Putting is personal. And, to be truthful, it's harder to find the perfect putter for your game than any other club in the bag. The perfect putter has to match your stroke, the courses you typically play, your approach to getting the ball in the hole and the feel that is just right.
The difficulty means golfers do one of two things: 1. Fall into the trap of playing the wrong putter and just dealing with it, or 2. Experiment with a lot of different putters in the hopes of finding the right one.
Now comes along a company in Sentio Golf that can help you dial in the feel you'd like from your putter to a level of precision that's hard to match with any other putter maker.
Jim Varney, who has been on our 19th Hole Golf Show podcast, is a golf nut who also owns a machining company. So why not pair the passion and the business capability and make putters? Well, for one, there are a lot of people making beautiful putters. There are a lot of people making functional putters. But -- and here's why Sentio exists -- there isn't really a company making modern putters that help dial in feel through the line. That's what Sentio Golf does with their Sierra 101 putters.
The idea sounds simple. Build three different polymers that can be used to offer specialization to golfers with varying tastes and home-course green speeds. The polymer types align with each of the three models currently available in an Anser-style head.
- Soft (green): This is for players who have found success with insert putters or those who typically putt on fast greens
- Medium (red): This is the kind-of all-purpose model for general conditions, offering somewhere in between insert and solid putter feel
- Firm (blue): This is for players rolling it on slow greens or who prefer metal hitting the ball at impact
Interestingly, the polymer doesn't sit in the CNC-milled 304 stainless face. Rather, it sits behind it, connecting the face to the forged/milled 303 stainless steel body of the putter, running toe to heel. You can see the color of the polymer over the ball, and it acts as part of the alignment system with the marker in the back. Putting with each of the models -- available in 33-, 34- and 35-inch shafts -- you can tell the difference right away with each model. It's pretty awesome, actually.
In some situations, it felt like I was barely hitting the soft putter, a clue I wasn't really hitting it hard enough at times. The firm feedback was somewhat reminiscent of the copper-head putter I use now, although a tinge firmer. The medium model, as was billed, was perfect for your everyday green conditions. Ultimately, I found myself loving the soft putter most, thinking about the summer days when the green speeds pick up.
No matter which polymer I used, the performance was excellent. With a 350-gram head -- in that common range for more modern putters that like a little more weight -- it never felt heavy but offered enough MOI protection for my liking. The putts rolled true and the rollout was superb, even on mishits. The satin silver PVD finish was never distracting, and the polymer almost seemed to build confidence. I loved the tackiness of the Pure midsize grip (though you can get sand on them, but just wipe them down after your round).
These putters are great.
The knock on Sentio Golf, at the start, is that there's really only the Anser-style head. If you don't like that shape, or you tend to swing straight-back-and-through, then you might be turned off. That will almost certainly change, with more head shapes and looks to come. It fits with the mantra of the Sierra 101 and the company to help golfers dial in with new looks.
The other knock would be price. These putters run $300 each. And while that seems like a lot to someone who is accustomed to playing a cheaper putter, it's not expensive, really. You use your putter in the area of 30 times per round, more than any other club in the bag than perhaps your sand wedge -- and that's probably not even all that close, either. You win money with your putter. You save pars and build scores with your putter. Having the right one for you in terms of feel and green speeds is invaluable.
Even better, Sentio offers a one-time swap if you find the model you picked or fit yourself into isn't working for you. That's a smart offer.
You're willing to spend $500 on a driver these days, and you hit that, at most, 14 times per round. Get a putter you love. Get dialed in, and consider Sentio Golf for your next putter.
Now that we've tried all three Sentio Golf beauties, we're giving away two of the putters to GNN Plus members! Sign up by 12/17/16 at midnight Eastern to get in the contest!
