Equipment Review:
Axis1 Putter
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

In this day and age of adjustable weights, do-it-yourself custom lies – and John Daly’s pants, which look like he slept in someone’s flower garden – nothing surprises me in regards to golf clubs. However, when I putted with the Axis1 Putter from Axis1 Golf, I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth stroke promoted by this innovative club.

The first thing you will notice about the Axis1 Putter is the hosel and offset. In fact, there isn’t a whole lot more offset in this club than, say, your typical plumber’s neck-style flat stick. It’s simply an optical illusion. The Axis1 design utilizes an oversized curvature along the bottom of the hosel – the putter head, upside down, looks like the capital letter J. But the shaft returns to a typical distance from the shaft, still placing your hands forward for good form but with an added twist – rather, better balance.

You see, the added twist is, there is no twist when you use the Axis1. A typical putter can promote twisting and torque during the stroke, therefore opening up during your putting stroke. We’ve all battled an open face at one time or another. With the Axis1 Putter, balance is the key. Heel weight rests in the area which lies ahead of the face, creating a perfect sweet spot – a spot in line with the shaft.

The Axis1 Putter club head remains perpendicular to the direction of the putt. The addition of a counter weight forward of the striking surface provides a perfect centre of gravity, promoting a pendulum motion even Tiger Woods would be proud to own.

Axis1 Golf was founded in 2006 by award-winning designer Luis Pedraza, whose previous claim to fame was (amongst many) designing the Spaceball, a 3D computer mouse used to control the Mars Rover Expedition. An avid golfer, Pedraza put on his thinking cap and focused on making a better putter.

We tested the 34-inch RH Axis1 Eagle with nifty cammoflage oversized Winn pistol-style grip. It’s made of 304 stainless steel, with copper face insert for softer feel. The steel shaft boasts stiffness grooves and a vibration dampening core. The stainless steel counterweight screws allow for balance calibration during assembly.

Once we got over the unorthodox look and started putting, we fell in love with the Axis1 Putter. It was smooth as butter from a variety of lengths, and proved that thinking outside the box can pay off in spades.

Two thumbs up for the Axis1 Putter, which is listed as $299, and is available in 33-inch and 35-inch models, too.

For more information, visit www.axis1golf.com.