Cleveland Putter: Are training aids legal during match play?
Written: Mar 01 '08 (Updated Mar 08 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great feel and alignment.
Cons: The dots are a little distracting at first.
The Bottom Line: This is a really good putter for a mallet. It has some unique features and designs. A soft striking putter, easy to use.
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| smallmouth's Full Review: Cleveland Vp 5 Mallet Putter |
Cleveland Golf is not really known for their putters. They are probably best known for their wedges and their increasingly popular Hi-Bore line of drivers and clubs. I had really never paid much attention to their putters until recently when I began testing and comparing different styles and brands of putters. I was always the old flat stick style putter with a straight shaft but one can’t help but try new putters or clubs when they come around or one see’s their friends game make vast improvements. This Cleveland VP5 is the first Cleveland putter I have ever tried and overall I would say it is impressive. It has a great feel and is easy to line up puts from 2 to 20 feet. The unique thing about it are the white dots running along the sides of the center ridge which can be used as a training tool for proper stance and technique while putting.
--------Shape:--------
The shape of the putter head on this model is what first caught my eye. I finally decided to try out some new models and shapes other than the old flat piece of metal on the bottom of a stick I have been hitting lately. Even though Tiger Woods, the best putter in the world, uses a flat putter, I think these new shaped putters have a lot to offer with new technology and engineering. The shape of the VP5 reminds me of a hovercraft when I lift it off of the ground. It’s design also reminds me of the Hi-Bore line of drivers Cleveland produces with an elongated scoop shape. This deals with the center of gravity, balance, and feel. They add more weight away from the hitting surface to balance the club and give the putter more feel. This is the half circle shape that is becoming more and more popular of late called a mallet head.
--------Appearance:--------
Right off the bat you will have to decide what looks good to you as a putter. If you like the smaller or flatstick classic models then this is not the putter for you. If you are willing to try new things, as most golfers are more than willing to try even the most ridiculous things if it will help their game, than this one deserves a look. The head is not overly large like some of the new models of putters and I like the black coloration. It helps me focus on the ball and the sight lines provided on the top of the putter. Everything about the shape of the putter helps you focus on the center where the ball should be aligned. Of course you have a flat striking surface but it’s what’s behind it that matters. Directly behind the sweet spot is a shaft with a white alignment line that stretches a couple of inches away from the ball. This line forms a T at the sweet spot and top edge of the blade. I will get more in depth about the T in the features section of this review. The outer edges make a round taper to the backside of the putter which I think is designed to help guide your eyes away from the back of the putter and point your focus towards the ball. The edges even taper and round in towards the center. Just about every design feature of this putter is set up to give the golfer more confidence when standing over a put. The shaft is connected to the head in an off centered location of the left quarter. I like this location as it feels more like a regular golf club than a centered connection location.
--------Features:--------
The defining feature of this putter is the VP, or Visual Performance. No, the VP doesn’t stand for VJ’s Putter, but for the white dots that are set into the center bar of the mallet head. This is just a great idea and I have found it to be helpful as both a putter and a putting teaching aid. It is very easy to check and see if you are putting correctly. You should be standing with a view directly over the putter, if you are too far forward or back from the putter the white dots will be visible letting you know your stance or visual perception is off. I was amazed how my putts were different from put to put, sometimes I stood and lined it up too close to the putter, sometimes too far. With some practice I was able to stand over it and line it up more consistently and the results were improved. The white dots aren’t just for checking up on alignment when standing over the ball. They work the same way on the take-away or back-swing of the put. A good clean put has the take-away coming directly behind the ball and directly forward on a straight path. This helps keep the ball on the desired path. If the white dots become visible, there is a problem with the movement of the put. I would recommend plenty of practice and getting used to this putter on the practice green or at home on the carpet before taking it out on the course as it can be distracting at first. It is a great training aid that can be used on the course with good results.
--------Feel:--------
This putter has a real nice feel and sound to it. The face has an elastomer insert which softens the point of impact providing more feel and less of a rocket result. I have tried some putters that the ball just bounces off of even with the slightest of taps. This is not a good thing and is one of the few parts of the game where softer and less distance is a great thing to obtain. The large and elongated scoop head gives it a nice feel and like I mentioned previously, it feels like a hover craft when I am sliding it over the ground. All in all, I would rate it at about a 9.5 of 10 for feel. This is a really soft putter and is easy to use. The long white line running down the top side in the center of the mallet makes alignment very easy. The sound is a soft thud, not a sharp ping or crack.
--------Price and Availability:--------
It’s tough to put a price on a really good putter or one that will work for you personally, some people might say that it would be priceless. However, this one runs $130 which is about middle of the road these days for quality putters. A lot of the big box golf stores are carrying this model as Cleveland is a popular company and the mallet style putters are becoming increasingly popular. You won’t have any problem finding them on-line.
© smallmouth 2008
Check out my other Golf Reviews:
DRIVERS
Ping G-10 Driver • Callaway FT-i • Callaway FT-5 • TaylorMade r7 Superquad • King Cobra Speed LD/F Driver • Callaway Big Bertha Fairway Wood
IRONS
Ping G-10 Irons • Callaway X 20 Irons • Callaway X-20 Tour Irons • Vokey Spin Milled Wedge
GOLF BALLS
Titliest Pro-V1 • Callaway HX Tour Ball • Maxfli Tour Fire Ball • US Kids Golf Ball • Top Flite Freak
Recommended:
Yes
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