Putting is a truly personal process on the golf course. Watch golfers on the greens, from the professionals you see on television to the people you play with every weekend, and you will notice that everyone goes about it differently. From reading the green to a pre-shot routine and how you stand over the ball, every golfer has their own way of approaching putting. But there is one thing that improves putting performance for all of us: topspin.
Topspin, forward roll, overspin, whatever you call it, it is what keeps your putt rolling true toward the target. No matter what your putting stroke is like, getting the golf ball rolling pure is the ultimate goal. Golf club makers now pride themselves on putter technology that produces that topspin easier than ever. Whether it is an insert, milled grooves, or a specific pattern, the top manufacturers have their own ways of getting your golf ball rolling on target and in the hole. In this guide, TGW takes an in-depth look at some of those innovations.
TaylorMade
In 2018, TaylorMade introduced its Pure Roll insert. They have been using this insert in their putters ever since. Research shows that when striking a putt, it can take anywhere from 10% to 25% of the length of the putt to go from the resting position into true forward spin. That is why it is critically important to produce topspin and get the golf ball into forward roll as quickly as possible, especially on longer putts.
To achieve this, TaylorMade created the Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves. With that angle along with the proper width and depth, this insert helps launch the golf ball forward when you make contact. Getting the golf ball rolling forward faster helps it stay on your target line and resist the effects of imperfections on the green. If your ball is rolling true with topspin, it can roll right over things like a spike mark without losing its line. The angle of those grooves in the Pure Roll insert helps your ball achieve this faster.
TaylorMade has a putter with a Pure Roll insert for golfers who prefer all types of feel. The Spider FCG putters have a heavier copper version that feels more solid. Other putters like the Spider X lineup feature a polymer version for golfers who like a softer feel on the greens.
Odyssey
Odyssey has consistently been a leader when it comes to putter technology. So when they took their signature White Hot insert and asked how to make it impart forward roll, they had a groundbreaking idea. The result was Microhinge Insert Technology. This insert combines the soft feel golfers love from the White Hot insert with a new structure made to get the ball rolling forward immediately.
To create this effect, the stainless steel Microhinge plate is fused to the softer feel layer underneath. This plate is covered with the raised Microhinges. They look like small hooks pointing down at the precise angle to impart topspin on the ball as soon as you make contact. The added friction and flex from these tiny structures get your putts rolling true and on your intended line faster.
Odyssey includes the Microhinge Insert Technology in their O-Works line of putters as well as the Stroke Lab putters. There is a shape to fit every eye and stroke type so every golfer can take advantage of the topspin Microhinge produces to make you a more accurate putter.
Cleveland
Cleveland’s line of Huntington Beach and HB Soft putters are renowned for their forgiving Speed Optimized Face Technology. This design helps maintain ball speed, even on off-center hits, to better control your putts. But they also feature a special milling pattern that increases friction and gets the ball rolling forward faster.
Each putter is CNC-milled for precision with a diamond-shaped milling pattern. This increases the amount of friction between the ball and the face of the putter when you make contact. When that milling pattern grabs the ball, it sends it rolling forward with topspin and keeps it on your target line.
PING
PING has developed an insert they use on various putters with what they call TR, or True Roll, Technology. TR Technology uses grooves machined directly on the insert. These grooves vary in depth and help maintain speed on off-center contact while increasing friction to get the golf ball rolling forward and true at impact.
PING Sigma 2 and Vault 2.0 putters both utilize TR Technology. However, they utilize it differently. The Vault 2.0 putters are 100% milled so the True Roll pattern is milled directly on the face of each golf club. Meanwhile, the Sigma 2 putters have a dual durometer insert. PING mills the TR pattern onto the softer outer layer on the insert and then combines it with a firmer inner layer for solid feedback. The grooves work the same on both models, increasing friction and inducing topspin for true roll.
So whether you prefer the forgiveness of a mallet or the toe flow of a blade, like more alignment help or prefer a clean look at address, the one thing that can make everyone a better putter is topspin. Topspin is what gets your putts going on the intended target, keeps them there, and puts the ball in the hole. Try one of these putters from TGW with technology designed to enhance topspin for your next putter.
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