Hot List 2009: Blade Putters Under $200: Golf Digest

ODYSSEY WHITE HOT TOUR #1

STREET PRICE: $150
WEBSITE: odysseygolf.com

TECH TALK: The elastomer-core face insert addresses feel and stability. Its surface is infused with urethane to augment sound, and the weighting scheme of the insert has been shifted toward the perimeter to increase moment of inertia (MOI). The rationale behind using a 355-gram head for 33- and 34-inch shafts and a 340-gram head for 35-inch shafts is to keep the torsional balance--or how heavy the putter feels in a player's hands--constant.

PLAYER COMMENTS: (T) "This insert could make a Pinnacle feel soft." ... (L) "Roll was end over end, and this alignment line seemed really simple yet effective." ... (T) "I could putt with my eyes closed, and I would still know this putter was for me. Something about its weighting just felt so right."

HOT: The burnt tour finish provides a regal appearance and won't reflect glare even in the brightest sunlight.

NOT: Some panelists complained of distance-control issues with the soft insert.

PING I-SERIES ANSER

STREET PRICE: $120
WEBSITE: pinggolf.com

TECH TALK: The heel-toe-balanced, 17-4 stainless-steel body is investment cast and then heat-treated. The machined face has an insert that combines a thick, urethane piece with a softer central layer. The taper-tip shaft is stepless, and the grip is Winn AVS. The company's online Web-Fit program calculates the proper length, lie and grip size based on static measurements provided by the consumer.

PLAYER COMMENTS: (T) "I was very impressed with the feedback on off-center hits. It lets you make stroke corrections quickly." ... (M) "If you like the Anser style, you'll love this." ... (L) "I actually liked this insert, and I'm not a guy who normally likes inserts."

HOT: An example of product evolution that would make Darwin proud. The company that invented the Anser has made it better. The insert is a sign that the metallic sound that gave Ping its name has been bred out.

NOT: It would've been nice to have heavier head-weights for the shorter shafts.

PING IWI ANSER

STREET PRICE: $170
WEBSITE: pinggolf.com

TECH TALK: The 17-4 stainless-steel body features a two-piece face insert (machined 304 stainless steel encased in elastomer) and housings for adjustable weights in the heel and toe. It comes standard with two 12-gram weights, but an optional wrench kit with 20- and 28-gram weights permits nine custom options. In addition to total weight, by altering the putter's toe-hang balance, one can influence how it might rotate open and closed for a particular stroke.

PLAYER COMMENTS: (M) "A classic with just the right amount of technological tweaks." ... (L) "I'm a tinkerer, so I love the ability to change the weights." ... (L) "I like the softness. Sounds and feels like a putter should."

HOT: Packs about as much innovation as is possible within the confines of a blade head, yet it's deftly hidden where you can't see it: right in the sole.

NOT: Charging an extra $70 for the weight kit. Automatic access to what makes a product unique should be part of the deal.