Bettinardi MB24, CB24 irons

Bettinardi CB24 and MB24 irons are for elite golfers who want more control and feel.

Gear: Bettinardi MB24, CB24 irons
Price: $1,600
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with infused tungsten and ceramic matrix composite material.
Available: April 5

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Who It’s For: Low-handicap golfers who want a compact, classic-looking blade or a better player’s cavity back iron that emphasizes feel and control.

The Skinny: The first irons from Bettinardi are crafted with the same level of precision and attention to detail that has made the brand’s putters desirable for deep-pocketed golfers for decades. For golfers who shoot in the 60s or 70s, they deliver a high level of feel and control.

The Deep Dive: Bettinardi has been known for decades as being one of the finest putter makers in golf, specializing in milled blades and mallets that look like something that might be displayed under glass at Tiffany’s next to engagement rings and diamond bracelets. Starting a few seasons ago, the Tinley Park, Illinois-based company started offering milled wedges and multi-material putters, but now the brand is offering its first pair of irons—the CB24 and MB24—and they are precisely what you might expect from Bettinardi.

The CB24 and MB24 are both forged from 1025 carbon steel for a soft feel, but Bettinardi has co-forged the inner portions of each head with high-density tungsten and ceramic matrix composite material.

The addition of the tungsten and ceramic matrix composite material allowed Bettinardi designers to shift the center of gravity (CG) location in each club, lowering it in the long irons to make them easier to hit high and elevating it in the scoring clubs to make it easier to flight the ball down for better distance control.

Bettinardi CB24 irons
The perimeter weighting and extra mass low in the head add a touch of forgiveness. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

While both clubs have a compact blade length and just a touch of offset, the CB24 is a classic better-player’s cavity-back iron. Its perimeter weighting around the outside of the head should make it more stable and give it more forgiveness than the MB24, which is a true muscleback blade. Instead of perimeter weighting, the MB24 added mass directly behind the impact area to enhance ball speed and create a more solid feel at impact. The MB24 also has a slightly thinner topline, although you would have to look at the top clubs carefully, side-by-side, to notice.

In a nod to Bettinardi styling, both clubs feature the brand’s honeycomb in the back of the face.

Below are several close-up images of the new Bettinardi CB24 and MB24 irons

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Can a $450 putter be a good value?

Putters that cost $450 or more might be a wise investment in your golf game.

Golf is costly, but over the years I have shared many ways to save money and make wise purchasing decisions on gear. Get shoes with replaceable spikes to prolong traction, buy tees in bulk online and invest in good rain gear that will last for years instead of two or three cheap pieces that leak every time you try playing through a shower.

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So, what I’m about to write might come as a shock, but I think it’s true: An ultra-premium putter, which easily can cost $450 or more, might be one of the best values for your game.

I get it: Paying a driver-like price for a putter is insane to many golfers. There are many high-quality putters that cost less than $200 and feature helpful technologies.

Getting custom fit and purchasing a putter such as the just-released Scotty Cameron Super Select Newport 2, a Toulon Design Memphis or a Ping PLD Milled Oslo 4 – all of which have a retail price of $449 – requires a significant outlay of cash. But consider these things before you completely dismiss the idea of owning one of these clubs.

1. The shapes are timeless.
If you put any of the aforementioned putters down behind the ball and like it, you will always like it. Shapes like these never go out of style.

2. The technologies are timeless.
When it comes to drivers, technologies change all the time. Faces are made thinner and faster, crowns become lighter and advancements in manufacturing lead to new ways to hit the ball farther every year. 

In contrast, putter technologies change slowly. Many of the most high-end putters are still milled from a single block of stainless steel, and in many cases materials such as aluminum and tungsten are strategically added to improve performance. Some of these putters have special face inserts or unique weighting systems to help you roll the ball more effectively. But as with their looks, the technologies you typically find in ultra-premium putters are time-tested.

3. Over time, they’re cheaper than drivers per shot.
Let’s do a little math. If you buy a new driver such as a Callaway Paradym, Cobra AeroJet or TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus+, you will pay $550 or more. If you are an avid golfer and play 30 rounds in a season, and you hit your driver off the tee on every par 4 and par 5 (14 drives per round), you will hit driver 420 times in a season. That works out to $1.31 per shot. If you skip a few generations of drivers and play the same club for five years, that’s 2,100 shots at $0.26 per shot.

If you buy a $450 putter and need 30 putts per round, in your first 30-round season you will pay 50 cents per putt for those 900 putts. A properly fit, ultra-premium putter can easily be played for five years or longer, so if you play 30 rounds a year for five years and take 30 putts per round (4,500 putts), your cost per putt goes down to $0.10 per shot.

So, per shot, an ultra-premium putter is cheaper than today’s modern drivers.

4. They maintain resale value.
Everyone should be careful when buying used equipment online to avoid counterfeit gear. If you are looking for bargains and check the prices of used putters such as the Bettinardi Queen B Series putters, you won’t find any for less than $150 to $200, and many are still fetching $300 or more. The supplies are limited, the demand is high and the value of ultra-premium putters can remain strong for years. So if you decide to part ways with a high-end putter, you can expect to obtain a nice trade-in credit at your local store or sell it outright for a good price. 

Being a good value does not mean something is inexpensive. Paying $450 or more for any golf club represents a real investment in your game, so be sure to get custom fit. Below are several ultra-premium putters that nearly any golfer would love to use.

Bettinardi Studio Stock Series putters (2023)

Bettinardi is showing that in a multilateral world, there is still plenty of room for time-honored designs.

Gear: Bettinardi Studio Stock Series putters (2023)
Price: $450 each
Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel with grooved faces.
Available: February 7 (pre-order), April (in-stores)

Who It’s For: Golfers who want an unfiltered feel at impact and a classic look in the address position.

The Skinny: Each of the updated Studio Stock Series putters has a traditional shape and is made using a sophisticated milling process to ensure precision and consistency.

The Deep Dive: Over the 25 years that Bob Bettinardi has been designing and making putters, trends and come and gone. His creations have always been customizable, and he is willing to try new things, like crafting some of the first-ever arm-lock putters in partnership with Matt Kuchar. However, Bettinardi built his Chicago-base business on the classics, traditional-looking blades and mallets that deliver the highest-quality of materials and manufacturing.

With the release of the newest Studio Stock Series putters, Bettinardi is showing that in a multilateral world, there is still plenty of room for time-honored designs.

Inspired by feedback from PGA Tour players like 2022 U.S. Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick, the Studio Stock Series putters for 2023 are each milled from a solid block of 303 stainless steel for a soft feel. That means a computer guides a high-spinning metal bit back and forth over the steel, shaving off tiny ribbons of material until the final shape is produced.

The Studio Stock Series putters also each have Bettinardi’s Roll Control grooved face pattern which encourages the ball to start rolling instead of skidding after impact for better distance control and consistency.

To reduce glare, the Studio Stock Series putters have been given a Diamond Blast finish that softens finish.

Below you can see the new SS9 Plumber’s neck, SS9 Spud neck, SS14, SS16, & SS35.

U.S. Open: Matt Fitzpatrick’s golf equipment at The Country Club

Check out the gear Fitzpatrick is using this week in Brookline.

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A complete list of the golf equipment England’s Matt Fitzpatrick is using at The Country Club in the 2022 U.S. Open:

DRIVER: Titleist TSi3 (9 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei AV 65 TX shaft

FAIRWAY WOODS: Ping G425 Max (14.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei AV 65 TX shaft, G410 (20.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei CK 80 TX shaft

IRONS: Ping i210 (4), S55 (5-PW), with True Temper CFS shafts

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (52, 56, 60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S300 shafts

PUTTER: Bettinardi DASS BB1 Flow Tour Dept

BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

GRIPS: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 

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Putters used by PGA Tour players ranked in the top 10 in strokes gained putting

The best putters on the PGA Tour in strokes gained putting are using these flat sticks.

Over the past decade, driving and iron play have taken on greater emphasis at the elite levels of golf. If a player can hit the ball a mile off the tee or produce laser-guided iron shots, he can create a lot of birdie chances, avoid making big numbers and contend on the PGA Tour.

Golfers who are not especially long off the tee or not among the most-elite iron players must make up the difference in other aspects of the game, and typically that means being an excellent putter.

Improvements in manufacturing techniques, the ability to use multiple materials and advancements in the study of how balls react off a putter’s face as they travel toward the hole have helped equipment companies make clubs that perform better. Putter fitting techniques also have improved, helping ensure that golfers have a putter ideally suited to their swing style and not just pleasing to their eyes.

Below is a list of the golfers who rank the highest in strokes gained putting – which means they have the largest edge over the competition based on the quality of their play on the greens – along with the putters they are using.

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New putters for 2022

The newest putters from brands like Bettinardi, Odyssey, Ping and TaylorMade are designed to be more forgiving and create a better roll.

There is no club in a golfer’s bag that can instill confidence like a putter. Sure, a new driver that gives you more distance and accuracy is fantastic, but when you have a hot putter you can turn bogeys into pars and halve holes that you should have lost. When you know that your putter is hot, the confidence can bleed into the rest of your game because you don’t feel pressure to hit perfect approach shots and your short game doesn’t have to be flawless. Your putter, as the cliché goes, can make up for a multitude of sins.

Several companies have recently made exciting new putters available. There are traditional-looking, heel-toe weight blades, compact mallets and high-MOI putters that feature new materials and innovative designs. Working with a good custom fitter, one of these putters might help you have your best season on the greens ever.

New in ’22: Drivers | Irons | Wedges | Gloves

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Bettinardi BB-Series putters (2022)

There are three notable changes in the new BB Series.

Gear: Bettinardi BB Series (2022)
Price: $430 each
Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel with PVD finish
Available: March, 2022 

Over time, some brands become synonymous with certain types of products. For example, if someone says, “Ferrari,” your mind immediately envisions a cherry red Italian sport can that is not only beautiful to look at but also mind-scramblingly fast. 

Say the word “Bettinardi” to golf and images of high-quality milled putters appear. Yes, Bettinradi does high-MOI mallets and multi-material putters, but the company made its mark will milled offers that magnify feel and touch on the greens. They are not only coveted by recreational players, but that also win at the highest level. Jason Kokrak has used a Bettinardi to win three PGA Tour events times over the last year, most recently at the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open in early November.

Now for 2022, Bettinardi is releasing an updated version of one of its most popular putter families, the BB Series. 

If you are looking for space-age designs and innovative shapes, you will not find them here. The BB Series is about timeless putter designs that instill confidence to help golfers produce a better roll on the greens. 

At the same time, there are three notable changes in the new BB Series. First, Bettinardi has historically made BB Series putters using carbon steel, but this time the four models are milled from a block of 303 stainless steel.  

Second, Bettinardi aficionados will notice is that instead of chrome or a silver-toned finish, the 2022 BB Series has been given a dark physical vapor deposition (PVD) finish. The advantage it offers is that it reduces glare and does not corrode after being exposed to water and the elements. According to Bettinardi, it should last for the life of the putter. 

Finally, the milling pattern on the face of each BB Series putter has been modified to enhance sound and the feel at impact. 

Bettinardi BB-1F putter
Bettinardi BB-1F putter (Bettinardi)

Each of the four BB Series putters comes standard with 3 degrees of loft, a 70-degree lie able and can be purchased in lengths from 32 inches to 36 inches. Each also weighs 350 grams. 

The BB-1 is a classic heel-toe weighted blade with a plumber’s neck and a single white alignment line. It has some toe hang, so it should perform well for players who have an arched putting stroke. The BB1 F has the same head shape, but it has been designed with a flow neck that gently curves into the head. The BB-1F has more toe hang, so golfers who make a pronounced arc in their putting stroke may prefer it over the BB-1. 

Bettinardi BB-8W putter
Bettinardi BB-8W putter (Bettinardi)

The BB-8W is very similar in shape to the BB-1 putters, but its bumpers are more angular, it has a slightly-shorter blade length and the back flange is wider, so from face to back the putter is larger. 

Bettinardi BB-46 putter
Bettinardi BB-46 putter. (Bettinardi)

Finally, the BB-46 is a semi-circular compact mallet. It has a single white alignment line, a slightly thicker topline and is face balanced, so it should be ideally suited for golfers who have a straight backswing and through swing. 

Winner’s Bag: Jason Kokrak, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open

Check out the clubs that got the job done this week in Houston.

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The golf equipment Jason Kokrak used to win the PGA Tour’s 2021 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open:

DRIVER: TaylorMade SIM (9 degrees), with Accra TZ5 85 M5 proto shaft (From $399.99 at taylormadegolf.com)

FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade SIM2 (15 degrees), SIM2 Max (21 degrees), with Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 80X shafts. (SIM2 fairway woods from $399.99 at taylormadegolf.com and dickssportinggoods.com; SIM fairway woods from $299.99 at taylormadegolf.com and carlsgolfland.com.)

IRONS: PXG 0311 T GEN4 (4-PW), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts (From $275 each at pxg.com)

WEDGES: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy (52 degrees), Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (56, 60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Onyx S400 shafts (PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy wedges from $249 each at pxg.com)

PUTTER: Bettinardi Studio Stock 38

BALL: Titleist Pro V1 (From $50 per dozen at titleist.com and carlsgolfland.com)

GRIPS: Golf Pride MCC (full swing) / SuperStroke Pistol GTR 1.0 (putter)

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Winner’s Bag: Jason Kokrak, Charles Schwab Challenge

A complete list of the golf equipment Jason Kokrak used to win the PGA Tour’s 2021 Charles Schwab Challenge.

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The golf equipment Jason Kokrak used to win the PGA Tour’s 2021 Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas:

DRIVER: TaylorMade SIM2 (8 degrees), with Accra TZ5 85 M5 proto shaft

FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade SIM2 (15, 21 degrees), with Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 80X shafts

IRONS: PXG 0311 T GEN4 (4-PW), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts

WEDGES: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy (52 degrees), Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (56, 60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Onyx S400 shafts

PUTTER: Bettinardi Studio Stock 38

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

GRIPS: Golf Pride MCC (full swing) / SuperStroke Pistol GTR 1.0 (putter)

New putters for 2021

Using new technologies and manufacturing techniques, equipment makers have plenty of new putters to help you perform better on the greens.

Elite golfers rarely get attached to their drivers. Every year, new models are released promising more distance, more forgiveness or both. Players on the PGA Tour and the LPGA tour want their driver to look good and to sound good, but at the end of the day if the launch monitor data is better than an old club, the new driver is going in the bag.

Putters, on the other hand, are a different story. Golfers develop a relationship with their putter. New technologies and features can be great, but how it looks in the address position and how it sounds at impact are critical. If a putter doesn’t look good or sound good to a player, it’s probably not going in the bag.

Manufacturers know this, of course, so once they find success with a shape and a technology, they tend to make subtle refinements to those putters instead of massive changes. With that in mind, several of the new putters listed below may look familiar. Others have features that you may have seen before. All of them, however, are upgrades to the originals. With the help of a good custom fitter, they might help you improve your performance on the greens and lower your scores.