Jess123

Thanks Gocchin. I found this on the Scotty Cameron website that addresses the slightly opened putter face concept: "The look of the putter is as much a factor as the technical aspects of loft, length and lie. The look of the putter has a direct affect on setup, alignment and path. Our research has shown that a putter can hint open but never look closed. If there is a perception that the putter is closed, path will be affected, which can change the face angle at impact. A player will adjust to the putter to get it working, but it is much harder to maintain consistency when they have to manipulate their stroke around a putter that doesn’t fit. Studio finding: If the putter looks left, the path is normally affected by taking it outside. If the putter face is open, normally the path will come to the inside. Simply put: The way the putter looks, affects your aim. Your aim affects your path. Your path affects performance." http://www.scottycameron.com/articles/details.asp?id=7

Hi idrive, I was just going by the standard/recommended numbers sasaya san has on his own online order form for Private Stock putters on his website. I would be ordering through Chris and TSG rather than through his website. I'm not really sure what the loft and face angle numbers on the Camerons are. I thought they were mostly 4* loft, and I didn't know they were standard open faced. I still wonder why? I also wonder if the G-Field Premium Zones are open face? Aren't the Premium Zones designed by sasaya san and made to 4* loft as well? I wish I had access to a computerized putter fitting studio like the TPI in California, but that is not really a realistic option for me. Using a Mitchell machine, I have just experimented with different lofts to see what gives me the best roll/result. Usually it's 3 or 4*. Never thought about an open face angle on putters, and this obviously is not easily changed after a putter is built. When I set a putter down on the the ground, I like it to look square, but I'm not sure if 4* open face would really look open or not. Maybe it is not really noticeable to the eye.

I'm considering my options for a GF putter order. Anyone know why the standard face angle for GF putters is 4* open rather than square? Also why is the GF standard loft 6*? I know you can get whatever numbers you would like on a custom order, but I'm not sure why sasaya san, a master putter maker recommends/suggests these numbers, rather than the standard square face and 4* loft, like you see with Camerons. I know Stan Utley plays with a 6* lofted putter, but he leads his hands (delofting the putter face) through the stroke, and his putter is definitely not the usual set up for most pros, who generally play closer to 4* loft. I understand the logic for an open club face for some regarding drivers/FW, but what is the rational for an open face with a putter? I'm not familiar with this. Maybe the differences are related to optimizing a putter for Japanese vs US greens? I'm probably missing something.

As of this week, it appears that Golds Factory is offering a 303 Soft Stainless #2 putter as a standard option. Always nice to have a maintenance free putter finish like the Bett DASS putters or the G-Field 303 SSS Premium Zone putters. Downside is the extra $$$...Also Sasaya san states on his website special report this week that he is increasingly placing tungsten weights in the putter sole rather than in the face, and that this may result in a lower center of gravity which he feels may be more efficient in achieving an optimal roll of the ball. http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...microsoft:en-US Pictures of unfinished 303 Soft Stainless #2 Private Stock before stampings, tungsten weights, inserts, etc:

How do these finishes compare with regard to durability, ie showing wear, dings, scratches etc for using a GF putter as a gamer? I'm thinking about going with the soft black finish with white paint fill. I'm not sure that the pic above does this soft black color justice, as I have seen better looking pictures of one of idrive's premium zone insert beauties. What do you think idrive. Any special care for the soft black or boron bead finishes, or for that matter, care the same as the teflon black finish?

gocchin, great review! do you have any side by side pics of the gft fw vs the epon fw? thanks.

Last I heard, Endo has not made the new Roddio shafts an Epon 460ZR factory shaft choice option- yet. If you already have an Epon driver though, you could always send it to Chris to be reshafted with a new Roddio. Chris, correct me if I'm wrong.

Chris, is there currently some consideration of G-field being acquired/rebadged under the Golds Factory name?

Looking for a Dance with Dragon (Doragon) anser style putter cover in black or white. Anyone interested in letting one go?

Looking to see if anyone has a 24* G-Field GFT Utility Wood (or just head) that they are not using and want to sell. Can anyone help me out. Thanks!

Wasn't the vertical stamping of SC's name unique to Tiger Wood's SS putters? Somebody correct me if I'm mistaken about this. Looks like the bottom of the putter has been incompletely ground down. Fake Circle T from an old Newport?

How does the 2007 X-Drive and the current Epon 460 compare to the Bridgestone J33R 460 with regards to feel, trajectory, distance, etc? I'm considering buying an X-Drive 460 or Epon 460. From what I've read, I'm assuming that the Epon would be a little more forgiving than the X-Drive, but I'm not sure why? How about the feel of the Epon and X-Drive? Is the feel anything like the J33R or TM R510 TP? I would like to know the launch/trajectory similarities between these three 460 models, that is to say, if I'm comfortable with the launch/trajectory of a Bstone 460 10.5*, should I order a 10.5* in the Epon 460 or X-Drive 460? My driver speed averages about 102, peaking at 105, and I'm a relatively smooth swinger. I'm looking to experiment and have some fun with the newer models.

No access right now to utilize a launch monitor. Theoretically which is the preferable setup? J33R Driver A with 10.5* loft and mid-kick shaft giving 13* launch angle or a J33R Driver B with 9.5* loft and low-kick point shaft giving the same 13* launch angle? More control with Driver A? Less spin, possibly more distance with Driver B? Should a club builder try to use as much loft as possible in a clubhead for a particular golfer, then match a suitable bend profile shaft to give the optimum launch angle and spin?