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Astral Putters Review

Played a round of 18 with the brass insert and as others have mentioned, there was only a slight difference in sound and feel between it and the steel. Enough though for me to be more confident with distance control.

Now that I have tested all 3 inserts with the setup I am most comfortable with (white A2), I will now share what I like and why.

For pure looks, I must say the Steel insert is the best. I just think it looks perfect with the black head and shaft. Unfortunately it was not my favorite insert based on the results of my testing. Although the Brass insert felt and performed great, it was a close 2nd to the Copper. The soft feel of the Copper insert instills confidence and while standing over the putts knowing that I would get the distance right just helped me in so many ways to simply get my line and stroke it. (During my fitting, Blake made the comment that he liked how I would setup and putt without much hesitation. He said some golfers stand over a putt way too long and that has the potential to negatively affect the stroke and ultimately the outcome)

The Brass insert was a close 2nd. Might be all in my head but it seemed like the ball would jump off the face a little quicker than with the copper insert and because of that, I think I may use it when the greens are really slow.

Since I chose to go with the Copper insert, I decided to customize it. The plan is to strip the Cerakote off of the insert and patina the copper to give it a more unique look. I think this would look killer with the black head and shaft and I'll be sure to post pics once I am done.

For now, I will use the Brass insert and play around with different setups. Although I really like the current setup, you never know if there is something better until you try. And that's the beauty of the Astral Putters.

Thanks again to @BC.Astral and THP for the opportunity!
 
I am also sold on the copper insert, and my apparently unorthodox hosel setting. What I like about the copper is the preformance off the clubface and the more muted sound. I seem to get more feel and less audio feedback, which I prefer. I have been using the 31" shaft and am going to switch back to the 33" to see what that feels like again. Seems like I am a bit more comfortable with the 33" but want to confirm. Maybe I really need a 32"? I am torn by the grip as well. I like the SuperStroke better than I originally thought but really Like the Winn NTP as well. It is a bit smaller and firmer and fits the hand more naturally. I have a pretty standard grip if that means anything to anyone. More to report after another putting green session during the week, and a full round or two on the weekend.
 
Boosted said:
Played a round of 18 with the brass insert and as others have mentioned, there was only a slight difference in sound and feel between it and the steel. Enough though for me to be more confident with distance control.

Now that I have tested all 3 inserts with the setup I am most comfortable with (white A2), I will now share what I like and why.

For pure looks, I must say the Steel insert is the best. I just think it looks perfect with the black head and shaft. Unfortunately it was not my favorite insert based on the results of my testing. Although the Brass insert felt and performed great, it was a close 2nd to the Copper. The soft feel of the Copper insert instills confidence and while standing over the putts knowing that I would get the distance right just helped me in so many ways to simply get my line and stroke it. (During my fitting, Blake made the comment that he liked how I would setup and putt without much hesitation. He said some golfers stand over a putt way too long and that has the potential to negatively affect the stroke and ultimately the outcome)

The Brass insert was a close 2nd. Might be all in my head but it seemed like the ball would jump off the face a little quicker than with the copper insert and because of that, I think I may use it when the greens are really slow.

Since I chose to go with the Copper insert, I decided to customize it. The plan is to strip the Cerakote off of the insert and patina the copper to give it a more unique look. I think this would look killer with the black head and shaft and I'll be sure to post pics once I am done.

For now, I will use the Brass insert and play around with different setups. Although I really like the current setup, you never know if there is something better until you try. And that's the beauty of the Astral Putters.

Thanks again to @BC.Astral and THP for the opportunity!
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Just curious but with the steel and brass inserts was the issue that didn’t perform as well distance control?
 
Coulter said:
Just curious but with the steel and brass inserts was the issue that didn’t perform as well distance control?
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Great question. For me, it’s a combination of feel, distance control and overall performance.

I just never felt like I had control with the steel insert. Putts seemed to jump off the face more than I expected. The brass insert was between the steel and copper. I actually like the brass insert a lot but the copper was a little better for me all around.
 
Boosted said:
Great question. For me, it’s a combination of feel, distance control and overall performance.

I just never felt like I had control with the steel insert. Putts seemed to jump off the face more than I expected. The brass insert was between the steel and copper. I actually like the brass insert a lot but the copper was a little better for me all around.
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Do the inserts weigh different or are they all the same?
 
Coulter said:
Do the inserts weigh different or are they all the same?
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If I remember correctly, they are all machined differently so that they do end up weighing the same or close to the same.
 
Coulter said:
Do the inserts weigh different or are they all the same?
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All the inserts are the same weight. Copper and brass are identical. Steel weights less so it is milled differently. The face on the steel insert is slightly thicker than the other two. The steel has a much more consistent sound when struck out towards the heel or toe.
 
Yes, they are all the same weight as I recall. I didn't find the distance control to be more "difficult" with one insert over another, but they did behave differently for me, and required adjustment from insert to insert. It was more of a feel preference with the copper insert over both the bronze and steel. In addition, the copper seemed more muted and I like less audio distraction from the feel. If I was forced to use the bronze or steel I would be perfectly happy.
 
Thanks guys!
 
leftybob said:
All the inserts are the same weight. Copper and brass are identical. Steel weights less so it is milled differently. The face on the steel insert is slightly thicker than the other two. The steel has a much more consistent sound when struck out towards the heel or toe.
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To clarify do you mean steel is less dense so the mass is different and weight is the same?
 
I’m gonna have to give the copper insert some more time after reading @Boosted and @cmon man giving their stamp of approval. I’ve only done a few sessions with it on the putting mat. Need to take it out to the practice green this week.
 
cmon man said:
To clarify do you mean steel is less dense so the mass is different and weight is the same?
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Yes they needed a larger volume of steel to have the same weight as copper or brass. The steel face is a little bit thicker to get that extra material.
 
Alright, time to get down to brass tax - for the testers and owners out there, are you going to stick with the Astral, undecided, or go back to your gamer? Also, are there any features missing from your Astral that you would like to see in future iterations?

One comment we get a lot from non-owners is the desire for interchangeable weights. Don't think I've spent any time in this thread on the subject, but we don't offer weight adjustability for a couple of reasons, but the primary one is that we don't want to disrupt the center of gravity and balance of the club, as that's a pretty significant area of focus in the design and part of the science behind our ball roll. Is weight adjustability something you are looking for, would the absence of weights deter a purchase, and after playing with the club would you want to adjust weight?
 
BC.Astral said:
Alright, time to get down to brass tax - for the testers and owners out there, are you going to stick with the Astral, undecided, or go back to your gamer? Also, are there any features missing from your Astral that you would like to see in future iterations?

One comment we get a lot from non-owners is the desire for interchangeable weights. Don't think I've spent any time in this thread on the subject, but we don't offer weight adjustability for a couple of reasons, but the primary one is that we don't want to disrupt the center of gravity and balance of the club, as that's a pretty significant area of focus in the design and part of the science behind our ball roll. Is weight adjustability something you are looking for, would the absence of weights deter a purchase, and after playing with the club would you want to adjust weight?
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I’ll answer your first question later today with some pictures…. :cool:
 
I watched someone putt with it over the weekend and it looked really good. Solid putts and the sound of the ball coming off of the club was very consistent. Those inserts do look very nice in person, gives a good looking putter.
 
Skimming a bit here, but I looked over the site and these are all righty only putters, correct?
 
BC.Astral said:
Alright, time to get down to brass tax - for the testers and owners out there, are you going to stick with the Astral, undecided, or go back to your gamer? Also, are there any features missing from your Astral that you would like to see in future iterations?

One comment we get a lot from non-owners is the desire for interchangeable weights. Don't think I've spent any time in this thread on the subject, but we don't offer weight adjustability for a couple of reasons, but the primary one is that we don't want to disrupt the center of gravity and balance of the club, as that's a pretty significant area of focus in the design and part of the science behind our ball roll. Is weight adjustability something you are looking for, would the absence of weights deter a purchase, and after playing with the club would you want to adjust weight?
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I’ve got 4 rounds and a lot of home practice with the Astral. Still not decided on the insert, but I plan to keep the putter in the bag and don’t think I’ll go back to my current gamer. I don’t change putters often. When I find what I like, it stays in the bag for a while. I like this putter. On the four rounds with it, I’ve had better lag putting due to better direction and speed control. The 3-5 foot putts have been much better mainly due to hitting the line but also from a little more confidence.

The only thing I would change would be the identification method on the hosel. I’ve done a good bit of tinkering and trying different settings. Most, if not all of the red, white, or blue paint has come off. Not impossible to identify which hosel you have without the paint, but maybe a small engraved identifier, would be more permanent.
 
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BC.Astral said:
Alright, time to get down to brass tax - for the testers and owners out there, are you going to stick with the Astral, undecided, or go back to your gamer? Also, are there any features missing from your Astral that you would like to see in future iterations?

One comment we get a lot from non-owners is the desire for interchangeable weights. Don't think I've spent any time in this thread on the subject, but we don't offer weight adjustability for a couple of reasons, but the primary one is that we don't want to disrupt the center of gravity and balance of the club, as that's a pretty significant area of focus in the design and part of the science behind our ball roll. Is weight adjustability something you are looking for, would the absence of weights deter a purchase, and after playing with the club would you want to adjust weight?
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Blake I think you can guess where I already am with my putter choice. I decided to switch to the Astral fairly early in the process because the alignment fits my eye much better, I like the additional weight, love the feel of the Astral, the look of the putter is awesome, and the final reason....who doesn't want to putt better? I can now count on making more putts, especially from more difficult ranges. Like @cringjr I don't change putters often and I have used my (now my wife's) Newport 2 for over a decade. I never thought I would change but performance speaks volumes. I have decided to stick with the copper insert in my mid mallet, and am still deciding on shaft length. I wonder if a 32" would be ideal.

As far as additional features go there is really nothing I would like to see. I like the weight as is, but I am not a tinkerer. I think others would like to be able to customize colors , but I like the classic black look and would not change a thing. This whole process has been an eye opener for me. I appreciate all your help through the fittings and most of all you developing a great product.
 
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BC.Astral said:
Alright, time to get down to brass tax - for the testers and owners out there, are you going to stick with the Astral, undecided, or go back to your gamer?
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Astral is staying in the bag. It is just so easy to start putts on the right line with a putter that has been set up specifically for my stroke. It feels like I have to make a completely awful stroke to not start the ball on line.
 
cringjr said:
Still not decided on the insert
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Same. All three are fantastic and have their own positives so I keep switching back and forth. I do think I’ve narrowed it down to the copper or brass.
 
I’ve got a few putters to choose from and most recently was gaming the Fastback. Since getting the opportunity to test the Astral blade, I have learned so much about not just putters but my putting stroke as well. I am sticking with the Astral and while I’m in the process of customizing (patina) the copper insert, I will use the brass. If I ever decide to try a different putter, it will probably be the Astral mid mallet.

Thanks again for the opportunity. It was a blast being a tester for this amazing product!

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@cmon man @Boosted @leftybob @ScoFoBG

What was the deciding factor for you on which insert to choose? I’m having a difficult time deciding which one works best for me. I really don’t think I could go wrong gaming any of the three. @BC.Astral any advice on how to approach this decision?
 
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