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Putter Ratings / October 2003
GolfTest
USA has just completed testing on the following new putters:
Zen Oracle, String Putter, KZG 1.0MM/X, Louisville True
Center, Louisville Stimp 10, Nike OZ. ***An interesting
side note regarding the Zen Oracle putter. It is also a
training aid and it received the top rating in the Putter
Training Aid category.
In 2004 GolfTest USA will be redesigning our testing format for all club categories. We welcome all comments and ideas from golfers on how you would like to see our testing conducted and the format in which you would like to see the results presented. Over the past few years the quality and performance of golf equipment from all golf manufacturers has improved dramatically across the industry. This has created a situation where many of our ratings end up with the scores of the clubs being tested "bunched" or "grouped" tightly together. This can make it difficult for golfers to determine which clubs performed at a higher level than the rest of the group tested. We are looking for your suggestions on how we can improve our rating scale and which criteria you would like us to add and which current criteria you feel are not necessary. Please email us at info@golftestusa.com with your comments and suggestions.
The
testing of putters was conducted using two evaluation rating
formats. The first evaluation format was done by GolfTest
USA Test Administrators and in the second evaluation format
GolfTest USA asked each golfer to rate several criteria
on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best. GolfTest USA had
average golfers, with handicaps from 5 to 25, test each
of the putters listed below. Each golfer made 3 putts with
each putter from distances of 5, 10 and 15 feet (a total
of 9 putts). GolfTest USA Test Administrators recorded how
many putts were holed and also rated on a scale of 1 to
10 the "Distance" and "Accuracy" they
felt each golfer displayed with each putter during the test.
These ratings were then combined to come up with an overall
rating for each putter.
To see
archived results from our 2001 tests, please click
here.
The
putters that achieved the highest ratings have been awarded
GolfTest USA's "Seal Of Excellence". (For
more info click here) Those putters have been designated
with three asterisks after them.
Let
us know if there are other putters you would like us to
test and we will contact the manufacturers and see if they
will participate in our next testing cycle. requestatest@golftestusa.com
Putters with three asterisks have received the
GolfTest USA "Seal of Excellence"
Click
on each column head to sort ratings by that criteria.
| Putters |
Distance |
Accuracy |
Appearance |
Feel |
Overall |
| Never Compromise TDP 3.2*** | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.2 |
| Ping Specify*** | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| Scotty Cameron Futura*** | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| TaylorMade Rossa Maranello l-02*** | 9.2 | 9.3 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9.2 |
| Titleist Cameron Pro Platinum*** | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.2 |
| Breeds Confidence*** | 9.1 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Feel DF-USA*** | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 9.1 |
| Gauge Design GAAO Aluinser*** | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 9.1 |
| Louisville Stimp 10*** | 9.0 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Natural Golf Roll Tech Blade *** | 9.1 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Never Compromise TDP 2.2*** | 9.1 | 9.0 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Next Generation Daedalus 7500*** | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 9.1 |
| Nickent Hush ISS07*** | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.8 | 9.1 |
| Nike OZ*** | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Photon YAG-2*** | 9.0 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Prince MDG 1*** | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.1 |
| Zen Oracle Tour*** |
9.1 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Closar TryAngle*** | 9.1 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| KZG 1.0MM/X*** | 8.9 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Farrar Verex V121*** | 9.1 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Nickent Hush ISS01*** | 9.0 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Pixl L 1.8*** | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9.0 |
| Railgun F75 *** | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 9.0 |
| SeeMore FGP*** | 9.0 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 9.0 |
| Yonex V-mass 01*** | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Butler B-line II*** | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Gauge Design GAA8 Aluinser*** | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Louisville True Center*** | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 8.9 |
| Never Compromise SUB 30 B 1*** | 8.9 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 8.9 |
| Photon YAG-1*** | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 9.0 | 8.9 |
| Prestige Pool Putter*** | 8.9 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 9.0 | 8.9 |
| Prince MDG 2*** | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| String Putter*** | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 8.8 | 8.9 |
| TaylorMade Rossa Indy Sport-2*** | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 8.9 |
| Butler B-line I*** | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Feel DF-10*** | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.8 |
| Finale Castle 500*** | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Leading Edge LE 61*** | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Wilson Deep Red Fluid Feel 1*** | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.8 |
| Yonex V-mass 02*** | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Diamond Chip | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.7 |
| Finale Save 500 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Natural Golf Roll Tech Mallet | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Pegg PP-III | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 8.7 |
| Prince MDG 3 |
8.7 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Pro-Curio 1 Putt | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.4 | 8.6 | 8.7 |
| SeeMore BWB | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.7 |
| Feel DF-5 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
| Links P-902 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.3 | 8.5 | 8.6 |
| Sure Trac Negative Loft | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.8 | 8.5 | 8.6 |
| Wilson Deep Red Fluid Feel 3 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 8.6 |
| Feel DF-15 | 8.4 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.5 |
| Finale Arch 500 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| KZG 1.0 M/H | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 8.5 |
| SeeMore THT | 8.4 | 8.8 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 8.5 |
| Traxx T109 | 9.0 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.5 |
| Zebra TW-21 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.3 |
| Absolute Sports Anson | 8.4 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.1 |
| Beacon Sparrow | 8.5 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.9 |
Over
several years of testing GolfTest USA has determined that
when subjective and objective ratings from our Test Administrators
and the golfers taking the test are combined the overall
rating is a very accurate indication of the actual performance
of any particular golf product. There is only a small difference
in the ratings yet even a couple of percentage points difference
from one club to another is significant enough to indicate
a club that performs at a superior level to other clubs.
Go to
our manufacturer's links
page to get more information about the items in the above
category.
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