MOI PUTTERS
They’ll help straighten out the wonkiest putting strokes.
ODYSSEY OWORKS RED #7S £189 www.odysseygolf.com
TECH: The Odyssey #7 head shape is a classic when it comes to MOI putters. Weighted alignment wings increase MOI and stability. The Oworks microhinge face insert lifts putts into a better roll. A short slant neck (the #7 is also available face-balanced with a double-bend shaft) and slight toe hang mean the #7S is well suited to a slightly arcing stroke.
WHY IT’S WON: The #7 has a long history; it’s featured in tons of tour pro bags in different guises over the years. It’s a clever move by Odyssey to release to the public the slant-neck hosel, which is so popular on tour. Two of our three testers holed a huge amount of putts with the #7S, even though they putt with a straight back and through stroke, meaning the slight toe hang is well suited to more than just arcing strokes. We loved the bold and simple alignment spots and sight lines, and our test pro was particularly impressed by how the two black lines, which run from the top edge to the back-flange, show when the sole’s flat on the ground and your eyes are correctly aligned above the ball. Our skid and roll testing last year proved the Oworks insert is top drawer. This #7 head is a huge tour winner and the red paint job is just the icing on the cake. A fantastic high-stability putter, and did we mention it’s £80 cheaper than Taylormade’s Spider Tour, too? A brilliant introduction to red putters.
TAYLORMADE TP RED COLLECTION ARDMORE 2 £239 www.taylormadegolf.com
TECH: Red heightens contrast against a green, which Taylormade says helps you align the putter squarely. A skim-milled 304 stainless steel head gives a sharpedged premium look, a Pure Roll aluminium face insert optimises forward roll and a fanged back increases MOI stability.
WHY IT’S WON: Love them or hate them, fang-shaped putters split weight, raise stability and improve off-centre hit forgiveness. They also give an excellent focal point with long sight lines to help you align correctly and keep track of your stroke. Justin Rose won with the Ardmore in his bag over winter, and we can see why. If you’re the type of golfer who finds the wings on Taylormade’s Spider Tour distracting, the Ardmore looks very clean and easy on the eye. A full shaft width of offset means your hands are naturally positioned ahead of the ball, which is perfect for stroking putts across the green, from distance or short range. If you need to know why the Ardmore costs less than the Spider, it’s all down to how the head’s created. The Spider’s made in two parts (plus an insert), where the Ardmore 2 is just one. Perfect for golfers who mark a line on their ball and aim putts meticulously. One of the very best putters for picking your ball up, too!
TAYLORMADE SPIDER TOUR RED SIGHTLINE £269 www.taylormadegolf.com
TECH: The putter Jason Day used to get to world No.1, but with the addition of a sightline on the crown to focus attention. Exceptional perimeter weighting offers excellent off-centre strike forgiveness and a slight toe hang means the putter is well suited to slightly arcing strokes.
WHY IT’S WON: A big step forward from last year’s Spider Tour. A full-length sightline on the crown is much more suited to club golfers, as is the slightly thicker, sharp-edged grip, which gives an excellent sensation of what the club face is doing. We reckon part of the reason this slant-neck model is so popular on tour is how putters of this shape are usually face-balanced, meaning they don’t have toe hang. But thanks to the Red’s slant hosel giving a slight toe hang, plus the promise of better forgiveness and stability, it attracts the eye and stroke of golfers who usually use smaller, less forgiving clubs. Remember for 2018 the Spider Tour is available in four different hosel set-ups (which change face balancing), so there’s a solution for everyone’s stroke. There’s some science behind the colour, too; red helps you focus, increases accuracy and enhances your attention to detail. It all means you won’t go wrong with one in your bag in 2018.