(by Dave Wolfe)
Welcome to the 2014 Most Wanted Mallet Putter Testing! Today you will see the twenty-four contenders who will compete for the prestigious title of Most Wanted Mallet.
The mallet putter is one of the most diverse categories of golf equipment. This year’s batch of contestants reflects this diversity. There are multiple alignment schemes. Inserts of various compositions and morphologies. The finishes vary. The materials vary. The grips vary. Head geometries range from a simplistic half-mallet to one with a center shaft and aggressive perimeter wings.
The mallets are very different, but they all have a shot to be the Most Wanted Mallet.
At MyGolfSpy, our competitors stand on equal ground. We don’t care if the putter is from a large or small company, is forged or cast, has an insert or a milled face. The putter may be a one-off prototype, or a sample from a run of thousands. Name and history hold no value here, only performance.
Yes, each of the twenty-four has an equal chance to win the title, but ultimately only one will be crowned Golf’s Most Wanted!
:: The Head-to-Head Test
How does a mallet earn the title of Most Wanted? Is the scoring based upon looks? Do you get bonus points for desirability? Not at MyGolfSpy. If a putter wants this title, it needs to perform, and perform better than the other putters. It’s head-to-head, winner take all. You’ll see no participation trophies here.
One of these mallets that you see today will add its name to the Most Wanted roster, joining 2013’s Most Wanted Mallet, the Bettinardi Signature 6, and the 2013 Most Wanted Blade, the Nike Method Core MC01W. Two previous challenges means two previous winners, period.
One of these mallets will be more accurate than its peers, separating itself from the pack based upon data, not opinion. There is no I just like it better here. To win our title, the putter must perform, and, on average, perform in the hands of all the testers.
:: How We Tested
What do we really need a putter to do for us? As we demonstrated last year, a successful putter is one that gets the ball close to the hole, ideally, of course, going in the hole. Do you like that your putter has your initials on the toe? Sure you do. Does the fact that your putter came from a former mini-tour player make for a great story? Of course. Will either one of those features help the putter to be the Most Wanted Mallet? Not at all.
The Most Wanted Putter earns that title by being the most accurate in its class. Accuracy is the ultimate measuring stick. Accuracy data is not subjective.
:: Accuracy Scoring
Mallet accuracy was measured by having the testers roll five putts from three distances; five, ten, and twenty feet. The distance from the closest edge of the cup was then recorded for each miss. To normalize the results, all of our testers used the same ball, the 2014 Wilson Staff FG Tour.
Because we know that missing a five-footer by two feet is not the same as missing a twenty-footer by two feet, the values were adjusted for distance as follows:
:: 5-Foot Score = Miss Distance (inches) x 2.0
:: 10-Foot Score = Miss Distance (inches) x 1.5
:: 20-Foot Score = No Adjustment
Once the values were adjusted for distance, the numbers were added together to generate a putter’s Total Accuracy Score.
:: Example: Accuracy Scoring Protocol
PUTTER X Accuracy Scoring, Tester #1
:: 5-foot putts: (11″ miss distance x adjustment of 2.0) = 22″ total miss distance
:: 10-foot putts: (16″ miss distance x adjustment of 1.5) = 24″ total miss distance
:: 20-foot putts: (120″ miss distance with no adjustment) = 120″ total miss distanceTotal Accuracy Score for Tester #1 with PUTTER X would be = 166″ inches (total miss distance)
The Contenders
The Most Wanted Mallet contestant field has grown from sixteen putters in our 2013 test to twenty-four putters for this year’s battle. We have some new small companies, Bellum Winmore, Mantis Golf, and Piretti Golf, going against the big names like Ping, Odyssey, and Bettinardi. One of the welcome surprises to the roster has to be the Cleveland Smart Square. Cleveland and MyGolfSpy were not on the same page when the Smart Square hit the market. Cleveland was not happy, but rather than avoiding the MyGolfSpy critique, they believed enough in their putter to put it up against this diverse field. Kudos to Cleveland Golf for their participation.
But Where Is ___________?
As always, if you are wondering where Company X is, rest assured that we made every attempt to invite them. Some of the companies couldn’t compete do to production issues, while others just simply declined. If you are not seeing your favorite brand, you’ve heard of Twitter. Give the company your 180 character best about why they should participate next time.
Without further ado. . .
I give you the 2014 Most Wanted Mallet Contestants!
Bellum Winmore Midi Mallet Prototype
Bettinardi BB32
Bettinardi BB32-CB
Bettinardi BB55
Bettinardi BB55-CB
Cleveland Smart Square
Mantis Mallet
Nike MOD-00
Odyssey Metal X Milled #7
Odyssey Tank 2-Ball
Odyssey Versa Jailbird
Odyssey White Hot Pro Havok
Ping Ketsch
Ping Nome TR
Ping Scottsdale TR Craz-E
Ping Scottsdale TR Senita B
Piretti Bosa
SeeMore PTM3
SeeMore X3
TaylorMade Daddy Long Legs
TaylorMade Spider Mallet
Tour Edge Exotics DG Tour Proto v3.2
Wilson Staff Vizor Level2 M3
Wilson Staff Vizor Level2 M4
The Balls have been Rolled, The Data Compiled
There are the twenty-four contenders. You’ve probably picked your favorites, and dismissed others. Be careful with your guesses though. Remember, to be the Most Wanted Mallet, you need to be more accurate than all of your peers, not just a better looking photo. Only the strongest performance snags the title.
Come back tomorrow and see which putter had the gumption to emerge victorious. The competition was tough, but the winner rose above the rest, winning a margin of victory previously thought unobtainable. The 2014 MyGolfSpy’s Most Wanted Mallet winner didn’t just best the competition, it annihilated them!
See you tomorrow!
More Most Wanted Mallet Coverage
2014 Most Wanted Mallet: The Contenders (This Post)
2014 Golfs Most Wanted Mallet – The Results
2014 Golf’s Most Wanted Mallet – Beyond the Data
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Desmond
8 years agoWould have left out the Exotics — not really a mallet.
Bobby Grace — one of the long time MOI designs that is constantly updated is the Amazing Grace — the Australian Open Edition has 5 tungsten weights and can be counterbalanced and with a 38 inch length … and it has great face technology.
iMike74
8 years agoPutter…Driver…Fairway Wood and now putter again?
Don’t get me wrong, all tests are interesting, but with the tenacity of senator Cato calling for the sacking of Carthage, I feel I must repeat my request for more tests of irons.
I my opinion this has been the best year for irons in several years. The Apex from Callaway with a bit of “newish” tech. SpeedBlade with it’s improved pocket, and a new Tour Prefered series from the same company. 714-series in Titleist, with some actual modifications made. Mizuno brining back the EZ-name. Ping coming out with a new i-model to replace the hugely popluar i20. Cobras Biocell irons with their strange look…this list goes on.
But not a single “ultimate review” since 18th of november when X-forged was reviewed. This was also the only Ultimate Review of an iron for a whole year! Also there have been 2 “Most wanted” for drivers and 3 for putters (including the upcoming one) whithout any Most Wanted Irons.
So, to paraphrase Cato will end with; “Furthermore, I consider that iron clubs must be tested”
Dave S
8 years agoSeriously, what did MGS do to piss-off Titleist?? First they bail on the Driver test, now this? Is it safe to assume they will no longer be participating in any tests done on this site? Such a shame bc they make some of the best stuff and any test w/o them – and this is likely not MGS’ fault – seems noticeably incomplete… Have they given ANY indication as to why they won’t participate anymore?
Otherwise, still looking forward to the results.
dru_
8 years agoIn the case of Titleist, I think it isn’t about what MGS did to them, but it is a calculated move. For them, it is something of a no-win situation to participate in these tests. The perception of having great/the best products in the industry is something they work hard at maintaining through marketing and pricing. If they participate in a test like this and win, then blah no big deal. But what happens if they don’t win, or even worse are found to be comparable to much cheaper options?
For them, there is no real upside to participation, so they choose not to (IMO). if, at some point, their marketing is sliding and they feel the need to compete on performance, I am sure they will, but in the short term, why even wade in when most serious golfers already *know* that Scotty Cameron’s are where it is at in the putter world?
Gil B.
8 years agoStrictly from a visual point of view the Piretti Bosa is the most appealing because of it’s simplicity. The manufacturers are creating some of the craziest putters I’ve ever seen. I want a putter that feels solid and will get the ball in the hole and not look like a weapon from a Star Wars movie.
obo
8 years agoare any counter ballanced?
Dave Wolfe
8 years agoBB32-CB
BB55-CB
Senita B
Tank 2-Ball
DDL
SpiderBlade
All counterbalanced
Steve Sheridan
8 years agoIn an upset. One of the Vizors 2 enteries.
Drew
8 years agoI tried the TM Daddy Long legs and really liked the way the ball came of the face.
Alex
8 years agoIs there anyway to weight missing short vs. long. A putter that average 6″ from the hole but 6″ short is NOT better than 7″ deep as those putts at least have a chance of going in! My goal is to put the ball in the hole… not close to it!
Dave Wolfe
8 years agoHi Alex
Check the scoring example right above the Scoring System graphic. We definitely adjust the numbers for distance. A 6″ miss from 5-foot is not the same as a 6″ miss from 20-foot.
Adam
8 years agoReally cool line up this year. Excited to see results even though I don’t use mallet putters.
golfer4life
8 years agoWhat are the qualifications for being a mallet putter? The Bellum Winmore Midi Mallet Prototype (not hating, just an example) is kinda hard to justify being a mallet putter.. Maybe its just my perception of what a mallet putter is? Can you give a brief explanation to what was acceptable? If I missed this from earlier I apologize.
Brian
G4L
Dave Wolfe
8 years agoHi Brian
I have kept the blade v. mallet definition fairly loose. For the mallets, we are looking at non-blade putters, and for the blades, non-mallets.
There will be some on the edges, like the Bellum Winmore and Tour Edge putters, but blurring that edge lets us get some putters in that otherwise wouldn’t really fit in either category.
Bla-llets are tough to characterize
golfer4life
8 years agoThanks Dave.
golfer4life
8 years agoTo bad so many putters from to few vendors. Wish more would have come out to play. Great to see Piretti is there…
Krizar
8 years agoI’m going with the Mod-00 as well. Can’t be that good looking and not win. Though the alignment on the wilson Vizor may be an unfaair advantage 😀
TwoSolitudes
8 years agoStill love that Mantis.
blstrong (SeeRed)
8 years ago+1
Hula_Rock
8 years agoGoing with the 2-all Tank and the Mod-00 ….