New putters at 2008 PGA Merchandise Show
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Zen RDE Mallet Putter
$325
The newest mallet putter from Zen incorporates two unique design aspects. The first is a built-in training aid the company calls "Direct Feedback." The putter allows you to insert a ball into a hole behind the putter face for practice putts. As you finish your stroke and the putter lifts off the green, the ball is released. Swing from inside to outside and you'll miss right; swing from outside to inside and you'll miss left. If you'd rather not see the hole when you're on the course, a top plate is included. The putter conforms to USGA regulations for play with or without the top plate attached.
The second is RDE (pronounced "Ready") technology. Zen Oracle researchers, working with a putting robot, found that flat-faced putters can produce inconsistencies in the way golf balls roll. According to Zen, "dimple error" can cause a perfectly struck putt to miss the hole from as little as five feet away. Zen is now crafting its putters with tiny ridges milled into the face. These ridges are designed to get the ball rolling right away and along the ideal line more often.
