Putters may be gettin' groovy -- as in grooves showing up on the faces of several recent putter models -- but concentric groove technology is actually marking its 10th anniversary on the market.
In 1996, Texas-based Pro-Gear made a deal with Harold Swash to manufacture and market his putter, which boasted concentric grooves in a half-circle shape on its face. Within five years, Pro-Gear had moved to Denver and changed its name to Yes! Golf, while focusing primarily on the increasingly popular C-Groove putter line.
Like other grooved putters, the C-Groove putters' grooves work to lift the ball out of a slightly depressed resting position and get it rolling sooner and more smoothly than traditional putters. The concentric shape of the grooves reduces sidespin even further for more accuracy.
"A ball which is truly rolling on its vertical axis in line with the putter face cannot have sidespin by definition," said Blair Phillips, technical service manager for Yes! Golf. "C-Groove putters impart an early and enhanced roll on the vertical axis of the ball in line with the putter face for more accurate and consistent results.
"The C-shaped grooves are specifically angled to enhance the over- rolling motion of the ball on both squarely hit and mis-hit putts. "Any putt that is struck in the grooved portion of the face will roll sooner than conventional putters reducing side spin. Reduced side spin and skidding translated into better putting."
An independent test conducted in 1997 shows C-Groove putters with the edge in starting a smooth roll earlier than other putters. Using a robotic putting machine and high-speed cameras, the test measured the specific point when a putted ball achieved one full revolution. C-Groove models did this before other popular models. New independent testing is currently being done, which the company believes will support its internal testing data that nothing has changed in those nine years.
Each C-Groove putter has the concentric grooves on the face, but more than 13 models ensure that a style is available to appeal to each individual golfer.
The company's putter models are each christened with a woman's name, part of a marketing strategy that began in 2001 when Retief Goosen used a C-Groove putter to win the U.S. Open. The putter he used was named Tracy after his wife.
Goosen's first U.S. Open win garnered attention for the C-Groove, but after he won the major a second time in 2004, consumer interest in the putter began to pick up speed. Other professionals -- more than 150 of them from the PGA, LPGA, European, Nationwide, Canadian and Futures tours -- have adopted and found success with the putter, further increasing its popularity.
"Most of the PGA Tour players have equipment contracts from the major manufacturers which require them to use their putter and if they choose to use another company's putter they are not allowed to endorse it," Phillips said. "We have a few players on the PGA Tour that fall into this scenario."
Tour input has played an important part in the development of two of the company's upcoming offerings, the Callie-F and the Victoria II.
The Callie-F, developed with help from South African David Frost, is a cavity-back style with a forged head made of a manganese-bronze alloy. Other players have weighed in on the Victoria II, a face- balanced mallet with a head 10 percent larger than the first Victoria model and a single-line sight alignment aid.
The company plans to introduce an advertising campaign around the Callie-F that includes select print ads aimed at consumers. Consumers will also be able to see C-Groove putters at demo days around the United States.
"The Golfweek Demo Days have been very successful for us by getting our putters in the hands of golfers to demo and also putting golfers on a video-cam to show them the benefits of C-Groove technology," Phillips said.
Yes! Golf also continues to grow its on- and off-course distribution so more golfers will see and test the putters at their local stores. The new putter models are expected to be available this summer.
