PUTTER REVIEW! – SuperStroke Golf Fatso Mallet

Putter Tested: SuperStroke Fatso CS

(Written By: GolfSpy Dave) Have you heard of SuperStroke Golf?  No? Did you watch any golf on TV this year?  Does the rock that you live under not get cable?  If you have been following the putter grips played on the PGA Tour this year (and who doesn’t), then you have witnessed the infiltration of the SuperStroke putter grip into the hands of an increasing number of tour players.  Jason Dufner used the SuperStroke Slim grip to pocket a tad under $5 million this season.  Week after week, I spotted more and more players using the SuperStroke grips.  One of those crazy, claw-handed pros even cut down a belly length grip, then used electrical tape to secure the base.  Even including this lunacy, one has to admit that SuperStroke grips gained some legit traction on tour this year.  Similar bag infiltrations occurred on the other pro and amateur tours as well.

Did you know that SuperStroke also makes a line of custom putters?  Did you know that they are being made by the tour-tested, master-craftsman Bruce Sizemore?  Of course you did.  You read all about Bruce and his SuperStroke affiliation in this article from last November.  Bruce has been making putters for decades and his creations have recorded wins on all of the major tours.  Check out this interview to learn more info about Bruce, his philosophy on putters, and to see some photos of his shop.

Back on point, today we are looking at the SuperStroke Fatso putter.  The Fatso represents the collaboration between a tour-tested putter maker and the hottest putter grip of 2012.  Sounds like a kick-in recipe for success.  Let’s see if this Fatso is the heavyweight that its pedigree implies.

SuperStroke Fatso Features:

• Material: 100% Milled proprietary seven series aluminum alloy.
• Weight: 360g as tested (Belly version is 395g)
• Loft: 4°
• Lie Angle: 71°
• Toe Hang: Face Balanced
• Length Tested: 34″
• Face: DCF Milled Face

BALL USED: Callaway Hex Chrome

FEEL

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I first rolled the Fatso.  This putter didn’t really match anything that I had rolled before.  My initial thought was that this big hunk of metal would feel quite a bit like a big hunk of metal.  I suppose that I expected a heavy, unresponsive, and feedback free experience.  Egg on this spy’s face.  I really should have known better, as I have owned two putters from Bruce’s previous companies (a CS-1 and XB-1 for the curious).  Maybe the name led me astray, “Fatso” brings to my mind images of Mr. Creosote dining in The Meaning of Life.

So how does it feel?  This metal monstrosity is truly a gentle giant.  Think the Hulk doing needlepoint.  HULK KNIT!  It’s a large-headed weapon, to be sure, but it’s also surprisingly delicate.  Obviously, there is something going on with the construction of this beefy beauty.  Let’s take a look at the metal.  Bruce Sizemore says,

The proprietary aluminum alloy was developed to produce a more crisp resonance sound than the traditional 6061 aluminum. It more closely matches the sound of carbon or stainless.

Well there you go.  We can attribute the feel of this putter, in part, to the special metal.  In the sake of total honesty, I don’t know that I would have pegged the head as aluminum in a blind putt test.  Bruce knows his metals.  To my ear, this putter definitely rings more toward carbon steel than the other aluminum sticks I have rolled.  There is richness at impact that I don’t associate with aluminum. I suspect that the weights toward the rear corners also give this putter the feel of swinging a heavier metal.

The DCF-27 (Diamond Cut Finish) on the face likely adds a bit of crispness to the feel at impact, but I also think that it, at the same time, adds to the softness at impact.  The overall feel of the Fatso leans toward firm, especially when compared to polymer insert mallets.  It’s a long way from hitting golf balls with an aluminum bat though.  To the person, whenever someone tried the Fatso, they were first stunned, then impressed with the feel of the putter.  Many who would have been initially turned off by the looks of the Fatso were won over by the feel.

LOOKS

GO GIANTS!!!  OK, sorry about that.  As I write this, the San Francisco Giants have just hammered the Cardinals in game 7 of the NLCS to win the National League pennant.  Maybe they have lost the series by the time this posts, but now you can understand the inspiration for the color scheme.

UPDATE:  :)

The Fatso is a large-headed putter.  Immediately this will put off some of you who only like blades.  We get it.  It’s too large for you.  You can call it a potato masher, a bike pedal, or whatever.  I am fairly sure that your blade slinging self is not the target market for this putter.  You may now return to your previous occupation of calling GI irons shovels…

The mallet player, on the other hand, probably looks at the Fatso and is intrigued.  The rectangular shape of the head frames the ball very nicely at address.  The symmetry of design suggests its balanced nature and its propensity to stay on line as you swing it back and through the ball.  The squared top edge of the face, the parallel holes in the body, and the multiple grooves on the top add to the overall appearance, but also prove very functional alignment tools.

The black finish is exceptional.  From address, the majority of the putter is a glare-resistant matte black.  However, the three raised sections, including the central section with the alignment line, are all slightly glossy.  Visually, it makes for an interesting mesh of textures.  Functionally, the glossy “lines” on the matte background definitely help in the alignment area as well.  Perhaps, you are not a fan of the black finish.  Don’t worry; the Fatso also comes in the other two standard colors of bronze and silver.  I seem to remember also seeing a pink one in the forum as well in the forum.  Remember, you are looking at a customizable putter. My Fatso is black and orange because that’s what I wanted.  What you want your putter to look like is but a conversation with Bruce away.

For those of you who can’t putt with and or don’t like the looks of a center shafted putter, I am happy to report that the SuperStroke Fatso also comes in a heel-shafted version.  You can also personalize your Fatso further by adding a metal shaft band and/or a custom headcover.  Stay tuned in to the mygolfspy forum for a chance to get these, and more, cool cosmetic upgrades free of charge.

The atypical looks of the Fatso may cause some to move past the putter without rolling it.  This is a huge mistake.  Keep in mind, this type of thinking would have caused many people to miss out on the deliciousness of oysters…

SET-UP & ALIGNMENT

There are numerous alignment aids on the top of the Fatso.  I already mentioned the three raised lines built into the top of the head.  Even without additional paint, these three elements assist in aiming.  You can also effectively aim using the two long parallel holes in the body as your guides.  Maybe you like a single sight line.  Obviously, that’s possible with the Fatso.  Want to add more lines to the top?  Check out the edges of the head.  There are two more grooves that can be painted as well.  You can paint all three, just the middle, just the two outer grooves, none of the grooves, just the middle and the toe lines, and so on.  Is there a specific line color that you need?  Multiple colors?  This putter has enough alignment versatility that you should be able to sync it to your eye.

PERFORMANCE

Rolling a center-shafted putter can take some getting used to if it is not your normal configuration.  Center-shafted is not my usual neck style these days, but I have previously rolled many a rock with my center-shafted Bettinardi BB35 and Odyssey DFX 2-Ball.  The key for me with any center-shafted putter is to get the hands forward, and leave them there.  Smooth tempo, good path, and that little bit of press equate to putting prowess, or at least putting potential.

The SuperStroke Fatso was a strong performer for me on the course.  The test putter was outfitted with a prototype orange and black SuperStroke Fatso lite (85g) grip as well.  This (Fatso) x2 set-up really facilitates a smooth, from the shoulders stroke.  If not careful, I can get a bit wristy with my putting stroke.  With the balance of this head, and the Fatso grip, you really have to work to not putt by just rolling the shoulders.  Balance in the Fatso is outstanding.  One of the shop pros said “this thing is just cheating”.

One of the marketing points of the DCF-27 face is that the milling pattern creates vertical friction at impact, creating “optimal forward roll” on the golf ball.  While I don’t have any quantitative hopping or backspin data to share, my high-speed camera is on loan to FOX Sports, the ball does come off the face rolling, and just hugs the target line.  Seriously, if anyone at Fox Sports is reading this, we need to get together for some putter impact slo-mo video sessions.  Call me…

If you make a good stroke, the distance control with the SuperStroke Fatso is very consistent.  Balls of the middle of the face reward you with a nice feeling at impact and accurate roll.  If you move out to the toe, or the heel, the impact deadens, and the roll decreases.  The sweet spot (zone) on this putter is quite large. I really only ever missed the sweet spot on purpose.  I found that the dull toe was a great tool for those dangerous little downhillers.  My only distance issues really came if I let my press break down during the swing.  This would typically result in leaving the ball short.

I don’t know if the single alignment line is the optimal aiming element for me, as I burnt many an edge with the Fatso.  My accuracy increased when I used the squared face for targeting, essentially ignoring the line.  This is not unexpected for me, as single sight lines can negatively affect my aiming at times.  My next step will be to play around with the paint fill options to see how targeting is altered.  For now though, I’m not messing with the paint.  The current orange and black design is definitely responsible for the Giants making the World Series.  We will address these lines in November when the putter mojo is no longer required… Again, :)

The “peanut gallery” take on the SuperStroke Fatso was often one of surprise, if not outright shock.  No one expected the Fatso to feel and roll the way it does.  The large (really large?) Fatso grip was a bit too much to handle for some, but to the person, the Fatso putter was a hit.  Had the Fatso been gripped with a SuperStroke Slim, I may have had to fight a guy for it right there on the practice green.  I’ll admit that the shape of the Fatso would work nicely for a little Pon Farr.

• Distance Control = 9.5
• Accuracy = 9.1
• Sound & Feel = 9.5
• Appearance = 9.1
• Alignment = 9.4

OVERALL = 93.2

FIT FOR STROKE™

Don’t change your stroke. Change your putter.

The (FIT FOR STROKE™) concept was developed by PING, yet another genius fitting system they have developed for golfers. It works hand-in-hand with the iPING Putter App which is highly suggest everyone getting (IT’S FREE!). You might be surprised to find out that the stroke you think you have isn’t the stroke you actually have.

This addition to the MGS reviews will allow you to become a more consistent putter by matching you with models that better fit your stroke type. They will be broken down into three categories: (1) Straight – for face balance putters (2) Slight Arc – for mid toe hang putters (3) Strong Arc – for toe down putters

“Results from hundreds of player and robot tests at PING offer overwhelming scientific support for the effectiveness of fitting for stroke. In recent years more diagnostic tools and testing equipment have become available, and the results prove that a golfer’s consistency improves when their putter balance matches their stroke type. It was interesting to observe that golfers putt more consistently with stroke-appropriate models, but they also show a personal preference for these models, too. Prior to putting with them, golfers are drawn to models that fit their eye, even before they fit their stroke.” says PING.

The SuperStroke Fatso is a: Straight

OVERALL

2012 really has been the year of the mallet.  We have seen some excellent mallets, such as the Ping Nome, the Taylormade Manta, and the Odyssey ProType 2-Ball.  The SuperStroke Fatso needs to be added to that list.  Unlike the other off-the-rack putters listed though, the SuperStroke Fatso is a customizable club.  The 100% Made-in-the-USA Fatso can be modified to meet your individual sense of style and play preference.  Based upon our conversations, I feel confident that Bruce Sizemore can take your ideas make you a putter that can help your game, or perhaps help your home team to win the series.