The Reviewer

Before we buzz any further, I am not paid nor sponsored by Bettinardi Golf. The opinions in this article are my own. There are many Bettinardi putter reviews, but I am also the sole owner of the products reviewed in this article. I am an avid golfer; I typically play at least 9 holes once a week. I am a solid 10 handicap. I was down to a 2 handicap when I was practicing every day. I have been using Bettinardi putters throughout my golfing career. It was even the old putter I had in my bag when I broke 90 for the first time, at Poppy Ridge in Livermore, California. I have always trusted this brand and its putter innovation. They make durable putters with an ideal head weight and head shape options to fit anywhere from top players to new golfers alike. My putting stroke was helped by the roll control face, face design, and weight distribution which was so balanced. The game of golf is tough, I know if a mistake was made and I missed my par, it was me who made the mistake, not the high-quality Bettinardi.

History

In the early 90s, golfers were trying to find any edge over their competition. Working in conjunction with other golf equipment manufacturers, Robert Bettinardi started producing milled putters for them. During the mid-2000s, Bettinardi Golf partnered with Ben Hogan Golf to create the successful Big Ben and Baby Ben putters. It also aligned with Mizuno Golf, making the popular C-series and Black Carbon series. Bettinardi is now an independent family-run golf company with putters that are milled in the USA. Bob's son Sam Bettinardi is President and they run their own manufacturing facility in Chicago, IL that focuses on crafting precision-milled putters to aid putting consistency. The optics and softer feel have kept me a reliable Bettinardi customer. The putters provide optimal audible feedback and many feature an anti-glare finish, with some models even featuring a black paint scheme, because the best tour players on the PGA Tour, other worldwide tour players, and your local weekend warrior can both be blinded by the glare off of a chrome finish putter.

The Tech

Bob Bettinardi has been leading the industry in making milled putters the true artisan way. Milling allows the putters to be more accurately produced with much tighter tolerances. Each putter starts as a solid single block of soft carbon steel or soft carbon stainless steel and—with a CNC milling machine and other machine tools—gets crafted to perfection into any putter specs needed. Bettinardi makes both mallet and blade putters with supreme performance and the softest feel.

Bettinardi has three innovative and different new face technologies that change the feel of the putter: the Feel Impact Technology (F.I.T.) face, Super-Fly Face milling, and the Micro-Honeycomb face milling. These are not going to have inserts, like a lot of putters do on the market. Everything is milled into the putter head. The acoustics in this one-piece technology will differ from other models with insert modifications to the original block of steel. Plumber’s neck, center shafts, platinum colors, and new roll control face make for fun days whether you play in July, October, or November.

Honey-Comb: Firm Feel and Distance Control

F.I.T.: Soft Feel and Aggressive Swings

Fly Face Milling: Soft Feel and Forgiveness, Yet Distance Control

The Putters

The flagship putter in the new Bettinardi putters lineup is the new lineup of BB putters. The models are the premium putter Bettinardi BB1, BB1f, BB8w, and the BB45. These putters are known around the globe for their responsive feel, timeless head shape affirming their premium price tag, and unmatched work of art.

The Bettinardi new putter BB1 is the ultimate Ping Anser-style high-end putter that everyone is accustomed to seeing with a crisp feel. The new models are in the same category as scotty cameron putters. It is a very popular look on tour. It features moderate toe hand and a stunning flow neck. This classic BB1 uses the original ingenuity of the blade putter design. The craftsmanship of Bettinardi putters has created fans out of many traditionalist putting fanatics who enjoy the traditional fly-mill and topline of a thinner BB series putter blade when they're on the greens. It's a great fit for feel putters and many Bettinardi tour staffers and the specifications they seek. The blend of metal and aggressive fly face milling creates a soft feel to the classic BB1 putter. If you're a blade fan, you can do no wrong with the perfect optics of this model.

The Bettinardi product BB1f features a flow neck which increases the toe hang on the putter; this allows the putter face to be closed slower through the swing. The BB45 is the midsized mallet which is face balanced, so it is easier to keep the face square through putter impact. My personal favorite out of the bunch is the new BB8w putter. The new BB8 has a classic head shape, stunning mill marks, and comes with a new sinkfit technology pistol grip and a plush black honeycomb pattern headcover. It has the same neck as the BB1, but offers a wider flange to make the putter a little more forgiving especially on short putts. The new compact mallet Bettinardi Queen B #11 has a new rose gold finish and a milled face with unique grooves.

While there are many great attributes to these putters, like the new aggressive fly-mill face and traditional blade-style putter head, the major drawback is the price. A BB putter will set you back around $300.

My overall favorite Bettinardi putter comes from the signature Bettinardi Studio Queen B putters. It is the newest release of the Queen B models, the SBS #6. It's aesthetic charm features a Slot Back Slant neck to provide a little more toe hang. It features a flat contact area and also has a little more weight behind the heel and toe to make the putter more stable on an off-center hit. These are state-of-the-art. No matter the green speeds, the softest face gives me quiet confidence. This putter also has a glacier black finish with a glare-resistant coating to keep the reflection of the sun off the putter—unlike most Queen B putters, which come in a champagne silver finish. I really like the feel and how the ball rolls off of the honeycomb face. This has been a real game-changer for me. It allows me to have more control and stability without having a large mallet. The only drawback to this putter is the price tag. This putter costs about $400, a major upgrade price.

Bettinardi's resume of premium components goes beyond the Bettinardi BB line and the Bettinardi Queen B series. They have the mallet-sized Bettinardi new INOVAI putters and the soft-feeling, consistent-speed Bettinardi Studio Stock series. Tour players that have used Bettinardi putters included Fred Couples, Francesco Molinari, Jesper Parnevik, and Matt Kuchar. In the past few months, they have also launched their new HLX 3.0 series wedges. All stock putters in-line options can be customized by length, lie, loft, and grip. The wedges have different shaft options, like graphite, and others as well. In my opinion, the brand has a better feel and roll control than most others and makes many of the best putters on the market.

The Fun and Limited

During the year, Bettinardi likes to drop Limited Run putters. These are definitely fun to find since they usually have different cosmetics and components. For example, the current BB line had a limited run called Black Out—the major differences were that the heads were grey instead of black and the shafts were black instead of chrome.

My favorite part is the access to The HIVE. Occasionally on Thursdays at 10 am CST, Bettinardi will release limited-release head covers/accessories and extremely limited putters that are truly one of a kind. Most of these items are sold out by 10:03 am CST. This is a premium brand—any Limited Run putter or anything off of the Hive will have a costly price tag. Consider this fun option in your future purchases. The upgrade cost to Bettinardi puts it in a similar realm as Scotty Cameron, with many configurations of the best putter designs on the market having a similar option from each manufacturer.

Considerations

There are three main factors to consider when selecting the putter that will give you the best feel and accuracy. Personal preference is key, as confidence while putting will shave strokes off your game. However, some physical features of the putter itself are important to keep in mind.

• Face Tech: As stated earlier, look at what face you need for your game. This will narrow down the options to the models that would suit you best.

• Neck: Within each model, there are different necks—these need to go with your putting swing. The Queen B line has a crescent neck for swings that have a big swing arc. The plumber neck is great for moderate swing arcs. The single bend shaft is for players who want to swing the putter as close to straight back and straight through as possible.

• Length: You want your eye sightline to be over the golf ball when you putt. Grab a blank CD and place it on the ground with the ball sitting in the center. You’ll want to lock eyes with yourself in the CD’s reflection as you putt. Alternatively, you can have a friend look behind you to see where your eyes are positioned. If you are way over the ball, you need a longer putter. If your eyes are not quite to the ball you need a shorter putter.

No matter which putter you choose, there is a style and feel for everyone. These putters are competitive against other major brands and are played on golf courses worldwide. Fast or slow greens I felt comfortable playing. I really love these putters, particularly the attention to detail, the unforgettable feel, and the confidence that my putter will not let me down. Shop Bettinardi putters and give them a try. These clubs have served me well throughout my golfing career. Open a new tab in one of your browsers and chat with me or another Curated Golf Expert today to find out if a Bettinardi putter would be right for you.