PUTTER REVIEW! – Whitlam Golf G2 Joe

“One of the best looking, feeling, and performing putters I have ever used.” Dave

(Written by Golfspy Dave) There was a recently a question in the MyGolfSpy Forum about whether or not a putter company needs to offer and Anser-style head in their line-up of putters to be successful.  (You can find the thread HERE.)  My short answer to the question is “Yes”, but those of you who read my stuff know that short answers are not my strength.

Expanding on the “Yes”, I believe that putter companies do need to offer an Anser, especially if we are talking about a smaller company that the golf market may not know much about.  The Anser style head allows a consumer to feel comfortable about the shape of the putter, and how it will perform, even if they don’t know much about the company.  There are a lot of start-up putter companies out there that produce some truly innovative head shapes, but I believe that consumers hesitate to buy them because both the company and the putter shape are unfamiliar.

Think of the Anser head shape as a gateway putter for golfers to explore new companies.  Get enough of these in golfers hands, and they will investigate the more exotic and innovative shapes the company has to offer.  One big caveat though, to be successful, your version of the Anser had better be a good one.

Closer Look At The Whitlam G2 Joe

With this in mind, let’s take a look at today’s putter, the G2 Joe from Whitlam Golf.  Now, Whitlam Golf is not a new-to-the-market putter company.  David Whitlam has been in the golf industry for over 15 years and he has made every putter from the company’s inception.  If you take a look at their site, you will see a wide range of putters, from the traditional to the exotic.  One of the more non-traditional head shapes, Whitlam’s Little Dog P, is currently competing in our “Ultimate Mallet Competition” (more to come on that soon).

Although, Whitlam Golf/Gauge Design putters are recognized, and sell very well in the Asian golf market, many of the golfers in the United States do not know the brand.  Putter guys know David Whitlam’s work, but Joe and Jane golfer likely do not.  Even you, my dear reader, with your wealth of golf knowledge, may only know the Whitlam name from the putters that are for sale in the MGS Store (LINK).  I will tell you this; I have had the Gecko Como! Come! putter in hand and it is as amazing looking as the photos imply.  While the prices for the limited edition putters are probably too high for the casual golfer, the prices of the G2 Joe and other Whitlam models sit right at the price point of the high-end putters available at your local shop.  Do you feel more comfortable spending $350 if your putter says Odyssey or Cameron?  If so, it’s likely because you recognize the name and that makes you comfortable.  But what would you do if you knew that the same money could get you a “better” putter?  Remember, the name in the cavity does not put balls into the hole.

Let’s take a closer look at the G2 Joe and see if I can pique your curiosity…

Whitlam/Gauge Design G2 Joe Features:

• Material: Milled 303 Stainless Steel
• Weight: 350g
• Loft: 3.5°
• Lie Angle: 71°
• Toe Hang: 4:00
• Length Tested: 34″
• Finish: Black PVD

BALL USED:  Wilson FG Tour

FEEL

We all have a concept of Anser feel.  Many of us have rolled Ansers from one company or another that are made from 303 stainless.  We expect that standard heel/toe weighted feel while swinging the club with a bit of a pop at impact due to the cavity.  We want this in an Anser.  That’s why we put them in the golf bag.  The G2 Joe delivers on all aspects previously listed, but its feel is so much more than those baselines.  There is a stunningly rich feel to the G2 Joe.

Every person who tried the G2 Joe commented on how amazing it feels.  Every person.  Often times it was “Whoa, let me roll another ball”.  The richness of feel is remarkable when compared to other stainless putters.  It makes hitting the other putters feel like smacking frozen oranges with an aluminum baseball bat.

Let me put feel into perspective on this putter.  For a number of reasons, my favorite putter maker out there today is Byron Morgan.  Outside of being one cool cat, to me, the feel of Byron’s putters is unbelievable.  That said, I would put the feel of this putter from David Whitlam just behind my Byrons.  If the Byron Morgans score 11/10 for feel, this G2 Joe is a 10.

LOOKS

I think that the looks of David Whitlam’s putters also set them apart from the crowd.  Obviously there is not as much going on with this putter as there is with the Gecko putter or another of my favorites, the Year of the Dragon putter.  That being said, there are some very cool visual elements associated with this putter.  The Black PVD finish is awesome.  It looks great in the sun or shade, and it has lots of subtle colored hues when you look at it from different angles.

The G2 Joe also has loads of cool little design elements, like the non-traditional shape where the shaft meets the plumbers neck.  The diamond pattern face milling is also very attractive, and precise.  My favorite element though has to be the engraved caliper logo that wraps from the face to the bottom of the putter.  A similar caliper engraving on their 10^th Anniversary putters a few years ago is what first motivated me to check out what Whitlam Golf was all about.  The face and bottom edges of the caliper line up nicely, demonstrating again the precision that David Whitlam puts into his putters.  All this, and I haven’t even mentioned the unique rectangle mosaic pattern on the bottom.

I do wish that the headcover had a non-Velcro closure though.  There is a little scratch on one of the bumpers that I swear came from rubbing across the rough Velcro.  The headcover is very cool otherwise, with the large caliper graphic.  Not a fan of the Velcro though…

SET-UP & ALIGNMENT

After all of my raving about Feel and Looks,  I have to say that the alignment scheme of the G2 Joe is very standard.  This is probably very welcoming for most players.  There is a single line in the cavity, and a nice square face for aiming.  It does have a excellent turf interaction.  I did not feel like I had to manipulate the putter open or closed after setting it behind the ball at address.  As one who is not typically a lover of sight lines, this one seemed to work quite well.  Maybe I’m getting over that…

PERFORMANCE

Shall I go with a short story again?  Late last fall, I shot two after-work nine hole rounds in the 30’s (37 and 38) with the G2 Joe.  I had never shot under 40 on this course.  Let’s say up front that it was not due to stellar driving of the ball.  That soon to be snapped over my knee club was and is nothing but trouble.  I had five birdies in those two rounds and a bunch of long one putts for par.  Maybe this is normal for your game, not for mine.  Everything was dropping.  I credit the flat blade.  As you know, I rotate putters faster than a kid in the teacup ride at Disneyland.  When my game began to go a bit sideways (and/or total faceplant) this winter, I put the G2 Joe back in the bag.  Putting improved immediately for me.  It will come out of the bag again when UPS brings me the next candidate in my putter progression.  However, when there is a lull in reviews, I see the G2 Joe sneaking its way back into my bag.

Others who rolled the G2 Joe were impressed with the performance, but the feel was still the point of conversation.  Overall numbers were excellent though, with minor issues with aiming and speed frequently being forgotten due to feel.  One of the guys couldn’t get over the fact that it was made of 303 stainless and not carbon steel.  “It’s too soft for stainless.”  He admitted that this mental block on the metal caused him to have some speed issues with the putter.  The mind is a funny thing, and sometimes it’s not a friend to the golfer.

• Distance Control = 9.0
• Accuracy = 9.0
• Sound & Feel = 10
• Appearance = 10
• Alignment = 9.0

OVERALL = 94

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.

Whitlam Golf G2 Joe is a: Slight Arc

OVERALL

So Whitlam Golf does indeed have an Anser-style head in their putter line-up, and it’s a great one.  If you roll this type of putter, and you are in the market for a new stick, you need to add the G2 Joe to your shopping list, and that list should be a very short one.  This is one of the best looking, feeling, and performing putters that I have ever used. Check out their site.  Give them a call if you have questions.  This putter will not disappoint. GO JOE!  You didn’t think I was going to make it through this review without one G.I. Joe reference did you?