Dave's Putter Profile: The Kronos Golf Release Longneck

[GolfSpy Dave]

I'm A Sucker For…

 

For me, that statement finishes with longneck blades. I don't think that there is another putter that I pine for more for than the longneck. I've got a couple of sweet ones in the never part with section of my collection. One is an old Cameron Tel3 longneck Newport, and my copper twisty Byron longneck 006 may be the pinnacle of my putter collection, and probably going into the box with me when I take the old dirt nap.

There was a span of time when discovering a new longneck resulted in an auto-purchase. These putters were the gamer of choice. Only the longneck could give me the face-balanced, non-malletness that I was looking for in a putter. Dave's putter corral was home to double-digit longnecks there for a while. #longneckissues

 

And so, when I saw that Kronos Golf was rolling out the ample-necked Release blade, I knew that it was a putter that needed my close scrutiny.

Spending Time with Kronos

Many of us first learned about Kronos Golf on the TV show Shark Tank. Kronos' founder and designer delivered one of the most memorable, and emotional pitches in the history of that show. That episode got the Kronos Golf out there, and they have continued to put out some pretty solid video content.

Here is a YouTube clip with a little more about the philosophy of Kronos.

https://youtu.be/feX4U8VuhJo

I first rolled Kronos putters back in 2015 when the Mandala and the Touch were entered in the Most Wanted Mallet and Blade competitions, respectively. The Mandala did great, placing fifth overall that year. That's including blades and mallets. Not too shabby for a small shop.

Though the Touch didn't fare as well with the testers, I personally liked the thicker top line and overall blocky blade appearance quite a bit. That Touch found its way into my bag more than once after the testing was completed. Though ultimately a bit too heavy for me, rolling the Touch was a pleasurable putting experience.

The Kronos Release

https://youtu.be/8H2SwutHphk

So let's take a closer look at the new Kronos Release. Obviously, the thing that is going to jump out at you with the release is the length of the neck. As necks go, the Release's neck is quite long. I've seen longer, but this one will stretch right up there with the other giraffes of the putter world.

 

The effect of that neck comes primarily with toe hang, and with that the putter's playability. An Anser-style putter featuring a more traditional neck length fits a slight-arc stroke path, with the neck and head weighting matching the swinging and head rotation of that arcing path.

 

By lengthening the neck, you push the toe hang toward being face-balanced, with the putter now playing more along a straight back-straight through path. What this means that the blade now plays more like a mallet, at least in terms of path. The huge mallets will still have significant MOI differences when compared to a blade, but having a blade that swings like a mallet hits the sweet spot for minimal arc players who don't like the look of huge putters.

Face-balanced blades are amazing compromises for the big mallet-phobics.

Specifications: Kronos Release

• 1-piece billet milled
• 11L17 carbon steel
• Physical Vapor Deposition finish
• 2.5 degrees loft, 70 degrees lie, 2 degrees draft
• 3:30 o'clock toe hang (nearly face balanced)
• Compass Scoredâ„¢ face
• 370 grams
• Standard with stepless steel shaft, leather cover and Iomic midsize grip
• Putter head milled and club assembled in San Diego, California.

Looks: Kronos Release

 

The PVD finish on the Release is outstanding. That's a subjective assessment, of course, but I love the way that other colors show up in the nooks and crannies of the putter. Nothing so overt that it distracts you at address, rather there are just little winks of color that you catch as you rotate the head. It's a top notch looking putter, and that PVD finish will protect the carbon steel nicely.

You've likely noticed that someone's name is on the putter's neck. Spoiler alert, that's my name! I didn't even know that Kronos was offering this type of customization, so I was quite surprised to see this touch of personalization when I opened the box.

 

This is a what that you could make this already unique putter even more custom and spepersonal. These putters could be used to mark births of kids, or other significant events like weddings. Imagine how excited your groomsmen would be this summer if you presented them with putters with something cool like Fairways and Greens on the neck. They'd be bros for life after that. It's a nice option for those interested.

Feel, Alignment, and Play Notes: Kronos Release

 

The Kronos Release plays exactly like a carbon steel longneck blade should play. The feeling at impact is deliciously soft, and paired with a pleasantly resonating tone. It gets an ooooh that's nice response when rolled.

The Release does remind me of the Touch in many ways. I like the familiar, blockier appearance of the blade at address. For me, the more square the better when it comes to aiming the putter. Once you start rounding edges, my eye gets a little wandering. The blocky top line and simple sight line are well paired for my eye. Not very overt, but enough to be helpful.

Gripping Interlude: The Bestgrips Grip

 

Without beating around the bush, if you are not rolling a putter with a Bestgrips leather grip, then you are missing out. These grips are soooooo comfortable. The stitching on the underside makes for a great tactile reference when gripping the putter, helping me (you?) to be sure that you hold the putter the same way every time.

 

If you've tried leather grips in the past and found them slick and uncomfortable, looking at you Gripmaster, then do yourself a favor and order a putter grip from Bestgrips. Someday I'm going to see how they play on my swinging clubs too.

 

The Release feels best along a shallow swing path with limited head rotation, exactly like you'd expect. Unfortunately for me, this no longer reflects my current swing description. This past weekend, I spent a few hours with a putting coach and the Capto putting system.

 

 

During the past year or so, it seemed like I was putting better with deep toe hang putters, directly contrasting what I thought that I knew about my putting preferences. I guess that I could have seen this coming as I have almost unconsciously migrated from long necks to standard necks, and then to flow necks over the past few years. Maybe the transition was a frog in a slowly warming pot thing, where I just didn't really know it was happening while it was happening.

The Kronos Release still fits my slight arc path, but the capto sensor showed dramatically different result when we looked at face rotation. As it turns out, I rotate the head much more in my swing than I thought I did. Good or bad, this is my (new?) natural motion, and it's more suited to a flow neck than a long neck. Based on the data, it looked like I was fighting to release the Release a bit.

This was a huge surprise, going against my years-long love affair with longneck putters. How can something I love not be good for me (re. beer)? Of course, I'll likely still game it here and there, when curiosity and emotion overpower data at gamer selection time. We all know that just sticking to that one putter would be boring anyway.

Putter Lover Head's Up: The Kronos Video Blog

http://kronosgolf.com/video-blog/

Phillip Lapuz and his Kronos peeps have been turning out some pretty interesting video content lately. Since this may have slipped under your radar, I thought it would be helpful to point you that way. In addition to giving you some insight into the company's workings around the world, that video blog also showcases a lot of interesting CAD putter designs as they reach toward this year's goal of 100 NEW PUTTER DESIGNS.

Check out this link below to a video from February where they talk about their goal of designing 100 Putters in 2018.

https://vimeo.com/256447257

Regardless of what makes it to the production stage, Kronos' designing of one hundred different models and 3D printing them in a year will be a fun project to follow. Personally, I like the idea of just trying things and see what happends. That's kind of how science works, right? Only through trying things, and having failure and being wrong be acceptable outcomes, do we actually figure out what is right.

Kudos to Kronos for trying something different. Every It's just another Anser complaining guy should tip their cap to you. Personally, I'd like to roll that one with the crazy shapes in the cavity.

Link to the blog page: HERE

 

 

Will 2018 Be the Time For KRONOS?

 

It seems like Kronos golf may be one to watch in 2018. There are lots of shops out there making milled putters these days. Let's face it, not all of them are innovative, or even interesting. Kronos seems committed on both of those accounts.

The Release is deliciously atypical in today's putter corral. I can only think of a few available longneck blades out there that don't require custom production to acquire. Sure, I probably need to go short flow neck these days to hit the hole, but I like to think of myself as a longneck aficionado. The Kronos Release is a solid longneck offering.

Did you see a putter on that blog page that you'd like to know more about? Any specific idea that jumped out? Anyone else out there a longneck lover?

Fire off that 2¢ MGS folk!

[PlaidJacket]

That's the way to make an equipment post. Really a nice job Dave. And great photos too!

I'm not all that interested in putters per se' but you made this eye catching and informative.

Thanks.

[StrokerAce]

WOW...even if it was just a wall hanger (ehm..Adam Beach) that is a thing of beauty.

Love the long neck and the ability to personalize.

 

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[JTexGolfer]

Beautiful putter. I have always been intrigued by the long neck blades, but don't think I have ever tried one. That one is a thing of beauty though.

[excourse]

Congrats on the Kronos, hope you sink many putts with it. I've been lusting over their mallet since I saw them first on Shark Tank, but could never justify the price.

Kudos, my friend.

 

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[GolfSpy Dave]

Beautiful putter. I have always been intrigued by the long neck blades, but don't think I have ever tried one. That one is a thing of beauty though.

They can be tough to find in shops. PING has made a few off the rack models over the years, but most face-balanced blades are double bend shafted like the Kushin or Odyssey 1W

[one0wonder]

Well done article! Now, I will have to visit Kronos website to see exactly what I may be missing out on. Thanks again for a great article!

[McaseyM]

Well done Dave! I remember that Shark Tank episode. Kronos has made some sweet putters, and I catch their stuff on IG from time to time. I'd wondered what the long neck does for a while, would a super low/stubby plumbers neck have the opposite affect on toe hang? I remember a Flanigan Bilt putter that had a super stubby neck.

 

 

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