Toulon Golf is introducing its latest exclusive Small Batch release, inspired by this year’s US Open venue, Pinehurst. This limited edition release pays homage to the 1999 US Open and its champion.
The 1999 US Open is one of those tournaments that is looked back on as one of the most exhilarating finishes in championship history. The first time being played at Pinehurst culminated in a memorable Father’s Day Sunday showdown among players like Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and the eventual champion, Payne Stewart, battling it out over the final nine holes to determine the winner of the 99th US Open.
Creating a putter with the Pinehurst name that pulls in the history of the winning putter from that ’99 US Open meant that the shaping had to be done right. Toulon wanted to keep everything in perfect proportions, meaning the top line, blade length, width, and shoulders had to be built in a way that would only work as a center-shafted putter. As it turns out, the biggest key to this design was finding a width and shape that perfectly blended with the hosel. For the Small Batch Pinehurst, the hosel is placed ever so slightly rearward, which gives a perfectly unobstructed view of the leading edge, making it easier to align. Judging by the images, the address view appears clean and simple, which was a primary focus during its creation.
The same meticulous attention to detail was spent on the back shoulders and cavity. Toulon reduced a significant amount of weight from the center and redistributed it to the toe and heel to enhance forgiveness. Meanwhile, the shoulders were shaped slightly concavely from the top to the back of the sole. Additionally, by increasing the blade length and width, the Small Batch Pinehurst has become one of the most forgiving designs Toulon Golf has created to date. This is quite an accomplishment, especially considering that most center-shafted putters generally suffer from low inertia.
One final tribute to the 1999 Champion is the design on the sole. As we all remember, Payne Stewart had a style infused with colors and a love of tartan patterns. Toulon pays homage by milling their own tartan pattern into the sole. A section of this tartan pattern has been filled with Creamy Yellow, Vintage Blue, and Vintage Orange paint fill.
Like other Small Batch releases, the Pinehurst is milled out of 904L stainless steel. This type of steel has a higher nickel and copper content than other stainless steel variants, which enhances the putter’s durability and finish quality. The elevated copper and nickel content also contributes to the exceptional feel found in Toulon’s Small Batch putter range.
The Pinehurst putter’s 904L Stainless Steel has a Midnight Blue PVD finish, which looks fantastic. Toulon uses a Fine Double Fly Cut with a Small Tuna Overmill for the face, adding an artistic flair and providing just the right amount of feedback for a pleasing feel. Each Pinehurst model has a stock head weight of 355 grams, 3° of loft, and a lie angle of 70°.
The Small Batch Pinehurst is available today and will be available on their website, www.ToulonGolf.com. Like other Small Batch releases, the Toulon Pinehurst will come with a premium price tag of $1,800.
