I’m throwing rocks tonight. Mark it, Dude.
-Theodore Donald Kerabatsos
By Dave Wolfe
It’s been a while since I’ve had just one putter to talk about. Most of the time, I try to bring you the skinny on new lines of putters, or put about fifty of them head to head to let you know which one should be known as Most Wanted.
It’s actually really nice to get the chance to dive a little deeper into the ins and outs of a single putter, exploring the nuances that make it unique, and perhaps giving you something else to consider when you go to fill up your putter well.
Today’s putter, The Donny LTD, is a limited release (only 20 were made) from Bellum Winmore. It was about two years ago when I first heard of Bellum Winmore, and when I got my hands on a Bellum Winmore 707. You can read all about that putter and get a little more information about Bellum Winmore in general HERE.
When I put together that piece, Bellum Winmore had a total of one putter model. Since then, their stable has increased to seven models, including two limited run models, and the just announced adjustable weight 707. All the models are still 100% milled, and priced well below the industry average. No other company is going to offer you a customized, milled putter in the $200 price range.
And they work too. This past year, the Bellum Winmore 707i CB took third place in our Most Wanted Blade competition, finishing ninth overall. Not too shabby for a young company.
Shut Up Donny!
Enough about the pedigree of Bellum Winmore for now, let’s get right to The Donny LTD. While there are some design elements common to other putters, you will be hard pressed to find a similar putter in your local shop.
Did it look like a heel and toe weighted blade (aka Anser) when you first took a look at it? Yep, it did. But if you only took that first glance, you’d miss the parts that make The Donny unique.
Specifications: The Donny LTD
- Material: 100% Milled 303 Stainless Steel
- Weight: 335g
- Toe Hang: about 6:00
- Length Tested: 34.5″
- Finish: Whiskey
- Grip: Bellum Winmore logoed PURE Grip
- Ball for Testing: Bridgestone B330-RX
Looks
Did you notice that The Donny is a little guy? It’s a bit hard to tell from the solo photos, but when you look at it compared to a standard sized putter, you can see that The Donny is downright petite. Here is a shot next to my Bellum Winmore 707.
I have a guess as to why this one only weighs 335 grams. Just look at the toe. The Donny is a compact little putting package.
The Donny continues the Bellum Winmore tradition of tight production tolerances. The milling is precise as can be. Check out the shot of the face below. The Donny has a more rounded profile when compared to the 707. Though this one is more curve and banks, the milling is are every bit as spot on as it is with the hard, sharp edges of the 707.
The whiskey finish is rich and gold. The winter lighting in these photos mutes that richness a touch, but in person, the whiskey looks robust. Given the choice of satin or whiskey finish, I’d go whiskey.
Feel
Stubby and light. Those were the two things that first noticed about the putter, and also how I expected it to feel on the green. I thought that the shortness would make it more prone to heel and toe miss-hits, and that the weight, or lack of weight, would make impact less impacting.
Woohoo, wrong again! The Donny did not feel at all like I expected. This thing is a thunker, not a pinger or clicker. I know that this is the area of a putter review most subject to interpretation, but this putter just feels so solid. Almost like pure-iron-shot solid. I would swear that I feel the ball compress at impact.
Yet that impact is not explosive. Nothing is getting launched ten feet past the hole. Instead, you just feel like you have really sent the ball on its way.
Again, interpret this how you will, but I was impressed with the distance control and feel relationship. Hitting the ball about that hard, made the ball go that far. Nothing unexpected.
Alignment
It’s almost a bullseye. That’s what I came to realize as I was standing over the ball at address. The topline is so thick that it really stands out. Put your hand over the flange part of the image above and you can really see what I mean. The neck shape also adds to the bullseye visage.
As one who typically squares the face to aim, I really appreciated the extra thick top. It frames the ball quite well. Truth be told though, I actually found myself using the line on the flange too. As a long proponent of naked putting, line usage is straight heresy. However, pointing that short line right at the apex of the ball proved very effective.
More toe hang, less offset, and using a line to aim. What has happened to me?
Interlude with Tim Shaughnessy
Before we finish up with The Donny, let’s take a couple of minutes to catch up with Tim Shaughnessy, one of Bellum Winmore’s founders. Tim was nice enough to answer these a few questions about The Donny and Bellum Winmore in general.
What was 2015 like for Bellum Winmore?
2015 was great, and we continue to be humbled by our customers’ support. It’s extremely gratifying when someone reaches out to us because “so-and-so” at their club bags one of our putters and sings its praises. While there are a number of contributing factors, in large part the growth we’ve experienced is a direct result of this kind of brand advocacy, and we’re extremely grateful for it.
Where do you see Bellum Winmore going in 2016?
We’ve just finished prototyping another Anser style that we’ll be bringing out in 2016. While our designs are typically sharp and angular, this new putter (yet to be named) explores much softer lines. Here is a sneak peek.
However, the majority of our focus in 2015 has been spent on the development of a new technology in collaboration with a company in Upstate New York. There’s still much to be done, but we’re optimistic it will be introduced in some form by late spring. While I can’t get into specifics, what I can say is that early tests have shown we have a potential game changer on our hands, and we’re extremely excited.
Where do limited edition putters like The Donny fit into your overall putter line-up?
The LTD (limited) line of putters started as a response to the frequent requests for “one-off” designs we receive. In the case of “El Gordo”, a customer came to us with an idea that we really wanted to do. While the prospect of paying $2500 for a one-off was too much for him to swallow, we came up with a compromise wherein we would incorporate his ideas into a limited edition design where we could spread out the prototyping costs across, in this case, 10 numbered putters.
From there it became an opportunity for us to explore our own less traditional design ideas without taking on crushing amounts of inventory. With LTD putters our goal is to create putters with design features that you typically don’t find in today’s market- the long, zero-offset flowneck on The Donny, for example.
What are your reasons for naming this putter “The Donny”?
I love the movie “The Big Lebowski”. Probably my favorite movie of all time. If you’ve seen it you might recall that every scene in which Donny bowls he rolls a strike, with the exception of his very last frame near the end of the movie. From our perspective Donny’s stunned/confused reaction to that miss personifies the mindset essential to success on the greens. You should approach every putt expecting to make it.
Why should someone looking for a new putter buy one from Bellum Winmore?
Bellum Winmore designs are performance driven, our process is quality driven, and everything we do starts with the customer and works back from there. Our goal is to consistently pair our customers with a putter that fits properly and offers them the best chance at success on the greens, while maintaining an industry best price-point for a precision milled putter.
Performance
What can I say? I’m a big fan of The Donny. Though I had previously come to realize that I need more toe hang, I was surprised that the deep-hanging putter performed so well in my hands. It’s got less offset than I am used to, and perhaps you have noticed that it is much shorter, and lighter, than other blades.
For some reason I expected The Donny to be much more difficult to putt with, probably because of those design differences (duh). Instead, what I found is a putter that is inherently controllable. It is as point-and-shoot as any other larger profile putter that I own, and much more accurate than some of those.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you that because it worked well for me that you should all run out and buy it. That’s what the Most Wanted tests are for, where multiple testers put multiple putters through the paces head to head. It could be that The Donny just naturally fits my stroke. For some of you, the zero-offset flow neck could prove to be an optical and mechanical no go.
That caveat aside, I will say The Donny is now firmly in the bag rotation. I even re-gripped it with my last limited edition Super Stroke grip (Team Europe Ryder Cup 2014 Mid Slim, thanks for asking). I’ve been holding on to that grip for a while, waiting for the worthy putter. Google Seinfeld and “sponge worthy” and you will know what installing that grip that signifies to me. That’s how impressed I am with this little guy.
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 Donny LTD fits a: STRONG ARC
The Donny Abides
So I may not be rolling a strike every time, but I am really impressed with The Donny. I think that there are currently six other Bellum Winmore putters in Dave’s ol’ putter corral, and The Donny is the current favorite. It may not be the correct putter for everyone, but it is a great representation of Bellum Winmore’s quality and their willingness to put together something a little different.
My guess is that if you check out their product page, you will likely see something that catches your eye. Maybe it’ll be the 747 with its Zing-like profile, or perhaps the Most Wanted 707i CB. There is quite a bit of diversity there. Plus, the standard 707 is on sale at the moment for $199, and that price includes you getting to select your specific length, loft, lie, alignment, paintfill, and even face milling.
No other company that I can think of can give you a milled and custom-fitted putter at that price point.
One final note. If you are interested in winning one of the new adjustable weight 707 putters, all you need to do is head over to the Bellum Winmore home page, scroll to the bottom, and sign up for their newsletter by entering an email address. The winner is to be announced sometime in December. Hopefully a MGS reader wins it. Good luck!
Les Devitt
7 years ago
Looking for Bellum Winmore on web. Their website has expired has the company as well?