Equipment
Is Zero Torque right for you?
It truly is a fantastic time to be a golfer
The tech we use on the golf course today makes the clubs at the turn of the millennium look like complete antiques. Think back to the clubs that were in your bag 20 years ago, from driver through to putter, our modern clubs look and feel distinctly different and make the game a lot easier.
Delving further into the past, up to the 19th century, golfers used wooden hickory putting cleeks to knock the ball into the hole. Towards the end of the era, renowned club-makers of the time like Robert Forgan were experimenting with fresh ideas including forging metal putting cleeks, while the legendary Old Tom Morris designed a cylindrical “drain pipe” putter head concept.
As the 20th century got underway, metal clubheads became the norm. By now, metal was a readily accessed material for manufacturers, and when the numbering system for golf irons became standardised in the 1930s, the term “putter” gradually phased out the traditional “putting cleek”.
Come the 1960s, one of golf’s rare visionaries appeared on the scene. PING’s Karsten Solheim had a flash of genius and in January 1966 sketched the design of what was to become the Anser putter on the dust jacket of a 78-rpm record.
The putter was extremely successful and would go on to rack up over 500 tour wins. The model was so lauded that it became the set standard for manufacturers to aim for. Through the Anser and other designs, Solheim had pioneered perimeter weighting, a concept that includes increasing clubhead MOI for a more forgiving, stable putting stroke, and is still hugely influential for modern clubmakers.
Fast forward to the 90s, club makers were by now introducing revolutionary putter face inserts after they’d found success on tour. Crafted from unique polymers, elastomers, and overall softer materials that absorb shock, these components serve to give the player a softer feel for more control over their strikes.
What are zero torque putters?
Putters come in all different shapes and sizes with a variety of distinctly crafted components, from clubheads to hosel types. Zero torque golf putters have the shaft placed directly through the heads’ center of gravity, eliminating any natural twisting force, or torque, that occurs through your stroke. This results in a supremely accurate swing and strike.
Zero torque putters have a design that keeps the face of the putter relative to the path of your stroke while traditional putters have a natural tendency to open the face. This strategically placed shaft reduced the amount of clubhead twisting that occurs when you bring the club back from the ball for a more predictable stroke.
I’ve you’ve never held one, we’d encourage you to come and see them up close in the pro shop. As we’ve just said, golf putters come in all shapes and sizes, so how would you know if a zero torque putter would be right for you?
Are zero torque putters right for me?
The short answer is that yes, this new putter tech will benefit a huge majority of players. Zero torque putters certainly help players who tend to overthink when standing over the ball as you’d have to put a fair degree of conscious effort into taking the clubhead of its intended path. Essentially, the stable build makes it harder to ‘jerk’ or ‘jab’ your stroke.
As we stated, these zero torque putters tend to have a straight hosel that directly connects to the head’s center of gravity. So, while these clubs are fantastic, if you prefer to play with a bend neck hosel for example, they might simply not be your aesthetic preference. We have a whole range of fantastic golf putters in the pro shop for you to have a go with, including the latest zero torque Spider 5K-ZT putter.
Our range of TaylorMade golf putters
The Spider 5K-ZT is a truly unique golf putter that features a central hosel position to offer players complete stability as they strike through the ball. This high-MOI shaft location allows for flawless accuracy that will be invaluable on delicate mid-range putts when you need to get the line just right. The grooves on the face are even angled at 45°-degrees to provide more predictable roll characteristics on your strikes. If you’ve not played with a putter that has a central hosel before, we’d recommend you try something new and have a go with this one.
Another fantastic club we stock is the Spider Tour Black, and you’ll certainly appreciate how stylish they are. This golf putter in the set looks fantastic with a black finish and bronze contrasts on the sold. Both the face and True Path alignment system on the head are white and really stand out. TaylorMade’s TPU Pure Roll insert sits behind the face and offers a sensationally soft feel when you strike the ball. This delicate sense of feel will really help you find the correct distance and pace when you’re a good few dozen feet from the flag.
Putting is a crucial part of the game to get right if you want to score well, so if you’re in need of a short game lesson or you’d like to learn more about which putter would best suit your game, we’re ready to help you in the pro shop.
