This putter pretty much started the rage last year
L.A.B. Golf
Perhaps the hottest trend in golf equipment right now: Zero torque putters. Understandable, because this type of putter is designed to keep the face square through impact and let the ball roll effortlessly toward your target. And you’ll feel no resistance throughout your stroke. Golfers are raving about how they’re sinking more putts with them. I’ve been communicating with a lot of PGA Professionals at courses around the country lately, and many have told me that they cannot keep zero torque putters in stock. Golfers love them that much. And apparently price is no obstacle. Many are selling for north of $500.
But before I tell you what’s available, first know that the “no torque” label is a bit misleading. These putters do have some torque. Also, while they’re amazing at getting the ball going in your intended direction, you still need to read the putt and the green, and you still need to properly gauge how hard of a stroke to take.
The first time I tried one was last year. It was the L.A.B. Golf DF3 mallet. I found it to be forgiving, stable, and “fully automatic” – meaning it felt as if gravity was guiding the putter on the correct path all the way back and through the stroke. It was honestly a crazy feeling. L.A.B. is pretty much the leader of this putter category. “L.A.B.” stands for the manufacturer’s patented Lie Angle Balance technology. The company promises that this putter will naturally return to square at impact without any need for you to manipulate it.
The head on this particular model is unique. It’s a center-shafted, flat-bottom model in which the shaft connects right behind the front flange and directly into an oddly shaped ring that’s hollow in the middle. That hole is referred to as a “Gimme Getter” as it’s a golf ball-shaped cutout designed to scoop a ball when you press it onto the ball. You can order it – and the company’s other zero torque putters – in a stock model or customize it for length, colors, grip, shaft, alignment markings, and head weights.
In this case, I was extremely impressed with how easy it was to control putt speed. Putts within three feet were near-automatic. And it was surprisingly simple to get a quick feel from those over 20 feet. Plus, the alignment was pretty spot on. Off-center hits from the heel and toe somehow still made it to the target, making me a believer in the forgiveness promise. And all throughout, putts sounded pretty solid.
The new Rossie zero torque model
Odyssey Golf
The past few weeks, I’ve been using Odyssey’s gorgeous new red-and-black, square-to-square S2S Tri-Hot Rossie half-mallet. Due to its aluminum, steel and tungsten construction, its center of gravity lies forward enough so the shaft enters the head on the topline – eliminating the need for any shaft lean. Its dual-layer urethane insert has a soft outer and firm inner layer, to deliver consistent ball speed and enhanced forward roll. I’m normally a blade user, but this old Ray Cook-style head just speaks to me. It’s super easy to line up. And several times when I’ve pulled the putter out at either a golf course or on the putting green, other people have come by to check it out and try it. Looks and feels great.
Other zero torque putters are just hitting the market, including Bettinardi’s Antidote SB3 and TaylorMade’s Spider ZT, among others. If you’re contemplating a switch, the best thing you can do is try them out first before you buy – either at a store or a demo day. Make sure to take your natural putting stance and alignment, and then putt away. You want it to fit your stroke, rather than the other way around.