The new Cleveland HB SOFT 2 putters are like the new kid in a family of overachievers.
They are under considerable pressure to be overachievers as well.
And you can make a compelling case that, for a family of overachievers, Cleveland putters are underrated. And underappreciated.
Sure, things went sideways with the unfortunate Smart Square putter in 2013. But since the original Huntington Beach Collection launch in 2016, Cleveland putters have been on a roll. They’ve traditionally fared well in MyGolfSpy testing with the HB SOFT Milled #1 taking top honors in last year’s Blade Putter category.
And the pricing was reasonable enough to make you wonder, “Scotty Who?”
Today Cleveland updates its baseline HB SOFT lineup with the new HB SOFT 2. It’s more of the same in many ways but there’s enough of a refresh to warrant your attention.
And the price is still reasonable enough.
Scotty Who?
Cleveland HB SOFT 2 Putters
It is kind of hard to keep Cleveland’s putter lineups straight. A scorecard is certainly warranted.
There are three HB SOFT variations: the HB SOFT Milled, the HB SOFT Premier (made premier courtesy of a dark finish) and the baseline HB SOFT which is being updated today.
Then there’s the unique, forward CG Frontline and the Frontline Elite, which features a milled tungsten face.
The HB SOFT line was introduced in 2018 to replace the original Huntington Beach Collection. The big story then, as it still is today, is the SOFT part. It stands for Speed Optimized Face Technology. SOFT is a unique face-milling pattern designed to preserve ball speed on off-center hits which, believe it or not, happens more often than you’d think with a putter.
If you take a close look at the face, you’ll see an aggressive milling pattern in the center where the sweet spot is. There’s more milled groove area and less actual face to come in contact with the ball. As you move away from the center on either side, the milling is less aggressive. There’s more face and less groove.
If you’ve ever missed the sweet spot on a putt (admit it, you have. We all have), that putt will come up short. SOFT normalizes speed on miss-hits since there’s more face and less groove to contact the ball.
It’s simple and effective. And Cleveland goes the extra mile by creating unique milling patterns for each putter head based on that head’s unique center of gravity and MOI properties.
What’s New, SOFT 2?
The new Cleveland HB SOFT 2 putters are pretty much similar to the previous SOFT 2 lineup, with one notable exception. The lineup includes five face-balanced models for straight-back, straight-through strokes (including two center-shafted putters) and four moderate toe-hang models for slight arc strokes.
The face-balanced models feature a high-contrast, black-bordered alignment system. And the axis of the shaft aligns with the center of gravity in the putter head to help keep the face square throughout the stroke. These putters also feature an oversized HB SOFT branded pistol grip designed to keep your hands quiet during the stroke.
The slight toe hang models feature a single alignment line and the axis of the shaft is closer to the golfer, placing the weight of the putter farther from your hands. That encourages a slightly open face during the backswing. The slight-arc models have a classic pistol grip designed for natural hand turn during the stroke.
Eight of the nine models are shapes you’ve seen before. Then there’s the RETREVE.
Cleveland HB SOFT RETREVE
Take one look at the Cleveland HB SOFT RETREVE putter and you’re likely to smirk. Maybe even chuckle.
The RETREVE does, after all, scream gimmick.
It’s a rounded mallet putter with a hole in the middle. And, yes, it does what you think it does. The mallet shape fits neatly into the cup while the hole in the middle fits snugly around the ball. That allows you to, ahhh, RETREVE the ball without bending over.
Yep, it’s a get-the-ball-in-the-hole-and-then-get-it-back-out-again golf putting system.
OK, I made that part up but, yeah, that’s the idea. If you’re a young buck or even a middle-aged one who’s still flexible enough to pick up the ball the old-fashioned way, it’s silly. But if the decades have robbed you of mobility, any little bit helps.
Cleveland didn’t sacrifice function for form. Looks aside, RETREVE is a pretty nice rolling putter.
Cleveland HB SOFT 2: Specs, Price, Availability
Four of the nine new Cleveland HB SOFT 2 putters are for slight-arc stroke types while the other five are face-balanced for straight-back, straight-through strokes. The slight-arc models feature the standard HB SOFT branded pistol grip while the face-balanced models feature an oversized model.
Additional grip options are available through the Custom Build function on Cleveland’s website.
The stock men’s models are available in 34 and 35 inches long and the stock women’s model is 32 inches. Any putter can be custom ordered from 32 to 38 inches except for the center-shafted 11c model, which is limited to 37. Any custom putter over 35 inches comes with a 20-gram counterweight in the butt end.
Custom loft and lie adjustments are also available.
Cleveland HB SOFT 2 putters will retail at $149.99 and will hit the stores on Jan. 24.
For more information, hit up the Cleveland Golf website.
League Golfer
3 months ago
I’m surprised by the author’s surprise and amusement at the RETREVE model and its function. Ping has had the same putter head shape and function for quite a few years now in the Fetch putter model. The Ping Fetch models are in Ping’s mainstream lines and have been in every Golf Galaxy I’ve gone into for many years.
I have two of the older Cleveland Huntington Beach model putters and they are always amongst the gamers I use. They have great looks and performance and I got them new, years ago, for $80 and $100. It’s too bad more manufacturers don’t make really high quality putters at about $150 like these new Clevelands.