PXG has added a fully milled wide-bodied blade putter to their Tour Series line, the Tour Series Fat Brandon. You read that right. PXG has expanded the profile of the 2024 Tour Series Brandon into a wide-blade putter, Fat Brandon.
Though not as popular as torque-balanced putters these days, wide-body blades definitely have their loyal following. With that in mind, it makes sense that PXG would add a wide blade to their Tour Series line.
The name makes me think that the folks at PXG have a sense of humor. I’d love to hear how they decided on the name. I bet it went something like this:
“We need a name for the new wide-body blade Tour Series Brandon putter.”
“What about Fat Brandon?”
“Done!”
Into the thick of the PXG Fat Brandon
Ignoring the silly name, what is the PXG Tour Series Fat Brandon all about? Like the other two Tour Series putters, the Fat Brandon is fully milled from a block of 303 stainless steel. Though I have not personally inspected the Fat Brandon yet, I expect the milling to be exceptional.
The milling on the Tour Series Brandon and Brandon II putters is first-class and I see no reason why PXG would not continue that trend with the Fat Brandon.
Like the other two Tour Series putters, the PXG Fat Brandon has adjustable sole weights, allowing golfers to dial in head weight to suit personal preferences. If the Fat Brandon follows the precedent of the other Tour Series putters, the stock head weight will be 360 grams with and weight adjustment range between 345 and 380 grams.
How did PXG keep the Fat Brandon from being too husky?
To keep the PXG Fat Brandon in a playable weight range, some of the stainless steel in the sole of the putter was removed. The resulting cavity on the bottom of the putter was then covered with a 6061 aluminum sole plate.
Not only does the replacement of the 30 grams of stainless steel with aluminum keep the overall head weight in the desired range, but it also improves MOI. This design places the heavier stainless steel at the perimeter of the head, which improves the stability of the Fat Brandon.
This boost in stability/MOI is the exact thing that wide-body blade players are looking for. Add to this the wider look at address and you’ve identified the reasons why someone would choose the Fat Brandon over the Brandon or Brandon II.
The in-person skinny on the Fat Brandon is coming soon
Unfortunately, I do not have a PXG Tour Series Fat Brandon in hand just yet. One is on the way though, so make sure that you check back here for some in-hand photos and on-grass analysis.
Specifically, I am looking forward to seeing how the PXG Tour Series Fat Brandon compares with my Scotty Cameron Studio Select Squareback 2. From the photos, it appears that the bulky blade putters are quite similar.
As is always the case, PXG puts their own signature on their designs. From the unique gray finish to the myriad of skulls on the sole, you immediately recognize a PXG putter when you see one.
This recognition is a good thing since PXG has a reputation for making really good putters.
While putter companies are always “inspired” by each other, I’m guessing that no company other than PXG will name their putter anything like Fat Brandon. That’s too bad since there are so many other possible wide putter names such as the Corpulent Connor, the Bulbous Barba, the Portly Phillip and the Tubby Tony.
Anyway, check back in a bit and I will have more info about how the Fat Brandon rolls the rock and some photos of the pretty porcine putter as well.
If you can’t wait until then, the putter is available now with a MSRP of $499.99 at PXG.com.
UPDATE: In-hand photos of the PXG Fat Brandon
Greetings again! I was able to get my hands on a PXG Tour Series Fat Brandon, so naturally I had to share some photos and insights with all of you.
Obviously, I’ve not had extensive play time with the putter, but there are a few things that jumped out during my initial testing.
- The craftsmanship is outstanding. I mentioned above that PXG’s first two Brandon Tour Series demonstrated PXG’s proficiency with a CNC mill. That trend continues with the Fat Brandon as well. The edges are so sharp and clean. Add precision milling to the list of things that PXG gets right with their putters.
- The gray finish is unique. While most other milled putters are silver or black, the Fat Brandon is gray. It’s not a matte gray, but it does remind me of the Nardo Gray finish found on lots of cars. Like with cars, this color looks amazing, but could be potentially polarizing as well.
- The feel and impact tone are delightful. Obviously, there is not a whole lot of assistive technology in the Fat Brandon, or most milled putters. A milled putter may not fix your stroke issues, but a good one will give you enough feedback for you to recognize your mistakes. For the Fat Brandon, alterations in impact tone tell you what part of the face struck the ball. Overall, the tone and feel are very pleasing.
- The final thing that I found interesting was that the Fat Brandon wasn’t super fat. It is larger than a standard blade putter, but not enormous. It still seems like a blade. It’s just a little huskier, but not to the point of listing its BMI on its medical record.
Some folk have asked about the Brandon name. The name has nothing to do with politics. PXG named the putter Brandon to honor their employee Brandon Fossum who was killed riding his motorcycle into work.
If you have any specific questions about the new PXG Tour Series Fat Brandon, fire away.
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