) is equipped with inserts that stretch vertically in the sleeves and horizontally in the torso, allowing excellent freedom of movement. $90. Call 800-367-0669 or visit zerorestriction.com.
SKLZ Gyro Swing Trainer
You can’t hit balls with this whirring wonder, but the Gyro Swing trainer (a Fore Inventors Only semifinalist) can help hone your sense of the swing plane. The goal is to swing the club without resistance—a gyroscope in the head provides an uncanny correction when the club gets out of position. A black-and-yellow shaft provides helpful visual feedback as well: During the swing, only the black portion should be visible. Beginners, especially, seem to love what the Gyro Swing tells them. Includes a DVD of practice drills from top instructor Rick Smith. $220. Call 877-448-2929 or visit sklz.com.
