Equipment Review: AMF Golf
by Jeffrey Reed

Offering top-notch golf gear for 50 years, AMF Golf has remained one of the best-kept secrets within the golf industry. Not anymore. With new professional-brand products on board, word is spreading quickly about this high-performance line of clubs and accessories.

In September 2005, parent company Dynamic Brands of Richmond, Virginia (AMF Golf, The Bag Boy Company, The Baby Jogger Company) debuted its AMF Professional Brand of irons, woods, hybrids and putters. We recently tested four new offerings from AMF, and walked away impressed by each club.

Insight Putter

Now, I’m a blade putter fan, but I wisely recognize the merit of the mallet-style putter – why wouldn’t I, when PGA Tour stars like World No. 2 Jim Furyk are swinging the mallet these days? A mallet putter carries numerous pluses, including high MOI, maximum forgiveness on off-centre hits, great balance – it does everything but stretch the hole to the size of a manhole cover.

I’m a rarity in golf: I golf right-handed, but putt left-handed. Even so, when I putted with AMF’s new Insight Putter, the hole did look as big as a manhole cover. Truly, I couldn’t miss. This putter is a sleeper amongst the new offerings of 2007, and it should find a place in your bag if you want to score low this season.

The Insight Putter, available in left- and right-handed models, and options of 34- and 35-in., retails for only $100. This is a bargain, to say the least. Here’s the key to this flat stick: A three-dimensional alignment aid is built into the top of the putter head, allowing you to stroke with correct hand and head position, and to line up your putt before nailing that 15-footer. If your hands are too far or too ahead of the ball, or you’re not aligned to your target, then you’ll recognize this before putting.

That’s not all I was excited about when testing the Insight Putter. Featuring 3.5 degree loft and 71 degree lie, the head carries just the right amount of weight. The triple-bend AMF Active Power Steel shaft is solid, too. The DualTac pistol-style grip feels like an extension of your hand, offering response and confidence. The aircraft aluminum head housing a milled face is one of the best I’ve ever tested – the face is soft, but not mushy, and helps roll the rock in true fashion.

If you’re suffering from the yips, I recommend you test the AMF Insight Putter.

TWS Wedge

AMF’s TWS wedge is the latest club to offer an adjustable weight system. Before you think tinkering with tools in a wedge is nothing but a gimmick, consider this: The club works, and I would think especially for high-handicap golfers needing some confidence in their wedge play. An interchangeable weight system allows you to increase the head weight by either 20 g, 40 g or 60 g, each time altering both launch angle and trajectory. Forget about worrying about what 56 degree wedge to carry with you: This club solves your problem, thanks to the easy-to-use switchable system in the heavily cambered sole. More directed mass, low and deep behind the ball, offers easy launch and shotmaking. And, the U grooves provide outstanding spin.

Complete with a soft AMF VelveTac grip and True Temper shaft, the TWS wedge features 6 degrees of bounce plus 64 degree lie. It’s available as a right-handed model, complete with weight kit, and retails for just $65.

UX-2 Wedge

Not a part of the Professional line from AMF, the game-improvement UX-2 wedge may be a hacker’s best friend. Featuring the same U grooves as the TWS wedge, the UX-2 has an extreme undercut cavity, with low back weighting for increased trajectory. There’s even a flat hosel for reduced drag through the rough. This wedge is extremely easy to hit – it gets the ball airborne with ease.

Cast from soft stainless steel, the UX-2 wedge provides great feel. I like the rich black nickel finish, too – there’s something to these dark wedge heads: They really do improve your confidence around the green. Twelve degrees of bounce, and a 65 degree lie, VelveTac grip and True Temper shaft round out this club’s features.

If you’re having troubles greenside, the UX-2 may be the right club for you.

H-Series Forged Hybrid

Listen up, golfers: Long John Daly just put a hybrid in his bag. Heck, Tiger Woods has tinkered with one during practice rounds. If you’re not playing at least one hybrid club yet, then shame on you.

AMF has just released its first line of forged hybrids in the H-Series, and what a club this is. As pretty as it looks, it performs even better. An ultra-thin maraging steel face gives you incredible ball velocity. The pill jumps off this club! AMF’s SpinControl face technology also optimizes spin and helps in the control department. Extreme perimeter weighting, and tungsten weights in the heel and toe increase the sweet spot, thus offering maximum forgiveness. The slightly offset hosel makes this club easy to hit, too. 

Every golfer has (or should have) a favourite shaft for specific clubs. Even so, I’m glad I tested this club with the AMF ReAction graphite shaft. It’s a solid performer, too.

The H-Series Forged Hybrid, available in a right-handed model, is a huge bargain at $80. Put your 2-, 3- and 4-irons away: This club is available in lofts of 16, 18.5 and 21 degrees.

Here’s my take on AMF Golf: The company produces some of the prettiest sticks I know, and they’re some of the best kept secrets in golf. Give them a try. Find out more at www.amfgolf.com.