First Look: Bettinardi BB1 Armageddon Limited Edition

Once again Bettinardi has cracked open the door to The Hive and let out something spectacular. This time around, it’s the military-themed BB1 Armageddon limited edition. Bettinardi has taken its classic BB1 head and incorporated cosmetic and functional elements more typically associated with military weaponry.

Robert Bettinardi designed the BB1 Armageddon not only as a way to show his support of the men and women serving in the military but also as a way to provide them some assistance should they need it when their service ends.

The Bettinardi BB1 Armageddon is a precision tool on the green, and also helps out beyond the confines of the golf course.

Specifications: Bettinardi BB1 Armageddon LE

• Material: Soft Carbon Steel
• Face Miling: Tactical F.I.T. Face
• Weight: 350g
• Finish: Flat Dark Earth
• Lie: 70°
• Loft: 3°
• Toe Hang: 1/2
• Grip: Orange Lamkin Deep-Etched
• MSRP: $550.00

Exploring Key Elements: Bettinardi BB1 Armageddon

The Bettinardi BB1 Armageddon is more than just a standard putter with a new paint job or a couple of fancy stamps. This putter started with the BB1’s DNA but quickly evolved to be something unique. Let’s take a look at some of the features that make the BB1 Armageddon more than your usual off the rack putter.

The Picatinny Rail

This BB1 putter features a unique Picatinny rail inspired top line alignment, featuring one single line painted in the center of the putter head.

It’s interesting how one can recognize something as familiar, and yet still know nothing about it. That’s where I’m at with the Picatinny Rail System. I immediately recognized the topline on the BB1 Armageddon as looking like the top of a gun, but I had no idea that there was a specific name, and purpose for the design.

For those not in the know, like myself, the Picatinny Rail system is usually found on the top edge of a firearm and is used as a platform to mount accessories such as scopes, sights, flashlights, and so on. By adding this design to the top of the putter, along with the single orange line, Bettinardi has not only created something visually similar to the Picatinny Rail, but also something functionally similar, as the rail aids in putter alignment.

Fun fact, the Picatinny Rail is named after the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, where the rail system was developed.

Flat Dark Earth TPT Finish

We are constantly working on new finishes to enrich the look of our precision milled putters. The new TPT “Thermo Plating Technology” finish enhances a number of physical performance properties including abrasion/wear resistance, impact strength, and most importantly feel.  With this new finish we combine durability with elegance and luxury to achieve the premium look Bettinardi customers have known to expect.

So the paragraph above explains the TPT part of the new finish pretty well, and it sounds like all good stuff to me. As one who prefers a carbon steel head, I’m all about these protective finishes. I want to maintain the feel of the carbon, but not deal with the maintenance that comes with non-protective finishes like black oxide.

Each putter has a Flat Dark Earth TPT finish applied to the head and shaft, guaranteeing your model will last in the toughest conditions.

The Flat Dark Earth color is perfect for the military theme of the BB1 Armageddon. Just do a quick Google image search of Flat Dark Earth, and you will find a whole bunch of similarly colored weapons. That connection aside, the finish also looks pretty spectacular in contrast to the putting green, moving somewhere between light brown and gray depending on the light. I applaud the decision to use the same finish on the shaft as it reduces contrasting elements at address, allowing the golfer to really focus on the orange sight line.

UPatch™ Headcover

The UPatch™ headcover that comes with the BB1 Armageddon is RJB’s latest creation, allowing golfers to customize the headcover to their liking with a patent pending Velcro and patch system.

Much to the dismay of the dry cleaners and seamstresses operating near military bases, most uniform patches moved to a Velcro attachment system around 2008 when the Army switched to the new Army Combat Uniform (A.C.U.). This simplified the switching of patches should a soldier change rank or be reassigned, or should the need to sterilize a uniform without destroying the patches arise.

The Bettinardi UPatch™ headcover incorporates a similar patch/Velcro system, allowing one to put the four included patches just about anywhere on the headcover. The orange lining in the headcover ties in ascetically with the orange Lamkin grip and orange paintfill on the putter.

If you just want to pick up one of these headcovers, you are in luck. Bettinardi will soon be releasing UPatch™ headcovers in various colors, as well as additional patches. You can also head over to eBay right now to find a whole bunch of Velcro-backed patches as well.

Tactical FIT Face

The tactical FIT (Feel Impact Technology) Face engraved into a soft carbon steel head will ensure the softest feeling milled Betinardi putter.

The Tactical FIT face is another unique feature of the BB1 Armageddon. While Bettinardi has been milling deep FIT-face grooves into putter faces for years, I can’t recall one where the grooves looked like this, extending across the majority of the face. Regardless, the grooves impart a very soft feel at impact (Srixon Z-Star used for reference). Roll-wise, the ball moves along quite nicely. At 350g, the swing, roll, and overall feel should feel very familiar to many golfers.

Donation to Warriors for Freedom

A portion of each putter sale will go to RJB’s charity of choice, Warriors of Freedom.

Though not technically a feature of the putter, the fact that Bob Bettinardi will be donating part of the sale proceeds to a military charity is worth mentioning. I was not familiar with Warriors for Freedom, and I figured that some of you might not be either, so I went to their site and found their mission statement.

Our mission is to connect service members, veterans, and their families with resources needed to become united with the community again.

Warriors for Freedom Foundation is a charitable, tax-exempt, 501(c)3 organization that provides support to our nation’s heroes and their families in the areas of recreational and social activities and mental health and wellness as well as to promote awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), Combat Stress Reaction (CSR) and Veteran Suicide.

We also work with community leaders, businesses, schools, legislators and others to enhance awareness and promote veterans’ initiatives through speaking engagements and fundraising.

Now I’m not privy to the portion of the revenue going to Warriors for Freedom, but I truly see the donation to charity as a beneficial feature of the BB1 Armageddon. My nephew is currently serving in the Army, and I find it comforting to know that should he need some post-service assistance, organizations like Warriors for Freedom are there to help, and that people like Robert Bettinardi are contributing.

Pull The Trigger Quickly

I know that shooting instructors will tell you to gently squeeze the trigger when you are firing a weapon, but I’m willing to bet that you don’t have the luxury of time with the BB1 Armageddon. There are only 200 of these available, and recent releases from The Hive have moved quickly. If you want one of these, it’s time to lock and load. They will sell out.