Putter
Putter "50 % of golf strokes are putted"
Interview with Christian Steinbach in the Spitzbuam in Kitzbühel Trend Guide Ausgabe 06:
Does one need a new putter, ther are enough to go round?
I am a golfer myself, and have attempted to construct a new club that one uses the most; and that is the putter, since 50 % of shots are putted. When playing a 72 stroke round, 36 strokes are divided amongst 13 clubs. The putter is important, because you are offered the best opportunity to recoup. At first, I imagined a reference line suitable for putting. Naturally, no sighting device is permitted and my reference line was fairly long and went rearwards. I drew the putter at first and then milled it; over 50 operations are required to produce this putter. Once the prototype putter was finished, I sent it to St. Andrews for approval. Six months passed before I received a reply. When it came, I was told that it did not meet three regulatory requirements. This was obviously the time to modify the putter, however, I did not want to; after all, the technology was the idea behind being able to play from the apron and semi-rough onto the green. Until now it would be canny to play off the apron towards the pin with a 3 wood; and here I said that I wanted a putter with which I could putt and also play off the apron and semi-rough onto the green. This was the point behind the idea, to design a club head that could pass through the semi-rough without getting caught.
Was there a response to this from St. Andrews?
Initially, I built the putter in answer to my requirements and did not bother about the regulations. Then it turned out that the putter was not approved. There were three points that did not comply with the regulations. I called Mr. Parker at St. Andrews and he told me that I had to modify the putter, whereupon I suggested that the regulations be changed. I did not want to modify the putter; otherwise it would be identical to the others. I then received the official regulations, perused them, changed them and sent them back to Mr. Parker. The changes were approved and forwarded around the world. From that day onwards, we have new regulations and my putter has been approved and now I have official confirmation of my putter’s approval.
So you can play using your putter?
Yes. You can play on a worldwide basis. Incidentally, it has taken 5 strokes off my game.
So the putter is ready and on the market?
It has been approved and you can already buy it. The putter may be individually adapted, i.e. the length, swing weight with inlay or you may opt for a softer or harder version.
It is the first putter on the market with a clubface that confers topspin, and not with a backspin like all the others. The rear section houses a heavy weight that causes the topspin. The putter is both statically and dynamically balanced, i.e. you can place something on it and it is 100 % even. The sweet point of the clubface is very big, you think of speed-point and it is considerably larger than traditional putters. It comes in various weights, lengths and grips.
