Cleveland Golf/Srixon have been a little quiet lately, and their focus has shifted a bit in the last year. Cleveland has always been known as a wedge company, and they are focusing more on that this season and allowing Srixon to be the main club company for a change. But Cleveland has put out some nice putters also, and the new TFI Smart Square is their new flagship flat stick. Here are some excerpts from the press release introducing the new putter.
Cleveland® Golf , the leader in short game innovation for players of all abilities, is pleased to introduce the new TFI Smart Square® putter. The TFI (True Feel Innovation) Smart Square putter is the most advanced putter that the company has ever created. The tour-inspired design features a milled, copper-infused face cap over a copolymer insert for the ultimate in feel and consistency. The combination of materials allows for immediate feedback from sound and feel when striking the ball, while the putter’s copolymer insert creates soft feel and consistent speed across the club face. The TFI Smart Square putter, which features Smart Square alignment technology, couples a High Density Stabilizing Wing with a Low Density Aluminum Body resulting in increased head MOI for greater stability and minimal distance loss on off-center hits.
Smart Square Alignment Technology
Following intensive research into the most successful putters of all time and what golfers focus on when they align a putt, the new TFI Smart Square putter, along with its highly successful predecessors the Smart SquareBlade and Mallet putters, incorporates alignment technology that has proven to be the most advanced – and simplest – that Cleveland Golf has ever created.
The key to the Smart Square technology is Dual Axis Alignment®. Two squares create parallel lines that frame the ball at address and provide a clear visual path to the hole. They also generate two perpendicular lines that easily highlight when the putter is misaligned – even by a fraction of a degree. Cleveland Golf’s testing shows players aligned Smart Square putters 23% more accurately than one of the most popular putters of all time.
In case you didn’t figure it out, the putter they are referring to is the Odyssey Two-Ball. But anyway, let’s see some photos of the TFI Smart Square!
Cleveland Golf is taking a shot at one of the most popular putters in history with a new spin on the tour proven design. Odyssey’s legendary Two-Ball putter is still in use by many, but they say that they have come up with something better in the new Cleveland Smart Square putter. We took a close look at it before it is released to the public on November 15, 2013.
The first thing I noticed was the obvious square design on the top of the putter. By using squares instead of circles, Cleveland claims that players aim the Smart Square putter 23% more accurately than the two ball design. The second thing you’ll notice is the color. It is a matte black with white paint fill that stands in sharp contrast with my white (or sometimes yellow) golf balls. It has a pretty standard looking mallet style head and double bend shaft to make it face balanced. This balance encourages a full release of the putter during the stroke and helps keep the face square through impact. The grip is a common Winn type with a soft and tacky feel.
Most new putters I get start out by rolling balls on my putting green at home, aka my office carpet which stimps at about 11. I then take them out to the course for a few rounds and some putting green sessions. My takeaway is that the Copolymer face insert gives the putter a nice feel, with the impact feeling firm but muted with a nice sound and low vibration. The insert is similar to competing putters on the market, but feels slightly firmer and the ball doesn’t spring off the face like some other inserts. It’s just right in my opinion.
Aiming properly is this putter’s raison d’etre, and the key for Cleveland is the Dual Axis Alignment feature. The two squares provide parallel lines the frame the ball at address, and the perpendicular lines help to show if the putter face is misaligned at address. As mentioned before, Cleveland Golf testing shows players aligned the Smart Square 23% more accurately than the Odyssey Two Ball Putter. Although they don’t mention it by name, we know that’s the putter they are talking about.
The Cleveland Smart Square putter will be available in three different variations. The standard heel shafted model and center shafted models will be available in lengths from 33″ to 35″, and there will also be a 39″ model with a heavier 400 gram head and heavy grip for a counter balanced feel. In my experience, the counter balanced design is worth trying out. I really like the way a counterbalanced putter swings.
The Cleveland Smart Square putter is a simple idea that makes plenty of sense. The putter rolls the ball very well and should be easy to align. The matte black paint job will not be distracting in the sun and should hold up to regular use. MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) for the standard models is $139.99 and $179.99 for the 39″ model, but street pricing may be a bit lower than that. The Smart Square putter hits stores on November 15, 2013. For more info, visit http://www.clevelandgolf.com/smartsquareputter/ and check out the video below.
Callaway Golf’s putter division – Odyssey Golf – has been making putters for some time. They have gained a huge following with amateurs and professionals all over the world with their popular putting instruments. As the modern golf ball has evolved from a wound construction to a 2 piece, 3 piece and 4 piece design, they have also become harder and harder. To counteract this trend, Odyssey started making putters with inserts in the face to provide a softer feel. While they were not the only manufacturer to make insert putters, Odyssey’s inserts were the best feeling, and they quickly rose to the top of the very competitive putter market.
The design of putters hasn’t changed much over the years, and despite the new and funky designs we see every year, most people still use the more traditional shapes and styles. Having said that, Odyssey has thrown caution to the wind with the introduction of the new BackStryke series of putters. Let’s take a look at these interesting new putters and see if they live up to the hype. As we first talked about in our First Look at the BackStryke, their are 3 main design features on these putters – Visible Face Alignment, Forward Press Stabilization and Stroke Balance. The video below gives us a brief overview of these features.
Technology & Features
1. Visible Face Alignment
With the BackStryke, Odyssey has moved the point at which the shaft enters the head to the back of the club, rather than the traditional position near the face. The result is a putter that affords the player an unobstructed view of the leading edge of the putter, making alignment easier. Combine this look with the very popular 2-ball alignment feature and you have a putter that is very easy to square up to the target line. The other two models feature alignment lines that give a different look, but still make it easy to line up your putts.
2. Forward Press Stabilization
The forward press has always been a textbook key to good putting. A forward press putting stroke is one in which the hands are pressed forward of the ball before making a stroke, promoting solid contact and truer roll. Recently the forward press has been reborn, with putting legend and teacher Dave Stockton working with Phil Mickelson before the masters and re-emphasizing Phil’s forward press move. The position and angle of the shaft with the BackStryke putters helps promote a forward press hand position.
3. Stroke Balance
Most putters on the market are of the “toe hang” variety, which means that when held from the shaft, the balance of the head makes it hang with the toe down. Some putters are face balanced, which when held from the shaft results in the face of the putter remaining parallel with the ground. This helps make the putter more stable on off center hits. With the BackStryke putters from Odyssey, the putter is balanced along the stroke path. In practice, this results in a putter that doesn’t like to open or close during the putting stroke.
Appearance
Odyssey has always pushed the envelope when it comes to design, so it's not surprising that they've come up with some odd looking putters over the years. The BackStryke putters are no exception. Because the shaft goes into the back of the head rather than near the face, this creates an unconventional look. Many people will be familiar with the 2-Ball model, as it looks a lot like the other 2-ball models. The Marxsman and Blade models are different, with black and white alignment lines. If you are one of those players out there that doesn't like center shafted putters because the shaft distracts you and makes it harder to line up, you may like the BackStryke line. The putters feature Odyssey's new White Ice insert, which to me is a step back in time to the feel and responsiveness of the original White Hot insert from several years back. The finish is slightly darker than the standard White Ice putters, which creates more contrast between the white insert and alignment features and the rest of the putter. The grip is the familiar Winn pistol style.
Performance & Feel
I'll be honest, my thoughts on this putter (my test unit was the 2-Ball model) has been like a stormy relationship. It's been up and down. When I first saw them at the 2010 PGA Merchandise show, I thought they looked cool and seemed to roll the ball well. When I first got my demo unit from the folks at Callaway/Odyssey, I was a little skeptical. After rolling about 50 putts in my living room over several days, it didn't impress me. To be fair and thorough with my review I had to play with it for at least 18 holes, so I took it out to Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, FL. Again, after rolling a few on the practice green, I didn't feel comfortable enough to game it right away. The look and feel when making a putting stroke was just awkward to me. After playing 7 holes I was 3 over par and struggling with my regular putter, so with nothing to lose I pulled out the BackStryke and put it in the game for the rest of the day. I told myself to just trust it, and the results were stunning. With the BackStryke coming off the bench, I proceeded to make seven birdies on the remaining 11 holes, including a 45 foot snake on the 15th hole. I just missed a five footer on 18 for birdie that would have made it 8 for 11.
When it comes to this putter, it's true that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The look and setup takes time to get familiar with for sure. It's been 36 holes and I'm just now becoming comfortable with the BackStryke. I'm used to the face of a putter opening as the putter swings back, returning to square at impact, and closing slightly on the through swing in a traditional arc shape. With the stroke balance feature of this putter, it tends to want to remain square to the line as I make my back swing, making me believe my stroke is off. It took me several putts to realize this and determine that it is actually what is supposed to happen. I also have a tendency to have my hands slightly behind the ball at address with this type of putter, but once I committed to make a slight forward press my results improved dramatically. If you can see the face insert at address, make a slight forward press until it disappears. This is the ideal position to get the best roll from this putter.The feel is very much like the original White Hot inserts, with the ball popping off the face with some energy. The previous White Hot XG insert was much too mushy for my taste. The new White Ice insert has added more resilience for that extra pop, but retained a soft, controlled feel. The 2-Ball model I had also makes a slight pinging noise at impact, which many players like for auditory feedback. While it is heavy and has a large head for forgiveness, the sound and feel of the putter provide great feedback, and the player can tell right away if a solid putt was hit.
Specs & Pricing
The Three models available in the BackStryke series (2-Ball, Marxman and Blade) all come standard with 3 degrees of loft, 69 degree lie and 355g head weight. I have noticed that Odyssey's putters tend to sit flatter than most. 70 degrees is usually a putter's standard lie angle. The putters are available in 33", 34" and 35" lengths. For the lefties out there, the only model available for you currently is the Marxman. Street price so far is around $199.
Overall Impressions
The Odyssey Backstryke putters are a bit like a late night infomercial. You want to look away, but somehow you are draw to it like a moth to a flame. At first glance, I didn't want to put it in play and didn't really trust it when I did, but after I got past the odd setup and unfamiliar way it swings, I started making putts in bunches. This putter is heavy, solid and likes to swing square to square. The key to the BackStryke is to just use it the way it was designed. If you use a forward press style, you should try this baby. If you fight it, you'll have trouble getting any confidence with it.
The design of the BackStryke putters is new, innovative and it certainly won't be for everyone. Traditionalists and players with a hands-back setup like Zach Johnson probably won't like it. However, I think Odyssey really has something with this putter, and I'm certainly a believer!
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