Edel Array Putters . 2024 Forum Review

[Woodrow72]

I haven’t written my final review yet but intend to do so this weekend , my only regret has been not getting a chance to review the F3 on bent grass though if weather  permits I just may run down to the local municipal course and roll a bunch of putts tomorrow to stack up against the Bermuda results  .

[Prodigal Duffer]

Took the kids out to the par 3 course. Greens there are crazy slow and hard (for me) to read. Took me a few holes to trust that I had to putt as if the hole were almost twice as far away. 

I had two consecutive holes with good tee shots that resulted in made birdies. The first was about six feet right of the hole with a slight right to left break on a downhill slope. The second, my tee shot hit the pin and bounced back to almost the fringe. I made that putt from about 13 feet. Then proceeded to three putt the last hole. Golf!

Looking forward to getting my full thoughts down in the final review. I haven’t yet pulled my statistical data for a head to head comparison. I am guessing that the stats are much closer than my perception I have about the two putters’ performance.

[Parshooter36]

My final review is up! 

Thanks again to Edel, MyGolfSpy, and all those that have followed along.

 

[Rob Person]

Nicely done!

[buckpillar]

On 2/20/2024 at 3:20 AM, Parshooter36 said:

Introduction:

Let's do this! I want to start by thanking Edel and MyGolfSpy for this amazing opportunity.  This will be my 2nd review for MGS, and I could not be more pumped! My name is Andy, and I live in Southern Illinois a little over an hour east of St. Louis. I am 49 years old (for a couple of more months) and have been playing golf off and on since I was 15. I have played regularly, trying to improve my game since 2010.  I have spent most of those years in the 12-15 handicap range for many years, and at this point in my life, I figured that was as good as I would get. Last year, something clicked mid-season, and I played the most consistent golf of my life. I had played that well at times, but never more than a few rounds, and then it would be back to reality. I finished the year on a heater and managed to win the men's division of my club championship, beating the 3 guys that had combined to win the last 10 championships.

 

 

I consider myself a good but not great putter, and my putting stats pretty much confirm that. I don't make a ton of birdies, but I also rarely 3 putt. Most of my 1 putts are due to the fact that I only hit around 45% GIR, and most of the time I am an above-average chipper. I currently have 6 or 7 putters in the garage and have tried everything from belly putters to broomsticks over the years to try and improve my putting.

 

 

I have been interested in Edel's fitting philosophy for a few years now. So much so that I put together my own laser and mirror setup in an attempt to mimic what they use in their fitting process to test my alignment on the putters I had in the stable at that time. I have been fit for putters a couple of times in the past, but I am looking forward to a completely different experience this time. I really like my current putter, but I am not married to any club in my bag.  I know going in that alignment is an issue with my putting, so if the Edel system proves to consistently improve that, I will switch in a heartbeat. I have an indoor putting area in my simulator to test on, and golf season is nearly here, so there will be plenty of opportunity to put this putter to the test. 

 

The Fitting:

I want to add a bonus section to this review as I feel the fitting process is key to Edel's overall landscape. I am not usually a big proponent of fittings as I have had wildly different results in my past fittings and feel like they are very dependent on the fitter you got that day. Even though I was the first fitting for the Array putters at the GolfTec I was fit at, the fitting was very scripted and structured which made me feel like you should have a similar experience wherever you get fit.

In the Edel Array fitting kit they have all of the weights and alingment plates as well as the laser and mirror setup that was very telling in my fitting. They also have one of each of the four putters, each with one of the four different hosel options. Since the Array line is completely modular, they can change the hosels between the putters to put together any combination they need.

 

We started with my height and  standard wrist to floor measurement to get a ballpark for the putter length. She then had me set up over a putting mirror to see where my eye line was, which turns out was quite a bit inside the ball line. In the past I had been fit into 36" putters, but at 34" my eye line matched up perfectly with the ball line.

We then moved to the part I was most excited about, and that was the laser alignment. For those that don't know, Edel uses a laser pointed at the ball. They place a mirror onto the face of the putter and have you address the ball. Once you feel like you are aimed at the puck, they remove the ball and the laser reflect back onto the wall showing if you are aimed correctly or not. My initial setup was well right of target. We tried several different alignment plates and for me the T-Bar was the clear winner.

 

Now that setup and alignment was settled we moved on to the stroke. GolfTec uses Blast Motion to measure your putting stroke. My gamer putter is face balanced and I alway tried to use a straight back straight through motion with it. The Blast Motion sensor showed I was actually coming outside to in with my stroke which I suppose kind of balanced out my aiming to the right. We tried all four heads and found that the blade was definitely not for me. The F-1 and F-3 were the finalists and the numbers were so close that it just came down to personal preference. Even though the F-1 was more in line size wise with putters I have used in the past, I just loved the look of the F-3 and went with it. We then tried all four hosels in the F-3 head and found that the slant neck balanced my stroke out the best.

The final test we did was some distance putting to dial in the weighting. My current gamer is extremely head heavy, so we started with the heaviest weights in the head and no counter-balance weight. I was lagging them up perfectly (I actually made the first putt) so we stopped there. 

I am usually a mid-pistol grip guy, but that wasn't one of the options so I decided to go all in on the Edel philosophy and went with the standard round Edel grip.

I have never come away from a fitting with such a positive feeling.  I am really excited to how much impact proper alignment can have on my game.

 

First Impressions (20 out of 20) :

My Edel Array F-3 showed up this week and it is stunning. I love the Edel script, there are multiple fonts in use here, but it doesn't bother me at all.

The milling is flawless and to me everything about this putter screams quality. The face has a unique milling pattern. It is not as soft as other milled putters I have tried, but in initial testing it gets the ball rolling nicely.

There are some obvious signs of the modular design, but I feel like Edel has done a good job of hiding them for the most part. At a glance, I'm not sure the average person would realise that the putter can be taken completely apart. Here is a shot of the undercairrage where the alingment plate and face plate attach.

I am coming from an insert putter which definitely has a softer feel the the Edel, but this is not a negative for me. The F-3 has a very solid feel and sound. The face is made of 1025 carbon steel, so you don't get the high pitched "ting" that I have heard from aluminum faced putter I have tried in the past.

The Edel putter is a bit smaller than I am use to, but I just love the look of it and it frames the ball nicely. 

I am also already a fan of the Edel round grip. I have never used a complety round putter grip before, but it is very comfortable in the hand and took zero time to get use to.

Finally, the headcover might be the most durable looking head cover I have ever seen.

It feels like it is made from some sort of canvas material that should hold up well to all of the flexing that comes removing the headcover over and over.

It has a nice strong magnet closure which I much prefer over velcro. I also like the black on black Edel emblem sewn onto the flap.

 

Aesthetics (9 out of 10):

 

I love the shape of the Edel Array F-3 head, that’s what drew me to it. I am a visual person and a firm believer that you need to like what you are looking at or it will not work long term. I really like the contoured edges and the sharp lines they create. I also really like the contrast between the light gray body and the dark gray face. It gives it kind of a “versa” feel and gives me another line to help square up the ball. If I am going to nitpick for the sake of being objective, I would’ve preferred the alignment plate match the color of the face and not be just flat black. It would still be dark enough to contrast the white alignment features on the various plates, but I feel like it would just flow better with the overall look of the putter. (-1 point)

 

The F-3 is definitely an attention grabber. I have been asked about it multiple times when people see it for the 1st time. Last week I had a guy that kept calling it my Tesla putter. I guess the shaping and color scheme do loosely resemble the Tesla truck, but I had not made that connection before. Whenever someone shows interest in the putter, I always point out the modular design give a quick rundown on the Edel fitting philosophy with the different alignment plates. I have yet to find anyone that had even heard of Edel, so I am doing my part to educate them when the opportunity presents itself.

The sound of the F-3 is a solid thud. It is not as soft as other milled putters that I have tried, but it is not clicky either. I really like sound and feel of this putter. My gamer ball is a Srixon Q Star Tour which has a fairly low compression rating, so I also tried it with a Pro V1. There was a slight difference in sound between the two, but nothing that was off-putting to my ear. I am very sensitive to the sound of a putter, mainly the high pitched “ting” putters are the ones I can’t use. I have moved on from putters in the past simply because I could not stand the sound. I have the heaviest weights in both the toe and heel positions, so the sound and feel may change if you have lighter weights. 

 

It also provides great feedback on off-center hits. Both toe and heel hits are noticeable as soon as you make contact. Not surprisingly, off center hits lose a bit of distance. They were not overly penalizing, but I was seeing an average of 15% loss in distance on mishits. The weights on the F-3 are in the forward position behind the face of the putter. The F-1 has the weights towards the back of the head which I would assume will make that the more forgiving model.  

 

The Numbers (8 out of 10):

 

The Edel Array F-3 is very different from my Bloodline Vale putter. My previous gamer was face balanced and my fitting showed that my straight back straight through stroke was actually an outside to in stroke. The slant neck I was fitted for in the F-3 gives it 44 degrees of toe hang which promotes an arcing stroke that seems to agree with me. The F-3 is also 54 grams heavier than the Vale, yet it is 15 swing weight points lighter.

I did a head-to-head test on my indoor putting green. I putted 100 putts with each putter from 5’, 10’, and 15’. There is a slight right to left break that gets more exaggerated the further you get from the hole. It’s a right edge putt from 5’, but more like a full cup to the right from 15’. I used my gamer ball and took the time to line up the ball just like I would on the course for all 600 putts. The testing was done in multiple sessions, and I would alternate putters every 3 putts to try and keep things as fair as possible. I was really good from 5’ with both putters but was surprised how much of a drop off there was from the longer distances (-1 point). Here were my results:

 

5 feet   – Edel 82% - Bloodline – 87%

10 feet – Edel 25% - Bloodline – 22%

15 feet – Edel 18% - Bloodline – 10%

 

During this test I found that the Bloodline was slightly better on the short putts (-1 point). I attribute this to going from a face balance putter to a toe hang putter. My distance control was definitely better with the Edel on the longer putts. I don’t know if it was the longer shaft or the heavier swing weight or a combination of the two, but I had multiple putts with the Bloodline where I drug the putter and left the ball woefully short. I wish I had charted all of the misses to get a better representation of this, but I didn’t think of it at the time. 

 

On-Course (20 out of 20):

 

On the course is where the F-3 really shines. I honestly cannot remember making as many putts in the 8’-15’ range like I have with this putter. And my lag putting is much improved.

Sure, I’ve had the occasional round where I was burning edges and never had anything fall but even then, I felt like I was hitting my lines and making good putts. I have 3 years of ShotScope data that says I average 29.5 putts per round. To date with the F-3 I have averaged 28.1 putts per round. I know there are a lot of variables that can affect putts per round, but my greens in regulation percentage has not changed so I feel like this is a valid statistic. 1.4 putts per round is an excellent gain in my book!

Is the F-3 fool-proof? Of course not. I can absolutely mishit this putter and leave a long lag putt 5 feet short bringing 3-putts into play. And I can push or pull that 5-footer just like I can with any other putter I have ever tried. The fact that I know the F-3 is lined up correctly leaves everything else on me. As long as I put a good stroke on it, I like my chances of making the putt.

 

The Good, the bad, the in between (19 out of 20):

 

I absolutely love the Edel Array F-3. I think it looks great and performs even better. I have been intrigued by the whole Edel alignment fitting approach for several years now and was not disappointed. I would recommend and Edel fitting to anyone that is looking to take their putting game to the next level.

 

I really don’t have anything bad to say about the Edel Array lineup. The only thing I can really ding them on is a lack of a pistol grip option. They do offer a premium leather grip that they have listed as a pistol style grip, but since they offer Super Stroke grips as an option I don’t understand why they wouldn’t include their pistol grips as well. (-1 point)

 

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

 

100% play it! I said going into this that in order for the F-3 to find a spot in my bag I would simply need to make more putts with it. Not only have I made more putts, but I have more confidence standing over putts than I ever have. 

 

Confidence is key and the whole Edel experience has me believing that I am giving myself the best chance to make every putt I roll.

 

Conclusion:

 

The Edel Array F-3 is a great putter. I have found that my alignment and distance control are more consistent than my previous gamer and I am also seeing more midrange putts (8’-15’) drop than they have in the past. The whole Array line can literally be set up so suit any type of putting stroke and alignment needs. Fitting is the key to what makes Edel putters so special. There are so many variables in the modular design of the Array putters that buying one off the rack would be like finding a needle in a haystack in my opinion. If you are serious about trying to get the most out of your game, a fitting and purchase of an Edel Array putter is money well spent.

 

Final Score (96 out of 100)
 

Very Nice review and great information, sounds like you had great outcomes as I did with the Odyssey AI#1 CH 

[buckpillar]

On 2/20/2024 at 3:20 AM, Bucky CC said:

Hey everyone!  Bucky CC checking in from the great state of Wisconsin.  Before we get started I wanted to give a huge shout out and sincere thank you to MyGolfSpy, the MGS forum, fellow Spy’s big and small, and of course, Edel.  I’ve been lucky enough to do a few tests and every time they are the absolute highlight of my year.

Here I am about to die while my son has the time of his life.

I’ve been playing golf for more than 30 years now.  Started around age 10 in the backyard trying to be like my older brother and have been playing ever since.  I spent most of 2023 as a 4 handicap with all aspects of my game being fairly equal.  My home course has a lot of penalty areas off the tee, so when I keep the ball in play I tend to stay in the mid 70’s.

You can see from the graphic above putting is actually one of my stronger traits.  But if that’s true, why have I had 12 putters going back to the last real fitting I had in 2011?  In order (to the best of my memory):

Odyssey Dual Force 668, Odyssey Works #1 Wide Versa, Bettinardi Kuchar Model 1 (standard length), 2015 Ping Ketsch Mid, Evnroll ER2, Evnroll ER5

Odyssey Stroke Lab Black 7 S, Odyssey Stroke Lab Black 7, TaylorMade Spider SR, PXG Battle Ready Bat Attack, Evnroll ER5 (black this time), Odyssey White Hot OG Stroke Lab 7

As you can see, I’m a bit of a putter hoe (and have a things for Mallets in the #7 mold).  When I saw the testing opportunity for the Edel Array I thought I finally found the holy grail of tests for my game.  Not only would I be getting a new putter (lucky #13!), but I would have the opportunity to go through one of the most comprehensive fittings to build an extremely customized putter built to my exact specifications.

I plan to test the Edel (model # to be determined) against my current Odyssey White Hot OG #7 indoors on putts up to 10.  Once the weather warms up a bit I’ll take things outdoors for a head to head battle and a look against over 175 rounds of Arccos data.

    

My expectation is that the fitting will build an immediate trust level knowing the Array will be fit to my exact aiming tendencies, path bias, stroke type, etc.  I’m hoping to see immediate improvement on the greens from 10’ and in since I'll conceivably be lining up the putter correctly and have something that fits my exact stroke.

My biggest worry at the moment is how the milled face will feel against the soft White Hot OG insert I spent all last year getting used to.  Long putts could be an issue for a while.

And if everything falls apart and I stay the exact same I'll at least be able to prove that it’s not the putter, it’s the guy holding the club.

Not sure if my teenage daughter would be impressed or horrified that I used a Taylor Swift gif
 

The Fitting:

Before I get into my scoring I want to put a huge disclaimer out there.  I was not able to get fit for the Array before it had to be ordered for our testing.  Edel rolled out the Array to all corporate owned Golftec’s along with select other fitting studios a few months ago.  Unfortunately all of the Golftec’s in Wisconsin are franchise locations and did not receive their fitting kits before my order had to be placed.  The Club Champions in Wisconsin also chose not to carry the Array line so I did not have an option to get fit.

If you look at my previous history with putters you can see I’m pretty set on fang style mallet putters.  I ended up matching the specs of my gamer as best as I could for this test: 35" length, face balanced, dot alignment, standard loft and lie.

First Impressions (18 out of 20)

Out of the box I was immediately impressed with the Array F-2 putter.  Very clean lines, weight felt comfortable, and the headcover seemed to be well constructed rather than a throw-in afterthought.

          

I ended up choosing the F-2 with three dot alignment as it most closely resembles my current Odyssey White Hot OG #7 putter.  The styles are very similar, with the Odyssey coming in slightly larger while the Array is 10 grams heavier (563 vs 573 grams for the F-2).

I'm not sure what alignment plate would have been picked for me through an actual fitting.  While the dots are comfortable to me I wonder how things would have looked with the two line alignment or one of the other 5 options.

Technology-wise Edel really focuses on the customization available through the fitting process. Their website mentions things like aim/path bias, face rotation, optimizing weight to control your speed, and stroke type being key to finding the perfect putter.  Unfortunately most of those are dependent getting professionally fit for the club.

The face has a special milling pattern, but Edel doesn’t seem to explain on their site what exactly the pattern does.  I assume it helps with off center hits and is not just a fancy design for visual enjoyment.

Overall this is hard for me to grade as most of Edel’s claims about the putter are about the customization available through the fitting, and I was not able to be fit.  The putter is unquestionably well made and I have zero reservations about taking it out to the course.  It's familiar yet different enough to be distinguishable from the other five million fang style mallets out there.

Aesthetics (9 out of 10) 

I touched on the style a bit already, but if you’ve ever gamed a winged mallet putter you’ll have no problem feeling comfortable with the Array F-2.

All of the graphics and paint fill are done extremely well with tight tolerances.  You can tell just by looking at it that Edel makes a very high-end putter without being overly flashy about it.  No one in my regular foursome noticed I had a new putter until a few holes into our first round.  Once it was passed around they all remarked on how clean it looked and comfortable hitting a few practice putts.

Feel of the F-2 is hard to explain.  It’s a forged and machine milled face made out of 1025 carbon steel.  The impact feels more harsh than the white hot insert on my Odyssey, but somehow it also comes off at a slower/softer speed.  I found myself having to purposefully swing a bit harder with the F-2 to make sure I didn’t leave putts short.  The white hot insert seems to bounce/spring off the face while the F-2 is more of a concentrated swing effort to get it rolling the correct speed.

Big plus on the aethetic side is being able to pick up a ball with the back of the putter.  It may seem like a small detail but I like that they made sure the wings can pick up the ball even with the alignment plate taking up so much space.

The Numbers (7 out of 10) (indoors only so far)

In preparation for this test I went to my local home improvement store and purchased a 6’ wide by 21’ long strip of thin carpet.  A makeshift stimpmeter showed the mat rolls somewhere in the 10-11 range.

I set up a 9 hole course with a putt locations every two feet all the way up to 18’.  The Stack putting app helped me randomize the putt length and keep track of the head to head putter battle.  After the first 144 shots my gamer is a clear winner over the F-2.  As you can see from the table below I have no problem with straight putts less than 10’ but once you get past that mark I start having issues with the Array.

I’ve taken the F-2 out on the course a few times and so far my on-course experience has mirrored my indoor testing.  I have no doubt the putter has the potential to be great with a proper fitting, but will my off the rack specs show enough on the course to be able to knock the gamer out of my bag?

Update 5/11/2024:

On-Course (18 out of 20)

I’ve been able to take the Edel Array F-2 out on the course for five full rounds during our testing period (a minor miracle this early in Wisconsin).  I have to say that after struggling with the putter indoors I was pleasantly surprised with the improvement I’ve seen in regards to on-course performance.

Lining up putts with the three dot alignment felt very natural to me.  I had no issues with the ball rolling on my intended line, and frequently ended up with positive Arccos strokes gained putting similar to the round below.

The only area where I really struggled with the Array was the softer feel compared to my gamer.  A few times I came up very short on long putts and was faced with a 5+ foot knee knocker to avoid a three putt.  Thankfully the putter was solid enough to make more than miss in those situations.  For good and bad, this putter is a two-putt machine.

The Good, the bad, the inbetween (17 out of 20)

My favorite part of this putter is the overall look.  It’s a very familiar looking #7 fang style putter, but is different enough with the black and silver contrasting colors to be unique.  The only thing I would change when looking down at the putter is to add a dot closer to the face.  The alignment plate sits back just a little too far for me.

The grip I ended up picking blind was just OK.  I chose the flat standard rubber grip but wish I had gone with a more familiar SuperStroke or Evnroll TourTac grip.  The putter and headcover scream well-made brilliance while the grip seems like something you would find on a putter from 20 years ago.  I would love to see Edel follow the lead of so many other putter companies and offer a SuperStroke type grip as a standard option.

I love the fact that you can buy additional alignment plates and club weights on the Edel website.  Cost is a little on the high side ($50 for two weights, $45 for an alignment plate), and you shouldn't need anything else after going through a fitting, but it's nice to have options if something doesn't feel quite right on the course.

I'm also not sure how I feel about the difficulty to try these putters out before buying.  The only place to be able to test out the Array line in the entire state is one of four Golftec locations.  I didn't deduct any points for that, but I hope that in the future we'll start to see more fitting kits out in the wild.

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

If I sent my Arccos stats for the Array F-2 to a random golfer they would say “Congrats, you found yourself a great putter!”  I would agree based solely on the strokes gained numbers and overall confidence I had on the greens.  The problem is it could not beat out my previous gamer.  Here are the head to head stats along with the average 4.0 index according to Arccos.  The stats are calculated off the last 100 shots for each club.

Two putt percentage a full 15% above the average and 10% above my gamer?  That's amazing!  Also can't beat the low three putt percentage and positive strokes gained.

What’s not to like about the Array?  80% two putt percentage makes me feel a little like Rory at the 2022 Open (he two putted all 18 greens to finish in 3rd place).  Absolutely fantastic to limit the three putts but every once in a while you get frustrated not being able to walk off the green with a one-putt birdie or par saver.

Rather than choose between Play it or Trade it I’d like to go with a 3rd category; keep it as my backup.  I guarantee that at some point over the next few weeks/months my gamer will go cold and need to be put in a timeout.  It’s great to know that I have such a fantastic putter in the Array F-2 waiting to be put in play.

(will probably happen sooner rather than later)

Conclusion

The Edel Array F-2 is a great putter.  With the huge number of customization options I would highly recommend you get fit before purchasing.  Finding a location to get fit at may be an issue but once you have your specs dialed in there will be no looking back.  The forged face comes off softer than I expected but I had no issues getting the ball rolling on my intended start line.  The only change I would make to my setup is to possibly replace the flat standard rubber grip with an upgraded SuperStroke style grip.

I'm really nitpicking here though.  These are great putters.

Thanks again to MGS and Edel for this incredible opportunity! 

Final Score (87 out of 100)

Very informative review and a great read

[buckpillar]

On 2/20/2024 at 3:20 AM, Prodigal Duffer said:

A Duffer’s Review of the Edel Array Putter by Prodigal Duffer

Golf is stupid, so let’s make it fun.

Let’s Roll it Out

Hey there, MGS, my name is Steve a/k/a Prodigal Duffer. I am in my early 40s and live near Fort Worth, Texas. I have been playing golf for about two years. I used to play occasionally as a younger man, but gave it up for several reasons—mostly because I didn’t enjoy it. I had outsized expectations for my performance, which was especially comical given I had barely any coaching and I never practiced. I sold my clubs and didn’t give it a second thought.

Fast forward to 2021, and my son enrolled in First Tee, found that he enjoyed it, and then convinced me to come back to the game (hence my forum handle). Unlike my younger days, I now recognize that golf is (like any sport) stupid, which is why it needs to be fun. And, now I play to have fun with my kids:

 

 

I’ve been documenting the golf adventures with my kids over in The Prodigals. And, I’ve found golf to be quite fun, whether with my kids or with friends I’ve made through the game.

 

 

 

Before I gave up golf, I thought I was a good putter, and I loved my flat stick. But, the putter was long gone and I needed something. Because I wasn’t sure golf would stick with my son (or me), I bought a cheap Odyssey Stroke Lab R-ball mallet putter. It’s been okay, but I feel like I pull putts to the left and have trouble gauging speed. I started keeping stats, and it turns out, I stink at just about everything, including putts:

 

 

 

(This is limited data, but still, ouch).

 

 

 

 

I suspected that part of my problem putting may be the stick, and planned to get a putter fitting this spring. When MGS announced the Edel Array test, I knew I wanted to participate. It would give me an excuse to get my fitting now and maybe help me improve my putting. 

My testing will primarily have three components: on my Birdie Ball indoor green for testing alignment on less than 10’ putts; at the practice facility for lag putt/distance control (a strength of mine now); and, of course, on the golf course for scoring.

As you can see, I tend to leave my putts short, especially on distances of less than 10 feet:

   

I hope that the Edel Array helps me increase my make percentage on those putts and that my percentage of putts left short decreases substantially. On a more subjective note, I want to feel more confident in force of my stroke (I suspect that I leave putts short because the mallet looks heavy and I don’t want to blow past the hole). If the Edel can check these boxes, then there’s a high likelihood it becomes my gamer.

Thanks to MGS, Edel, and to you, my fellow spies, for trusting me to participate in this test. I look forward to rolling those putts.

Fitting

As I anxiously await the arrival of the Array, check out my fitting experience below:

First Impressions 19/20

TLDR: Secure premium packaging with branded inside liner, beautiful matte finish to the head and a gleaming steel shaft. Came with an oversized head cover that is simple yet sophisticated. Lost one point because of lack of communication about shipping.

Check out my full first impressions here:

Aesthetics - 9/10

I covered a lot of this in my first impressions. The Array B-1 has a classic look with a beautiful all-black finish. I have a strong preference for the contrast the black provides versus the chrome on my gamer:

I deducted one point for the use of three different fonts. I think having two would have been okay (script for the Edel brand name and one other), but three makes it look like the company couldn’t decide what it wanted to do. 

The putter is quiet, making a soft thudding noise. The ball comes off the face just right - not rocketing off, nor does it feel like I have to put some force into it. The face gives good feedback, so it is easy to tell when impact is not in the sweet spot (more on this in the numbers).

The Numbers - 7/10

I did a few different tests for distance control and accuracy. In the test-controlled environment, I found it easier to control the distance with the Array:

Array is on bottom.

I also tested accuracy by putting through gates at distances of 3, 6, and 9 feet on my indoor mat. The Array outperformed the gamer at 6 and 9 feet, and the gamer barely won at three feet. 

Full results are here:

As I ran the accuracy protocol, I found that I had a tendency to open the face on my stroke. The opposite happens with my gamer. I attribute this to the Array having a toe hang and my gamer being face balanced. As I practiced more and focused on the stroke, this became almost a non-issue. I deducted one point for this.

One area where the Array really excelled was in mis-hits. In one of my tests, I purposely hit balls at the toe, center, and heel, both low and high. I found that location had minimal impact on accuracy. Also, hitting from the fringe (or close to it) did not impact my putts in the slightest.

I canned this 13 footer for birdie.

So one thing that surprised me was that my more traditional putting stats were worse with the Array than my gamer:

 

Traditional stat

Odyssey

Array

Putts per round

31.4

32.8

One putts

27%

22%

Two putts

67%

67%

Three putts

6%

11%

The increase in three putts by almost double led me to deduct one point. But, when I examined the statistical trend on the Array, everything is moving in the right direction. I suspect that the numbers will continue to improve as I play with the Array more, but I have to rate this putter as it stands now, not what I might be in the future.

In my intro, I identified two areas where I was looking for improvement: increasing my make percentage at putts of 10 feet or less and decreasing my percentage of putts left short. The make percentages slightly (maybe?) favor the Array:

Odyssey on left, Array on right.

Unfortunately, I did not meaningfully improve the percentage of putts left short:

Again, Odyssey on left, Array on right.

For this, I deducted one point.

On Course - 19/20

So, how did it do on the course? The above numbers seem to suggest that I should stick with my gamer, but strokes gained paints a different picture entirely. With the Odyssey, my strokes gained was -4.18; the Array, it was -2.74. In other words, I improved my strokes gained by almost 1.5 strokes! Most of that increase came in the less than 10 foot range:

Pretty recently, I made a change to my putting strategy as far as target distance. That has led to significantly fewer putts left short and more makes from farther away. Two examples from the same hole:

 

The first I made for birdie on an uphill, right to left break. The second, I put about two feet past the hole, having misread the line a bit. In the past, I would have hit the second putt to barely make it to the hole out of fear of running past the hole. Of course, this would exacerbate the break. This time, I hit it a bit firmer and canned it. 

My scores are improving, but I would not say that the Array is the cause— an improved short game is the primary factor. But, I feel extremely confident with the Array in my hands. I have played only six rounds with it, and I expect that as I work more on distance control, I will seek a jump in strokes gained on longer putts.

The Good, Bad, and In-between - 18/20

Three things. First, the fitting process was really cool. This was my first putter fitting, and if I could do it again, I would have been a bit more assertive about a few things. My fitter focused on the F-1, largely because it was similar to my gamer and hit all the benchmarks the fitting tested. I preferred the B-1 and should have insisted we do the fitting protocols for it just to make sure. I still went with the B-1, but at some risk that it wouldn’t be the right putter for me. I did not deduct any points for this, as it was not an issue with the fitter, but me. I hope other spies reading this will be sure to speak up if there is a putter they prefer.

Second, while I really like the looks of the head cover, it is slightly too big for both my stand bag and my cart bag:

Deducted one point.

Third, the weight of the B-1 is 5 grams less than I think I prefer. If I decide to buy other weights, they’re $50, which seems expensive. Deduction of one point.

One last “in between.” I am not a good putter. Changing putters was not a magic fix, and I did not expect it to be. At least with the Array, I can easily tell when there is a problem with my stroke, which is too frequent. Archer, not arrow.

Play it or Trade It? 17/20

While the traditional numbers favor the gamer (slightly), the Array is meeting the major benchmark I identified and my strokes gained is improving. I have played only six rounds with it and I think that the numbers will only get better as I get more familiar with it (and actually work on my putting!). I also like it enough that I wanted it to win on numbers, so I think it’s safe to say it’s staying in the bag. But because the numbers are so close, I deducted one point.

So, I am a mid-handicapper with aspirations of becoming a single digit. This putter costs $400, which is definitely a premium price in the realm of Scotty Cameron and Ping Anser. I think that’s a lot to ask for any brand putter, let alone a small outfit. I deducted two points for this reason.

Conclusion

TL;DR - A fit designed to identify a person’s putting biases and address them through the right customization. The Array B-1 delivers on looks and, so far, on the course. 

The other day, my wife asked what I would have to pay for the Array if I bought it. When I told her, she raised her eyebrows and then remarked how cool it is that I get to test and keep this. And she is absolutely right. Thank you to Edel and MGS for this opportunity. You put an incredible putter in the hands of this duffer.

Final Score - 89/100

Good review, Do you think a change in weighting will reduce the 3 putting with the continued use?

[GolfSpy AFG]

MY FINAL REVIEW IS UP!

Many thanks to the forum for the opportunity!

[Prodigal Duffer]

Final review is up!

 

[Prodigal Duffer]

12 hours ago, buckpillar said:

Good review, Do you think a change in weighting will reduce the 3 putting with the continued use?

Thanks. I suspect that the issue is me rather than the weighting. I had one round with what felt like a billion three-putts. The condition of the greens plus my fear of going past the hole primarily drove that performance. Since making an adjustment in distance control, I had two three-putts in 36 holes. Both were the result of me getting lazy about the third putt.

I am going to spend a lot of time working on speed/distance over the course of this season. If I still have issues, then I may adjust the weight of the putter.

[Prodigal Duffer]

Great reviews, @Bucky CC, @Parshooter36, and @GolfSpy AFG. Looking forward to @Woodrow72's review and to updates over the next several months. Roll 'em!

[Woodrow72]

Been trying to get my review loaded for 3&1/2 hours today and having issues , hope to get done soon , been knocked off the site 4 times 

[buckpillar]

On 2/20/2024 at 3:20 AM, GolfSpy AFG said:

GolfSpy AFG's Review of the Edel Array Putter

Introduction

Hey everyone.  My name is Hayes, on the forum I go by GolfSpy AFG but only recently.  Prior to that my forum handle was:

Alas, I had to grow up.  When I'm not playing golf, hanging out on the forum or trying to do my behind-the-scene Forum Leader stuff, I'm a husband and father, and an Airman...I've been on Active Duty in the Air Force for the past 22 years.

 

My Golf and Putting Game

As a golfer, I'm a fanatic and am constantly tinkering with workouts, speed training, and training aids trying to get better, because I rarely have time to get to the range or play.  Between the job and being a Dad to 3 active kids, it gets hard to get out.  When I do get on the course, I play to a 7 handicap and do halfway decent off the tee, below average on approach shots, above average on green-side short game shots, and I'm not a very good putter.  My Strokes Gained from GolfShot is a little skewed for lack of rounds from last year, but it does paint the picture:

  

But, hope springs eternal for me and putting, thanks in large part to my selection to test an Edel Array Putter.  I'm going to save an in-depth fitting discussion for another post, but I should probably start with a confession that's near sacrilege on this forum: I've never actually been fit for a putter before! And, what I learned from the fitting above all was that my years-long insistence on a face-balanced putter was all wrong...I actually need 30-45 degrees of toe hang!  Here's a small peak at the SAM Lab fitting I got, wherein it showed I'm actually exceptionally consistent in my stroke, I just need a better fitting putter:

My Pending Review

Again, I'll post about my fitting experience soon in a thread update, but I'm planning to evaluate the Array on a number of fronts. The big 3 for me:

1) Quality of fit.  Edel really emphasizes the extent to which their putters have to be fit to be effective.  I'll be comparing it against 3 of my old gamers to see if the fit does improve my overall performance, primarily through the use of Stack putting.

2) Aim bias. Again, more on the fitting later, but the fitting diagnosed a left aim bias, which I do see on the course in what I've always interpreted as tendency to pull my putts.  According to Edel, I just need a better fit to correct or compensate for that aim bias, which is why they offer different alignment plates to help compensate for those biases.  I'll be tracking and comparing how well Edel's alignment plate concept actually results in corrected aim and alignment.

3) Speed control. Again, the fitting...mine showed some tendencies in how I deliver the putter from a loft standpoint that, if corrected, SHOULD significantly improve my distance control. If I can improve my speed control, my Strokes Gained Putting should improve dramatically.

But that's what's on my mind...you tell me, what do you want to know?  I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have as we go. Thread updates on what I'm currently gaming, how I intend to measure all of this, and oh yes, the fitting, are all coming in the next few days...

UPDATE:  The Fitting

Check out the Science & Motion Fitting details of my fitting via the link above!

Unboxing & First Impressions: 20 out of 20

My putter arrived on a Saturday, but with company in town I had to wait for my quiet solitude to hold my own private unveiling ceremony. The wait was worth it. This is my first custom fit putter so I've never had one shipped to me before, and I was impressed with how well Edel had secured this thing...no rolling around in the box during shipping possible here:

 

Visually the club was love at first sight for me; the putter (including the headcover) all scream premium. Behold, the Edel Array F-1, with a slant neck and 3-dot alignment plate.

The club also came with an Edel-branded torque wrench along with an additional alignment plate. Edel emphasizes in their fittings how the alignment plate impacts aim bias, so I hope to test that by changing out the plates and measuring results.

My gamer setup, and what the fitting recommended, is the 3-dot setup pictured above.

As to my first impressions after rolling some putts on the practice green, I'm in love, but is she the right one for me?  Visually it's a different look for me...I've always gravitated to a 3-line alignment aid that frames the ball, and I've also typically chosen a single-bend neck. But, as I've documented, my fitting said those were both wrong for me.

Additionally, I've been gaming an Odyssey with a White Hot insert for 2 years. Moving away from that to the milled face of the Array is a big change in sound and feel. Add to that the fact that the Edel is lofted down for my stroke, and this is going to be a bit of an adjustment.  I did my first Stack Putting practice with it last night, and I'll share those results soon, but I rolled it well for a first date especially.  My misses were a different miss than I've been seeing too.

Aesthetics: 10 out of 10

I'll try to let the pictures speak for themselves, but I think this putter is drop dead gorgeous. Edel really nailed it with the two different tones of gray and black, and the subtle "Edel" script on the face screams premium to me.

The interchangeable alignment plate and the color contrast serves to frame the ball well, and while it took me a while to get adjusted to the 3-dot look, this ultimately has become a very confidence inspiring look.

My only remaining question, which I won't be deducting points for but will certainly be investigating, is how might this putter look with a black stability shaft, say from BGT.  That will definitely be something I look into.

The Numbers: 10 out of 10

If you've been following along, you know I've used Stack Putting to test this putter. As documented in the fitting, I demonstrated a decided left aim bias. If you believe Edel, that's because I couldn't aim correctly, and I needed the 3-dot alignment to correct for that. It worked. After multiple rounds in a custom-built putting combine, Edel has built me a putter that corrects for my biases.

The trend line for that graph is near zero, a dramatic improvement over my SAM results.

On Course: 17 out of 20

Let me clarify and apologize to the forum that life and circumstance got in the way quite a bit, and I've only got one round on an actual golf course under my belt so far this season. When I did get out, I putted well...never had a 3-putt, and rolled in several putts of considerable length. I'm very anxious to get out on the course more in the coming weeks and months and report back, but I'm very optimistic I'm going to see big improvements on the green with the Array in the bag.

Having said that, Stack Putting did allow me to document overall putting performance, and here again it's clear to me that the Edel Array F-1 is a solid fit for me and my game. As you can see from the trend line, from the moment I put the Edel to work the putts per hole got better and better.

So why the 3 point deduction, you might ask?  Perhaps it's unfair to ding the Array for this, but I can honestly say I'm still acclimating to it a bit. Compared to my old face-balanced and insert-based gamers, this thing is quite the departure, and I'm still not entirely confident over it. It's almost like it demands more focus from me at this point to get good results, like it doesn't quite feel natural, yet.

The Good, the Bad, and the In Between: 15 out of 20

As you've obviously already gathered, I'm clearly a big fan of the Array F-1.  I'll spare you the suspense...I'll be bagging this one for sure. So why the 5-point deduction?  I can't help wonder if it's the Array F-1 that I'm so enthralled with, or simply the combination of alignment aid, toe hang, and hosel. In other words, if I can build out a putter with equal specs from Odyssey, for instance, then maybe I'd be able to game an insert again but this time fitted to my stroke. Candidly, the one thing about the Array that I'm not completely thrilled with is the feel and sound...it's fine, but it's a metal "tingy" sound of a milled face rather than the softer feel of an insert like I prefer. Add in my own perceptions that the shaft and grip upgrades are not as plentiful as other OEMs based on the Edel website, and I've deducted several points accordingly.

Play It or Trade It: 17 out of 20

So I'm definitely going to play it. The Edel is going to be in my bag for the foreseeable future. But, I'm not so convinced that I won't have a wandering eye for other options. If Odyssey puts out a 3-dot alignment-based putter with 40ish degrees of toe hang and a slant neck hosel, you better believe I'm going to take a look.

But let's be clear, the Edel fitting process and the ability to dial in the exact combination of loft, lie, alignment, balance, and bias correction is a formula for putting perfection that quite possibly can't be beat. For that reason, the Edel Array F-1 will be in my bag for a long long long time.

Conclusion

The ability to customize the Array allows Edel to achieve a fit that other OEMs struggle to match. Do NOT buy this one off the rack, however.  "I know my specs" you say?  I thought that too, and I was dead wrong. Get fit, and then allow that fitter to select the combination of components to fit your game with the Edel Array putting line.  You won't regret it.

Final Score: 89 out of 100

First of all, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE 

Very nice review, great information, details were awesome. 

[GolfSpy AFG]

6 hours ago, buckpillar said:

First of all, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE 

Very nice review, great information, details were awesome. 

Thanks for that feedback!

[GolfSpy AFG]

 spent some time in my review talking about how customizable the Array lineup is in that it allows you to choose alignment, hosel, and head shape among other factors to get to a fit, and that level of customization stands out.

Case in point, I'm a fan of the Odyssey lineup and tend to prefer an insert-based putter. After cruising through the entire Odyssey lineup, this is as close as I can get:

This one is not the spyder shape of my Array, but it's the right amount of toe hang (40), a slant neck, but the wrong alignment...the fitting I had suggested I need a 3-dot.

Just maybe adds to the argument that other OEMs don't really offer the same level of customization Edel is providing with the Array.

[Parshooter36]

The F-3 came through for me last night on the longest putt hole in out couples league. Not only did I drain the 20 footer for longest putt, but it put us 1 shot up in our match that we ended up winning by a single stroke.

[Prodigal Duffer]

Played a nine hole scramble on Thursday and 18 today. Did not have many opportunities at the scramble for putts. 

Today, I felt like I putted really well. I did have two three-putts, both because of totally bone-headed lag putts. I had five one-putts, and all of them were in the six to ten foot range. That is the distance from which I traditionally struggle the most. Had a few really good lag putts, including one on an eagle opportunity from about 50 feet. Put it within two feet to make the bird. My confidence in the putter is high.

[Woodrow72]

I have encountered a major back issue so I haven’t touched a club for a week and looks like it will quite a while until I get to play again , hopefully surgery isn’t the future ! I love  the Edel F-3 that was fitted and made for me though I can’t use it currently with my back issues but will be posting again as soon as I get healed !

[Rob Person]

5 hours ago, Woodrow72 said:

I have encountered a major back issue so I haven’t touched a club for a week and looks like it will quite a while until I get to play again , hopefully surgery isn’t the future ! I love  the Edel F-3 that was fitted and made for me though I can’t use it currently with my back issues but will be posting again as soon as I get healed !

Hope you get your back sorted out!  Definitely makes for a miserable waiting period.  Good vibes coming your way

[Northern Monkey]

9 hours ago, Woodrow72 said:

I have encountered a major back issue so I haven’t touched a club for a week and looks like it will quite a while until I get to play again , hopefully surgery isn’t the future ! I love  the Edel F-3 that was fitted and made for me though I can’t use it currently with my back issues but will be posting again as soon as I get healed !

Here’s hoping for a quick recovery

[Woodrow72]

Thanks for the positive vibes , had a major issue about 18 years ago and was told then I’d need surgery and held it off that long , hoping for another 18

[Parshooter36]

2 hours ago, Woodrow72 said:

Thanks for the positive vibes , had a major issue about 18 years ago and was told then I’d need surgery and held it off that long , hoping for another 18

Back issues are the worst, hopefully you can avoid surgery again.

[Parshooter36]

On another note, the F-3 and I continue to gel. On my Thursday night league last week I only had 11 putts! I didn't have my best ball striking night, but my chipping and putting bailed me out the entire night.

[Prodigal Duffer]

Finally had a chance to edit my round in Shot Scope - I actually gained strokes putting on Sunday. That might be the first time that's ever happened since I started tracking. I wish the rest of my round didn't stink so bad . . .

[Prodigal Duffer]

Got out for an unexpected nine today and had a pretty good day all around. Putting was good, no three-putts, and my misses were all close. I have felt like the putting turned a corner, so decided to pull the strokes gained stats for all of my rounds with the Array. I’d say the data backs my feeling:

My strokes gained for today’s round (versus a 10 HCP): 2.92. Loving the direction my putting is going.

[Woodrow72]

Great results , after I get my Dr appts done and if my back is able to play I hope to have some positive results myself , wanting to get some bent grass action posted after all my initial results were on Bermuda 

[Donn lost in San Diego]

On 5/26/2024 at 4:22 PM, Woodrow72 said:

I have encountered a major back issue so I haven’t touched a club for a week and looks like it will quite a while until I get to play again , hopefully surgery isn’t the future ! I love  the Edel F-3 that was fitted and made for me though I can’t use it currently with my back issues but will be posting again as soon as I get healed !

If I may, I have scoliosis and Kyphosis (neck protrudes forward).  I learned the Alexander Technique many yars ago and it is my life saver.  I have avoided any back pain, although I am susceptible to arm issues.  The arm is the lever, mine take on more uneven torque due to the uneven back.  Anyway, Alexander is a technique to re-balance your body, over a few weeks time, into a less energy using posture.  It reduces wear and tear on soft tissue by learning how to find where your muscles are in balance and not fighting each other.  It is like slow motion yoga, and only involves standing, sitting, walking, and laying down.  It is not like chiro.  Once you train your body in Alexander you don't keep spending money each month.  It stays with you.  Do a search and I think you will appreciate it.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

Anybody use or test the Edel EAS 5.0?  It is their large semi-circle mallet.  I got my first touch this week on Edel putters, not in a fitting, just hitting a bunch of putters, and my impression is 110% positive.  I liked the EAS 5.0, then the Array F1 , and the E4 torque.  I suspect a new driver shaft will wait, an actual Edel fitting is now top of the What Next list