I’m a mallet fan. I rated the Titleist/Scotty Cameron Red X highly and I’ve really been enjoying Titleist/Cameron’s new Future Phantom Mallet (review coming soon). But recently, I’ve been carrying another putter around in my bag: the Olivia from Yes! Golf.

Design
What’s most unique about the Olivia is the trio of removable weight pairs that can increase the weight from 330 to 370 grams. Specifically, aluminum weights add 10 grams (340g total), brass brings the weight of the putter to 355 grams, and tungsten inserts to 370. Or, of course, you can remove the weights. You could conceivably mix weights if you routinely strike the ball towards the toe or heel, but I suspect that’s not terribly common. You can also putt “weightless,” though you’ll have holes in the bottom of your putter if you choose to do so.

C-Grooves

The face of every Yes! putter has a rainbow-like pattern which the company calls “C-Grooves.” These grooves grip the ball and impart a more immediate topspin, which promotes a straighter, truer roll. In my testing, the C-Groove design seemed to account for off-center hits and descending strokes more than other flat-faced putters, but reacted quite similarly to putts struck with a slight upstroke. I say similarly because my eyes are not high-speed cameras.

Yes! has employed independent testing (and high-speed cameras) to prove their claims (see the graphics to the right). Though it’s tough to say what the “leading putters” may be, it’s quite easy to say after using the Olivia for a few weeks that the test results seem valid. There is no way to quantify “true roll” with the naked eye or accurately measure whether any putter “makes more putts,” but with the C-Groove technology found on the Olivia, Yes! is certainly not making things up.

In this day and age, “MOI” is a buzzword. It stands for “moment of inertia” and, basically, clubs with high “MOI” resist twisting on off-center impact. The Ping Doc may be the best example of this – moving weight towards the edges resists twisting. The Olivia didn’t have a terribly high MOI, and off-center hits lost a little speed and were slightly offline. The simple solution is to hit the center of the putter more often, but it’d be nice to get a little help from the putter now and then.

Looks and Setup

The Olivia is the company’s first mallet in the style of the Ray Cook M1-X, the Red X, or similar putters with a crowned head and a trio of alignment lines on the top of the club. The distinctive white, black, and grey markings make alignment easy and minimize glare on sunny days.

The mallet is rather flat, similar to the Ray Cook M1-X I used for years. Lately, I’ve become accustomed to the “high toe” found on the Scotty Cameron mallets, and I’ve found that the higher toe promotes a better setup and a more accurate line. I aligned a bit left on the first few putts with the Olivia because I’m used to sensing a bit more weight out towards the toe. Once I adjusted, however, I was able to take dead aim.

Feel and Sound

The Olivia feels great due to the grip, a customized Winn putting grip very similar to the baby T used on the Red X and other Scotty Cameron putters. The grip is not fat but rather deep, and I find that it rests comfortably in my hands and has tremendous feel. It’s tacky yet not sticky and the bright yellow-white-black pattern is easily recognizable.

The sound? It’s best described as a light “tink” sound. It’s not the most enjoyable sound in the world. The putter is built of 17-4 stainless steel – a fairly hard steel. Company representatives say that, despite the hard steel, the putter/ball contact is cushioned by the milled grooves on the putter’s face. Unfortunately, those milled grooves do little to eliminate the “tink” sound of a hollow steel putter hitting a fairly hard object (the ball).

I can’t say as though I got used to the sound, but I will admit that I began to care less and less about it as the putts rolled in. Like a baseball player used to wood bats watching an aluminum-dominated college game, I’m used to a lower-pitched, dare-I-say “more solid” sound at impact. But to each his own: there are plenty out there that love the original Ping style putters, and the name of the company comes from the sound the putters make.

Extras

The bottom of the putter is shiny black, and the headcover is an unusual green material. I had hoped for a better headcover for $230, to be honest, but perhaps those Scotty Cameron headcovers have spoiled me. Besides, headcovers don’t make putts.

The Olivia also ships with a felt bag with a nylon drawstring. You’ll want to use it to store the extra weights as well as the provided wrench. Keep it in your golf bag and you’ll be ready to swap out your weights when you move to a course with faster or slower greens.

The Olivia ships with 2.5° of loft and a lie of 72°. Buyers can adjust the lie +/- 2°. Shaft lengths are available in one-inch increments from 32 to 37 inches. The cost: $230. Find the Olivia at your favorite dealer or online at yesgolf.com

Fan Base
Yes! putters have a fan base, to put it mildly. My playing partners asked to see the putter every time I played with it. In the words of one, “What the heck are those funny lines on the face?” C-Grooves, Steve, and yes, they’re legal.

Said one member of our forum:

After hearing so much about Yes! putters I went and bought a Yes Tracy II yesterday. I saw it at a local store, it was fairly inexpensive ($140), and I was nailing everything on the faux green in the store.

Today I got to try it out on the real practice green at my course. At address, it looks identical to my SC newport 2. However, the head’s a bit heavier and it doesn’t feel quite as well balanced as the SC. The grip is a stunning white, yellow, and black number from Winn which feels pretty nice. The putter also comes with a nice white headcover.

The important part is how this putter rolls the rock. Long, short, and everything in between I was amazed. The putter was super accurate and did everything I asked it to. I really believe in the concentric rings on the putter face which grip the ball and get it rolling rather than skidding much better than a plain milled face. While this isn’t a uge deal on short putts, it makes all the difference in the world on long ones.

I think these putters are definitely worth a try. I’m definately taking the Cameron out of my bag for now and if the Yes! performs as well on course as it did on the putting green, I’ve found a new putter!

That about sums it up, right?!

Conclusion
Grab an Olivia in your local golf shop and hit a few putts. I adjusted to the “tink” sound and much although prefer the “solid” sound of my Red X or Future Phantom mallets. However, when it comes to putting, the C-Groove technology found in the Olivia is a clear winner. With good alignment aids, customizable weights for varying conditions and putting strokes, and a great grip, the putter is built to make some putts. At $230, the Olivia comes in just under the other premium putters and offers a lot of technology in an attractive package.