Evnroll NEO Classic Putters - 2024 Forum Review

[russtopherb]

Guess who had a delivery waiting for him after his round of golf today?????

First post has been updated with my first impressions, check it out!

 

[ChitownM2]

Looks like my putter is waiting for me at home as well.....wish this was a WFH day.   More details to come 

[russtopherb]

Evnroll ER5 - First Impressions On The Green

Today I paid a visit to the putting green at my local muni and I pretty much had it all to myself. Perfect for some testing!

I put the ER5 up against my HB 10 which has been my gamer for at least 4 years, if not longer. They are two very different putters, which l learned fairly quickly on the green. 

I put tees down at 3' and 10' from one pin which gave me a nice straight putt to start with, and the back tee also gave me a roughly 15' curving downhill put to another hole. I started at 3' then worked my way back.

At first, the ER5 was going slightly right of the cup when I missed, but most putts dropped nicely. Over 20 balls, I was 16/20 with the ER5 and 13/20 with the Cleveland to start. 

Moving back to 10' posed more of an issue with the ER5, and it showed that I was more comfortable/familiar with the HB 10. I was only 3/20 with the ER5 from 10' and 8/20 with the HB 10. Again, the ER5 was slightly pushing right of the cup, and distance control was more of an issue as I couldn't find the right tempo vs the HB 10. I started to dial it in though, and was more comfortable by the end of that round of balls. Here's the dispersion on the final set of each putter:

I made one of the last 4 with the ER5 and none with the HB 10, and the dispersion was tighter. I was going past the cup at that point instead of leaving them short, so I was starting to feel better about the ER5.

The final round was the 15' downhill putt that broke to the right. Again, starting off I was definitely more comfortable with the HB 10 and couldn't get a feel for the ER5 at the start. I didn't count how many putts I holed out with each, as I was using that instance to test out how close I could lag the putts vs looking at a make percentage. By the second 10 putts with the ER5 I was doing better, and I'm feeling like I need some time just with the Evnroll to get adjusted to it vs going back and forth with the Cleveland. Dispersion shots from the final round:

Overall, better with the HB 10 but again, I think that's more of a comfort level thing. As the afternoon went on, I realized that I needed to put the ball just slightly more forward in my stance with the ER5 than I'm used to, and that helped to keep the ball from going slightly right on me. 

I did note that the louder, almost tinny *click* of the ER5 is definitely noticeable vs the muted impact thud of the HB 10. It didn't bother me at all, but I thought it might be less pronounced when outside vs my living room but I was wrong. It's definitely there. 

This week (barring any more thunderstorms like we've had the past 2 days) I plan to go out with just the ER5 to really get used to it, especially with needing the ball slightly more forward than I've been used to as well as working on the distance control. I have to say I am definitely loving the Gravity 1.0 grip and I am very glad I chose it. 

Edited June 22 by russtopherb

[cksurfdude]

On 6/22/2024 at 4:17 PM, russtopherb said:

I plan to go out with just the ER5 to really get used to it, especially with needing the ball slightly more forward than I've been used to as well as working on the distance control.

Sounds, and looks, like a great start to your test!

Interesting on the ball position change between putters.

FYI have an older ER5 I've been gaming for a few years but did notice that, yes, for a given distance it wants a slightly larger effort put into the ball vs many other putters.

[russtopherb]

2 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

Sounds, and looks, like a great start to your test!

Interesting on the ball position change between putters.

FYI have an older ER5 I've been gaming for a few years but did notice that, yes, for a given distance it wants a slightly larger effort put into the ball vs many other putters.

I totally get the extra effort on longer putts. It's certainly not a knock on the ER5 or a criticism - I'm just so used to the HB 10 that I need to have the ER5 in play and on the practice green full time to adjust. Swapping back and forth every 20 balls when testing the other day wasn't giving me enough of an adjustment period in hindsight.

For me, putters take the longest to get used to. I can hit a new driver or irons a few times and be good with it. Putters take a lot longer for me personally. As I noted above, I'm already loving the feel and weight of the ER5. I just need to get used to what's needed to get the ball rolling to where I want it to go. 

For the ball position, I think it all comes down to the neck and where I like to have my hands & putter head in my stance. There's a difference between the HB 10 and ER5 necks and positions so we'll see how things go with using the ER5 full time. 

[AndySP]

Ok, I finally got a moment to get my initial thoughts down. Here’s my first take after about 2 weeks.

Unboxing:

While I didn’t film myself opening it up, if you would have seen my face, It’ve shown some…well…concern:

Evnroll shipped the putter in a nice durable box, but inside was just a lonely putter.  No packaging material anywhere.  I was sweating given the price and my expectations regarding the brand.  I’m not so interested in giving FedEx an opportunity to test its durability.  So I spent the first few moments meticulously checking all over.  Thankfully, I found no damage.  My only suggestion is that other putters ship with some paper or foam or something to keep it centered in the box at least.

 

First Impression:

I currently use a Mizuno M-Craft IV or a Ping Anser, which you will see in my pictures for context. I believe I originally purchased the Mizuno it for $300, so it’s not quite a “premium” putter, but they make some quality products, so here they are side by side:

Obviously, the putter is undoubtedly well-crafted. As near as I can tell, the machining is perfect, the lines in the face are immaculate and every edge is brilliant.  I really love the two line up dots. 

The headcover that came with is absolutely luxurious. It feels like a much better material than any of my other covers.  I tried to take a picture that shows the grain in the leather compared to my others…it feels great and portends durability.  

More than that though, it uses some powerful magnets to keep it secured.  Maybe even too powerful?  You kind of have to use both hands to get it on.  As an aside though, it protects the putter head much better than the Ping cover I have, which while it also has magnetites, leaves the heel of the putter perilously out. 

I am a skinny grip guy now.  I previously used the gravity grip, but had trouble getting my hands right.  I use the Lamkin deep-etched (I found another one with the Mizuno badge on eBay to replace the one I cut off).  This is the Evnroll 70g rubber grip, the smaller of the two. The rubber feels different to the lamkin grip, almost like a silicone rubber.  It’s very tacky.  The pattern embossed is comfortable, and the shape is totally fine. I think I prefer a more pronounced pistol shape, but the gentle lines and kick back feel great. 

 

Initial Performance:

Im going to save some of my thoughts for later when o get some more experience, but suffice it to say, for now, the putter feels very nice.  Out of the box it’s about 10 grams lighter than the Mizuno, so I’m having to give it a little more to get the same distance.  Despite the weight, it has a very smooth feel, I think the plumbers neck jives with my putting style or something.

That said, I’m really a data guy. I want to know whether the tech that the Evnroll has makes a difference. I’ll mention that a few putts h seemed to go further despite my mishits, but I want to see it for real.   I will be using the stack putting app to keep track of strokes gained and analytics along the way.  Here is a sneak peak at my first few sessions.  There will be some noise before things settle in, but it’s still interesting to see.  I will do a deep dive on all of it soon (at least as much as a lawyer can do, haha).

 Next Steps:

I want to get a nice video of the sound, because I think it’s very unique.  I also anticipate doing some start-line tests with the meter stick I use for practice at home. I’ll be updating the thread as I test.

As always, if you guys have any additional ideas for how you want to see the test go, or any questions, please ask and I’ll try my best. 

 

Edited June 27 by AndySP

[russtopherb]

I put the ER5 to the test last night with a 9 hole round paired with my son on a course that's known for it's fast greens that are hard to read. Worse, it was a twilight round so all the greens had been in the sun all day. So they were indeed fast.

After hitting maybe 6 putts on the putting green to warm up due to arriving late, we were off. On hole 2, I used the ER5 from around 10 feet off a sloping back to front green to save par after I flew the green on shot 2, and then rolled off the front with my chip up. That was nice

Happy to say I had 2 other holes with 1 putt (wedges were good) and no three jacks. On faster, firmer greens I had no problem at all with distance control, and found lag putting to be far better than what I was anticipating after doing the side by side comparisons with my gamer on Sunday. 

My son wasn't having the best day on the greens, on hole 6 I handed him the ER5 and told him to try it out. He hit a 20' lag to 2 feet and I thought for sure he wasn't going to give it back! He noted how nicely the Gravity Grip felt and also remarked on the unique sound of the ball off the face. 

I should be playing 18 Friday so we'll see how it goes over a longer round. 

[ChitownM2]

Finally found some time to get my photo editing done and get my first impressions added to my review post here!

Since it took me so long to get it posted after finishing the verbiage, I actually got out yesterday to play my first round that I had alluded to at the end of the post.  I circled back to my home course for the first time in over a month and what I had hoped would be a good test on a familiar course turned out to be a little different.  It's been unusually hot here in Chicago the last few weeks but on Friday we had a break and got a slow consistent rain all day which made greens that are typically average speed play incredibly slow.  I got to the course plenty early and went through my typical routine of the range, chipping then putting before my tee time.  Since this was going to be my first round with the ER8, I put in some extra time on both of the available practice greens in an attempt to  adapt to both the atypical conditions and the new putter. 

Overall things went OK, I definitely left a couple of my longer putts short but was able to recover and make the 5-6 footers I left myself.  I even had a 55' downhiller for eagle on the back 9 that I sent past about 4' and put home for birdie which I was pleased about.  It was difficult to tell if I was leaving my putts short because of how slow the greens were or if the insert has an appreciable impact on distance.  My guess is it's the former and not the latter but I'll get another chance to assess things at league Monday night.

One thing I did pay attention to was glare off the putter which was something that several people mentioned to me was a concern when I was getting opinions on whether to get the black finish model or stick with the satin chrome.  It was a very sunny day and we were playing a little after noon when the sun was directly overhead and it never once was an issue or something I even noticed.  I'd be curious to hear from people who have had an issue with glare and what putter they were using.

 

Edited June 30 by ChitownM2

[Marty2Shanks]

Hope everyone is doing well as we head into the Independence Day holiday.  I have completed most of the data collection for my current gamer (Scotty Cameron Studio Select Fastback 1.0), so check out the data tables at the end of the linked post to see what the EVNROLL NC ER2 is up against.  Unfortunately, the putter hasn't arrived yet, but hope to update the post soon with pics and initial impressions.  It appears all the other testers went with a Satin finish, so my test putter will be the only one in the black finish and I will make sure I comment on that versus my current lineup which are all satin/bead blast gray.

Edited July 10 by Marty2Shanks

[ChitownM2]

League went pretty well last night with the Evnroll.  Got some confidence right off the bat on hole #1 by draining an 8 footer to get up and down and save par after an errant drive.  I did have a couple of 3 putts but neither of them had anything to do with the Evnroll, first one I played too much break on the high side from about 5ft and it lipped out and the other I just put too much juice on a long breaking downhiller.  

I do still think the Neo classic feels softer than the solid milled ER7 but I do think I'm liking it on short putts.  It feels like I can hit the short ones with a little more authority which I find more comforting than on my previous gamer where I felt like I had to feather it with just the right touch for fear of blasting it past.  Nothing more frustrating than leaving that 4 footer short by 6" because you were afraid of blasting it past. 

Here are the stats from last night, note that I'm currently playing at a ~17 and have my Arccos set to compare to a 12.

 

I've got another round of 18 scheduled for Saturday at my home course again so we'll see how it goes and hopefully have another update for everyone.

If anyone has any questions or wants a photo, etc please feel free to let me or any of the other reviewers know as I'm sure we'd all be happy to oblige.

Edited July 3 by ChitownM2

[russtopherb]

I got in some practice green time today in between cookouts and I worked almost entirely on longer lag putts to dial in distance with the ER5. It's definitely a lot better than it was when I first got the putter out on the practice green, I'm finding that with the face being hotter than I was expecting I tend to baby longer putts. Lines have been really good; every putt from 15' to 30'+ was left in makeable range for the most part, which is what I was aiming for. I actually holed a few more putts than I was expecting. 

Unfortunately the weather is once again looking like thunderstorms tomorrow so my planned 18 is off. Depending on how things are looking, I may try and sneak in 9 holes if I can around other things I have scheduled and the weather. 

[Marty2Shanks]

Unboxing and Initial Impressions has been updated on the primary review entry attached above.  Should have initial testing data and my first 18-hole review available by the end of the weekend!

 

[Marty2Shanks]

Had my first putting session with the NC ER2.  I completed the 3-foot circle test at the Gauntlet Golf Course practice green and the 24-foot lag testing at the Augustine Golf Club practice green.

Some quick observations - I had noted that the NC ER2 opens 10-15 degrees when soled on a couple of hard surfaces during my initial unboxing.  I can report that I didn't experience this on the actual green.  If soled, the putter stayed square.  Second, when hit dead out of the middle, the Scotty Cameron feels better than the NC ER2.  That being said, the NC ER2 was substantially better feeling when hit anywhere else but the middle.  I liken this to a players iron versus a game improvement iron.  The players iron feels amazing out of the center, but anywhere else it can be very harsh; while the game improvement iron doesn't feel as good out of the middle, but WAY better anywhere else on the face.  This held true for the Scotty Cameron vs the NC ER2; and while I love the feel of a putt hit dead center on the Scotty, the NC ER2 is much more playable across the entire face.  I should also note I had no discernable glare off the putter; which is an improvement over the Scotty Cameron.  Lastly, I still don't like the feel of the grip on the NC ER2; however, I am conflicted because when you look at the data below, I putted better with the NC ER2.

As for the data during this initial test, nothing else to say other than I putted better with the ER2 versus the Scotty Cameron.  As for the 3-foot circle test, I had an 8% improvement in makes/misses.  All my misses were a push to the right, and most of the makes went in on the right side; so I think it is safe to say I have a slight right bias with the NC ER2.

As for the lag putting, the NC ER2 was hands-down the better performer.  I believe this is because with the Scotty Cameron and the smaller sweet spot, I play for the miss.  When I hit the Scotty dead-center I typically go long-left.  With the NC ER2, I didn't feel like I needed to play the miss.  I didn't always hit the NC ER2 in the center, but with the longer head and the additional mass on the edges the off-center strikes felt fine and were not as penal.  I did notice that my misses had a right bias with the NC ER2, backing up what I saw on the 3-foot test.  This could be a grip issue or maybe just my swing with this putter.  Regardless, the NC ER2 still beat the Scotty hands down.  

 

Edited July 17 by Marty2Shanks

[Marty2Shanks]

Was able to get out for my first 18-hole round with the NC ER2.  Stats below.  Some overall observations - first, the NC ER2 performed great.  I have had the putter for three days and I had a better first putt proximity to the hole than a putter I have been using for years. Second, I still don't like the grip even though I am putting really well with it.  This is personal preference related to feel - I just think the grip is too slim - but I am able to overcome the feel and putt well with it.  I had four putts overall that I would like back:

• On hole 4 & 15 I had short putts (3 & 4 feet) that I badly pulled left.  I have noted that the putter has a slight right bias for me - not sure if this is a grip issue or a stroke issue - but I absolutely compensated for that and pulled the putts.  Each one missed at least a half cup out on the left side.  I just didn't trust the putter to not go right.  I think overcoming my concern of the putter going right will be key to making those 3-6 foot putts moving forward. 
• On hole 8, I ended up 18 feet above the hole on a 4-5 degree slope.  My first putt was 6.5 feet past the hole (I made the comeback).  I tried that putt two more times and I was 4.5 short, and then 5.5 long.  I just wasn't going to get that putt close no matter what.  Being above the hole on that slope was simply the wrong leave on the approach. 
• The last putt was on hole 14.  The group ahead asked me to play through on that hole (I was playing as a single).  I admit the "play-thru" jitters hit me.  I felt rushed on the green and didn't take my time to get a good read.  I was not committed to the putt and left it 10 feet short-left on a 48-foot slight downhill putt.  I was really disappointed in that putt and how I reacted to being asked to play through.  Taking another 10-15 seconds to read the putt and getting it closer wouldn't have hurt anyone and would have been bought back if I got the putt closer and had a short tap-in. 

Overall, this was a good first round.  I shot 82 from 6360 yards (as per the score card) with two missed short putts.  I also did pretty well with cleaning up those second putts - one 5-foot and one 6.5-foot.  

Legend: Average putt proximity less than 3 = Green; 3-5 feet = Yellow; >5 = Red.

Edited July 10 by Marty2Shanks

[russtopherb]

4 hours ago, Marty2shanks said:

Was able to get out for my first 18-hole round with the NC ER2.  Stats below.  Some overall observations - first, the NC ER2 performed great.  I have had the putter for three days and I had a better first putt proximity to the hole than a putter I have been using for years. Second, I still don't like the grip even though I am putting really well with it.  This is personal preference related to feel - I just think the grip is too slim - but I am able to overcome the feel and putt well with it.  I had four putts overall that I would like back:

• On hole 4 & 15 I had short putts (3 & 4 feet) that I badly pulled left.  I have noted that the putter has a slight right bias for me - not sure if this is a grip issue or a stroke issue - but I absolutely compensated for that and pulled the putts.  Each one missed at least a half cup out on the left side.  I just didn't trust the putter to not go right.  I think overcoming my concern of the putter going right will be key to making those 3-6 foot putts moving forward. 
• On hole 8, I ended up 18 feet above the hole on a 4-5 degree slope.  My first putt was 6.5 feet past the hole (I made the comeback).  I tried that putt two more times and I was 4.5 short, and then 5.5 long.  I just wasn't going to get that putt close no matter what.  Being above the hole on that slope was simply the wrong leave on the approach. 
• The last putt was on hole 14.  The group ahead asked me to play through on that hole (I was playing as a single).  I admit the "play-thru" jitters hit me.  I felt rushed on the green and didn't take my time to get a good read.  I was not committed to the putt and left it 10 feet short-left on a 48-foot slight downhill putt.  I was really disappointed in that putt and how I reacted to being asked to play through.  Taking another 10-15 seconds to read the putt and getting it closer wouldn't have hurt anyone and would have been bought back if I got the putt closer and had a short tap-in. 

Overall, this was a good first round.  I shot 82 from 6360 yards (as per the score card) with two missed short putts.  I also did pretty well with cleaning up those second putts - one 5-foot and one 6.5-foot.  

Legend: Average putt proximity less than 3 = Green; 3-5 feet = Yellow; >5 = Red.

Interesting that you note the right bias, as I have the same issue with the ER5. As I noted in my posts, placing the ball slightly more forward in my stance than I used to helps to mitigate that. But very interesting we both have the same thing happen with two different Evnroll models. 

How are you liking the sound off the face on the course?

[Marty2Shanks]

On 7/7/2024 at 11:17 AM, russtopherb said:

Interesting that you note the right bias, as I have the same issue with the ER5. As I noted in my posts, placing the ball slightly more forward in my stance than I used to helps to mitigate that. But very interesting we both have the same thing happen with two different Evnroll models. 

How are you liking the sound off the face on the course?

The sound on off-center strikes is a little "tingy", but not unpleasant.  Putts in the middle of the face are muted and feel solid, the sound reinforces the strike.  I am exclusively using the Titleist Tour Speed for all my reviews and on-course tests, which is a medium compression (~80) ball.  A higher compression ball may sound more "tingy", but so far no real issues.  As for the right miss, I think I could correct that with my current putting stroke by aligning the grip a few degrees to the right (see below pic).  Right now, when I hold the grip straight, the face is a few degrees open.  Moving the ball forward would result in the face closing a bit more at impact which would get rid of the right miss.  I will definitely try the more forward ball position before messing with the grip alignment.  Any concerns with your grip alignment?  

Edited July 10 by Marty2Shanks

[russtopherb]

1 hour ago, Marty2shanks said:

The sound on off-center strikes is a little "pingy", but not unpleasant.  Putts in the middle of the face are muted and feel solid, the sound reinforces the strike.  I am exclusively using the Titleist Tour Speed for all my reviews and on-course tests, which is a medium compression (~80) ball.  A higher compression ball may sound more "pingy", but so far no real issues.  As for the right miss, I think I could correct that with my current putting stroke by aligning the grip a few degrees to the right (see below pic).  Right now, when I hold the grip straight, the face is a few degrees open.  Moving the ball forward would result in the face closing a bit more at impact which would get rid of the right miss.  I will definitely try the more forward ball position before messing with the grip alignment.  Any concerns with your grip alignment?  

No concerns with alignment here. Although it doesn’t look perfect from the angle this picture was taken, I had the face lined up square with the edge of the tile and the grip looked good to both me and my wife.

[Marty2Shanks]

Initial Thoughts on Manufacturers Claims

EVNROLL’s website makes several claims regarding the NC ER2.  I have broken them down and offer my initial take below.  I still have plenty of testing and on-course evaluation to perform, but I feel comfortable enough at this point to offer some initial thoughts.  I will certainly refine this as I complete more testing. [Note: I am using a Titleist Tour Speed golf ball for all putter testing.  This is a medium compression ball which feels softer off the face than harder "pro tour" levels balls.]

Claim 1: ER2 delivers the appearance and feel of a blade, coupled with improved stability.

My take: The NC ER2 feels more stable than the true blade I have used (e.g. Odyssey Black Series), especially on off-center strikes.  I don’t think it feels better than the pure strikes out of the middle on a high-end blade putter (I have borrowed a few), but certainly doesn’t feel substantially worse, maybe just more muted.  I also don’t think it gives the appearance of a blade.  It is certainly wider, but also more substantial given the squared back.  Also, the putter doesn’t appear as long as blades that I have used, which leads to less toe hang which in turn typically means a more stable putter. I give this one a 60% confirmed given the improved stability and that it clearly isn’t a mallet; but I also think it is a farther cry from the appearance and feel of a blade than the statement suggests.

Claim 2: A longer sightline enables precise perpendicular and parallel alignment…:

My take: 100% confirmed.  And not just the length of the sightline, but the width as well.  I would also give benefit to the slight cut-in of the topline just behind the ball…very easy to center the ball on the putter head.

Claim 3: …complemented by the single-bend shaft's seamless integration into the head, promoting a slight toe hang for optimal performance

My take: 90% confirmed.  I like the single bend shaft more than a plumbers neck.  The neck does visually flow into the head.  The toe hang is ~28 degrees, which is substantially less than my blade putter.  I tend to gravitate to mallet putters, so this moderate toe hang is more conducive to optimal performance for my putting stroke.  Maybe not as much as a true mallet, but certainly more than a traditional blade with ~40-45 degree of toe hang.  I should also note that the NC ER2 is outperforming my Scotty Cameron which has even less toe hang, so clearly my performance is not negatively affected with the amount of toe hang on the NC ER2.

 

Claim 4: SweetFace™ groove technology, delivering uniform performance across the entire club face for unprecedented accuracy and zero dispersion

My take:  So far my data is confirming this general claim. While a robot is needed to officially confirm this, I can say that my consistency with the NC ER2 is certainly better than my comparative Scotty Cameron (I haven’t tested against the Odyssey).  As my testing continues I will certainly look to solidify my initial observations, but right now I would give this a ~70% confirmed (see data tables below). 

Claim 5: The Dual Response Insert features an ultra-lightweight quick response polymer backing and a patented SweetFace™ milled aircraft-grade aluminum face plate offering enhanced roll, feel and ball speed off the club face.

My take: Absent a true testing environment with cameras and perfect surfaces, it is hard for me to evaluate the roll and ball speed claims.  However, with regard to feel, both my Scott Cameron and Odyssey blade putters feel better when struck pure out of the middle; but feel substantially worse when struck towards the toe or heel. The NC ER2 doesn’t feel as good directly out of the middle, a more muted yet solid feel, but it does feel significantly better when hit towards the toe or heel.  All things considered, I am very comfortable confirming the feel claim of the putter.  If I use proximity to the hole as a proxy for roll and speed, I am also comfortable confirming the claim on enhanced roll and ball speed.  Overall, I would give this a ~70% confirmed.

 

Edited July 17 by Marty2Shanks

[russtopherb]

Tonight’s round brought me to the 9 hole track where greens can be worse than a shag carpet from the 70’s. I went straight from the car to the first tee and decided to just roll with things. 
 

I have to say that the distance control with the ER 5 is absolutely fantastic. I had one 3 putt that was entirely on me - I was frustrated with how the hole had gone in general and didn’t let it go before I got to the green. I left my second putt on the lip

I had three 1 putt holes, two of which featured uphill curving putts that both died right at the hole and dropped in. 
 

I am just in love with how the ER 5 feels in hand, everything from the grip to the weight just feels *right*. 
 

[HikingMike]

On 7/9/2024 at 10:28 AM, Marty2Shanks said:

Initial Thoughts on Manufacturers Claims

EVNROLL’s website makes several claims regarding the NC ER2.  I have broken them down and offer my initial take below.  I still have plenty of testing and on-course evaluation to perform, but I feel comfortable enough at this point to offer some initial thoughts.  I will certainly refine this as I complete more testing. [Note: I am using a Titleist Tour Speed golf ball for all putter testing.  This is a medium compression ball which feels softer off the face than harder "pro tour" levels balls.]

Claim 1: ER2 delivers the appearance and feel of a blade, coupled with improved stability.

My take: The NC ER2 feels more stable than the true blade I have used (e.g. Odyssey Black Series), especially on off-center strikes.  I don’t think it feels better than the pure strikes out of the middle on a high-end blade putter (I have borrowed a few), but certainly doesn’t feel substantially worse, maybe just more muted.  I also don’t think it gives the appearance of a blade.  It is certainly wider, but also more substantial given the squared back.  Also, the putter doesn’t appear as long as blades that I have used, which leads to less toe hang which in turn typically means a more stable putter. I give this one a 60% confirmed given the improved stability and that it clearly isn’t a mallet; but I also think it is a farther cry from the appearance and feel of a blade than the statement suggests.

Claim 2: A longer sightline enables precise perpendicular and parallel alignment…:

My take: 100% confirmed.  And not just the length of the sightline, but the width as well.  I would also give benefit to the slight cut-in of the topline just behind the ball…very easy to center the ball on the putter head.

Claim 3: …complemented by the single-bend shaft's seamless integration into the head, promoting a slight toe hang for optimal performance

My take: 90% confirmed.  I like the single bend shaft more than a plumbers neck.  The neck does visually flow into the head.  The toe hang is ~28 degrees, which is substantially less than my blade putter.  I tend to gravitate to mallet putters, so this moderate toe hang is more conducive to optimal performance for my putting stroke.  Maybe not as much as a true mallet, but certainly more than a traditional blade with ~40-45 degree of toe hang.  I should also note that the NC ER2 is outperforming my Scotty Cameron which has even less toe hang, so clearly my performance is not negatively affected with the amount of toe hang on the NC ER2.

 

Claim 4: SweetFace™ groove technology, delivering uniform performance across the entire club face for unprecedented accuracy and zero dispersion

My take:  So far my data is confirming this general claim. While a robot is needed to officially confirm this, I can say that my consistency with the NC ER2 is certainly better than my comparative Scotty Cameron (I haven’t tested against the Odyssey).  As my testing continues I will certainly look to solidify my initial observations, but right now I would give this a ~70% confirmed (see data tables below). 

Claim 5: The Dual Response Insert features an ultra-lightweight quick response polymer backing and a patented SweetFace™ milled aircraft-grade aluminum face plate offering enhanced roll, feel and ball speed off the club face.

My take: Absent a true testing environment with cameras and perfect surfaces, it is hard for me to evaluate the roll and ball speed claims.  However, with regard to feel, both my Scott Cameron and Odyssey blade putters feel better when struck pure out of the middle; but feel substantially worse when struck towards the toe or heel. The NC ER2 doesn’t feel as good directly out of the middle, a more muted yet solid feel, but it does feel significantly better when hit towards the toe or heel.  All things considered, I am very comfortable confirming the feel claim of the putter.  If I use proximity to the hole as a proxy for roll and speed, I am also comfortable confirming the claim on enhanced roll and ball speed.  Overall, I would give this a ~70% confirmed.

 

Outstanding post evaluating the claims 

[Marty2Shanks]

First weekly scramble with the NC ER2.  Course top dressed the greens that morning......

I did take some time to practice from off the green, which came in handy during the round.  I went with the standard 2-degree loft on the putter.  This definitely affected getting the ball initially up and moving out of a more-fluffy greenside lie.  I usually don't putt unless I am at least on the fringe, so I don't mind having less loft on the putter, but I will say I could tell the difference from my other putters, which are typically 3.5 degrees of loft.  The NC ER2 tended to drive the putts into the longer grass and not letting the ball get up and release.  When I tried to adjust to add more loft, I was striking the ball with the bottom edge of the putter...I could feel the difference.  For me, this means I am more likely to chip when facing this situation than using the NC ER2.

As for the numbers, I still putted pretty well regardless of the recently top-dressed greens.  Not only was my proximity the best so far, but the proximity to distance ratio is also the best.  This ratio allows comparison across different distances.  The higher the number, the closer proximity considering distance as a factor.  Overall, this was a good first outing.

Edited July 12 by Marty2Shanks

[HikingMike]

4 hours ago, Marty2Shanks said:

First weekly scramble with the NC ER2.  Course top dressed the greens that morning......

I did take some time to practice from off the green, which came in handy during the round.  I went with the standard 2-degree loft on the putter.  This definitely affected getting the ball initially up and moving out of a more-fluffy greenside lie.  I usually don't putt unless I am at least on the fringe, so I don't mind having less loft on the putter, but I will say I could tell the difference from my other putters, which are typically 3.5 degrees of loft.  The NC ER2 tended to drive the putts into the longer grass and not letting the ball get up and release.  When I tried to adjust to add more loft, I was striking the ball with the bottom edge of the putter...I could feel the difference.  For me, this means I am more likely to chip when facing this situation than using the NC ER2.

 

IMG_2434.MOV 16.1 MB · 1 download

As for the numbers, I still putted pretty well regardless of the recently top-dressed greens.  Not only was my proximity the best so far, but the proximity to distance ratio is also the best.  This ratio allows comparison across different distances.  The higher the number, the closer proximity considering distance as a factor.  Overall, this was a good first outing.

 

IMG_2437.MOV 17.08 MB · 0 downloads

Need just a little more authority and firmness on that second video's putt  

Putter looks good. The ER2 would probably be what I'd go for.

[ChitownM2]

Apologies to everyone for such a long gap between posts here.  Between my son's birthday, the 4th, my sons birthday party, my birthday and some business travel it's been a crazy As  I.  Fortunately, I've been able to sneak out for some golf in that time.  As I last mentioned, I had another round at my home course, 2 9-hole nights at league and then a round at a local muni today.  So this makes 5 outings in total so far and I'm feeling pretty comfortable with the new putter now.  

Today's round was definitely an interesting one.  We got almost 2" of rain between 10pm Saturday and 10am Sunday so the course was sopping wet and the greens were soggy with standing water in a lot of the cups.  My long putts were lights out today.  I had 3 putts over 50' and another over 35' and all of them came to rest within 4' of the cup and I nearly holed one of them.  The bad news is I missed one of those 4 footers along with another 4 footer that I pushed and a 5' birdie putt that lipped the cup.  In total I missed 3 putts from inside 5 feet today which was atypical for my experience thus far with the ER8.  All in all it was a pretty good day on the greens but I really wish I could get at least one of those short ones back. 

Big picture, I'm sticking with my initial impression that the face is softer and it feels like I have to hit putts harder than my solid milled ER7.  Unfortunately, I don't have a good way to measure it, but it's probably not as big a difference as it feels like in my head.  I can say that I prefer it on shorter putts, say 7-8' and in.  Like most things putting, it's probably all mental but I have more confidence to just go bang those putts home without worrying about sending it way past. It's like the softer face provides a little more forgiveness as far as touch is concerned.

So all of the above is subjective, but for me (and probably most MGS readers) the numbers are what really matter and so far the numbers are looking good.  My last four outings consisted of 18-9-18-9 and in each of those Arccos tracked my strokes gained putting at 0.0, -1.5, +0.8, & +0.9.  Might not seem like much but I had a negative strokes gained coming in.  Through 5 rounds my overall strokes gained sits at -0.4 which is a 1.4 stroke improvement from where I started this review. 

My 1 putts are up over a full stroke and my number of 3 putts is down so I'm getting along very well with this new putter.

Tomorrow is another Monday night league so fingers crossed things keep going well and I should have more to report later in the week.  I'm hoping to get out for another practice / data gathering session on the practice green Thursday evening.

[Marty2Shanks]

Quick update on the testing.  Got in another 18 holes on Sunday.  Greens were slow (7.5 on stimp) due to lots of rain on Friday/Saturday.  Best distance to proximity ratio so far.  My ability to lag the NC ER2 from distance is paying off.  Can't seem to make 4-foot left to right putts though......; I feel like I am really fighting the grip at that distance, just not comfortable over the putt.  This has historically been my death zone with a putter, and it appears I am still struggling.  Where this putter is shining for me is from 20+ feet.  I am not having any of the big misses when lagging the putter; my one 10 foot putt on hole 14 on 7/6/2024 being the exception as I was asked to play through on that hole and rushed everything.  My experience so far doesn't quite align with the MGS review that shows the NC ER2 is middle of the pack for blades from 20 feet; of course I am only testing against one putter and not a slew of modern blades.  Overall, the putter seems to be working for me even though I don't like the grip and it is a little short.

Edited July 17 by Marty2Shanks

[Marty2Shanks]

Able to get out there and collect some more data.  Completed the 48ft lag putting test between the NC ER2 and my Scotty Cameron.  The green was slow (8.5 stimp) and was covered in morning dew.  Bit of a back and forth between the two putters.  Overall, the Scotty was ~1 inch better than the NC ER2 across all the putts (3.8ft versus 3.9ft).  honestly, this was a tie.  The NC ER2 variance was also a bit higher than the Scotty, but not by much.  I was having a hard time finding the pace due to the slow and wet green.  I was hoping to average under 3 feet, but I had too many big misses.  Not my best day but I was essentially equally bad with both putters.

Edited July 17 by Marty2Shanks

[russtopherb]

Here’s my putting stats from the other night:

2 putts on every single hole, save for the one I chipped in on. Interesting card!

On the good side, the putts were very much online, something I’m really starting to love with the ER5. I left almost every putt short, some by a decent amount. The greens hadn’t been cut that day (possibly not even the day before either from the looks of a few of them due to all the rain we had recently) and they were SLOOOOW. 

I'll be playing Monday night at a course with much faster greens so we'll see how things go then. 

[AndySP]

Haven’t updated in a while, but I’ve been chugging along gathering my thoughts. I figured I give a little preview on my ongoing project—a start line test using a ruler drill.  I asked my wife (a professor) how many putts I’d need to get a relatable result, but she said it would depend. Something about p-values maybe. 

Anyway, heres the setup and the first go at gathering some data when I’m not on the course. If the ball makes it down and rolls back from the puttout, it’s a make.  Its proven hard for me.  A lot of putts seem to get off the end only to then miss the puttout. Don’t judge me by may bad putting please, haha. 

The side effect for hitting this many putts with two putters is that you really start to learn the nuances.  Despite them being identical length and weight, they feel very different during the stroke—the Evnroll feels lighter and easier to turn over, for example.  Also, it’s really showing me how small changes may affect bias. I figure I’ll keep going with this at least to 200 putts each, and see where it leads.  

[Marty2Shanks]

Two updates.  First, I had to change the putter grip.  Just couldn't take the narrow pistol grip anymore.  Nice grip, just not for me.  Replaced with the EVNROLL Tour Tac pistol grip and lengthened the putter by 1".  The right push has stopped.

Second, played 18 at Meadows Farms Golf Course this weekend.  The greens were very inconsistent with speed. Shaded greens were very slow (~7.5) while greens that had full sun were significantly faster (~10).  As most of the greens are moderately sloped  at most the impact was manageable; however on hole 6 this bit me pretty hard as I was above the hole on a significant slope and I knocked it nine feet past the hole.  Here is one area where the EVNROLL technology hurts me...with my Scotty the toe is dead as compared to the center, so I could hit the putt off the toe on downhill putts and take energy off the putt.  This isn't possible with the NC ER2, the toe "misses" don't bleed energy.  Whereas I appreciate this on every other putt, I haven't adjusted yet to the downhill putts and these seem to be my big miss right now.  The other miss was hole 10 - an uphill putt from 73.5 feet.  I knocked it 9 feet past the hole.  Admittedly, I haven't practiced from that distance and I just didn't know how hard to hit it.  Apart from that, the putter performed great.  I am most impressed with the consistency I am getting in putt totals - 33, 34, 34 - over my last three rounds. 

Overall, am getting good results from the NC ER2 and it is certainly holding its own against the Scotty Cameron.

As can be seen in the video, I had been aiming left in order to compensate for the right bias I experienced with the shorter putter and the original grip.  I was aiming left side of the cup on a straight putt and it went exactly where I was aiming.  No more right miss.  I stopped compensating for a right miss after this putt.

 

Edited July 22 by Marty2Shanks

[RetiredBoomer]

I'm not sure if this is on topic or net, but

is the new Evnroll Zero an effort at LAB-style tech?

[Marty2Shanks]

4 hours ago, RetiredBoomer said:

I'm not sure if this is on topic or net, but

is the new Evnroll Zero an effort at LAB-style tech?

Not sure...but all I can see is Odyssey Backstryke...and I did not get along with that putter....