Golfing News & Blog Articles
2020 Bettinardi BB1-Wide Totally 80’s Limited Run Putter
It may be 2020, but the new Bettinardi BB1-Wide Totally ’80s Limited Run putter will take you on a DeLorean ride right back to 1985. Ah, the much-romanticized 1980s. The decade dominated by big hair, bold clothing, and the naive view that trickle-down economics was a sound fiscal strategy.
Those of us a bit more advanced in age actually lived through and remember the ’80s. As such, perhaps our collective nostalgia for the decade requires some suspension of disbelief. The vibrantly hued ’80s had it’s dark tones as well. We had the Challenger disaster, Iran-Contra, and the super-effective Just Say No campaign. Really though, as we slog through the shitshow that is 2020, pondering days past can be a refreshing escape. Just ignore the dark spots of the ’80s, and instead reminisce about the neon simplicity that was Miami Vice, the two Coreys, and the Truffle Shuffle dance craze.
Hey youngsters, feel free to search #truffleshuffle on TikTok. You’re welcome.
The Bettinardi BB1-Wide Totally ’80s Limited Run putter may not be a time machine, but it has all of the elements necessary to take us back to that decade of dayglow decadence.
Robert B. is on the Cut
Robert Bettinardi is proud to unveil his third Limited Run putter of 2020, introducing an all-new head shape with the launch of the BB1-Wide “Totally ’80s” putter. Precision-milled to 362 grams from the finest 303 Stainless Steel, Robert brought back his original Honeycomb face milling on the BB1-W, and used his true artisan skillset which features a radical multi-color 6061 Aluminum pocket insert, bringing a gnarly ’80s style colorway to the putter! Completed in a smooth Tour Blast finish, the BB1-W features a “Betti Boombox” intricately engraved along the sole, geometric shapes on the heel of the face, and ‘Bettinardi’ featured along the inner neck. The BB1-Wide is hand-painted in a wicked hot pink, blue, orange, and white color scheme, and comes paired with a custom matching Lamkin SINK Fit grip and premium Made in USA headcover.
The Bettinardi BB1-Wide Totally ’80s Limited Run putter hits the 80’s right in the ears with its beats bumping boombox bottom. We will get to the putter side of this thing in a bit, but let’s start by pointing out that Bettinardi’s use of the boombox and cassette tape as symbols of the ’80s is brilliant.
I love music, and I feel like I lived through the greatest decades for personal audio advances. Those of you who have lived 100% digital lives may never really understand the significance of the cassette tape, and the Walkmans, car stereos, and boomboxes that played those tapes. Sure, CDs and iPod/mp3s were tremendous advances too, but it was the cassette that first made music truly mobile.
.truegolffit-banner-inner-right { padding-top: calc(574/1020 * (100% - 430px)); } @media screen and (max-width: 991px) { .truegolffit-banner-inner-right { padding-top: calc(574/1020 * 100%); width: 100%; } }GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT
Unbiased. No Guesswork. All Major Brands. Matched To Your Swing. Advanced Golf Analytics matches the perfect clubs to your exact swing using connected data and machine learning.
SEE MY RESULTS
I need a radio inside my hand
Musically, one of the most important things to come out of the 1980s was the emergence of hip hop. Yes, I know that hip hop really originated in the ’70s. To be fair, though, it was the 1980s that saw hip hop spread across the country and the world. Unlike hip hop’s ubiquitous social presence today, ’80s hip hop was not really mainstream. But it was getting there. One of the first ways that hip hop gained awareness was through cassette tape propagation.
It wasn’t just tapes either. Mainstream movies such as Breakin’ and Krush Groove brought the art form to the masses. Kids everywhere were learning that this new form of music was artistic, danceable, and by the end of the decade, accessible. ’80s rap was an every person genera. If you had something to say, you just needed your rhymes, a mic, and a big beat bumping boombox.
All of that is why Bettinardi’s boombox aesthetics fills my ’80s nostalgia cup to the rim. Seeing the putter made me think about my old college dorm boombox. It had six speakers, including dual 10” woofers, a five-band equalizer, and dual cassette decks. Having dual cassette decks was a thing! Tough to make that mixtape with one tape deck.
Sure, it took a dozen D-Cell batteries and weighed eighty pounds, but that aside, my boombox was a potent portable party producer. Remember, without a boombox, Ozone and Turbo could only battle inside, and that would be whack.
Totally Tubular Tones
The color theme of the Bettinardi BB1-Wide Totally ’80s putter is vintage ’80s. The aluminum cavity badge is a vibrant and unique addition to the design. The badge plays a little Eddie Van Halen guitar to my eye. The headcover is amazing. It has a great balance of MTV’s Moonman, overly bright colors, and once again, the boombox.
The honeycomb milling on the back of the neck is perhaps not an ’80s design but is a unique design motif sure to catch the eye of the putter lover.
Capturing the theme is a big part of any limited-edition putter. As far as the Bettinardi BB1-Wide Totally 80’s Limited Run theme goes, I’d say that they did a bitchin’ job.
Specifications: Bettinardi BB1-Wide Totally 80’s putter
Model: BB1-Wide Material: 303 Stainless Steel Face Milling: Original Honeycomb Finish: Tour Blast Grip: Lamkin SINK Fit Weight: 362 Grams Qty: 300 Pieces Worldwide MSRP: $750
BB1-Wide Wide West
Not too long back, I listed what I view as the necessary elements for a successful limited-edition putter release. To absolutely nail it, the putter needs to be visually unique, a non-retail model, and scarce enough to entice collectors. I’ve already gushed about the visuals, and 300 worldwide units is a solid scarcity score, so all we are left with is exploring the model. As it turns out, it’s a new one.
While the BB8-Wide has been produced by Bettinardi in both limited run and stock incarnations, this is the first release of a BB1-Wide. For comparison, let’s take a look at how the BB1-Wide stacks up next to the stock BB8-Wide.
As you can see, the main differences are toward the rear of the putter. The backside of the BB1-Wide is much narrower than the big ole butt of the BB8-W. Additionally, the BB8-W has a much squarer profile overall while the BB1-W features bumpers that fade into curves. It reminds me a bit of the 2017 Studio Stock 28 as well. All in all, I’d put the BB1-W shape somewhere in between the BB8-W and the SS28 in terms of curve appeal.
How does the BB1-W compare to a normal BB1? Let’s take a look.
Like, oh my God, it’s wider than a normal BB1. Shocker there. When you go wide, you’ll get a wider flange, higher MOI, and about twelve more grams of head weight.
The BB1-Wide head totally meets the non-stock requirement. On a side note, if Bettinardi follows the pattern of the BB8-W, we may see the BB1-W in their next retail BB offering. However, with its two-year release cycle, we won’t see any new BBs until 2022.
’80s, We’re Living In The ’80s
No joke, the Bettinardi BB1-Wide Totally ’80s Limited Run is totally ’80s, and likely to be a hit with collectors. Like any limited edition anything, to get it, you’ll need to pay a premium price. However, since we are throwing the design back a few decades, you can justify your purchase by doing the same with price. Just take the $750 price tag and adjust for inflation. Your new putter will only set you back roughly $315 1985 dollars. Feel free to use that calculation when someone questions your purchase.
“Totally scored this for only $315 1985 dollars.”
In addition to the putter, Bettinardi will also be releasing ’80s themed accessories with the putter. The milled cassette ball marker is rad. I’ll be in the queue with you to snag one of those.
If you want to score one of these putters without resorting to a flux capacitor, you’ll need to be in The Hive on Thursday, July 16th, at 10:00 am Central Time. That means the freaks will need to be out before night. With only 300 made, the cabbage patch will be empty of kids in mere minutes. If you still sport gold and are out to crush, set your alarm. I don’t think that you can live without this radio.
Find out more at Bettinardi.com
The post 2020 Bettinardi BB1-Wide Totally 80’s Limited Run Putter appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
