Scotty Cameron Newport 2, GoLo 7 Dual Balance review
13 May 2014
by Benjamin Larsen of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Equipment Reviews
SHARE:
In golf, it only makes sense to stick to what works. Whether it's your swing, equipment or even a superstition, you go with what makes you successful.
Master Craftsman Scotty Cameron has followed a similar thought process in the recently-released Select Newport 2 and GoLo 7 Dual Balance putters.
Based off of two of the Cameron brand's most popular and tour-proven models, the Newport 2 and GoLo 7 are now available as counterbalanced designs, which were developed through R&D at the Cameron studio and in competition out on the PGA Tour.
The key to the quality lies in the extensive research conducted over the course of two decades. The high-speed video research of tour players determined that the best putters in the world tend to keep the butt end of the putter pointed to the same small area of their midsection throughout the stroke. This resulted in a heavier head weight -- up 50 grams to 400 total -- and 50-gram counterweight in the butt end of the putter shaft. The goal for Cameron and Co. was to help golfers replicate their stroke without relying on anchoring.
The need for the style and design of course, has grown with the looming anchoring ban being levied across the game. While the models will surely become a favorite on the PGA Tour and other professional circuits, competitive amateurs could rely on the counterbalanced style to limit the impact of their transition from an anchored putter.
“The purpose of anchoring a putter is to stop the butt end of the club from moving. Now that anchoring will be against the rules, we’ve determined the best way to help golfers regain that stability and control is through Dual Balance, by adding 50 grams to the shaft and balancing that with 50 grams in the head,” Cameron said in a Team Titleist press release. “It eliminates that tendency for many players to flip, push or lead the putter with their hands."
“Instead of stopping the butt end, we’re able to slow everything down. The counterweight in the shaft helps keep the butt stable and pointed at your belly. The additional head weight makes the putter slower and more lethargic without it feeling too heavy. If you only add shaft weight, you actually end up robbing head weight, which makes the head quicker. So you need to balance that out. We have found through our experiments that 50 grams in the shaft and head is ideal for weight, feel and performance. But you have to be careful to maintain the proper shaft flex. It took a lot of testing to make sure we got everything just right with these new models.”
The Dual Balance lineup now features three proven putter series in the Select, GoLo and Futura X.
The Select Newport 2 is among the world's best selling putters. Golfers playing the line will notice that the Newport 2 Dual Balance's head is slightly larger than the Newport 2.
With the GoLo 7, alignment was a major design element. It features a black sight line to help golfers square the face at address and a rounded profile.
The Select Newport 2 and GoLo 7 Dual Balance putters are available starting May 30 and retail at $399.