Argolf Putter and Wedge Reviews

[GolfSpy_APH]

In a special surprise we have a unique opportunity for testing. 

Argolf is a french golf club manufacturer that makes a variety of irons, putters, and wedges. Here is a little about Argolf Directly from their site.

We reached out as part of a Forum Member Testing Opportunity and decided on a unique twist. Four products were sent to the Forum staff to test and review, before we will then pass the products on to the next testers. 

If you want to be a tester for these products, it will be simple. Let us know why you like the product which you want to test and tell us how it could help your game!

The original testers are @GolfSpy_APH testing the Arthur 2.0 @GolfSpy SAM testing the wedges @GolfSpy BOS testing the Mordred Putter and @GolfSpy_BEN testing the BroomStick Pendragon XL. 

You can find all these products here: Argolf Website 

As we await one product to arrive we will have first impressions up and over the next few weeks complete reviews before passing them along to the next set of testers! 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Jamie . Argolf Arthur 2.0 Putter Review

Hello all! We are back with another fantastic review of a truly gorgeous putter! Rather than boring you with the details about me you can check out my profile (I finally updated it to be a recent about me!). For those that don't want to do that and prefer the short version here goes. 

I am a lefty golfer and currently living in Switzerland. In addition I have the wonderful opportunity to be the director (aka robot boss) of the forum. I have an incredible wife who supports my golf obsession and two wonderful little ones as well as three dogs. I would post a photo... but it is literally impossible to get a photo where 3 dogs, 2 kids under 2 and the 2 adults are all looking... facing... or just attempting at making a half decent picture. However at least here we have the two legged family all together. 

Now for the golfing part! As I mentioned I am a lefty and this is a RH putter. So what gives? Well I am right handed by nature and wanted to give putting RH a try. This opportunity came to us and I thought it made for a perfect trial. If and when it doesn't work we pass this along and being we have more RH golfers it will be easier to do so!

Putting has always been a strength of mine, but I found some speed control issues last year and when trialing some RH putters I had good feels. I also have never ... not in a very very long time used a blade putter. The LAB LINK is calling me and again this is meant for a trial to see how or where I should be headed with this in the future. 

The Brand

Argolf is an interesting brand to me. I first saw their putters in a shop and was floored by the detail. It looked so good and had the price tag to go along with it. The feel was great and I thought it would make for a good opportunity for our community. Due to some delays in communication we chose this route vs the traditional testing route. It I will hope work better for all parties. 

I chose the Argolf Arthur 2.0 in its standard color. It is gorgeous. I have posted some other photos however have a bunch more to drop for all of you now. And no for now I am not resizing these to show the detail in full. 

The Feel and First Impressions Putting

It is winter here so the true feel is a bit difficult. However I have a great practice setup and had some time on the practice greens to get a feel. First my RH putting is solid, I don't feel awkward or uncomfortable and the stroke feels clean. My line has been fantastic, however going away from a LAB to a toe hang putter I do feel that difference (more on that in a LAB thread). When I do have a bad stroke it is bad... and way out of sorts. Thankfully they are not frequent. Distance control has been solid in practice and I at one point made 4 straight puttout putts from 7 feet. Not an easy task. 

The tendency for sure is to be a little on the strong side vs slow. 

Feel is very subjective, but starting from the hands and working down the the club face the grip and balance are really nice. It does feel a bit head heavy in the hands (again compared to a LAB) however that is not a bad thing. 

The grip is on the smaller side, by my goodness it may be one of my favorite grips to use. Tacky and soft without feeling marshmellowy and too soft. 

I am still a big proponent in specialty putter shafts and the standard steel shaft doesn't do much for me, but we can move on as that is a "is what it is" situation. 

The putter face has a great sound (golf ball dependent) and offers excellent response feedback on strike as well what I would say is "pop". You know if you hit it well, poorly or in between immediately. I wouldn't at all call the putter face soft, but responsive and solid. Not harsh or louder like a PING, but a connected feel with equal input to output response. This is what has kinda caught me off guard. The LAB has a true pop and feels as though 60% of the effort is needed to make the ball go the same distance. Whether this is a good or bad thing is a TBD, however I did not that the effort to make the ball go the same distance with the Arthur 2.0 was greater, again not a bad thing, just noteable. 

Okay that's all for now. I plan to do more testing outdoors soon here and run some drills. Early impressions are this is a very nice putter, solid feel, but I don't believe it will be knocking the LAB out of the bag. 

Oh headcover! That thing is not easy to get on or off. A good magnetic cover, but my goodness it is a struggle! Great to protect, but on the course would drive me slightly mad I imagine.  

ow as

Final review: March 19, 2024

Putters in my experience are some of the most difficult pieces of equipment to test. There is so much subtlety and nuance with them. Add in a persons preference for looks or shapes and those lines become further blurred. 

This was a different testing opportunity for myself as I normally play left handed and have yet to play a blade for several years. I found comfort in using mallets, but had felt off with my alignment. The shaping of the bladed putter I felt could be the swing I needed. As for the switch to right handed, I have found putting right handed I use more of my bigger muscles and less hands which in the end is a benefit. 

However enough about me and this, we want to know about the putter itself. 

Going off script this will be a free flowing review which I hope will give a sense of the putter and its capabilities. 

Build and Components

This is an impressive putter from the get go. There is clear care and passion behind the brand. Starting from the grip. Now I love my LAB grip and one of my favorite grips of all time is the PING P60 grip. That said, if I was choosing a more standard grip this would clearly be top of my list. The tact, feel and comfort is spectacular. 

The grip sits comfortably and does not feel too big or small. The stitching allows for consistent hand placement and adds to the feel of the putter. In addition there is a response feel through the grip which I think is understated. 

As for the shaft - this is where I am very meh. I am a believer in putter shaft technology and for me this is a basic steel shaft. With a very heavy head putter I do feel there is a bit of droop on longer putts. This is not a knock on the shaft itself, but just a neutral point for me. 

Now the head itself - the craft and details are fantastic. I hope the photos above have given a clear picture of how special this putter is from a build perspective. The hosel in particular is unique and draws attention. The milling on the face is refined and full of detail. The body while traditional is also edgy and has a bit of a modern blade look to me. Fewer flowing lines and more sharper flat edges which greatly appeal to me. Even the bottom of the putter, while simple has details that show their craft. 

Feel and Sound ,

These as always are highly subjective. Preferences in each golfer play a role and there can be a fine line. So in terms of sound and feel, this does fall very similarly to other milled face putters. This again is a good or meh thing for various golfers. Those who prefer this traditional feel and sound will be pleased with the Argolf Arthur 2.0. For those used to a inserts this could feel a little harsh, but only when missing the middle. 

Enough with the nuance though. When struck in the middle this putter is spectacular. Truly it feels like nearly nothing else i have used. A pure premium soft, but responsive and muted sound that nearly feels like you never hit the ball in the first place. When people say putters feel like butter this is what I imagine. Like a purely struck forged blade this falls in line with the best putters I have ever used, but only out of the middle. 

In terms of off center strikes, the feel becomes harsher, or should I say sound becomes harsher? There is a definitive higher tone and more vibration through the hands. The feedback is immediate and clear, which is good, but also unfortunate as you know right away that you have missed the middle. 

Performance

Indoors and on the putting mat with the Puttout this was a beast. It was easy to align, felt great and I had a lot of success. On the course I had struggles. Whether it was being more used to the zero toque LAB and I was fighting it a little bit or just something else I am not certain. I felt confident over putts, but they just didn't drop. 

Speed control was another part where I struggled a little bit - again coming from my background with putters and mallets as well as non steel shafted putters i think this played a strong part. 

The caveats to all this is that it has been really wet and green speeds depending on the time of day are all over the map. I was able to dial things in on a practice green with good success, but ultimately struggled on the course. 

Given more time, more practice and better conditions I believe this putter could become a true weapon. 

I do feel it is better suited to faster greens and that slower greens it can be a bit trickier due to the performance off the center of the face. Basically meaning mallets of course are more forgiving than blades. Putters with more technology are going to be more forgiving, but true feel and precision. This is spot on. 

Keep it or Trade It?

Many times we say we are torn and it can be true. For me while I am torn, it is not because of how this putter performed, but in its details and craft. I love this putter for it's looks, feel out the middle and being just a special putter. That aid I don't see myself using it on the course. I am very confident with my abilities to putt right handed, but would need something with a little more forgiveness and a little more technology in order to be my next putter. 

This is not to say this is a bad putter, far far from it. This putter is excellent and for those with great to elite putting skills will be thrilled to use this putter. 

Final Verdict

Ultimately there are so many things I like about this putter. The headcover, grip, detailing are all so good. The MGS logo adds a special element to this putter which has made it even more special. 

The performance when in a groove is great, feel is in the upper class for any and all milled putters. It also provides valuable audible and feel feedback on missed strikes or putts that are not directly out of the middle. 

While the performance for me was not enough to make it into my bag, that does not mean it is not meant for someone else!

Scoring out of 100 I would give this putter an 82. Unboxing, details and craft all score perfect, while a plain steel shaft with (again for me) underwhelming on course performance mean deducted points as ultimately it will be going on to another member and another tester. 

[GolfSpy BOS]

Argolf Mordred LT Putter Member Testing Review - BOS edition

We’re back for another BOS edition review!  This time I was fortunate to be able to put the Argolf Mordred LT putter through its paces to see if the performance lives up to the all black 

For those of you who don’t know me; Hi!  I’m Bryan, or as I’m better known around these parts, GolfSpy BOS.  I’m a 36 year old single digit handicap with hopes and dreams of getting to scratch and about 1/18th the time required to put in the practice to do so.  When I’m not golfing or dreaming of golfing I can most likely be found on some youth sports field or carting one of my three wonderful children around to some activity.  Thankfully, my oldest has already taken to the sport and my other two have shown interest as well!  So, It seems I will have some built in golf-buddies for life.  But enough about me, onto the review!

First, thank you to Argolf for allowing me the opportunity to join in on this review.  I am excited to take the Mordred LT putter and put it toe-to-toe against the Evnroll ER2B currently in the bag.  

First Impressions - 18/20

“The Mordred putter was recognized as one of the best putters at the 2019 PGA Show. Rooted in the heart of Brittany, France, we meticulously craft our putters.”  Each putter in the Argolf line is named after a legend of King Arthur.  Don’t let that fool you into thinking this putter is some relic of ancient history though, founder Olivier Colas found a great deal of inspiration from the sleek lines and performance characteristics of modern Formula 1 race cars, which can be seen with the crisp and clean lines and sweeping nature of the curves in the Mordred LT.

The Mordred LT is said to boast “an impressively low center of gravity,” the lowest of all Broceliande Collection in Argolf’s putter line.  It also “achieves one of the highest MOIs available.”  While I cannot directly measure those things here at home, we will certainly put the claims to the test as best we can!

My Mordred LT putter made the journey from France, to New Jersey, to Bellingham in an impressively short 16 hours.  Yes, faster than most “2-day shipping” that most of us are now used to!  The packaging is your standard brown box which aptly handled the transatlantic journey with ease.

Removing the putter from the plastic wrap and bag revealed a striking, but not totally unfamiliar  shape for this mallet putter.  It was not as big as I thought it may be, fitting in nicely with most winged-mallet profiles.  The single bend shaft provides just a touch of toe hang.

The only issue I found with fit and finish was a small mark on the shaft.  It does not affect the performance, and cannot be seen while putting, but I did want to note that it did slip by QC.

 

Aesthetics, Sound, and Feel - 17/20

The Mordred LT putter has a great black on black look that would be enhanced with the optional black shaft offering to really go all out on the murdered out look.  The only putter is finished in a nice and clean black finish that has some pearlescence to it in the bright sun.  The sole paintfill on the putter is the stark white alignment line on the top of the putter.  Those who enjoy a clean and simple putter will like this a lot.

Getting onto the shape, it is not generally what I end up fitting into, as I tend to prefer blade style putters, but I always enjoy the look of fang style putters and have always been drawn to them on the shop floor.  This one looks good to me.  It is thicker towards the face and has a sort of crescent shaped line before the putter starts to curve down and thin out in the back.  It’s very well done and looks great in full lit conditions where the crisp milling can best be noticed.  It really does feel like I’m looking down at some F-1 style wing at times when rolling putts with the Mordred LT.

What has surprised me the most is the white alignment aid on the topline of the putter.  Typically this is something that I would avoid, having been used to lines on blade flanges versus the top.  But as I used the putter more I started to appreciate it more, with and without using a line on my ball for aim.  What I really like is that it gives me a point to focus on for impact, and the Mordred LT’s mark is cut like a V which gives it the impression of coming to a point which only enhances the visual for me.

My only knock on this putter for this category is that it feels a touch firmer than I’d prefer, but I am used to the Evnroll, which feels softer than most on center due to the sweetface technology and the way the ER2B works.  For most, I’m certain that the feel of this putter would rate very well.  It is solid with a nice “tock” at impact.  

The Numbers - 20/20

When it comes to numbers for this putter I didn’t have any GC Quad, Trackman, or Quintec data to share, but I ran the putter through a “Gauntlet” drill versus my ER2B.  I set balls up at 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-feet using my putting mat and rolled 2 balls from each distance.  I kept track of how many perfect putts I got and gave those bonus points.

Over the course of two days I ran this drill 10 times each and the results were:

Mordred LT - Total Score 187 with 23 perfect putts

ER2B - Total Score 187 with 23 perfect putts.

That’s not a misprint, I scored exactly the same with both putters.  If we take a look into the round breakdowns each had a low round score of 14, which basically meant no perfect putts, but all putts holed.  There’s really nothing in the individual round variance to pull from Either.  The Mordred LT more than held its own against my fitted gamer that I’ve been putting with since 2020, not a small accomplishment at all!

On The Course/At the Practice Facility - 17/20

All of my work with the Mordred LT has been at home, on the practice mat and on the carpet in the living room.  This has allowed me to practice short and long putts and depending on who vacuumed last, some breaking ones too.  

Much of what I saw in the gauntlet drill translated to the carpet without its alignment aids and much more in line with “real” putting.  The putter rolled smooth and has a familiar milled feel that I prefer.  I noticed a slight right-side bias in my misses, which tends to be the case for me with mallet putters like the Mordred LT.  I was consistently able to square the face as evidenced by the end-over-end role of the line on my ball.  That’s generally how I can tell if a putter is a good fit for me.

If I get onto a practice green before passing this along I’ll update this section but wouldn’t expect any changes from my comments.  It certainly seems like this would be a strong performer!

The Good, The Bad, The In Between - 15/20

The Argolf Mordred LT is a superb putter with an interesting and unique take on the fanged design.  It appears to live up to the hype of being very forgiving and provides a great roll.

The Mordred LT does come in a few different finish options and I would love to see Argolf add a few more alignment aid styles as well, or perhaps a custom program we now see with a lot of OEMs.  

The black finish is great.  It is consistent all the way around and has shown no signs of wear.  I actually wish they added some paintfill on the engraved bits on the bottom.  Something in glossy black would keep the blacked-out theme while adding a touch of visual interest on the sole.

Lastly, I ordered this with the mid-size pistol grip.  It’s a standard style grip, but I would probably go for something different if I was keeping this one for myself.

Oh, and the back can be used to scoop up the ball!  Bonus!

Overall Total 87/100

The Argolf Mordred LT Putter is a great milled mallet putter featuring unique, F1 inspired shaping along with a solid but soft feel from the milled grooves in the face of the all blacked out putter.  I can see this being a hit with mallet players who like the Fang or winged look, and even spider style users too.  If you ever have the chance, it may just be worth rolling one for yourself.

[GolfSpy SAM]

Hey Kids! We're back for another episode of GolfSpy SAM Opens Stuff and Makes A Goof Of Himself!

(Mud on jacket from trying to "hero" a ball that was sitting on top of some plant growth in a pond. It didn't work  )

For those who don't know me, I'm Matt, and I'm a Golfaholic (hello, Matt). I'm 45, I've got an incredible (and incredibly patient) family, and I try to get out once a week for either a full round or a legit practice session, sometimes both.  It helps, living in SoCal, where a "cold" day is still usually in the mid-50s.  I know, I know, it's incredible that I'm so tough as to be able to golf in such horrid conditions.  I accept your pity.

I've got a set of Indi wedges in the bag (48/52/56/60) currently, and genuinely love them, but the opportunity to test out some fresh new wedges will never be turned down by someone like myself (see above "holic" comment) 

The last year or so I've been putting a lot of stress on improving my short-game - specifically the goal of when missing the green with an approach, being able to get up and down as often as possible.  My putting is definitely a highlight of my game, so giving myself opportunities inside of 10 feet has been a huge help to lowering my handicap (currently an 8.6).  I thought trying a different wedge set-up might be a good challenge, especially as I mostly use the 48/56 in my current set, with the 60 getting pretty infrequent usage. 

Take a look at a little video of the unboxing I put together:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS (19 / 20):

First Impressions are VERY solid: craftsmanship is top-notch, I'm a little bit in love with the grip - midsize, EXTREMELY tacky and comfortable. I don't think I can go any further without mentioning the KILLER laser inscription of the MGS logo. It just looks SO cool! Below are some pics taken immediately after receiving them.  Love the red, white and blue ferrules, and the added hat was a super nice touch.  

  

 

I typically deliver my wedges with a pretty steep attack angle, so I'm curious how these will work for me, especially now in the winter months, as this is definitely the 'softest' that the fairways get out in this part of the country - we do tend to get some rain this time of year, and often times it can come in absolute buckets, so I'll be curious to see how they perform, especially in comparison to something like the Indi wedges which have a considerably larger footprint. I'll do some comparison photos in upcoming posts.

The only reason these aren't a 20 out of 20, for me, is that leading edge looks a TAD sharp for my delivery - but time will tell if that's any issue at all!

AESTHETICS (20 out of 20):

Really can't say enough about the look of these things - the milling concentric milling lines on the back add an incredible bag-appeal, the ferrules are gorgeous in-hand, and the MGS logo just absolutely knocks this thing out of the park. I had several people comment over my recent Palm Springs trip about just how great-looking these things are. 

Sound and feel so far are EXCELLENT - there's no doubt these are forged - a satisfying thunk on perfectly hit shots, with a slight 'tick' sound if out of the toe (my typical miss with a wedge).  Spin so far has been fantastic - not surprising, really, given new wedges, but still nice to see

Argolf claims the looks are inspired by the F-18 (hence the name) fighter plane, and I can't disagree - the look is athletic and aggressive and refined.  I'm a big fan. 

Final review: March 19, 2024

This was a pretty delightful experience, and one that I haven't quite had the chance to write about before:  what would happen if you were THOROUGHLY happy with something in your bag, and then got to test a rival product? 

When I tested the L.A.B. DF 2.1, I was lost at sea with my putter(s).  I genuinely disliked putting, and had no real anchor to come back to and say "well, I know I do THIS well," and so reviewing that was like experiencing love for the first time.  "Ohhhhh...so THIS is what it's like!"

But with these, the deck was stacked against them.  I have a full compliment of Indi wedges: 48, 52, 56 and 60.  To say that they have won their spot in my bag is an understatement: the TROUNCED my previous wedges (granted, K-Sig, but still), and I have grown to genuinely love everything about them and the way they perform.  So Argolf giving me the chance to play with the 52/58 was a welcome breath of fresh air.  How would these inherently different (and differently designed) wedges perform for me?  

Build and Components (9 out of 10)

As touched on above, the build of these things is incredible.  They're genuinely pretty clubs - and the MGS logo obviously adds a bit of polish that sends them to the next level.  The grips I've grown to REALLY like - so much that I'm considering re-gripping my Indis with similar style grips.  

(Apologies for the orientation, but it's late and my computer is absolutely not allowing me to upload it right-side up, which it is IS on my computer, lol. I'm an old man - grr!)

They're midsize, and seem to have slightly less taper than standard grips. They're soft, yet firm (if that makes ANY sense) and they're incredibly comfortable.  Total homerun, in my book. 

The red/white/blue ferrules are another one of those small touches that go a really long way.  They're simple, beautiful, and let you know where these were designed (France - even if they do have the same colorways as the good old U.S. of A ).

They're shafted with KBS Tour 105 Stiffs (just slightly heavier than my KBS Tour Lite (100g) shafts in my irons, so a really nice fit), which really allowed me to feel the weight of the heads, but also to feel the club load on full shots.  Big fan of the shaft, which is a nice surprise because I play the DG 120's in my Indi's, so I was slightly worried they'd feel too light - no such issue.  One thing of note, though: the 52-degree wedge was 1/2" shorter than my gamer - not sure if that's just the default length, or perhaps my Indi's a touch long (to better match my irons at 1/4" long) - either way, it was a small but noticeable difference.

Another fun thing I found really liking was the micro-milling on the face between the grooves - and also on the toe.  I found they reminded me of fingerprints - as if these wedges were one of a kind, which was pretty rad.  Although I did not play in any VERY wet conditions, I was able to get them out early AM and found that there was significantly less spin drop-off than I've experienced with non-micro-milled wedges.

Feel and Sound (9 out of 10)

If you've hit a quality wedge (and I'm talking Vokey or MG3/4, etc.), and you've hit it well, you'll know the feeling of FEELING the ball spin on good contact.  That's what these felt like - and in fact, they spun slightly more than my Indi's (minimally, mind you, but still noticeably), which took a little getting used to.  I'm used to a slight check and then release, and these tended to just check and ... stay checked  Had I decided these were 100% my jam, that would have been an easy thing to adjust to, but it was still pretty amazing to see, especially on those 30-40 yard shots.  

I can't say I noticed any particularly noteworthy sound, per se - perhaps SLIGHTLY clickier on well-struck shots, but I put that down more to the amount of mass that's behind the Indi's compared to these.  I will also wholeheartedly admit I'm not a sound connoisseur, so please forgive me for not being able to describe it in fuller detail.   

Performance (18 out of 20)

I played with these over 8 rounds, three of which were in Palm Springs on a boys' trip, the other five scattered over late-December through early March.  Sometimes I would ONLY put the 52/58 in the bag, and take out all but my 48-degree Indi, and I found that while I did miss my favorite wedge (the Indi 56), the Argolf 58 did an admirable job of being flexible enough around the green to cover duty for both the 56 and 60 that I normally game.  To be fair, I don't typically hit the 60 more than a few times a round - my 56 really is the heavy-hitter in my bag, and it's the club I've grown to find the most versatile for my game.  

As you can see below, the differences in the actual shape/size of the Argolf vs. the Indi is pretty stark.  While I LOVE the full-faced grooves of the Indi, and I find the sole (especially of the 56) to be easy to manipulate (open or closed, as necessary), I was pretty shocked at just how. much. bigger the Indi's are compared to the Argolf.

.  

(Argolf on the left, Indi right)                                                                           (Indi on the left, Argolf right)

(Indi on the left, Argolf on the right)

As you can see, the Indi dwarfs the Argolf in nearly every measurement.  Despite being significantly smaller, I never felt like it was "svelte" or "too small."  In fact, behind the ball, it's super inviting.

.   

Opening the face never felt like it was going to dig excessively, though I will say that's really my only "gripe" (if you can call it that), is that I did find these had the propensity to dig slightly for me.  Now, I need to make it very clear here that I have what my Indi fitter considered a "very" steep angle of attack with my wedges - sometimes as much as 7-8 degrees downward, so ANY club that isn't designed not to dig is going to present as a bit of a challenge.  So with that caveat out of the way, digging a few times over 5 rounds is really not anything to be overly concerned with.

So how did they perform?  On-course, I found almost zero detriment to my short-game, provided that I played the correct amount of release.  If I forgot how much these tended to check, then I ended up leaving myself longer putts than necessary.  

On our first day in Palm Springs, I had a 40 hard shot land, check, slam into the stick and stop 2 inches from the cup for a tap-in par.  I had a 15 yard chip lip out - that one hurt, as I desperately needed that one to win the hole, lol, but I was still able to push with another tap-in par.  

On the third day there, and as my confidence grew, I was able to use the 58 incredibly successfully from several tough spots - deep bunkers, tricky rough with a bunker between me and the pin, a few 80-90 yard full shots - all executed as well as I can hit a shot.  I never once felt like these clubs were getting in the way, and definitely toyed with the idea of a simplified wedge set-up.

Keep it or Trade It? (18 out of 20)

Well, if you've read this far, you'll probably have gleaned from the review that I'm not keeping them in the bag, despite them performing incredibly well.  But that's more a testament to how much I love the Indi set-up I have than anything else.  I have, for a while now, played around with the idea of going something along the lines of 48-53-58 in my wedges, and drop the 60 entirely.  This was a really fun way to test that idea, and it was nearly successful enough for me to make the switch. 

But when it came down to it, standing over the Indi's versus standing over the Argolf, I ALWAYS chose the Indi's.  Could be the full-face grooves, or the larger, more inviting footprint; it could just be that I've gotten very comfortable with them and really trust how they're going to perform.  

Regardless, I think the Argolf F-18s are a KILLER wedge - just not for me at this moment in my game.

Final Verdict

Scoring out of 100 I would give these wedges a 94. I mean...even just writing this up, I'm giddy at the idea of someone else getting to give these things a go - they're legit great, and I can imagine that if these fit your game, you're going to LOVE them.  I certainly loved the opportunity to put something different to a test, and REALLY dug the "competition" aspect of putting them up against my beloved gamers.  If anything, it made me appreciate my Indi's that much more, which is saying something.

So let us know in the comments: do you want to test these yourself?  While you won't get the ballmarker with my name on it, you WILL get everything else (I didn't even wear the hat other than when the box first came ) that was shipped with the wedges - so what do you have to lose? 

As always, a HUGE thank you to the Forum for providing this opportunity, and to Argolf for creating something truly unique  - I'm super excited to see these in the hands of another one of our awesome members!

 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Argolf Pendragon XL Broomstick Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by Ben Joest

Introduction

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back…

My name is Ben. I have 3 children and a wonderful wife that has tolerated my obsession for the past 14 years and counting. I reside in the Southwestern Ohio region, in a sleepy little hamlet called South Lebanon, not too terribly far from the Little Miami river, a national scenic river, or so the sign tells me, each time I drive past it. I have been golfing for the better part of the last 33 years. I finished last season as a 1.4 H.I., although I still haven’t reconciled my mind to that and feel my game can’t possibly live up to the billing. I would like to get to scratch, but 2 things need to happen for that to be a possibility; 1) More consistency off the tee and 2) I need to lower my average putts per round from the current 31.4 to 29. If I can average sub 30 putts per, I stand a pretty good chance of breaking par on any given day. Enter the opportunity to test out a broom style putter from Argolf. Having never tried one before, I am interested to see how I will get along with it. I have gamed blades, wide blades, mid mallets, and full mallets all at 34” length. But never a broom, so this should be fun.

First Impressions (18 out of 20)

The Argolf website was easy to navigate, when we were picking out the available options for the build.

Of my available options I chose, a red paint fill for the aim line, a blue head cover, and after a bit of googling (to figure out what the appropriate length would be for my height) a length of 46”. For reference, I am 6’ tall.

Everything was going smoothly, until the other putters and wedges began showing up and there was no sign of mine. I am taking away 2 points because there was an error in the shipping info that caused it take an additional 42 days to arrive. That said, once it did arrive, I was impressed with the quality of the build. It really is a striking club. As well as the swag that came along with it; the Argolf hat I am seen wearing in the photo above and a personalized MGS ball marker. Top-notch stuff.

Aesthetics (20 out of 20)

The shape of the Pendragon is generally pleasing, it has a softness to the edges that is warm and soothing. It’s antithesis in my stable of putters would be the LAB Mezz1.Max, that is all sharp edges and the hard reality of geometry. Upon looking down at the Pendragon, there is an aerodynamic shaping that implies the putter will cut through the air like a hot knife through butter. Where as the LAB could be confused for a war hammer, if you aren’t looking too closely. Argolf has done a good job of taking a subtle path in regard to graphics and badging. The Argolf logo is laser etched into the heel of the putter face and filled with red.

The pendragon name is etched into the sole of the club and left unfilled to give it a cool monochromatic look, that I really like. As a personal aside, I subscribe to the minimalist school of thought when it comes to product graphics and logos. As evidenced by my eternal love of blade irons, but that is a story for a different thread.

Not having a ton of relevant experience with broomstick putters for comparison sake, I rolled a few putts at Golf Galaxy with a LAB Mezz1.Max broom and found the experience to be very similar to the Pendragon. The head itself has a heft to it and weighs 500 grams. While that is considerably heavier than my gamer, with the 46” shaft the weight of the Pendragon feels balanced. The head of the putter has been milled from a solid block of aeronautical-grade 7175 aluminum and contains milled horizontal lines in the center of the face, much in the same manner as an Evnroll, and seems to help with starting putts on their intended line.

The shaft is straight from the grip to 18” from the head, where it begins to taper down to 3/8” in diameter.

The Winn Excel grip used by Argolf is split into 2 sections, to accommodate the separate hand positions necessary to successfully execute the broomstick style putting stroke.

 

The Numbers (10 out of 20)

Once the club was in hand, I slipped it into my nightly putting competition. I have a perfect practice putting mat.

Every evening I pit the putters I have against one another in a simple competition that is set up as follows:

·       Roll 1 putt at the 4’,6’, & 8’ distances towards the large and small cups.

·       Roll 1 putt at the 5’, 7’, & 9’ distances towards the large and small cups.

·       Run through the ladder, which starting on the small hole side, is 1 putt from each distance 3’ to          9’ and then back down from 9’ to 3’ towards the large hole.

Each miss is a point, so the lower the score, the better the result.

The 3 putters used were the Argolf Pendragon XL Broom, a Odyssey White Hot Versa Double Wide and a LAB Mezz1.Max. I recorded the results for one month:

The final tally

Odyssey – 17 wins, 7 ties

LAB – 4 wins, 7 ties

Argolf – 0 wins, ties

The broom had a couple decent rounds, but one of the other putters always seemed to do a little better. I can and do readily admit that this is an archer, not the arrow scenario. At no time during the month I was testing this putter, did I ever feel fully at ease with the broom. I was constantly in search of the best position for my left arm and how to grip the lower shaft with my right hand. I ultimately settled on elbow pointed at the target and cigar grip with my right hand, but these 2 methods ran contrary to 30 years of habit, so it was unlikely I was going to break old comfortable habits during such a short period. During this period, my most consistent issue beyond grip/position was speed control. A significant number of the misses were too short/too far.

I did get the broom out to my local practice green, although the results were similar to what I was seeing on the mat, one bright spot, was that the putts left the face smoothly and with very few hops, skips, or jumps. Those putts where I had the speed right were going in, so I know putts can be made with the broom, I’m just not consistent nor patient enough to do it.

I opted not to take the broom with me during the one actual round I played during this testing window. For the following reasons; 1) the weather wasn’t great. 2) The plan has always been to move this putter on, to a tester that might be it’s forever home and I just didn’t want to take the risk of damage. 3) Putting for any golfer relies on a fragile confidence, and I had legitimate fears I might have 40 putts in a round and didn’t want the emotional or psychological damage that could occur.

The Good, the bad, the in-between (20 out of 20)

The Good: The MGS Logo on the face is slick and gives the putter an air of cool. It is sure to be a conversation piece, when playing a round with folks that do not already know you.

The Bad: Where the hell do I put my left arm? This particular putting stroke may work miracles for some folks, but I could never quite get comfortable with my stroke, which is tantamount to misery on the putting green.

The In-Between: The retail price of $389.99 makes this a steep roll of the dice, for someone considering going to a broomstick style putter. My advice would be to seek one out in your local shop and give it a few rolls, before making such a financial commitment.

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

I gave the Pendragon a 20 out of 20 in the section because, while it wasn’t the best option for me, it is a quality-built putter and I see the potential in this club for anyone that is willing to commit the time and effort to become a proficient broomstick putter.   

Conclusion

In summation, this is well-built and attractive putter. One that requires a very specific mind and skill set. Admittedly, a broomstick style putter is a niche product that isn’t designed or marketed for mass appeal. Ultimately, I couldn’t quite settle on a comfortable position for my hands while using it, but given enough time and determination I have no doubt someone will absolutely fall in love with this club.

Final Score (88 out of 100)
 

[BobBC78]

Argolf Pendragon XL center shafted broomstick putter – Official MGS Forum Review by Bob Merrill 

Introduction

My review of the Pendragon XL is my second opportunity to be an MGS Forum Review test and remains quite an honor to be so picked! 

By way of background, I will be 68 in May and am a husband, father and grandfather. Upon retiring from a career in corporate banking in 2019, I started playing golf again after a nearly 10-year hiatus as I missed the challenge and comradery, not to mention needing the fresh air and exercise. I had an index of about 16 when I quit playing (don’t recall the decimal), was approximately 30 when I started up again in the Spring of 2019 and ended the 2023 season with an index of 20.7. Aside from playing golf, I am an avid saxophonist and my wife, Marybeth, and I love to travel.

 

 

I would consider myself a casual golfer who is serious about the game and who is trying to get better. I currently play 18 to 27 holes per week and try to practice at the range/practice green at least once. I track my stats using a Shot Scope X5 and develop my practice plan for the following 2-weeks based on what my Shot Scope statistics demonstrate were particular weaknesses.

My overall goals, aside from enjoying the game, are to get my index to approximately 15 and to break 80 and needless to say, putting is an important piece of this puzzle. Currently, I would describe myself as an average to below average putter. Among other things, I three-putt too often (about twice per 18-holes) and have a tendency to pull putts slightly causing left misses. Finally, my distance control is frankly pretty mediocre. Broomstick style putting interests me because (i) it seems that once the technique is locked in, I will be a lot more consistent at starting the ball on my intended line, in particular eliminating pulls, (ii) I anticipate having better distance control and (iii) hopefully the more upright posture will be easier on my back, long term. 

In doing research in preparation for this review, I've learned that there is not a lot of information available regarding the technique associated with broomstick putting beyond watching videos of the growing number of pros using this method, finding a comfortable position, including grip, and starting to stroke putts to find out what works (i.e. trial and error). Hence my first task is to develop a repeatable technique which gets the ball rolling without wobble and stays online. Based on my initial efforts, achieving these goals is not as easy as it may appear. Among my initial observations is that it is critical to keep the hands passive and let the weight of the putter swing for the method to work most effectively.  

This Argolf Pendragon XL putter was initially reviewed by @GolfSpy_BEN (see above) before passing it along to me. All scores will follow in my final review. 

First Impressions (XX of 20 points)

I received the Pendragon XL from @GolfSpy_BEN on April 10th and, needless to say, unboxed it immediately as I was excited to check it out. Initially I was struck by the putter’s overall weight, with a 500-gm head and long steel shaft it is quite heavy, however when in playing position it feels very well balanced. At 46" this putter feels an inch or two long for me (I'm 5'9" tall). My plan is to begin the learning and testing process with it this length, in order to gather data before making a final decision about the best length for me. If I do shorten the putter, I will re-run my initial tests at the new length, documenting any differences appropriately. 

My only real “nit” is with the magnetic headcover. As the putter head is machined from aluminum (non-magnetic), the magnets in the tabs of the headcover require matching steel discs in the headcover for closure purposes. Although the head cover has these, I discovered that they can move around when I tried to put it back on the putter this morning and one of the tabs wouldn’t stick. After fishing around a bit, so I was able to move the disk into place. Like I said a nit. 

Aesthetics (XX of 20 points)

The design and build of the putter are very impressive, and really quite elegant. The red sight line and logo paint set against the black putter head is eye catching and the MGS logo on the face is a nice touch. 

Being a fan of Malory’s “Le Morte ’Arthur” and the Arthurian legend in general, I love that the names chosen by Argolf for its line of various putters reflect this mythology. As legend has it, Uther Pendragon, “King of the Britons”, was Arthur's father. In fact, the word pendragon means “chief dragon” and I’m hoping that reviewing this putter will help me to vanquish some of my putting dragons! 

Edited April 11 by BobBC78

[MGS-Forum-Mod]

This could be you!

[MGS-Forum-Mod]

This could be you!

[MGS-Forum-Mod]

This could be you!

[Dweed]

This is an interesting thought concept. Good luck you all and have fun. Will look forward to your write ups.

[Tom the Golf Nut]

Just checked out the website. The Mordred looks so good. 

[CFreddie]

Interesting find! Never heard of Argolf, but def want to do some digging now. 
 

BTW, this is an insane finish - would love to see this in real life!

 

Edited January 7 by CFreddie

[cnosil]

16 minutes ago, CFreddie said:

Interesting find! Never heard of Argolf, but def want to do some digging now. 
 

BTW, this is an insane finish - would love to see this in real life!

 

 

I wonder if it is a finish or if it is actually damascus steel;  site doesn't provide a good answer.  

[rkj427]

44 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Just checked out the website. The Mordred looks so good. 

I agree that The Mordred looks very nice.

21 minutes ago, cnosil said:

 

I wonder if it is a finish or if it is actually damascus steel;  site doesn't provide a good answer.  

I believe that Jamie talked about these on a recent Community Call and mentioned it was some type of finish applied. If I recall correctly, possibly PVD?

[GolfSpy_APH]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

 

I wonder if it is a finish or if it is actually damascus steel;  site doesn't provide a good answer.  

It is. I've rolled one in person!

Was going to drop the photo but looks like it was a casualty of my recent photo cleaning.

[GolfSpy_APH]

I think once ppl see these photos and the photos the crew have of them, they will want to test a lot more. Here is a little teaser.

And yes I am testing a RH putter, for one I've been toying with the concept and also should make it easier to pass along.

 

[Fongle]

30 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I think once ppl see these photos and the photos the crew have of them, they will want to test a lot more. Here is a little teaser.

And yes I am testing a RH putter, for one I've been toying with the concept and also should make it easier to pass along.

 

Oh man that looks awesome with the MGS logo in there

 

[Josh Parker]

Good luck to those that apply!  

[sirchunksalot]

Good luck everyone! This is an amazing opportunity and thank you to Argolf and the forum staff for getting this together. 

[CFreddie]

7 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I think once ppl see these photos and the photos the crew have of them, they will want to test a lot more. Here is a little teaser.

And yes I am testing a RH putter, for one I've been toying with the concept and also should make it easier to pass along.

 

Wow Jamie - that looks incredible! 

[Rob Person]

8 hours ago, rkj427 said:

I agree that The Mordred looks very nice.

I believe that Jamie talked about these on a recent Community Call and mentioned it was some type of finish applied. If I recall correctly, possibly PVD?

Wow, that is nice looking! Good luck to those applying for this truly unique opportunity! 

And I have to say it, but this makes me think if Bruce Wayne was dropping low key hints on the golf course...

[GolfSpy SAM]

Unboxing video and first impressions up! 

Sneak peak at the video, in case you don't want to go ALL the way back (ahem, one page) to the beginning to find it

Full first impressions and stuff located here:  

 

[CFreddie]

12 minutes ago, GolfSpy SAM said:

Unboxing video and first impressions up! 

Sneak peak at the video, in case you don't want to go ALL the way back (ahem, one page) to the beginning to find it

 

Ok, those wedges are freaking sweet as well! Love the MGS etching!!!
 

Any insight into the grind / bounce? Didn’t see much on the website, besides a simple table of specs. 

Edited January 7 by CFreddie

[Shrek74]

19 hours ago, GolfSpy SAM said:

Unboxing video and first impressions up! 

Sneak peak at the video, in case you don't want to go ALL the way back (ahem, one page) to the beginning to find it

 

As always, you're a goof. But that's what makes it fun.

Those do look really sharp, and that laser MGS on the wedges is so cool. I wonder if that is available when ordering normally or if it's just a one-off for this test. That ball marker is also super cool.

I look forward to hearing how they work, especially with that sharper leading edge.

[fixyurdivot]

Very cool test concept.  But does it really matter whether they perform?  The MGS logo... getoutahere .

[Preeway]

I really need to figure out a way to get that logo etched onto my current wedges. Pretty sweet!

[jbern]

Interesting brand and items. Yes @CFreddie, that Damascus edition putter looks incredible! The shape of the Pendragon XL is also intriguing. 

 

[GolfSpy SAM]

3 hours ago, Shrek74 said:

As always, you're a goof. But that's what makes it fun.

Those do look really sharp, and that laser MGS on the wedges is so cool. I wonder if that is available when ordering normally or if it's just a one-off for this test. That ball marker is also super cool.

I look forward to hearing how they work, especially with that sharper leading edge.

I believe they do offer custom engraving, but as far as I know, it was just a special perk set up by Jamie for this test.  It's such a classy touch. 

And spoiler alert: the leading edge CAN dig, but only when I put a bad swing on it - they're a GREAT set of wedges, and someone's going to be very, very happy testing these out. 

[GolfSpy SAM]

22 hours ago, CFreddie said:

Ok, those wedges are freaking sweet as well! Love the MGS etching!!!
 

Any insight into the grind / bounce? Didn’t see much on the website, besides a simple table of specs. 

You know, that's a great question, and unfortunately, I don't have any more info than the website gives. When I was fit into the Indi's, I was fit into their ATK in 52-60, as my attack angle is steeper and that's their bounce/grind for a steeper player, and so far I haven't had any issues adjusting to these, even if the front edge does seem sharper.  I'm certainly capable of sticking it into the ground with ANY wedge, but I definitely haven't felt overly penalized in any way with the Argolf wedges, so take that for what it's worth

[CFreddie]

19 minutes ago, GolfSpy SAM said:

You know, that's a great question, and unfortunately, I don't have any more info than the website gives. When I was fit into the Indi's, I was fit into their ATK in 52-60, as my attack angle is steeper and that's their bounce/grind for a steeper player, and so far I haven't had any issues adjusting to these, even if the front edge does seem sharper.  I'm certainly capable of sticking it into the ground with ANY wedge, but I definitely haven't felt overly penalized in any way with the Argolf wedges, so take that for what it's worth

Good stuff - thank you as always!!!