Don’t think of it as a new putter line. Think of these putters as distinct models that just happen to be released at the same time. That was my takeaway from a conversation about Bettinardi’s new putter line with Sam Bettinardi, vice president of sales and marketing for Bettinardi Golf, and it’s not a hard conclusion to reach.
Last year, Bettinardi took a more conventional strategy with its 2014 line of BB Series putters. It included several different models, and every putter (sans the BB55) had the same finish, face milling, paint fill and headcover.
Demand for Bettinardi’s putters was greater than ever in 2014, which led to the company’s expansion of its Chicago-area production facility from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet. But for 2015, the company wanted to do something different.
“We don’t just want to change the paint fill every year,” Bettinardi says. “We want to be innovative and creative.”
This year, the company will release 10 new putter models, each of which is unique in some way or shape. Putters such as the iNOVAi (pronounced in-o-vey) and Kuchar Model 2 are completely new models, while the others are classic Bettinardi shapes that have been refined for 2015.
The putters will be available through Bettinardi.com and at select retailers on Jan., 15, 2015.
Bettinardi’s iNOVAi putter has an aluminum body (260 grams) and a stainless steel weight (128 grams) that increases its MOI. Each piece is 100 percent milled.
The iNOVAi is a high-MOI mallet with a 6061 aluminum body and a stainless weight located on the back of the putter that pushes its center of gravity rearward to improve its forgiveness. It’s available in both a standard-length and a counter-balanced model that has a heavier putter head and a longer-length, back-weighted grip to improve overall MOI.
The Kuchar Model 2 (above) was designed specifically for Matt Kuchar, who asked Bettinardi to make him a halfmoon-styled Arm Lock putter that had no offset. The putter is available in a standard-length model, as well as the Arm Lock model used by Kuchar.
A Bettinardi Queen B Model 6 putter with the company’s Savannah Blue PVD finish.
The Queen B Model 6 and Model 7 putters have the company’s new Savannah Blue PVD finish, which emits hues of purple, orange, yellow, turquoise and aqua, depending on how the light hits it.
The Studio Stock 2 and 16 putters have an Olympic Bronze PVD finish that fits somewhere between chocolate, bronze and oil can.
A Bettinardi Studio Stock 2 putter with the company’s Olympic Bronze finish.
Several of the putters also have have Bettinardi’s new Super Fly-Mill Face, which offers a slightly different feel than the company’s Honeycomb and F.I.T. Face milling patterns.
[quote_box_center]”All our tour players are using our F.I.T. Face, which has our softest feel,” Bettinardi says. “But people were asking, ‘Can you make something a little firmer?’ The Super Fly-Mill is a nice middle ground between our F.I.T. Face and our firmer Honeycomb Face.”[/quote_box_center]
Bettinardi’s Signature Series 9 and 10 putters are the most exclusive in the line, limited to 1000 pieces. They’re stamped with the initials of company founder Robert J. Bettinardi, and milled from what the company calls D.A.S.S., or double-aged stainless steel.
To create D.A.S.S., 303 stainless steel is cooked to a temperature of 600 degrees fahrenheit, cooled, and then re-heated to a temperature of 375 degrees. The “double-aging” process creates a softer-feeling putter, Bettinardi says.
The putters will be available through Bettinardi.com for pre-order starting Dec. 17 and in stores on Jan., 15, 2015.
Learn more about each of Bettinardi’s new putters below, and click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the putters in our forum.
Face Balanced, Super Fly-Mill and F.I.T. Face Milling. Also available in a counter-balanced model ($350).
Weight: 358 grams
Material: 6061 Aluminum (body), Stainless Steel
Finish: Black Anodized
Grip: Black Pure (standard or midsize)
Headcover: iNOVAi Black
Dexterity: RH and LH
1/4 Toe Hang, F.I.T. Face Milling. Also available in an Arm Lock ($375).
Weight: 350 grams
Material: Mild Carbon Steel
Finish: Meridian Blue
Grip: Gray Pure (standard or midsize)
Headcover: Kuchar Signature White/Blue
Dexterity: RH and LH
Face Balanced, Micro Honeycomb Face Milling
Weight: 360 grams
Material: Mild Carbon Steel
Finish: Savannah Blue
Grip: White Pure (standard or midsize)
Headcover: Queen B Royal Purple
Dexterity: RH Only
1/4 Toe Hang, Micro Honeycomb Face Milling
Weight: 360 grams
Material: Mild Carbon Steel
Finish: Savannah Blue
Grip: White Pure (standard or midsize)
Headcover: Queen B Royal Purple
Dexterity: RH Only
Click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the putters in our forum.
1/4 Toe Hang, Super Fly-Mill Face
Weight: 358 grams
Material: Mild Carbon Steel
Finish: Olympic Bronze
Grip: Blue Pure (standard or midsize)
Headcover: Studio Stock Legend Blue
Dexterity: RH Only
Face Balanced, Super Fly-Mill Face
Weight: 358 grams
Material: Mild Carbon Steel
Finish: Olympic Bronze
Grip: Blue Pure (standard or midsize)
Headcover: Studio Stock Legend Blue
Dexterity: RH Only
Face Balanced, Super Fly-Mill Face
Weight: 348 grams
Material: Double-Aged Stainless Steel (D.A.S.S.)
Finish: Tour Blast
Grip: Red Leather Gripmaster (standard or midsize)
Headcover: Signature Red
Dexterity: RH Only
1/4 Toe Hang, Honeycomb Face Milling
Weight: 348 grams
Material: Double-Aged Stainless Steel (D.A.S.S.)
Finish: Tour Blast
Grip: Red Leather Gripmaster (standard or midsize)
Headcover: Signature Red
Dexterity: RH Only
Click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the putters in our forum.