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Today is Part 2 of our 2-Part Series on Piretti Putters. In Part 1 we interviewed founder/designer Mike Johnson. If you did not get a chance to read the first part of our series take a minute to learn more about what is going on over at Piretti Golf. Part 2 of the series is our review of their newest model the Piretti CottonWood II.
Putter Tested: Piretti CottonWood II
The Piretti CottonWood II putter is similar in shape to the Anser we have all become accustomed to seeing from many other manufacturers. However the Piretti CottonWood II has some unique features compared to the original design. The CottonWood II incorporates a wider flange to help instill more confidence and provide for easier alignment.
It also possesses a face with 2.5 degrees loft…a trait of all Piretti putters. He incorporates this into his designs because Johnson feels it allows for better speed control and helps with distance control as well. This head also comes in a littler heavier at 365 grams which is 15-25 grams heavier then your standard tour style Anser. His reasoning for this is to try and help smooth out the putting stroke and improve accuracy.
Putter Features:
- 11L17 carbon steel
- 365 grams
- 4:00 toe hang
- Full Shaft Offset
- Midnight Black Finish
- Loft 2.5 Degrees
- Lie Angle 71 Degrees
BALL USED: Titleist Pro V1
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FEEL
Every different material, shape, face thickness, hosel shape, hosel location, etc. used on a putter help determine the overall feel of a putter. And every golfer has a preference on what sound and feel they like to hear from a putter when a ball strikes the face. Some like a muted sound other prefer a “ping” type sound made famous by some of the original Ping putters. And then there are those that like a nice “click” sound to be heard when they stroke a new putter they are testing out. It is all personal preference and has been shown to majorly impact how attached a golfer feels to a particular model.
The Piretti CottonWood II model has one of the crisper “click” sounds you will hear from a putter. So if this is the sound you like to hear then the CottonWood II will not disappoint.
LOOKS
Like previously stated the Piretti CottonWood II is an Anser Style putter with extra wide flange. This model has a full-shaft offset and a medium grade face milling pattern. The finish is a rich and deep midnight black with a nice gloss although does not glare when at address. It also has many customizable options that allow for a good bit of personalization for the buyer.
They offer multiple grip options including the popular Iomic grip which was on the model we reviewed. They also offer 2 alignment options (dot & line engraving)…as well as custom lie and length options for you to choose from.
The Piretti CottonWood II finish is also maintenance-free. Overall the Piretti CottonWood II stands out when lined up with other putters on the rack…the combination of the finish and wider flange made this model a crowd pleaser amongst the golfers we had provide feedback.
SET-UP & ALIGNMENT
When it comes to Anser style putters and comparing their alignment with this model it was once again very appealing to our testers. The slightly wider flange frames the ball nicely with out seeming distracting or overwhelming to the eye. The model we tested had the alignment line engraving with white paint fill instead of the sight dot. But whichever you prefer you can use as an option.
This type of alignment aid (line engraving or sight dot) is pretty standard for Anser style putters. But when it comes to these type models I do feel that the slightly wider flange allowed for more confidence when addressing the ball.
PERFORMANCE
Performance testing was done by 10 golfers. The testers were asked to make putts from 5, 10 and 15 feet. Putts had to be made straight in, left to right and right to left. They were then asked to rate each model on a scale of 1-10 for the following categories 5:
- Distance Control = 8.9
- Accuracy = 8.9
- Sound & Feel = 9.7
- Appearance = 9.6
- Alignment = 9.0
- OVERALL = 9.22
OVERALL
I feel the Piretti CottonWood II has enough unique features to stand out of a crowd. These features include the wider flange which promoted more confidence for many of our testers. The heavier weight of 365 grams at 35″ helps many golfers that tend to involve their hands to much in their putting stroke…this is not the weight preferred on tour…but they typically are putting on much faster greens compared to the average golfer…so in this case our testers felt it was a plus. And also the cost of $245 for a 100% milled putter is a very reasonable price when considering the cost involved in producing a model similar to this.
It has unique features but nothing that strays to far from the norm which in this case I think is a good thing. The model has just enough about it to make it unique but not too much on an Anser style head that make it gimmicky. For an Anser style putter I feel it was an upgrade in the looks category and a solid feeling putter with a rich finish as well.
(P.S.) – 10% OFF DISCOUNT – Piretti Golf is offering the MyGolfSpy readers a special limited time offer. Just include the term:MYGOLFSPY in the comments section when checking out and get a 10% refund upon shipment. The discount will be good for 30 days. (OFFER ENDS NOVEMBER 14th 2010)
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Paul Maxwell
8 years ago
After many years swinging a variety of Ping putters, plus a couple of ‘here, try this one’, I’ve been introduced to what may be the last putter I’ll purchased.
This unsolicited comment is based upon owning TWO great Piretti putters, the Cottonwood II, and my best companion on the golf course, the Matera. Kudos to Mike for an outstanding ‘ahead of the curve’ product.