• High Moi Putters
They’re designed to help the wonkiest of strokes, yet even the world’s best swear by some of these
CLEVELAND TFI 2135 ELEVADO www.clevelandgolf.com Headweight: 370g Grip: Lamkin TFI Toe hang: Face balanced
TECH:
Cleveland says 80% of golfers don’t have their eyes directly over the ball when putting. They reckon by raising the alignment aid to exactly half the size of a golf ball, they’ve created the most accurate aid ever.
WE SAY:
Any MOI putter worth its salt comes with some sort of hollow body or “fanged” head design, as weight split between the fangs improves stability and forgiveness when putts are hit off-centre. The really clever bit of design, though, comes in blending those fangs into a design which isn’t distracting – and the Elevado does that in spades. It’s a really simple, straightforward matt black head with a single silver alignment stripe right at the same height as the centre of the ball. It’s a clever idea, and if you’re the type of golfer who struggles with aim, the Elevado is worth trying.
VERDICT:
A very solid MOI putter and with a price tag under US$167 it won’t bust the bank. Thanks to the soft insert and polymer backer it feels good, and its circular groove tech has the capability to roll putts alongside the best.
BENROSS TRIBE MDJ2 www.benrossgolf.com Headweight: 370g Grip: Lamkin Sink RND 11 Toe hang: Face Balanced
TECH:
The ‘fanged’ design increases MOI to aid stability on every stroke. Forgiveness is increased by a two-piece hollow head construction which allows the CG to be positioned accurately to encourage putts to skid less and roll sooner while also maximising stability.
WE SAY:
Benross featured among our favourite putters of 2016 as they offered a decent product at an affordable price. But while last year’s Casino putters started at less than US$77 a pop, 2017’s Tribe will set you back close to US$128. And that’s a big increase in a year. The Tribe’s fanged head may look similar to Odyssey’s #7, which was involved in our test, but thanks to its hollow head delivering a higher pitched impact sound, performance against the premium brands was very different.
VERDICT:
We understand many golfers don’t have US$320 to spend on a new putter. If US$128 is your top budget, the MDJ2 should be on your shortlist.
PING SIGMA G WOLVERINE T www.ping.com Headweight: 370g Grip: Ping Pistol PP60 Toe hang: Face Balanced
TECH:
New milled aluminium face inserts have variable depth and width grooves to deliver consistent across the face ball speed performance.
WE SAY:
All manner of lines, circles and curves have promised better alignment, yet we’d say the Wolverine’s simple single stripe is one of the best we’ve ever seen. That’s because the line comes right up onto the top edge of the putter at the ball’s equator. If you draw a straight line on your ball it couldn’t be simpler to see whether your blade is set up squarely or not. Yes, the Wolverine’s head shape is wacky, but it’s exactly the shape needed to increase MOI and forgiveness.
VERDICT:
Ping has obviously worked hard on the Sigma G range and the updates over previous Ping MOI putters are notable. The new PP60 flat-fronted grip is a great size and its sharp, defined edges mean you feel when the blade is square.
TAYLORMADE SPIDER TOUR RED www.taylormadegolf.com Headweight: 355g Grip: Winn Medallist or AVS Mid-size Toe hang: Moderate TECH:
Teams a light, aluminium body with a heavier 304 stainless steel frame to create a very high MOI and forgiving putter.
WE SAY:
If our test team had a pound for every time we’ve heard a club golfer say they want the same club a tour player uses, we wouldn’t be testing golf equipment for a living. For us the Tour Red is a prime example of the grass not being quite so green as you’d expect on the other side. There’s no doubt it is a quality putter; it feels great and rolls putts brilliantly. But the lack of an alignment line means the Tour Red’s got a look club golfers won’t be accustomed to, certainly not in an MOI mallet. There’s a short flow neck too, which tour pros are fans of as it gives a really clean appearance – but its trade-off is a decent amount of toe hang which isn’t that common in a MOI mallet, either.
VERDICT:
A high-quality MOI putter that, in the right hands and matched to the right stroke, really performs. But you need to take time getting to know it before taking the plunge on one as it is so tailored to Jason Day’s eye and stroke.
EVNROLL ER7 www.evnroll.com Headweight: 370g Grip: Winn Pro 1.18 Toe hang: Slight
TECH:
EVNROLL putters have a new groove pattern which gives a progressive energy transfer, so putts hit offcentre roll virtually the same distance as pure hits.
WE SAY:
Some will argue the ER7 is more mallet than MOI putter, but we reckon because there’s so much weight removed from inefficient areas it’s a great looking MOI design. The story behind the Evnroll’s groove pattern is what separates it, though. The grooves are wider in the centre and narrower to the toe and heel, which designer Rife says regulates energy transfer, so off-centre hits travel just as far as on centre impacts. He also reckons just like a wood face that’s not flat, off-centre putts are geared back towards your target, too.
VERDICT:
We can’t say for sure those grooves gear putts back on line, but we will admit to being really impressed with how putts interacted with the face and rolled across the green. All three testers loved the head’s simplicity, the overall weight (heavier than some) and the cracking oversized Winn grip, which sits really snugly in your hands.
‘YES, THE HEAD SHAPE IS WACKY, BUT IT’S EXACTLY THE SHAPE NEEDED TO INCREASE FORGIVENESS’