About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the putter, which I purchased with my own money in June of 2022.

My take

The Bettinardi Inovai 8.0 Arm Lock Putter is excellent for golfers struggling with putting and looking to change their grip. The single bend hosel is ideal for golfers who have a straight back and through putting stroke.

About the club I own

• Model: 2022 Bettinardi Inovai 8.0 Arm Lock
• Shape: Mallet
• Hosel Neck: Single Bend
• Balance Point: Face Balanced
• Shaft Length: 41”
• Grip Type: Super Stroke Arm Lock
• Finish: Stealth Black and Diamond Blast

About me

• Average Score: 70
• Handicap: +2
• Experience: 6 years of golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-Handed
• Stroke Type: Moderate Arc
• Golf Ball Used: TaylorMade TP5x
• Height: 6’0”

Test conditions

• When I bought the putter: June 2022
• Days tested: 70+
• Where I’ve used it: Various golf courses and putting greens
• Weather and Wind Conditions: Rain, wind, clear, and cold and warm temperatures
• Green Speed: Slow, moderate, and fast (8-14 on the stimpmeter)
• Grass Type: Mostly bent and Bermuda grass

How it performs

What I was looking for

I wanted to try out an arm lock putter for the first time in my golf career. I have also always wanted to own a Bettinardi putter due to their extreme craftsmanship, feel, and looks. I also have learned that straight back and through putting strokes are excellent for an arm lock putter.

Why I chose this club

This putter has a single bend hosel, optimizing it for a straight back and through putting stroke. Additionally, the length of this putter makes it ideal for an arm lock. As a result, the Inovai arm lock putter was the perfect choice for me because it allowed me to try out a Bettinardi while also testing out a face-balanced arm lock putter.

What I love about it

• Face Feel: This putter has a 303 stainless steel front piece to help optimize the feel when hitting a putt. This piece of steel has a very soft feel that I personally love when putting. When I make contact with the ball, it feels very smooth, and the milled grooves on the putter help increase the soft feel and get the golf ball rolling end over end every time.
• Forgiveness: The military grade 6061 aluminum body was carefully chosen to increase stability and MOI (moment of inertia). This increased stability has certainly been felt every time I putt. I have hit putts out the toe and heel of this putter, and the added perimeter weighting helps keep the ball rolling on line and still gives the ball a chance to find the bottom of the cup. Additionally, the arm lock feature has helped me increase the consistency of my stroke, helping me hit the center of the putter face more often to hit better putts.
• Alignment: The larger mallet shape of this putter has drastically improved my alignment on putts. It has a long white center alignment line to help line up the golf ball for golfers who use a line on them to line up their putts. Additionally, the single bend hosel keeps the face square to the initial target throughout the putting stroke, and as a result, it is great for golfers who have straight back and through putting strokes. This hosel, paired with the arm lock, has made my putting stroke more consistent, straight back and through, and I make significantly more putts inside 10 feet than ever.
• Length: I was hesitant to try an arm lock putter as most golfers are because it is a relatively new technology. However, I consider myself a “golf gearhead” and love trying new equipment, so I am knowledgeable about all facets of golf equipment to give people the best recommendations. As a result, I bought this putter, with the main reason being to try a longer-length arm lock putter. It took a few days to get used to the feeling of the putter, but once I did, I noticed a significant difference in my putting stroke. I rock my shoulders much more and use the bigger muscles in my body to hit putts rather than my wrists. This helped me drastically increase my accuracy and consistency when putting, particularly on putts inside 10 feet. Any golfer struggling with their putting and wanting to make a big change could benefit from experimenting with an arm lock putter.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Weight: This putter has a stock weight of 358 grams, which is right around the standard weight of modern putters (350 grams). I like a heavier-weight putter because it helps me not need to hit the ball as hard, specifically on very long putts. The heavier weight of a putter helps me increase the MOI and keep my stroke very consistent, even on long putts on slow greens. As a result, I put a layer of lead tape all over the sole of this putter to increase the total weight. This helped solve my problem and has been great for me ever since. Although most golfers will love the weight of this putter, some may prefer a heavier weight, especially considering the longer length shaft. Without making any weight adjustments, the longer shaft will make the putter head feel lighter in one's hands due to swing weighting and the overall weight balance of a putter. The easy fix is a roll of lead tape to help dial in the perfect weight for anyone’s specific feel needs.
• Grip Feel: I did not like the original stock Bettinardi grip because it was too thin and felt uncomfortable when pinned against my forearm. Therefore, I replaced it with a SuperStroke Zenergy Flatso 17” grip. This grip is a little thicker in diameter than the stock grip and comes with a flat edge on the side that I pin the putter against my forearm. This helps me feel better about my alignment and face control with the putter. I have never been a fan of the larger SuperStroke grip sizes; however, this grip is my exception. I highly recommend trying out the Zenergy arm lock grip because it helped me increase my control of the clubface while also feeling very comfortable when pinned against my arm.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Although I love the alignment aspects of the mallet shape of this putter head, I do not love the overall aesthetic look. I personally prefer blade-shaped putter heads. The “stealth black” back end of this putter paired with the 303 stainless steel helps make the head look a little smaller than it is at address. The winged shape of the putter is not my favorite design, but in my opinion, it is one of the better-looking mallet putter heads on the market currently.
• Customization: There is no color/design customization offered for this putter. However, one can choose from 40”, 41”, and 42” lengths to find the perfect length. If someone plans on changing the grip after purchase, I recommend purchasing the 42” length and then cutting the shaft to the ideal measurement before putting on the new grip.

Best Round with this Putter

The best round I ever had with this putter happened when I shot 67. It was one of my better ball-striking rounds, so my proximity to the hole on each hole was generally within 20 feet. However, the putter was the main reason for the low round. I did not miss a single putt inside of eight feet, in which five of those putts were for birdies. Additionally, the mallet clubhead paired with the arm lock helped me hit very good lag putts when putting from longer distances, which helped give me a lot of tap-in putts inside three feet throughout the round. I had one 25-foot putt for eagle that just hung on the lip of the cup but did not drop; however, I cannot complain with a tap-in birdie.

Value for the money vs. other options

The Bettinardi Inovai 8.0 Arm Lock Putter is certainly on the higher end of the market for the price. However, this price is backed up by premium feel, performance, and durability. Other competitors are slim, as arm lock putters are relatively new to the golf world. One comparable putter Curated offers is the Odyssey Stroke Lab Black Big Seven Arm Lock Putter. This putter is roughly $150 cheaper than the Bettinardi Inovai 8.0 and uses Callaway’s microhinge star insert that has a firmer feel than the Inovai. But, in my opinion, the Bettinardi putter looks much better than the Odyssey. The TaylorMade Spider GTX arm lock is another alternative for around $290. This putter looks very similar to the Inovai 8.0 but, like the Odyssey, uses a face insert that offers the same smooth, responsive feel as the 303 stainless steel used in the face of the Bettinardi arm lock putter.

Final verdict

As noted, the Bettinardi Inovai 8.0 Arm Lock Putter is excellent for golfers with a straight back and through putting stroke. Additionally, this putter can be a great option for golfers who struggle with putting greens and want to use an arm lock. The arm lock feature of this putter will help many golfers use their larger muscles to hit putts, increasing consistency and accuracy.