PING PIPER 34.5″ – REFURBISHED & CUSTOMISED BY NATHAN PUGH (PUTTER REFURB UK)

For golfers preferring the performance of a steel face with an insert feel, the Karsten Series meets the criteria. An elastomer insert in the cavity provides enhanced feel while maintaining the solid response of a steel-faced putter. Weight savings from the new cavity shapes were redistributed to the perimeter to increase each putter’s moment-of-inertia for added forgiveness. Multi-level alignment aids are designed into most models.

With this line, Ping has taken an elastomer insert and placed it behind the face rather than on it. This allows for a bit of a cushioned feel, but it completely avoids a major problem that can arise with insert putters: inconsistency. Think of the insert on this putter as a piece of lead tape in the cavity. It will change the sound and vibration of a putt, but it is still a steel face putter. Off center hits are still detectable, but they aren’t as punishing as they once were. The entire Karsten line gives a nice and solid click when you hit the ball.

I will be completely honest, after rolling this putter for the last two weeks, I feel like a total idiot. It isn’t because I have been missing putts. Rather, it comes from the fact that I had spent $279 on my Scotty Cameron only to find that for $95 I could have a putter I loved just as much. I was able to sell my Scotty and purchase both my new putter and a golf bag.