Jordan Spieth is testing new putters at the 2024 Travelers Championship.
CROMWELL, Conn — If Tiger Woods is willing to bench Excaliber, his Scotty Cameron Newport GSS putter that helped him win 14 of his 15 majors, no putter should ever feel completely safe in a pro’s bag. That includes Jordan Spieth’s Scotty Cameron 009 blade.
A day after Spieth needed 30 putts to shoot an even-par 70 at TPC River Highlands (when the field scoring average at the Travelers Championship was 68.6), there were two prototype Scotty Cameron putters, a heel-toe weighted blade and a mallet, leaning against his blue golf bag alongside the practice green.
The sole of the copper-toned blade putter was stamped “Scotty Cameron Xperimental Jordan Spieth Special” and “For Tour Use Only.” Like Spieth’s gamer, it had a single white alignment line on the top line, along with four small screws on the back that appeared to be holding a face insert in place.
Jordan Spieth’s prototype blade and mallet putters on the practice green at TPC River Highlands Friday. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The most unique thing about the putter is it is fitted with a graphite shaft that is labeled “Scotty Cameron Xperimental Prototype.” As of now, Scotty Cameron has yet to release a graphite shafted putter at retail, even though graphite putter shafts have gained popularity over the last few seasons.
The mallet putter is prototype Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5, again with a copper-toned finish and a short, single white alignment line extending back from the topline instead of the two black lines that come on the putter you will see in stores. While the retail version of the Phantom 9.5 has a short “Jet” neck that creates some toe hang, Spieth’s putter features a plumber’s neck hosel that has been hand-welded onto the head.
The letters “JS” have been stamped into the toe of the mallet and filled in red, as has the circle T logo on the face. While the retail version of the Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 features a dual milling pattern on the face to soften the feel and enhance the sound created at impact, Spieth’s putter has a smooth face.
The shaft on the mallet putter was dark and step-less, but it was not visibly labeled, so Golfweek can not confirm whether it was graphite or dark-toned steel.
On Friday afternoon, before his 1:50 tee time with Wyndham Clark, Spieth rolled a few putts at the start of this warm-up session with the mallet putter but quickly started using his old 009 putter and never changed back. At several points during his putting warm-up, Spieth had his caddie, Michael Greller, take his smartphone and shoot a video of his putting stroke, which the three-time major winner then studied before rolling more putts.
He did not hit any putts with the Jordan Spieth Special blade putter fitted with the graphite shaft, and when he walked toward the practice area carrying a wedge and two bags of balls, Greller smiled and pointed at the old putter, indicating that the old putter was going to be in the bag for at least another day.
Spieth has been struggling on the greens for nearly three years, as the chart above shows, but with the Travelers Championship being a no-cut event, this would be an ideal place to try something new.
Below are several close-up images of Speith’s prototype putters.
Gear: Scotty Cameron Long putters Price: $499 each Specs: 303 milled stainless steel with adjustable sole weights (Super Select Squareback 2) and 17-inch grip; 303 stainless steel and 6061 aluminum with adjustable sole weights (Phantom 11) and 17-inch grip.
Who They’re For: Golfers who want to reduce the hand and wrist action in their putting stroke while also gaining extra stability.
The Skinny: Each of the Scotty Cameron Long putters comes standard at 38 inches in length with a 17-inch grip and an extra-heavy head, creating a slightly counterbalanced putter that should reduce the hand and wrist involvement in the putting stroke and increase consistency.
The Deep Dive: Last season, two of the most prestigious events in men’s golf—the U.S. Open and FedEx Cup—were won by players using extended-length putters fitted with extra-long grips. Just as recreational golfers notice what gear the pros use, other elite players see what winners use and decide to experiment with clubs built this way, too.
The vast majority of Scotty Cameron putters that have been used on tour and sold at retail over the last two decades have measured between 33 and 35 inches in length and been fitted with conventional-length grips, but Cameron has now released two extended-length putters to complement the previously released Super Select and Phantom lineups.
The new Super Select Squareback 2 Long and Phantom 11 Long both come with 25-gram tungsten sole weights in the heel and toe areas, which increases the head weight of the putters. They also both come standard at 38 inches long, although they can be purchased through custom orders at different lengths. Finally, both putters have a 135-gram, 17-inch grip.
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Scotty Cameron Long putters are designed to have a portion of the grip extend above your hands. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
That setup – combining a heavier putter head with a longer, heavier grip – not only increases the overall weight of the club but also creates a counterbalance effect. When a player addresses a ball and puts his or her hands in their normal position, a portion of the extra-long grip will protrude above their hands. This mass helps counterbalance the heavier head, reducing the use of hand and wrist muscles in the putting stroke for most players. This reduction can lead to more consistent putting strokes and improved performance.
Unlike the ultra-heavy counterbalanced putters that were released immediately after the USGA and R&A outlawed anchored putters in 2016, which many players struggled with on long putts, the Super Select Squareback 2 Long and Phantom 11 Long have a subtle counterbalancing effect. On short putts, these putters encourage players to rock their shoulders to make the stroke. However, on longer putts, when some wrist and hand usage can help generate power and get the ball to the hole, the extended-length shaft and grip do not impede the stroke.
The putter heads are identical to the previously released versions, except they are heavier and affixed to a stiffer steel shaft.
The Super Select Squareback 2 Long has a dual-milled face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The Super Select Squareback 2 Long is milled from 303 stainless steel and is a heel-toe-weighted design that blade-style putter lovers will like. Compared to a Newport or Newport 2, the back flange is larger. Like the other Super Select putters, it features a dual-milled face. The first milling pass makes a deep cut into the hitting area and creates a circular pattern that softens the sound and feel before a second milling shaves off the points produced in the first milling. According to Scotty Cameron, flattening the milling points puts more surface area of the face in contact with the ball, amplifying the feel.
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The steel in a small portion of the sole was removed before it was covered by an aluminum plate, which increases the perimeter weighting and helps the Super Select Squareback 2 Long resist twisting on off-center hits. The putter has a black alignment line and a plumber’s neck hosel that creates about 30 degrees of toe hang, so the putter should be ideal for golfers who have a slightly arced putting stroke.
The Phantom 11 is a high-MOI mallet that has silver-toned 303 stainless steel and black-finished 6061 aluminum. It also has the same dual-milled face design found on the Super Select Squareback 2 Long for enhanced sound and feel.
The Phantom 11 has several design elements incorporated in the shape to help you aim putts more easily. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The Phantom 11 has a single-bend shaft that creates a face-balanced head, making it well-suited for golfers who make a straight-back, straight-through putting stroke.
The Phantom 11 also has several design elements to help players aim the face more easily, including a two-piece arrow that extends from the back of the head to the face and comes to a point in the ideal hitting spot.
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Who It’s For: Golfers who want a mallet that is easy to align and aim while still getting the sound and feel of Scotty Cameron’s milled blade putters.
The Skinny: The Phantom putters for 2024 have been subtly tweaked so the entire head acts like an alignment aid, while the dual-milled face design enhances sound and feel in each of the five different head shapes.
The Deep Dive: Golfers who compete on the PGA Tour, LPGA and DP World Tour have loved the look and feel of Scotty Cameron blade-style putters for years, but the popularity of mallets increased over time. Today, about half of the Scotty Cameron putters you will see “inside the ropes” are mallets. But while most players add a mallet to their bag for extra forgiveness, they still want to maximize feel, get a pleasing sound at impact and like what they see when they look down at the club.
That’s why, besides Newport, Newport 2 and other blade-style putters, Cameron offers several different mallets in the Phantom lineup, which has been updated for 2024.
While recreational golfers typically see mallet putters as clubs offering more forgiveness, tour players usually see their most appealing feature as something else. Yes, larger putters tend to resist twisting on off-center hits more than blades, and the Phantom putters offer a higher moment of inertia (MOI) than the Scotty Cameron Super Select blades, but elite golfers often prefer mallets because they can hold bigger, more effective alignment aids.
Cameron wanted to make that the most significant point of emphasis in the 2024 Phantom family and worked with his team to make each head work as an alignment system.
The Scotty Cameron Phantom X 11 has an arrow alignment feature, along with angles on the chassis designed to help golfers focus on the target line. (Titleist)
For example, when golfers put a Phantom 11 putter down behind a ball, they see a pair of lines extending from the back of the head to the topline and forming an arrow. However, golfers may not even be aware that the topline edges in the heel and toe area have been angled inward toward the ball, while the back of the topline has also been angled toward the ball. The negative space between the wings in the back of the head also forms a second arrow. These features work together to aid a golfer in alignment, even if some of them are working subconsciously.
The Phantom 9 has two lines on the top, but while there is no arrow, the angles on the topline and the space between the wings in the back point the golfer’s eyes toward the ball and the target line.
The 202 stainless steel face of the Phantom X putters is duel milled to create a deeper sound and softer feel. (Titleist)
In addition to subtly modifying the putter shapes, Scotty Cameron and his team have updated the milling pattern in the hitting area. Each Phantom mallet still starts as a block of 303 stainless steel that is milled into shape, and 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum has been added in the soles to reduce weight in the center and increase the perimeter weighting, but now the Phantom putters have come with the same dual-milling face that debuted in 2023’s Super Select family.
During the process, a milling machine passes over the face, makes deep cuts in the hitting area and removes ribbons of steel. Then, a second milling pass shaves the points off the hitting area created during the first milling pass, flattening them. The result is a face that creates the sound and feel of a deep-mill pattern but also puts more steel on the ball at impact to enhance a golfer’s sense of touch.
Finally, Cameron gave the 2024 Phantom putters a new rubber grip. For years, Scotty Cameron putters have come with very slender or pistol-style grips, but the Phantom putters come standard with a paddle-style grip that is flat on the top and features minimal taper.
Below is a closer look at the 2024 Scotty Phantom 5, 7, 9, 11 and 12 putters.
Take a look at how Tiger’s bag has evolved over the last 13 years.
At this point, every time Tiger Woods tees it up and competes, it becomes appointment television for golf lovers and sports fans around the world. It has been 27 years since Woods turned pro, but few celebrities or athletes have his star power, and it is fair to say that nearly every shot he has hit since he won the 1997 Masters has been photographed or captured on television.
Golf equipment lovers have always paid close attention to the gear Woods plays, from the days when his bag was filled with Mizuno irons and Cleveland wedges with a Ping putter, to today, with 13 TaylorMade clubs and his trusty Scotty Cameron putter.
Take a look at the gear the 15-time major winner has used since 2010.
The Scotty Cameron Concept X 7.2 LTD putter stylishly blends stability and touch on the greens.
Gear: Scotty Cameron Concept X 7.2 LTD putter Price: $750 Spec: Milled 303 stainless steel body with 6061 aluminum sole plate, adjustable steel weights Available: Sept. 15
Scotty Cameron releases limited-edition putters a few times a year, and the clubs often blend elements of putters that are gaining popularity on the PGA Tour with unique finishes or colors. The just-released Concept X 7.2 LTD is the latest limited-edition offering to drop and it stylishly blends a popular mallet shape with a hosel configuration and weight system into a club that is sure to turn heads.
The Concept X 7.2 LTD’s body is milled from 303 stainless steel for a soft feel, with wing-style extensions in the heel and toe areas. When golfers address the ball and look down, they will see a pair of lines that are designed to be the width of a golf ball on the inner-facing side of each wing, along with three “cherry bombs” on the top line. Combined, these alignment features should make it easier to aim your putts and roll start them on your intended line.
Instead of using steel on the bottom of the club, a 6061 aluminum sole plate has been designed into the Concept X 7.2 LTD. Removing weight from the middle of the sole shifts more of the overall weight to the perimeter, for increased stability. It also helps to create the discretionary weight needed to add a pair of adjustable sole weights. They are not intended to be changed by golfers, but fitters can add different weights in those spots to adjust the putter’s swing weight.
The hitting area of the Concept X 7.2 LTD has been designed with the same dual-milling treatment found on the new Super Select putters. A first, deep milling helps to create a low-pitch sound and soften the feel at impact before a second milling shaves off the points created by the first milling, so more of the steel comes into contact with the ball for a more consistent roll.
Unlike many mallet putters that are face-balanced, the Concept X 7.2 LTD has a moderate amount of toe hang thanks to a plumber’s neck hosel. This neck configuration is popular on many of Cameron’s Newport-style blade putters and it should make the Concept X 7.2 LTD swing and feel like a heel-toe weighted blade, while providing the stability and forgiveness of a mallet.
The Tour Black finish of the head is complimented by a black stepless shaft and black pistol grip. A limited number of Concept X 7.2 LTD putters will be available at Titleist-authorized shops starting September 15.
Scotty Cameron Champions Choice putters have a Teryllium insert.
Gear: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice putters Price: $700 each Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel head with Teryllium insert, aluminum sole plate and adjustable sole weights. Available: July 28
Who It’s For: Golfers with deep pockets who want to maximize feel and touch on the greens.
The Skinny: Adding a Teryllium insert to classically milled putters enhances feel and sound to help golfers get a better sense of touch on putts.
The Deep Dive: Tiger Woods won his first major championship, the 1997 Masters, using a Scotty Cameron Teryllium TeI3 Newport putter, and Brooks Koepka has won his five major championships using a Teryllium-inserted Scotty Cameron T10 Select Newport 2 prototype, but Titleist’s master craftsman for putters had never made a retail putter with a Teryllium insert until the Teryllium T22 putters were released in 2019. Two years later, the Champions Choice family of putters dropped, marking the second time the exotic material was made available to the public. Scotty Cameron has just updated those putters and released the Champions Choice Limited Release putters for 2023.
There are four putters in the family – Newport Plus, Newport 1.5 Plus, Newport 2 Plus, Newport 2.5 Plus – and each is a slightly larger version of the standard putter that bares its name. The addition of Plus versions of putters debuted in January’s Super Select family.
All the Champions Choice Limited Release putters are milled from 303 stainless steel and have a weight in the heel and toe areas of the sole to allow fitters to adjust the swing weight of the putter based on its length or the golfer’s preferences. They also have a 6061 aluminum sole plate that takes weight from the middle of the head and shifts more of the overall weight to the perimeter for enhanced stability. Finally, they also have a single alignment line to help golfers aim the face.
The significant difference between the Champions Choice and Super Select putters is the Champions Choice has been made with the Teryllium insert. Don’t look for that material on the Periodic Table because it’s a name Cameron made up for an alloy.
“Tellurium copper is made from 12 different alloys to create this super-soft copper. No one [when Cameron was developing the material] had heard of tellurium, but everyone was into beryllium nickel and beryllium copper, so I took the name Teryllium and called and got a trademark on it,” Cameron told Golfweek in 2018 in a discussion about Brooks Koepka’s putter.
The Teryllium insert is designed over a layer of vibration-dampening tape and held in position by three screws that you can see on the back of the putter. Those screws for the Button Back pattern take the place of the trademark Cherry Bombs found on many Scotty Cameron putters. In the Champions Choice putters, the Button Back area has been paint-filled using red, white and blue, but you can not see the colors when you look down in the address position and get ready to putt.
Scotty Cameron released the Super Select family of blade-style putters in January at the PGA Merchandise Show, and now Titleist’s putter guru is extending the Super Select line with the addition of four new clubs.
The Super Select Del Mar, Fastback 1.5, Golo 6 and Golo 6.5 are compact mallets that are designed to provide the same feel and sound that the Super Select blades create, but with slightly larger heads and more perimeter weighting, they should provide more forgiveness.
Like the original Super Select putters, the new mallets start as a block of 303 stainless steel before being milled into shape. Then the hitting area is given a new dual milling, with the first pass of a computer-controlled bit creating a series of deep cuts into the face before a second milling flattens the peaks that are made. According to Cameron, the advantage of dual milling is it provides a softer feel and lower-pitched sound that “deep milling” creates and that many players like, but gets more of the steel in contact with the ball for increased consistency and a better roll.
The Super Select putters have a dual-milled face design. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
A pair of weights in the sole allows fitters to change the swing weight of the Super Select putters based on the club’s length and a player’s personal preferences.
The Del Mar is the smallest mallet and is all steel, but the Fastback 1.5, Golo 6 and Golo 6.5 have portions of the sole removed before a 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum sole plate is screwed into place. This removed weight from the center of the head, so more of the overall weight is in the heel and toe, which boosts stability and forgiveness.
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.
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.
McIlroy has struggled on the greens this season. He ranks 173rd in SG: Putting (-.429).
Before Taylormade, before Nike, Rory McIlroy played Titleist.
At the 2012 PGA Championship, an event the Northern Irishman won by eight, McIlroy used a ProV1x, Titleist woods and irons, Vokey wedges and a Scotty Cameron Newport GSS prototype.
On Tuesday, 16 days away from the opening round of the Masters, McIlroy played a practice round at Austin Country Club in advance of this week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
On the greens, McIlroy’s hands were once again on a Scotty Cameron Newport.
Reports circulated Monday that McIlroy was making drastic equipment changes after a scouting trip to Augusta National. We now have a better idea of what those changes are.
🚨Country Club Collection says Rory’s equipment change is drastic and doesn’t involve the driver. Apparently “tore it up” at Augusta with the gear swap, and it will be revealed soon 👀
This isn’t the first time McIlroy has played around with a Scotty Cameron putter since signing with TaylorMade. At the 2020 Olympics (played in 2021), the four-time major champion used a Scotty Cameron 009 GSS Chromatic Bronze prototype.
Rory McIlroy of Team Ireland lines up a putt on the 11th green, the third playoff hole for the bronze medal, during the final round of the Men’s Individual Stroke Play on day nine of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club on August 01, 2021 in Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
So far this season, McIlroy has struggled on the greens. He ranks 173rd in SG: Putting (-.429) and 134th in Total Putting. Thank to an ice-cold flat stick, McIlroy missed the cut at the Players Championship and has just one top 25 in 2023 (T-2, Arnold Palmer Invitational).
Jonathan Wall of Golf.com was first to report the potential switch and tweeted McIlroy told him he’s trying to “rekindle an old flame.”
Confirmed: Rory McIlroy's Scotty Cameron Newport GSS is a new putter — not one he's used in the past. (The 👍 stamp is now on Rory, JT and Scottie's putters, if you're into that sort of minutiae.)
