Machine Putter Goodness

[GolfSpy Dave]

Last weekend was the Haggin Oaks Golf Expo here in Sacramento, CA.

Although it's not the PGA show in Orlando, it is a pretty huge demo show/weekend.

I love wandering the booths there each year, especially when I see something like this:

 

 

Woohoo!!!! Machine Putters in the house!!!

Many a putter lover knows that Dave Billings at Machine makes some amazing putters.

I couldn't wait to see what they brought to share and so I thought I would share some with you.

 

Let's ease into the goodness with this little stainless gem.

 

How about some Bongo Backs (named after a zebra relative)

 

 

This Bongo has a little something else going on in the back. Can you guess what it is?

 

Maybe a little closer?

 

Yep, that's damascus steel. This was my first in-hand experience with damascus and I will tell you it is amazing looking and it does feel different from other metals.

Damascus has a very crisp feel at impact. Here is actually the one that I got to roll.

 

What a putter. I was blown away by that one and made sure to put it down as quickly as possible to quell my growing want to buy it.

Crazy thing though is that it was the second coolest putter on the table. Here is the show stopper.

 

That, my friends, is a case hardened finish. The metal is cured in bone and other "secret recipe" things for a month+ to bring out those colors and patterns.

It is a technique historically used for weapons, baking the steel in the crushed bones of the enemy. Brutal, but beautiful.

In addition to providing the amazing finish, the case hardening also really changed the feel. It almost felt ceramic rather than metal. Tough to describe.

 

Regardless, Dave Billings can definitely make a putter. We have all looked at the photos in the Machine Putters Picture thread, but getting to touch and roll them was something amazing.

Be sure to drop by their site HERE to see more. Also, let's all follow Dave Billings on twitter : @davebillings

The fact that he has only 94 followers right now just seems wrong to me...

[whiskey golf]

Please give me the color cased hardened putter.

[fozcycle]

What beautiful putters!

 

I can see my retirement nest egg dwindling now.

[kygolfer1980]

They make absolutely beautiful putters and both Dave and Chris are top notch!! They were very patient with me during my building process and I will always give them a great recommendation when I am able.

[apprenti23]

I've owned a couple Machine putters, but it's been years. I just remembered that it felt really good- deep milled face and stainless steel. I think it had one of those reverse arch grips on it and the neck was short. Somehow the screw that was in the sole (it had adjustable necks) became stripped. I got hooked up with that clown of a representative (Chris Hoeppner, won't go into details, but i don't like him) and he told me it'd be like $75 to fix it or something crazy. I sold it on W R X for a song, I think it was about $125 or $150.

 

Now that Jimmy Sorce is one of their distributors, I imagine we will see these become much more popular.

 

The "Megalodon" looks ugly as sin, but I kind of want one...