2021 Official Review-Tommy Armour Impact No. 3 Putters

[Golfspy_CG2 28,309]

Follow along as our six testers review the newest version of Tommy Armour putters

 

 

Testers are:

@xOldBenKenobiX

@knightsofnii

@PeterHenric

@DrMJG

@rbsiedsc

[xOldBenKenobiX 4,789]

Introduction

Hello friends, welcome to a tradition like no other, an MGS review.
In this wonderful thread, we have Elson, the 40-year-old Brazilian, who has hopes to become the best putter in the history of amateur golf. This middle-aged golfer had not picked up a golf club until he was 30 years old and now just over a decade later he is playing at almost the average 12-year-old skill level. Elson grew up playing soccer, futsal, volleyball, and handball back in the small town of Unai in Brazil. Elson is a senior quality and internal inspection inspector at a global IT company in Southeast Michigan where he lives. When he is not playing golf, Elson enjoys spending time with his family, cooking, and watching movies. 
Putting has been difficult for Elson during his golfing career. He has been lucky at times, but his putting game for most of the past decade could be described as sloppy at best. With this new putter on his hands, he has hopes and dreams to make a splash with his putting game.

Tommy Armour Impact No. 2 Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by xOldBenKenobiX

As for my putter history, I started with a Fantom putter that came with my first beginner’s set, a simple blade style that worked well for my first year of golf. I then picked up a TaylorMade Spider Monza, which was in the bag for about 3 years until I could no longer putt with it. I picked up a Titleist Deadeye 209, which was a great putter and was in my bag from 2014 until 2020. Last year I decided to give my first TA a try, the 2019 Impact 3, the second TA putter I’ve had in my bag. The two main differences between the two TA putters are style and head size. The old one was a mallet and this one is a blade, or a blade hybrid that plays closer to a mallet. The 2021 Impact 2 has a head that is significantly wider than the 2019 Impact 3. Overall, despite the size of the head, the club feels well balanced and has a good amount of weight to it without feeling like you’re swinging a sledgehammer. Most of the greens that I play on are slow to medium speeds and the Impact 2 performed really well on those, the couple per round that are more exposed and dried fast were not an issue with this putter.

Looks (10 out of 10 points)

This putter is well made and looks good, period. I love the contrast of colors on the head, the alignment line and dot are very visible and easy to follow, I love that the shaft is black, reducing any glare and sun reflection when I am staring down into the ball.

The putter is well crafted, the face insert is well made and looks awesome with the contrast of the dark outline and the silver insert.

 Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)

As for the sound, I love the noise this putter generates when it makes contact with the ball, it is especially enjoyable when I had longer putts. As far as the feel for the putts, I am confident about the distance control with this putter. I did hit short a bit for my first few holes, but after I found my groove every putt was a contender to go in the hole. Even missed putts were not missed by a lot, as I always had a tendency to hit my putts a little hard and see them going more than a few feet past the hole. Most of my long putts stayed inside 3 feet, and the ones that were outside that, I was able to make the putt coming back.

Comparing this putter with the Impact 3 that it is replacing, I love the color of the impact 2, the single dark color from that was replaced with the two-tone scheme and I think it looks great.

 Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20 points)

The accuracy of this putter was great, I never felt that any putt was not makeable. I had plenty of long putts to contend with and seemed to always have a look on making it, my worst putts were due to poor strokes on my side, not the putter.

As I mentioned before, after I got used to the distance of this club, I left most long putts inside of 3 feet, and did not have anything blown past the hole too far, so as for the distance control the club is excellent.

The stability of this putter is also good, with very few putts, I felt where the head was going off path, and even on those off path and center hits the outcome of the putt was still a good one.

In tangent to the stability, the forgiveness of this club was one of the best I have ever had. Off center, toe and heel hits did not massively suffer with distance loss nor with being off my intended line. Because of my fused back, I have a tendency to swing with my arms instead of the whole torso, so mishits are a common occurrence.

The club plays well from the fringe, a little harder from the rough, but still playable. I had a couple of times where I was a couple of feet off the green into the rough and chose to use it rather than the wedge. It was good, but I felt that I was swinging too hard for it. Maybe with a few more rounds that perception will change. As far as the performance with slopes, it played well. I felt that I was hitting on my intended line and that the ball always rolled and followed the expected break.

On-Course Performance (30 out of 30 points)

 The putter performed great and my stats with it were fantastic. Putting for me has always been a weakness rather than a strength, but with this putter I officially have not had any 3 putts, (officially because I did not count any of my Texas wedges as a putt). I did have a couple where I was between a couple to a few feet short of the green and used the putter first, leaving a decent putt and tap in. I am pleased with how easy it was to consistently set up and repeat the putt. Even the very long and breaking putts did not feel like I was pressured nor stressed to take my shot.

 

As far as improvements I would love to see different grip options for this putter, I prefer more of a pistol like grip, and while I did not mind the midsize grip, I am curious how this putter would perform with a pistol grip or maybe with a fat grip.

There is no feature that I would like to see gone, as the improvements of this putter with the toe hang has made it a great club to hit.

I would love to see weight options added to future lines of TA putter, as well as fitting options, I think for a little premium this club could be set to fit the players game much easier, making that transition smoother as well.

My game has improved with this putter, I have lowered my scores and for sure have putted better than before, my Arccos stats do not lie.

As far as putting green practice with a couple of visits, here are my numbers for both the Impact 3 and Impact 2 clock drill.

 10 feet drill.

Impact 3 - 50% made putts.

Impact 2 - 62% made putts.

 5 Feet drill.

Impact 3 - 71% made putts.

Impact 2 - 79% made putts.

 3 Feet drill.

Impact 3 - 84% made putts.

Impact 2 - 91% made putts.

 Miscellaneous (5 out of 10 points)

The big downfall of this putter was the fact that no headcover was included with it, something that most of the tester’s encountered. A putter is not something I just wanted to rattle around the bag and get dinged from other clubs. Luckily, I had a blade cover that I was not using and used it with this putter.

The comments I got from my friends were that the putter looked and felt great, very positive feedback from other players.

 Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20 points)

 The numbers and overall experience of this putter do not lie, I will keep it in my bag until I lose the feel for it.

The confidence I had with this putter in my hands also made me fall in love with it.

Conclusion

 Well friends this was a testing for the ages, a new springtime tradition if you may. This putter has shown great playability, with exceptional forgiveness and distance control. Although not perfect, this putter has been a great improvement from the previous line up.

This is not a Scotty Cameron nor a Lab putter, but for the cost and the results it is a steal of a club. Grant you, this club is not for everyone, but it is a club that most of us should give a try.

At the end of the day, there is the age old question, is putting a skill or an art? I believe it to be a little bit of both, it is an art that you need to practice and get better at over time. As for that improvement, I felt really confident with this putter on my hands and that helped me make a lot more putts than before. The renewed confidence was the best part of this entire testing opportunity. As I mentioned before, I will keep this putter in play for the time being and see where it takes me as the season goes along.

 

Final Score: 93 out of 100.
 

I had a few more pictures and videos that got lost due to my phone getting wet, I will take some new ones and add to the post on a later date.

Many thanks to my buddy Patrick who put up with me taking pictures and videos of the putter as we were playing.

[knightsofnii 1,243]

Stage Two - 2021 Tommy Armour Impact No. 3 Putter.  Official MGS Forum Review by @knightsofnii

 

Intro

 

Hi, My name is Doug.  It is an honor to do this putter review.  There’s a basic intro I did below in the discussion.  View my other reviews for more about-me tidbits as well:

 

2019 Review:  Lynx Black Cat Irons

2019 Review:  Golf Pride Tour Velvet +4 Grips

2020 Review:  Skycaddie LX5 Watch

 

You’ll notice a recurring statement in this review:  This putter exposed a flaw in my technique.  I corrected it, and then started on a course toward putting better.

 

Most of my work with this putter was time prior to rounds on the course, and about a dozen 9 or 18 hole rounds.  I started with both putters in the bag and did some side by side on the practice green at a local county course.  I noticed right away that longer shots were troublesome, and I was struggling to find the sweet spot.  My Hagen putter has a larger face by comparison, and I think I’m less affected by mishits with it.  I played several rounds and figured on hopes of getting the feel for the putter, the mishit long shots continued.  I finally took some video of my stroke to see if something about me or the putter looked strange.  Alas, I was addressing and stroking the ball with the toe way up. 

After some practice, I got to a comfortable address and stroke where this putter lays flat.  The striking improved.  I played a handful more rounds and paid attention to the feel, speed, consistency, and whether this putter is doing what I ask of it.  Of course at a moment when I thought I still had time, I went and sliced my thumb with a gardening spade while planting veggies.  Luckily, I can still putt; and, I can swing full throttle; so I wrapped up the review with some more head to head on the practice green and also the course, where I alternated greens with each putter.  I also made a few dozen deliberate toe and heel putts with both, to compare and contrast how each reacted and whether or not I was satisfied with the mishits.  I played an “18 hole round” on our practice green, as there are just about that many holes placed on the huge 2 tier green; and alternated putters for each hole.  There are also 2 half size holes, which are great for the 3 foot Mickelson drill.

 

Although Arccos has been tracking my putts; I honestly don’t trust it.  It misses many putts, and also misreads where they’re hit from (with both putters).  So, I won’t be sharing much about how my putting has improved or worsened aside from perhaps total strokes gained putting, as I’m usually adding or subtracting putts from the rounds later on.  So, Arccos doesn’t accurately know things such as the actual distance of each putt, as I still struggle with editing putting, I often just add or subtract total putts.  I can’t figure out nor often remember how to place the 2nd putt or how far from the cup it was.

 

Of course, while trying to wrap this up, I go out and shoot a below average round, with probably some of the best putting of my life.  My comfort with this putter and confidence are now at a level they were with the old putter.

 

 

Looks (9 out of 10 points)

 

I really like the fang style shape.  I’ve noticed a good number of tour players are using this type also.  The toe-heel length of the face is small, however.  I was afraid this would have a negative effect on my ball striking or confidence to do so; but, after some time with the putter, this is not the case.  The way the rear of the blade sweeps down into the fangs is nice and sleek.  I used to love the shape of my Hagen putter, and would joke that it looks like a spaceship.  I like the TA shape better.  It’s smooth.  It has a smaller footprint in the bag.  The fangs give the appearance of some actual CG distribution, rather than just something done for aesthetics.  The inside cut of the fangs is also drawn right to the face in a straight line, and frames the outside of the ball.  This is something I had not noticed until editing down my photos.

 

The addition of the silver 2tone with the black is really nice, and I prefer it to the previous year.  I recall last year’s No3 having some brown accents also, which I was not a fan of, so I’m glad they updated the colors.  The grip is pretty awesome looking also.  And the shaft is mostly plain black.  Black grip, black shaft, black head with silver back and silver face.  It just looks awesome.  I think it’s the nicest putter I’ve seen, especially in the budget price category.  As it wears, it still looks just as good, despite the scratches, as it’s painted everywhere but the grip. 

The alignment dot on the higher portion of the putter head appeared just a fraction off from the alignment line on the lower portion, due to distance from the eye, they’re not misaligned, but something worth noting.  After changing my putt address to hold the putter head flatter on the ground, my eyes are also more perpendicular to the dot and the line, so they appear aligned again.
The grip or head/shaft alignment is just a pinch off alignment from install.  I tried to get this onto my grip station to check it better, but it actually doesn’t even fit into the grip station due to the size of the head vs. how it bends, etc.  Also, the shaft is slightly misaligned to the mounting point of the head.  It appears a solid install, just slightly shifted.  It doesn’t seem to be hurting my putting.  I look at the putter head when putting, not the grip/shaft.  So my brain/hands are probably adjusting for it.

 

Sound & Feel (9 out of 10 points)

 

The sound is a quiet muted pop sound.  A similar sound to when I tap the surface of my laptop with my fingernail.  The Hagen putter has a bit of a clank to it.  The feel is a soft poppy feel.  You can feel the deflection off the face, and a bit of the dampening with a tiny bit of rebound.  With the Hagen putter, I feel a harder impact and more rebound back.  The TA putter feels like it carries momentum forward.

Mishits are pronounced, but you have to be way off the toe or heel to feel them.  The mishits I experienced with longer harder strokes were likely a combo of missing left/right AND up/down.   When struck toward the toe or heel, there was only a slight loss of maybe 1-2 feet on an 8-10 foot putt.  That could obviously mean the difference between a make and a miss, but it’s not necessarily going to leave you with a tough second putt.

It started out feeling pretty awful, as I could not seem to find the face.  I recall last yr’s No.3 feeling the same way in the store.  I thought it was a result of the smaller face.  It’s totally not.  It was my own stroke.   Though the larger faced putter that I have was compensating for my bad address/stroke.   So, maybe this thing is less forgiving?  But I’ve gotten to a point where I can hit it solid consistently and now that I have, I believe it feels and sounds great.  I had zero confidence with this at first.  But now I am as confident as I was with my old putter.

 

It’s noticeably heavier than my Hagen putter.  I have a video below where I compare weights.  They’re really not much different.  But, if the head itself is where the extra weight is, that would account for a substantial increase in swing weight feel; which I believe is the case.  After getting more adjusted, I feel the weight adds some stability.

Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20 points)

 

 

The accuracy is good.  I usually align my intended line with a spot on the green 1-2 feet past the ball (a blade of grass that’s discolored, any kind of mark or something that sticks out), and keep my focus lasered on that spot while addressing the ball; I then know I’m square to that, look at the ball, and putt.  I can roll it consistently over that spot.  I did a handful of putts where I would pick the spot and go through my normal routine, but then look back at the spot and watch it as I make the putt.  The ball consistently rolled directly over the spot. 

It seems to be more reactive than my previous putter and it has taken time to get used to that.   But I believe I’ve settled in with it and can control the distance well.  Compared to the Hagen putter, it equally goes the distance I intend when inside 20 feet.  Longer putts are much more under control since flattening my address and standing a little closer to the ball. 

The extra head weight seems to help with keeping the face on the proper stroke path.   I have noticed I am a bit shaky in my stroke with both putters, but the TA putter seems to be more stable.

The forgiveness is good.  High and low off the toe or heel are obviously causing short misses.  They don’t seem to go offline at all though.  Toe and heel biased strikes came up maybe 1-2 feet short.  The worst strikes came from when I had the toe high and heel low (angled) and it just felt like every shot came off the top edge, the ball would pop up slightly and dribble before getting into a roll and would be way short.  Luckily, I discovered this was due to my own address and stroke, and worked on it.  I wasn’t looking to have to adapt my game to my equipment, but it looks like this putter exposed a flaw, which I have corrected.

It is a little better than I expected off the fringe or first couple inches of rough.  The smaller head, at first, gave me zero confidence that I’d be able to hit solid at all on the fringe or through rough to fringe, etc.  I often will just use the blade of a wedge for these putts.  However, the smaller footprint allows it to get through the rough and fringe better, getting grabbed by less turf.  After correcting my address, with the putter flat, I have confidence I can get the ball rolling fast and smooth on harder strikes up hills.  I am using this putter often vs. my high loft wedge for green side up and downs.

 

 

On-Course Performance (25 out of 30 points)

 

This putter really had me thinking things were going to be all unicorns and bunnies until I actually made some putts.  My confidence with it over the first few rounds and practice sessions dwindled quickly.  Again, once my address position was corrected, the striking improved dramatically.  I now have as much confidence with this putter as I did with the Hagen putter.  I thought the weight would be problematic at first, but it feels like it helps keep the putter head on line.  I like the alignment aids of the dot, line, and the way the fangs frame the ball. 

I feel like I need to concentrate more on squaring this putter up vs the Hagen putter.  However, it may be that the alignment markings are helping me and actually showing me when I am square or not. 

I believe it performs well.  It is a type of putter shape I prefer.  It has a good feel and sound.   It is a pinch heavy in the hands, but if anything, that helps with long putts and keeping the stroke on the proper path.  It’s not magically improving my game, but it is not holding me back.  In fact, it exposed a flaw in my putting setup and stroke, and I feel I am a better putter for it.   My scores are not yet dropping but I feel in time they may.  I feel like the putts I’m missing are due to mis-reads, being too hesitant, or discomfort due to rushing or taking too long, etc. 

My strokes gained from putting remained relatively unchanged until my last round, where I improved dramatically. 

 

It’s too soon to tell whether I’ll be able to keep the 3-putts away.  I believe that even if the putter were perfect, I still need to make the stroke, read the putt correctly, and give it the proper speed and roll.  The putter is only part of the equation.  I feel like this putter is a good tool to get the ball rolling, but it’s up to me to drain the putts. 

Prior to this evaluation, I knew that this particular TA putter had been highly regarded, and was a Most Wanted putter for 2 years in a row.  That’s what got me excited to try it, despite not initially liking it in the store.  I much preferred the Infusion when I was at Golf Galaxy (owned by Dick’s SG), and nearly bought that putter.  If, for any other reason, the Infusion does a tremendous job at scooping the ball up with it’s unique fang shape.    But, after working on getting my address and stroke to deliver the putter more level vs. toe high, I found the Impact No. 3 to have good feel, good speed control, good accuracy, and good forgiveness when struck off the toe or heel.   The ONLY time I suffered from mishits was when I was hitting early on with an extreme toe high address.    Tommy Armour seems to cater to the budget minded golfer who wants game improvement characteristics, and is not a brand you hear much about unless you pay attention to MGS reviews or see them pop up on Dick’s or Golf Galaxy marketing.  I think this putter was a big of a break-out for them.  Though it did not perform as well in the 2021 Most Wanted Mallet putter testing.

If I had to change anything, I would make the face a little longer toe-heel to be more comparable to the bladed versions, to inspire more confidence.

 

  I would add the rear/fang shape of the Infusion Aero, but in a way that keeps the ball framed at address.  Maybe keep the No. 3 fang shape, but make it in a way that you can scoop the ball off the turf easier.  More color choices would be awesome too.  I like the alignment markings.  All they did this year was add a dot to the blade section, but I think that makes a big difference and increases the alignment area.   Also, if you see that the dot does not align to the line, but the face appears square, check if the putter is flat, or if you’re looking over the putter or your eyes are more toward the toe or heel.   I like the all black with the silver head contrast.  I like the grip.

 

 

Miscellaneous (8 out of 10 points)

 

No headcover.  Perhaps actual customers will get them.  I have not checked at Dick’s.  I know one of our testers received one.  I found a new Odyssey mallet cover yesterday.  Handing it over to staff hurt.  It probably cost more than this putter.

 

The shaft is not glued to the head perfectly.  Have a look at the photo, it seems to have a little tilt.  Some of the epoxy is visible.

 

One spot on the paint job there is a little bit of a run/blob.  Another spot appears to be where black wicked under the tape they used.  The silver is paint, rather than a neat machined finish or something.

 

The paint is wearing.  I have no head cover.  I’m not deducting for this.  The paint along the head edges is showing wear the most.  I think near 20 rounds of bag chatter will do that to any painted putter or club.  I think it still looks great with its scratches.

 

The packaging was a simple box containing the putter, with a shrink wrapped head, and two small pieces of bubble wrap.  There is no way the bubble wrap was protecting anything.  The putter was flopping around in the box.  Luckily it showed up flawless and not bent.  I’m no packaging engineer, and appreciate the minimalist approach and keeping the plastics usage down, but I think more materials here would ensure the product arrives undamaged.   

 

 

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20 points)

 

Play it.  I think it is working fine.  I think it looks really nice.   It has nice feel and it is rolling the ball over my spots at the speeds I intend.  The grip is nice but I may replace it with something thicker.  I wasn’t expecting a magical putter that would drain everything in sight.  I was expecting something that will put the ball where I tell it to.  I believe this is responding properly to my input.  I think this putter would be good for anyone on a budget, or maybe graduating from their starter or yard-sale putter, like me.  Someone who likes mallets and fang style putters, is not afraid of a couple ounces, and loves black.  I do believe they also have a silver shafted option.  If I were playing for money, or magically appeared on tour, I would game this putter.

 

 

Conclusion

I was really stoked to be chosen to try out a putter that had previously won Most Wanted.  Apparently the face insert, the color changes, and the dot caused it to fall from grace somehow?  I didn’t notice such things, though I did not do a side by side comparison with the previous Impact No. 3.  What I did do with this putter was putt the full range of lowest lows up to one of my best putting rounds to date.  It exposed a flaw in my technique.  Once I came back with better mechanics, this putter became a great tool for me to face the most challenging greens I’ve experienced.  It has a nice soft feel, but feels solid on longer putts.  It rolls the ball along my intended lines and has good speed control.  The alignment markings, including the fangs, frame the ball nicely for good alignment.  The mostly black, with some silver, is pleasing to look at.  It is heavier, but the weight seems to help control the putter.  The Winn grip is nice and comfortable.  If you like fang style mallets, don’t pass this one by just because it’s cheap.  You may be surprised.

 

Final Score:  89 of 100

Edited June 27 by knightsofnii

[PeterHenric 184]

Hey now!

I’ve been a faithful MGS reader for about the last year and half and this is my first time being selected to review a product. I started golfing “seriously” about 3 years ago and for the majority of that time I was convinced that the tool was either the problem or the solution. Always thinking I needed new drivers/irons/wedges/putters was getting very expensive. Over the last year I decided to invest in just some good old fashioned practice time to see if that would make a difference. Magically, the same old clubs started working much better than they used to. Weird, huh?

I started off with a hand-me-down Scott Cameron Fastback that probably would have worked fine if I spent any amount of time trying to use it. I picked up the Kirkland Signature KS1 because it was so cheap and I instantly fell in love with it. Because I saw all the tour pros playing mallets, I picked up a PXG Blackjack and thought I loved it but the results didn’t agree. I had gone back to the KS1 until this opportunity arose. I chose the Impact 3 because it was different than any putter I had used before. Maybe I would stumble onto something special?

 

As far as the looks of this putter, I’d give it a 6 out of 10. Take this in the spirit in which it is intended, this looks like a $150 putter. When I compare the fit/finish/paint to my PXG Blackjack and the Scotty Cameron Fastback, you can see the quality difference. You have to look closely but you can see it. The paint looks inexpensive and is applied in a less than perfect manor.

I like the look of the fang-style putters and their version of it. At address, I am still undecided on whether I like the dot/line alignment aid. On my KS1, I added 2 blue lines next to the black line to make a knockoff version of the Odyssey Triple Track system. I will be able to do this with the TA 3, I just haven’t done it yet.

The face milling on this putter does look nice. That’s all.

 

The first time I hit a ball with this putter my impression was a very conclusive “soft.” For a putter with a milled insert and rubber backing, it feels softer than the other putters I have with fully milled faces. To me, this made it feel a little more forgiving or deliberate when putting. This feel was very welcome.

Along with the feel of the putter face, I did like the feel of the grip as well. I usually use Superstroke Pistol Gt2 with the counterweight so I was a little reluctant to have to use a different grip. Fortunately, the new grip feel soft and plush and I don’t have any plans to change it out in the future.

The putter feels more like a blade than a mallet, I guess that’s the point of these styles of putters. A more stable blade, I think I’d buy into that.

One complaint that I have comes strictly down to personal preference and that’s that it only comes in a double bend hosel. I usually prefer a plumbers neck. I don’t know a lot about the different behaviors of the different types of shafts and what each design does. I’d give this putter an 8.5 out of 10 for sound and feel.

 

Initially, I kept pulling my putts left of where I thought they would go. I found that I had to adapt my stroke to the putter and focus more on having a straight back, straight through motion. Once I did this, it rolled a lot better for me. I have a Perfect Practice Putting mat that I use to get a putter dialed in which is where I figured out my swing path issue as well as to kind of dial in my distances. With my other putters, when I would miss, it would usually be long. With the TA3, I would usually miss short. This is probably because the head weighs less and I don’t have the counterbalanced weight in the grip.

As far as forgiveness on mis-hits, I feel like it’s pretty forgiving. I’ve been able to play a number of rounds with this and my putting was never terrible. Most of my missed putts were more because I just completely misread it or I just had a poor stroke, nothing any putter could have saved. My super scientific score for the general feel and characteristics is 16 out of 20.

 

When I rate this putter for on course performance, I’d go with 25 out of 30. I don’t know if this score is too high because, according to my analytics, I am not actually any better of a putter with this thing in my bag. Over the last number of rounds, I average right around 2.1 putts per hole. This did not change with my rounds playing the TA3. On the course, it isn’t a better or worse putter than what I normally play with. Lag putting seems to be on par with what I normally expect. I use an app that tracks my strokes/putts but it doesn’t keep distances so I can’t speak to that part of it.

I rarely use a putter if I am ever in the rough, I keep the use to the greens and fringes. Having said that, I didn’t think it performed any better or worse than my KS1. I’m aware that is kind of a non-answer but it didn’t really seem any different than my normal gamer. I wouldn’t say that is a bad thing as I never felt like the KS1 performed poorly.

 

All the little things. This is the area where I get to talk about all the little things that I either loved or hated. Sadly, it’s the little things about this putter that bothered me. It performed well but all the characteristics about it screamed “inexpensive.” The putter was shipped in a slim cardboard box that didn’t seem to offer much protection. Fortunately it did not arrive damaged but I felt like it easily could have.

This next item is a real head scratcher for me. The majority of us testers received our putters with no head covers. This was definitely a bummer as I always treat my clubs with respect and like to cover them (no iron covers, though). A couple of testers had a shipping snafu so they actually had replacement putters sent. These replacement putters came with what seemed like decent head covers with magnetic closures. This was handled by a different representative so I don’t know if he pulled some strings to get them head covers as a “sorry about that” or if they were supposed to come with them and the first Rep just decided we didn’t need them. I have not seen them in store so I don’t know what you would get if you tried to buy one in store.

Along with the missing head covers, the size of the TA3 is smaller than a typical mallet so finding a decent head cover that fits properly is very difficult to do. The cover I got from Amazon is nice but it fits loose and is sloppy. Bummer.

On the plus side, I do quite like the grip. It’s growing on me. My score for the miscellaneous section? 4 out of 10.

 

And now the big question, do I play it or trade it? As part of our guidelines for this section, there is a bit that asks if you would put this in your bag for a tournament or money game. After pondering this for a bit, I don’t think I would. For me, it doesn’t seem to perform any better or worse than my current gamer. It is not a bad putter at all, it’s just not good enough that I would game it when money is on the line. My score would be 10 out of 20. Not great, not terrible.

I do plan on using this more in the future and my opinion might change when I get even more putts with it. I will report back if that day does come.

As for who this would be good for? I’d say someone who wants a decent putter an a good price. I think that at the time of my review, it is discounted down to $129 from the normal price of $149. It’s a great putter for $129.

 

So all in, how did it go for me? Adding up all the points, it comes in at a surprising 69.5 out of 100. When I think of this putter, I don’t think of a D+ putter but that’s what the score is. It’s a good inexpensive putter that performs well but has some downsides that come along with inexpensive items.

[golfingbrock 646]

Tommy Armour Impact No. 2 Putter Review

Hey guys, @Golfingbrock here! You can call me Brock, Brocksy, or whatever. As weird as 2020 was, 2021 has been just as weird. There were some delays with getting this putter in, but also while waiting for the putter, we had a hailstorm that wrecked my car and my roof.  And earlier this year we had a rare multi-day freeze that severely affected the Bermuda greens here in Texas. Last year I tested a sweet Honma TR20 440 driver which is still in the bag, and this year I got to test the Tommy Armour Impact No. 2 Putter. I was really excited to test this putter, especially since it rocked the MGS Most wanted testing!

About me:

I am a scratch golfer despite my putting. For the last 9 years I have been using an Odyssey Sabertooth putter. I had a Superstroke Slim 3.0 for years with varying results. Late last year with an effort to improve, I tried claw and cross-hand grips in addition to my traditional grip. I had some relative success with the claw stroke, and since my grip was getting worn out, I decided to get a Superstroke Claw grip (wide pistol handle). 

For whatever reason, this new grip never felt quite right, and my putting woes continued. When my putter was not behaving, I’d put it in timeout and bring in my Wilson Blue Ridge Sam Snead Blade putter.  My grandmother got this for $5 from a garage sale over 20 years ago. In 2019 I played 27 holes at Sweeten’s Cove. After making no birdies the first 9 holes, I switched to the Sam Sneed and made 7 birdies the last 18 including the last 3 holes. Also, my low round this year of 71 occurred while using the Sam Snead.  But normally the Snead hangs in my son’s room as decoration, and I have never really considered it as a gamer.

I also re-acquired my old Scotty Cameron Newport 2 this year. I used this putter in junior and college golf and for years after before loaning It to my dad in 2012.  I played a few rounds with it this year and expected for this to be my gamer again pending the TA2 review.

Scotty, Sabertooth, and Tommy:

Slammin' Sammy:

During this test I played almost every Saturday, at various courses with an array of putting surfaces. I was able to get out during my lunch break a few times to test on real greens, but I did most of my practice and testing indoors on my office carpet and on my perfect practice putting mat. 

Speaking of the TA2, on to the review:

Looks:

Compared to the Scotty’s, Toulon’s, Evnrolls and other premium putters, this one looks cheaper by comparison (hey it IS a $150 putter). Mostly because it’s painted instead of a metal finish. But I love the classic wide blade shape and the simple yet useful alignment aids. And the color scheme is simple enough that it isn’t too distracting (8/10)

Sound/Feel:

When I first tested this putter, it felt much softer than my other putters, so I felt like I really had to hit it to get it to the hole. The milled aluminum face has a clicky sound, and feels like a tin can on off-center hits, but feels nice on centered strikes.  (7/10)

Basic Characteristics:

This putter feels very stable and has a nice heft to it. Whether you have a slight arc or straight back/straight through stroke, this putter has a nice weight in the hands. This putter tested very highly, especially in the short to mid range putting, and I would have to confirm that this feels great on those putts. On the putting mat, I can get in a groove and the stroke is very repeatable. For long range putts I had a hard time getting the feel and speed control, and this one performed worse than my other putters (15/20)

In practice this putter was on par with my other putters. Here’s a video comparing  my old Scotty to the TA2.  (I tried more videos in practice but had a few where my phone over-heated and shut down thus deleting the videos)

 

On Course Performance:

I said earlier that this has been a weird year, but the variety of courses I played during this test really ran this putter through the gauntlet.  My primary course, Rockwood has Bermuda greens that run around 10 on the stimp, up to 12 in tournament conditions.  My first few rounds were decent on short to mid-range putts but distance controls struggled. This putter felt really bad into the grain and I left a few woefully short.

I also played Stevens Park and Keeton Park in Dallas. Both of those courses had very slow greens at the time (due to growing out to heal from the freeze). I used the TA2 at Stevens and I left putts short all day and could never get a feel for the speed.  I used my old Scotty at Keeton, and though they were slow, my feel and speed control was much better than it had been with the TA2.

I also played medium speed bent grass greens in Tulsa with the TA2, and this putter rolled great. This was probably the most confident I felt with this putter, and despite my worst ball-striking of the year (LITERALLY A FULL-BLOWN SHANK-FEST ), I made multiple 15-20 footers and a few from 5-10 to salvage an otherwise terrible round.

Despite my solid putting on Bent, most of my rounds are on Bermuda and this putter had underperformed. I was ready to give this a 15/30 for on the course performance, but on a whim this past Friday, I decided to go to the PGA Store and get a Superstroke Slim 3.0 grip on this thing. I hit a few putts in the store after it was installed, and it felt promising.

With the new grip, the putter felt more stable, the mishits didn’t ring as much, and I made some really great putts with it. I still had two 3-putts in each of my rounds with the new big grip, but those were all from 50-80 ft (including a couple first putts I left 20 ft short). Other than a mis-read and slight push on a 5-footer, I made some really good putts, though I averaged 33 putts a round in those 2 rounds. 

 The new grip!

Overall I averaged 34 putts per round during this trial, up from the 32 I averaged before. (23/30)

 

Miscellaneous:

I mentioned earlier that this putter may not be as sexy as some of the bigger names.  I was one of the fortunate few that got my putter with a putter cover.  Compared to most leather putter covers, this feels solid and nice as a fabric cover with corduroy interior.  But after a month this putter cover already has some wear, and I’m not sure how durable it will be. Also, we talked about the painted metal on the putter earlier. After a month, there’s already some paint coming off the bottom of the putter (probably due to my dew sweeping morning rounds).  Still from the top line view, the putter looks nice. And the painted black shaft is still holding up for now. (7/10)

Wear 1 month in: 

Play it or Trade it:

I have the Fort Worth City Mid-am Championship coming up in 2 weeks, and I was already thinking about which putter I wanted to focus on the next few weeks to play in tournament play. My handicap went up and my putting hasn’t been great at times during the test. But with the grip change, this feels like a totally different instrument that I just need more time with. Over the next 2 weeks I will ramp up my practice and it will likely be a game time decision between the TA2 and the Scotty. Right now, it’s a Toss-up, and worst-case scenario it ends up as a solid backup. (16/20)

 

Conclusion:

This is a solid putter, especially for the price of $150. This is a great putter for the weekend warrior, and should perform adequately compared to any $400+ off-the-rack non-fitted putter. The TA2 underperformed compared to my gamer until I made a grip change, and now it is in the running for a spot in the bag. The look is simple and clean, it’s easy to line up and the alignment aids aren’t distracting,

The paint finish, sounds, and feel of the TA2 aren’t as good as a premium putter. But I will continue to use it if it performs! (Though I’d also consider putting with a rock tied to a stick if it made me putt better).

 

FINAL SCORE:  76/100

[DrMJG 543]

 

I was given the opportunity of testing the TA Impact II, the slightly larger blade putter.  I may be less inclined to make a big deal of appearance. After all, most of my current clubs were used. I tend to consider condition and suitability for my game more than original look. Still, this club looked good.  Blade and shaft were black, as well as the grip.  Alignments were clearly marked. In short, I give this this weapon a full 10 points in looks  and style.

As with any new club in my bag, it was going to take a while to get used to the feel of this putter. My gamer has a sound I am very used to, after 5 years of use. The TA sound was, to my ear, a tad softer. More like tapping on a full pot of water as opposed to any empty one. This implies as well that I spend a lot of time listening to my putter.  I really do not, though I have many do.  Not listening for sound may sound a bit off to many who are aware I was a conductor of orchestras and choirs as well as a classical singer. I respond more to the tactile when golfing. The TA did not produce any real distraction for me through sound no matter where on the face I struck the ball.

In terms of the basic feel of the club, I spent a lot of time hitting and mis-hitting the blade in first day I tested it out. The feel of the Impact II was disorienting at the start.  The basic sense was that it was heavier than my gamer and oddly balanced. This took a full three weeks of use to get to a sense of “I know this club and what I want to do”.  I even spent an hour with a golf pro to see if I needed to radically change any of my putting stroke. We ended up focusing more with stance and body straightening than anything else. Soon the TA felt better in terms of balance and I was quickly not having the same impression of clunky, heavy and awkward. So, for these considerations I’ll assign a solid 8 points.

After I'd spent a good amount of time on the course and putting mat, I became quite a bit more accurate in all the fundamental aspect of using this putter, though repeatable accuracy of distance greater than 20’ remains mainly to operator error.  I was able to readily aim the ball using  the markings on the club.  

The nice aspect of the club is it sent the ball in the direction I hit it, good or bad. All was solid with my stroke after I adapted to the club. I did have to change the stance to allow to keep more of the blade on the ground, lest I hit on the heel.  

I am far from 100% comfortable with the TA II. If this had been my choice for a putter when I rebuilt my set in 2014 I could see it as a gamer. I will continue to mix it in from time to time when the heat of Phoenix allows me to play again. Usability I would give 17 points. While it fits my game, still not a perfect natural one.

Total Points 35 out of 40. One last comment: the price point makes this at great choice for many of us.

This ends my review!

•  

Edited June 22 by DrMJG

[rbsiedsc 3,180]

Stage Two – Tommy Armour No2 Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by rbsiedsc

 

Intro

 

First I’d like to thank MGS and DGS/GG/TA for allowing me to test this flat stick. It was a real treat. For my testing, I have several rounds on it. A few putting green sessions. Lots of in home putting using my Elmo ball catcher and later a putt out. I do have one head to head at varying distances with my two other putters although, that data needs to be collected again.

 

Looks (8 out of 10 points) 

 

Love the look of the putter looking down. I don’t mind the two tones on it like the Most wanted testers pointed out. The sole is simple, not to flashy. The shaft is a nice black PVD finish and helps align with the silver topline. I came from playing mallets, so the look was different to me but not intimidating. The dot and line alignment took some getting used to and I noticed that I sometimes had to feel like I was closing the face at address to make it actually square

 
side by side with the no1

Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)

putter definitely has more feel than my other two mallets (TM Corza Ghost and Toulon Las Vegas Stroke lab) which is really nice. Center hits feel smooth. Toe hits are more of a tock sounds (like hitting a wall stud) and you can feel a little twisting. Heel hits are more dull sounding. The midsize pistol grip that came with it was also nice. It took an adjustment from me as I am used to oversize or jumbo grips. In the future I may swap that out for a large grip to help my hands more. The head seemed slightly heavy compared to my Corza, despite the same head weights. This did not really affect much though, just an observation

 

elmo drill
 https://youtube.com/shorts/r7MBlpJmJv8?feature=share
 

Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)

 

I did find the distance across the face to be fairly consistent. The center strikes had more jump but the toe and heel strikes still got the ball near the cup. Nothing was ever remarkably short, the ball just kept rolling, especially if you have a longer follow through. That forgiveness gave me a lot more confidence as I was also trying heads up putting for better distance control. Since I wasn’t always hitting the center of the face, yet the distance was preserved, I could trust my stroke and my line. I will say, this putter almost always got me in great positions on second putts and was nearly automatic from 5ft and in. However, like most putters, if you get too quick I noticed I would be too long. Compared to my Las Vegas, my stroke was very steady going back and I never really needed to focus on that.

 

As I mentioned above, it seemed I had to have the face a little more closed at address to make it go online, otherwise I was missing to the right. Once I adjusted to that, the putter was very easy to handle. In a typical session at home, I could get 8/10 Elmo’s in a row with this putter. It was confidence inspiring. With the puttout, I also got a few perfect putts from about 5 feet. Really struggled to do that with my mallet putters. I could also keep it on the line on my carpet through out the whole length of the putt, which I have only been able to do that with the Corza Ghost on a ruler.

 

One comparison I did with my other putters was doing around the world drills at 5/10a feet distances. This was very early on in my testing and if I were to do it again, I think the TA would score even higher. The ten feet testing had a second run done just to make sure numbers were right. While the data isn’t very conclusive, the TA faired comparably if not better than the others, at least at 10 feet.

 

Distance/Putter	TA No2	Toluon Las Vegas	Taylormade Corza Ghost
5 ft	6/10	4/10	9/10
10 ft run 1	0/10	3/10	1/10
10 ft run 2	4/10	0/10	2/10

 

From the rough and the fringe, this putter was great at getting through thicker grass. I went to it more often than I usually would since it would get me closer than chipping most of the time. Unlike a blade, the wider and heavier head almost effortlessly went through the grass. I will say, I did end up doffing a few putts trying heads up putting from too far away on uphill lies. Again, not the putters fault. On longer putts like that, going away from heads up putting remedied that and usually left me with short follow-up putts.

 

On-Course Performance (25 out of 30 points)

 

On the course, this putter performed when I was focused. First round out I had a best for fewest putts, three putts, SG, and almost broke 100 for the first time. That set the bar super high for this putter and disappointed when I faltered. I later learned that was due to me and not the actual flatstick. I also started averaging a birdie a round with this putter and more pars, which isn’t saying much as that takes a complete game, but the putts still need to roll in and birdies are some of the higher pressure putts in the game. In fact, I nearly had the putter of the year for me. Uphill, 60 ft right to left break and I just lipped out from the fringe.

 

 

First round with the new flatstick.

 

 

Overall performance comparing 7 rounds with and without putter

 

 

One thing I did notice with this putter, I sometimes would struggle to set up the same way every time. I don’t know if that had to do with the toe hang or what. That why some of the SG metrics were low. Granted, that is likely on me and not the putter, just an observation. I should note, that overall, my scores did improve with this putter and it has given me more confidence on and just around the greens. The TA #2 also given me a different perspective on bargain brands. They can really put out great products. The insert it great as is the feedback and forgiveness on putts. 

 

Miscellaneous (5 out of 10 points)

First off, DGS sent me the No1 instead of the No2. That was quickly fixed and the proper putter was sent to me over night (positive). The packaging on the putters were very minimal which could cause problems if they are handled poorly in shipping. As well, my putter did not come with a head cover, which was disappointing. Luckily I was ready to support MGS with a blade cover. Loss of points here due to the poor packaging and the lack of a headcover

 

Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20 points)

For now I will keep playing this putter. I feel like the testing period I had with it on the course was inadequate. My SG stats were fairly good, but some poor. Those poor rounds were nothing on the putter really and fully on me reading greens poorly. I will say, those poor rounds were on courses I haven’t played a lot on and the greens were relatively fast to some of my better SG rounds. With that said, this putter likely will help out more on slower greens or if you have a controlled putting stroke. 

Having a high value Toulon putter (milled), I would say this putter is on par with that and similar performance to my Taylormade insert putter. These are well made and anyone looking for a good value should consider the TA line.

Conclusion

 

The Tommy Armor #2 putter is a great introduction to blade putters for those who have played mallets and want to try a blade. The price is great for a putter of this caliber as it performs with the best of them. If you play on slow to med speed greens this should be a great putter for you. If you struggle with face contact, this also it a great putter for you as the forgiveness is there. It can help your game, not by always covering your faults, but helping you realize what it causing your issues.  I would recommend this putter to anyone wanting to transition to a blade putter. You don’t need a $300-$500 putter to putt well. Lastly, here is my soap box rant. Putting is very subjective. Be sure to not just roll a putter on a putting green. Put it through its paces on the course and play what brings you confidence. This putter sure has for me.

 

Final Score: 82/100

 

 

[rbsiedsc 3,180]

Intro

Hey everyone. Great to be chosen for another review. My name is Randy and I reside in the great PNW of Oregon. (Hit me up if you live near the PDX metro) I recently have tried to become a serious golfer but having a 2 year old bundle of joy and unlimited hiking opportunities makes golf a lower priority; so call me a serious weekend warrior, handicap of 30 but improving every time out (Arccos has me at 25 now). This is my second MGS test and I am very excited to have this opportunity on this putter.

For the last two years I gamed two mallet putters. A Taylormade Corza ghost and a Toulon Stroke lab Las Vegas. I had recently switched back to the Ghost after some struggles with my Las Vegas pulling putts. I would consider myself an average high cap putter and I am hoping this review helps me become a more consistent putter. As well, I always wanted to try a blade, but did not want to go full toe hang, so being able to test the No 2, which has mild toe hang is right up my alley. Finally, I have also  recently experimented with heads up putting and am curious on how this works with this putter and my stroke.

Initial Thoughts

First off, box took about a week to ship. Once it arrived, i was saddened that DGS had sent me the wrong putter (got a No1 when i wanted a No2). Luckily, DGS customer service was great and sent a replacement overnight. A+ on them. I also got a return label for the wrong putter. Sadly mine did not come with a headcover, but i wanted to represent MGS anyways so I got that dozy above.  

 

The looks of the putter are nice. I really like the two tone color scheme. I know that was a jab against it in the Most Wanted testing. The putter felt slightly heavy but not like a sledge hammer. A lot of it likely had to be on me, since the grip of the putter was a midsize pistol grip. Much smaller that the SS Slim 3.0 on my Ghost and the Odyssey oversize on the Vegas. As well, the wide blade head was a nice size to my eye. It was not intimidating as a blade can kind of be.

No1 in plastic, No2 on the right

First few rolls with it, my putts bleed right. Realized quickly that with this putter, to me, i had to feel like i was a little closed at address. Likely now i am truly aligned and my eyes were deceiving me. The putter definitely has some nice audible feed back on if you miss it. The toe side is a loud tock and the heel is more muted. Surprisingly, the ball still rolled nicely and distance loss was minimal. A big win.

First 18 on the course with it and I may have to just sell all my other putters. The distance control held up true and the feedback was stellar. My confidence was sky high after the first few holes as I was very nervous getting out of my mallet comfort zone on the course. I look forward to taking this out more and seeing my scores go low. TA and DGS/GG really did a nice job with this budget friendly putter.

 

[xOldBenKenobiX 4,789]

Introduction.

Hello friends, welcome to a tradition like no other, an MGS review.
On this wonderful thread, we have Elson, the 40-year-old Brazilian, who has hopes to become the best putter in the history of amateur golf. This middle-aged golfer had not picket up a golf club until he was 30 years old and now, and now just over a decade later he is playing at almost the average 12-year-old skill level. Elson grew up playing soccer, futsal, volleyball, and handball back on the small town of Unai in Brazil. Elson is a senior quality and internal inspection inspector on a global IT company in Southeast Michigan where he lives, when he is not playing golf, Elson enjoy spending time with his family, cooking watching movies. 
Elson have had a hard time with putting on his young golf career, he has been lucky at times, but for most of the past decade, his putting game could be described as sloppy at best, with this new putter on his hands, he has the dreams and hopes to make some splash with his putting game.
Full review coming soon…

[xOldBenKenobiX 4,789]

23 minutes ago, rbsiedsc said:

First 18 on the course with it and I may have to just sell all my other putters. The distance control held up true and the feedback was stellar. My confidence was sky high after the first few holes as I was very nervous getting out of my mallet comfort zone on the course. I look forward to taking this out more and seeing my scores go low. TA and DGS/GG really did a nice job with this budget friendly putter.

 

Mine too, it felt that to hit it too shot, I had to hit the ground first, it has happened in the past.

Or to be to long, I really had to whack it, I felt that my putting arc and stroke were very controlled, and per the arcoss, I gained 3 strokes on 9 holes with no 3 putts which was very impressive for me

 

[DrMJG 543]

Hello, Mark here. This is my first review not dealing with golf balls. 

I have not really focused on putters for some time. Putting, in my game, has been a the most positive part of my game since I started playing when LBJ was President. I very rarely go beyond 34 putts per round.

For a good many years, I played with a rather generic bullseye style weapon.  I was primarily focused on reading greens. I did move away from the bullseye when I was gifted a putter, it was made by or copied from the Acushnet style of 1975. In truth, is was part of a display at my father-in-law’s liquor store because he had a large display of Canadian Club Whiskey. I used that one for decades. As it was lighter than my first putter, touch and speed added to my putting skills.  

Finally, when I returned to the game after not playing for 20+ years, as I was rebuilding my clubs, I actually went in for a putter fitting.  I settled on a Ping mallet. I do like the results, but have begun to wonder about playing a blade again.

As a retired individual, Price is a strong consideration, so most Scotty C. putters are not on the list.

In regards to this testing, I practiced on my testing sights to see what is both possible and predictable with the two putters I still have available. The TA putter will be referenced to my established ones.  I will use the ball I always use, Bridgestone e12.

First full round scheduled for this week.

 

 

[PeterHenric 184]

Intro:

This is my first ever official review for anyone and I'm very excited to give this a shot. I actually won a free Odyssey Stroke Lab One Black in the annual MGS Donor Raffle and posted an unofficial review of said putter. You can find it here.

I "golfed" here and there as a youth but the draw was really getting to horse around on the golf carts. Sadly, I have damaged one or two over the years. As I grew up and matured, I fell in love with the game. Over the last 3-5 years it has become all I really think about. For a while, I thought that new clubs were the ticket to lower scores. It wasn't until I put in more time on my swing that I realized that my clubs weren't the problem.

I think I'm somewhere around a mid to low 20 handicap and my goal is to break 90 by the end of this year. Fingers crossed. I get to play at least 1 and sometimes 2 rounds per week year round thanks to the great Las Vegas weather. I walk almost all my rounds except for the summer. I got an umbrella this year so the goal is to try and walk all the time. This might kill me but I'm going to give it a shot.

Right now, my preferred putter is the Kirkland Signature KS1. I have a Scotty Cameron Select Fastback, PXG Blackjack, Kirkland Signature KS1, and the Odyssey Stroke Lab One Black. I will be testing the No. 3 because it was a unique putter compared to what I have available to me right now. My initial impression is kind of mixed. It feels very soft which I like but my initial use had me missing many more putts than I thought I was accustomed to. It took a few rounds before I got a better feel for the putter and started putting better. The head of this putter is smaller than I was expecting and I don't know if that helps or hurts its MOI. I've got a number of pics I'll post next showing all of the putters together so people can get a size comparison.

[PeterHenric 184]

5 Pretty little ladies all in a row.

I flipped the TA #3 around so you can see how small the face is compared to the other putters. Very small footprint.

Measures in at 3&5/16".

The PXG Blackjack is 3&9/16"

The KS1 comes in at 4.5"

The face is pretty.

I use a stencil to put 3 lines on my golf balls. I plan on adding 2 additional lines on this to make my own janky version of the Triple Track.

The grip is cushy. I like it.

All of these other putters came with at least half decent head covers. The TA3 didn't and this makes me sad.

 

[DrMJG 543]

MY TOYS!

As I wrote earlier, since 1974, I have used only 3 putters. Each took some time to adjust to the size, weight and touch. I was able to get comfortable and learned to exploit them in my game.

The old friend, my Canadian Club 1974-1985

 

 

 

 

I did not play golf at all from 1984 -  2015

 

My current gamer 2015 - present

 

 

 

And now,  the Tommy Armour, I am testing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 26 by DrMJG

[sirchunksalot 12,006]

Great starts so far, everyone! It's nice to hear about your putting ability and showing off what you're all comparing the TA's against. I'm generally more of a mallet guy, but I will admit that the #2 wide is pretty sweet. This will be a fun follow and I'm looking forward to seeing what tests each of you put them through. Keep up the good work!

[knightsofnii 1,243]

Hi! My name is Doug.  I'm from NJ USA, specifically the northern part of the state.  My wife and I just joined Mendham golf and Tennis club.  Chris Christie was once a member and lives somewhere near there. 

 

I Learned to golf in 2011 and bought my first Walter Hagen starter set from Dick's Sporting goods.  Ive since bought many packs of Top Flites from there as well.  The clubs worked fine, especially the putter.  It is fitting that I get the chance to put these two Dick's putters head to head and see what happens.  

I made a post about this on Instagram.  The first like was Tommy Armour Golf.   They're watching us.

 

That said, I'm initially not stoked on this Impact No.3 putter.  OMG comeon!  The best mallet putter 2 years in a row?  

1) I feel like I need to hold the face square to the ball, it doesn't naturally square up... via grip orientation or however I'm holding it, I'm not sure.  But, at address, I need to concentrate on getting the face perpendicular. 

2) on longer or stronger strikes, I'm missing the sweet spot a LOT.  I cannot yet determine whether that is my doing or the reduced face size/head size, but Im topping it a bit or missing left/right.   

 

Things I DO like:

1) It looks amazing.  The all black with the silver crown or top surface is perfect.  The paint is not anything crazy and the shaft is already scuffed.  But all the black makes it look great.  A big improvement visually over the previous year for virtually the same putter.  Last years had some brown and the top surface was also black, so I think adding some silver helps with squaring the club at address. 

2) The feel when struck properly is a nice soft pop.  My Hagen putter, being solid steel, just rattles or pings.  But as said above I'm stilll trying to get the hang of it.  I have drained some nasty putts, but also missed some and mishit a bunch.   Stay tuned, hopefully this thing triumphs in the end. 

[GolfSpy_APH 4,371]

Great starts all! Love the intros and getting a bit of a sneak peak so far. 
As stated in the previous thread I had a list of questions for you guys.
-How did you each select the putter you have now for testing?
-I know it will be covered in the review, but outside of the head itself quick thoughts on the black shaft and grip? Would the grip be something you would replace or what is it similar to?
-Last did it come with a head cover? If not (I saw 1 MGS head cover) what will be protecting this new beauty you are testing?

Cheers!

[knightsofnii 1,243]

I chose the 3 because I use a mallet and I wanted something similar.   I really like my own putter and have never found another that could do anything better, despite it having zero tech and a value of maybe its grip.  

 

I think the black shaft has an excellent look, and it is mainly devoid of any labeling other than 1 TA label.  The jury is still out whether I prefer this dual bend style shaft or not. 

 

The grip feels great and looks really good too.  It's a Wynn grip.  

 

 

And no headcover.  One of us received one because TA was late on processing their order, I think.  

I may order one, I may let it rattle around and test the paint job, not sure yet.  

[xOldBenKenobiX 4,789]

5 hours ago, Apolloshowl said:

Great starts all! Love the intros and getting a bit of a sneak peak so far. 
As stated in the previous thread I had a list of questions for you guys.
-How did you each select the putter you have now for testing?
-I know it will be covered in the review, but outside of the head itself quick thoughts on the black shaft and grip? Would the grip be something you would replace or what is it similar to?
-Last did it come with a head cover? If not (I saw 1 MGS head cover) what will be protecting this new beauty you are testing?

Cheers!

I selected the Impact 2 because of the blade look, I have always liked the simple blade look better than the mallet, I was on the fence between the impact 1 and Impact 2, however I have putted better with the previous impact mallet TA, so the promise that this model would putt more like a mallet sold me on the impact 2.

I like the black shaft, I play a lot early in the morning rounds and have had plenty times where the sun is reflecting on the shaft and distracting me from the shot or putt I am trying to hit, as far as for the grip, it is okay with me, I usually prefer thinner pistol grips, but undoubtedly , I have putted well with the old Impact 3 and the original grip, it still feels weird on my hands, but at the end of the day, I made good putts with it.

Mine did not come with a headcover, and I did open both sides of the box, so I could fold it and dispose of it, it is unfortunately that it did not have one to begin with. However, I have shopped for a long time at DSG, both online and in store and any time I had an issue, they worked really hard to make it right, so I have no concerns that if I had purchased the putter directly from them, and it had showed up missing the headcover, they would have sent one with no issues.

[knightsofnii 1,243]

More on the grip:

 

I recall regripping my hagen putter with an Odyssey large grip.  Though that new grip was comfy as heck and looked awesome, the original pistol grip offered unmatched feel and for a while I felt as if I had lost some of my touch on the greens.  I eventually overcame that feeling.  But the TA grip is somewhere inbetween.  I think it may prove to offer a little more feedback.  And if you like narrower than superstroke but fatter than a Ping grip, you may like it a lot.  More feel and comfort together.