In the world of golf equipment, things change at a rapid pace as new technology comes each and every year. One thing that has remained constant in the ever changing world of golf clubs is quality, and the idea of what we want when it pertains to that. While technology has been more heavily involved in the putter market recently, it is one of the clubs that has a different decision making process for most consumers. When choosing a putter, most golfers have a mental checklist that they go through.
1. Does the shape fit my eye?
2. Does the finish match what I like?
3. How does it feel at impact?
4. How does it sound when the ball makes contact?
5. Does it fit my wallet parameters?
Unlike other clubs where we are looking to achieve more distance, preferred ball flight, and better results, the putter is incredibly unique in the way it catches on.
C&L Hand Stamped Putters
From the Company
Our putters are USA one-piece milled from carbon steel or 303 stainless steel. Our standard head weight is 350+ grams and we offer 370+ gram heads in limited numbers. We mill our putters in small runs to control the quality of our heads. They are 100% hand stamped and assembled in our shop.
Control over how your putter is stamped – You Design the Stamps!
Choice on alignment aides – Site Dots, Site Lines, or a combination
Choice on carbon finishes such as Std Oil, Dark Oil, Black Ox, or 3x Black
Choice on Stainless finishes such as III Blast, 2X Satin, or a High Polish
Choice on paint colors, grip colors (IOMIC), and head covers (AME)
Built to your custom specs — Loft, Lie, and Length
Custom vs Off the Rack
The putter market is flooded with high end putter creators as well as major OEM’s all trying to get a piece of the overall consumer marketplace. Many of the larger companies offer incredible quality and high end pieces, at different price points, so that you can find something that fits your eye and your wallet. Through marketing and large distribution channels, golfers will see, hear, and be able to try their complete lineup of putters and in many cases find one that fits their criteria mentioned above. Ranging in price from $49 or so to $499, stores now have more brands to choose from and more styles to choose from then ever before.
Walking into the same golf stores, you will notice how many of those putters that suit your eye are in the $299 and up category. At that price point, a golfer should not have to conform to any of the above criteria. Shape, style, finish, sound, and feel should all be exactly what one wants. A custom putter, in many cases, can do all of that and fit in the same or close to the same price as you are getting for something off the rack at a golf store. You will be able to choose the shape you like, the finish that suits your eye, and of course all the details that make it unique and yours. That is what we call custom, and its not as hard to find as you may think. If you want your name on it somewhere, go for it. How about dollar signs because you win the big money with it? No problem. This is where the customization can be fun and really put a putter in a class by itself.
C&L First Impression
C&L Hand Stamped Putters was kind enough to send over a sample of their work for THP to test out. Our first impression was that of excitement. The putter that THP received was their newest model called the CL-II. It is available in both 303 Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel. We received the stainless version and it is a beauty. The retail cost for this model is around $339. The looks of the putter are intriguing to say the least. The club itself has an industrial type of look to it in my opinion with beautiful mill marks throughout. The cavity is graced with 350 Milled, hand stamped in there in blue, which matches the single alignment dot also done in blue. While the club may have an industrial type of look to it at first glance, once you get close up, you see the fine details that have gone into this creation. From the clean lines to the perfectly ground bumpers, the CL-II is a thing of beauty.
Testing
We had four golfers use the C&L Hand Stamped Putter for 2 rounds of golf each. All four of these players normally play this shape and we wanted to get apples to apples comparison when comparing the two. At the conclusion of the rounds we asked each golfer to give us their thoughts. When one thing is constant throughout all of our equipment testers, you know that things are pretty good. Each tester raved about the look and feel of the putter. To quote one of the testers as he came off the 18th green, “It’s like they somehow put some velvet behind the face, because this thing is that smooth”.
The golfers that got to try out the CL-II all spoke about the feel being one of the best that they had tried. Crisp at impact giving nice feedback, without being harsh, and just simply smooth.
Overall
Finding the right putter for your game can make all the difference in the world. Taking a look at custom designs from companies like C&L Hand Stamped Putters can be a daunting task at first, but take your time and look at all the options. Contact the company and let them walk you through the process and answer any questions that you may have. The C&L Hand Stamped Putter company is producing putters that may be the perfect match for your game all wrapped up with the customization options to make yours stand out from the crowd. For more information on their putter line, check out their website at www.350milled.com.
Till Next Time
Josh B.
