Technologically advanced putters are finding a niche

Aug. 10, 2005 By Chuck Stogel GolfWeb Equipment Correspondent

Frankly Golf, Carbite and SeeMore are putter manufacturers offering distinct styles and designs that all emanate from technological attributes.

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For Carbite and SeeMore, this season represents an opportunity to revive exposure for two companies that have been producing unique products for several years.

Frankly Golf, meanwhile, is a relatively new company but with an old hand at the designing helm. Its principal is Frank Thomas, the native South African who spent 26 years as the technical director of the U.S. Golf Association devising methods and means to test both balls and clubs. Among his scientific achievements, Thomas in 1969 invented the graphite shaft and, in 1977, introduced the Stimpmeter as a means for assessing the speed of greens.

“After leaving the USGA (in 2000), we set up Frankly Golf as a way to help educate golfers and promote the game around the world,” said Thomas, whose company is based in Orlando, Fla. “Golf is on the verge of another expansion and technology will make a significant contribution. The growth will be further accelerated through a better understanding and application of technology which makes the game less intimidating and more enjoyable to the majority of golfers.”

Here’s a selected look at the latest in putters from Carbite, Frankly Golf and See More.

FRANKLY GOLF

There are three models in the Frankly Golf portfolio: Frankly Frog, F-16 Amber and F-16 Stealth.

Both F16s feature some common characteristics, along with distinct differences. Both putters are blade style with heads made of a translucent tenite wood-base polymer encasing an internal metal frame. Both heads allow players to see the internal technology, which comprises three MOI ports in the center to aid stability along with tungsten stabilizer plugs in the heel and toe. Each putter is equipped with a lightweight graphite shaft and white alignment stripes.

In differences, the F-16 Amber -- handmade in North America -- has an amber-colored polymer, near-heel shaft placement and a flatter bottom. The F-16 Stealth has a clear polymer, near-center shaft placement and a more rounded sole.

With polymer heads, the F16s both offer an extremely soft feel at impact.

Suggested retail prices are $145 for the F-16 Stealth and $190 for the F-16 Amber.

The Frankly Frog putter is quite dissimilar in shape and composition. It has a lightweight aluminum midsize mallet style head in green with a steel center shaft. Two prominent tungsten plugs are located in the rear to enhance forgiveness and help impart a positive roll. The top of the mallet features a white alignment stripe.

On TOUR, Bernhard Langer is notedly using the Frankly Frog putter, which has a suggested retail price of $169.

“The Frankly Frog is the most user friendly putter available, with perfect balance and ultimate forgiveness,” said Thomas.

In testing, GolfWeb amateurs provided positive reviews for both putters, suggesting that they would appeal to golfers who favor blade style or mallet style heads, respectively. The Frankly Frog putter was especially noted for a crisp, consistent, stable feel.

SEEMORE

The See More Putting System allows golfers to change head weight.

Based in Plano, Ill., and established by Jim Weeks in 1994, SeeMore achieved considerable renown when the late Payne Stewart won the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst using the company’s unique putter.

Easily noticeable, center-shafted putters feature the SeeMore Putting System, a red and white alignment method that helps square the head to the target. Now owned by Greg Kuppler and Tim Raymonds, the company is looking to revive interest with a flurry of new products in 2005.

Among the introductions this season are the SeeMore Money mallet and two blade style heads, the Innovation II and the Oneputt.

“There are a lot of golfers familiar with SeeMore and its putters, but they have not seen much from the company recently,” said national sales manager Pat Sellers. “We are looking to reestablish the name and our putters this year.”

Essentially, a red dot and two white alignment lines behind the shaft become hidden when the putter is placed in a proper set-up mode. From that point, a smooth pendulum should help produce a solid stroke and consistent direction.

The Money putter employs adjustable weight technology along with the alignment system. Designed by former Scotty Cameron/Ray Cook protégé Rick Hamilton, the mallet features changeable face plates – 5 and 10 gram weights are standard, with others available -- along with a changeable red oblong weight on the top of the mallet. Overall, the head can be varied from 340 to 480 grams, for adjustment to green conditions and individual preference.

On the PGA TOUR, players such as Zach Johnson, Vaughn Taylor and Briny Baird have been using the Money putter.

A lighter weighted putter is recommended for hard, fast greens; heavier putter head for softer, slower greens.

Available in standard, belly and long lengths, suggested retail price is $199.

The Innovation II model features a stainless steel blade with copper face insert and a rear flange geared with heel/toe weighting. Like all the putters, it has a center shaft and SeeMore alignment system. With a choice of lengths and lie angles, list price is $179.

Oneputt is a thrifty milled blade with a slant shaft, black head, heel/toe weighting and SeeMore alignment system. Suggested retail price is $79.

CARBITE

This company, formed in 1988 and based in Carlsbad, Calif., suspended operations in 2002 and emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2004.

Carbite makes mostly putters, along with some wedges. Its history is steeped in the science of metallurgy and Polar Balanced strategic weight placement with a high center of gravity. The key is having the CG above the equator of the ball to get it rolling forward quickly.

Introductions in 2005 include the HCG, Big Otey and Lady Carbite putters.

“The company has suffered from some bad products and bad finances,” said Bill Zebedee, who joined Carbite as president/CEO in 2002. “There is widespread name recognition but all the old products have been changed. The common element to all our putters is heel/toe weighting.”

HCG stands for high center of gravity. A stainless steel “split” mallet head, in dark green, features heel/toe weight distribution with a mass of weight on the centerline, an series of alignment lines on top of the mallet centerpiece and a polymer face insert. Suggested retail price is $99.95.

The Big Otey is a large oversized mallet in the aluminum and brass tradition of craftsman Otey Crisman. Computerized machining and the latest in weight distribution technology have been added to stabilize putts. Suggested retail price is $179.95.

The Lady Carbite series offers two chic colors, light green and pink. It’s a smaller version of Carbite’s Tri mallet, which features a classic mallet shape augmented by heel/toe weight distribution and a grip tailored for women. List price is $119.95.

All three putter styles received positive “consider” reviews from GolfWeb testers.