Golfing News & Blog Articles
PXG Battle Ready II Putters
PXG Battle Ready II Putters
PXG launches the second generation of their Battle Ready putter line. Putters feature a novel polymer-filled hollow steel design. Nine new models including both blade and mallet putters. At shops July 11 with a MSRP of $389.99Just when I thought surprise summer putter releases were finished, PXG announces their new Battle Ready II putter line. Don’t get me wrong, be it January or June, I’m always excited to see new putters. I’m just used to viewing golf as a slow-moving sport, characterized by whispers, not whoops.
This new release from PXG is definitely not a quiet one.
A company updating a successful putter line is always newsworthy. PXG’s original Battle Ready putters were excellent and put PXG into the arena with the big putter companies. Their precision-milled construction, classic (and unique) head designs and overall aesthetic secured their upper-tier position in terms of construction.
PXG Battle Ready putters also performed exceptionally well in the MyGolfSpy Most Wanted putter testing, demonstrating that the good-looking putters can get the ball in the hole. Like I said, the first PXG Battle Ready line was a success.
So what has PXG changed for the second incarnation of the Battle Ready line? Let’s just say that they have changed the putters at their cores.
New S COR Technology Hollow Body Design
Now that I see it, it makes total sense but I was not expecting a hollow, polymer-filled putter. This design has been a mainstay in PXG iron construction and multiple other companies for years. For putters, the design scheme is a novel one.
All of the Battle Ready II putters are hollow and filled with PXG’s lightweight S COR polymer. Yes, even the blade putters are hollow. This is a massive design change for the Battle Ready putters. The original Battle Ready putters were solidly constructed, being first milled from aluminum with tungsten components added later for weight distribution.
The new PXG Battle Ready II putters are hollow, filled with polymer and made of steel.
Why would PXG make this huge change?
S COR Technology Hollow Body Design Boosts MOI
Like I said, every one of the putters is hollowed out to a degree and filled with polymer. In the blades, the amount of fill ranges from six to 18 percent. In the mallets, it’s more significant. The polymer fill in the mallets ranges from 34 percent in the Bat Attack to a whopping 68 percent in the Apache.
Hollowing out the putters and filling them with polymer created some design advantages, both expected and unexpected.
Replacing the metal in the center of the putter with a lighter polymer places the majority of the weight at the perimeter. The result of perimeter weighting is an increase in the moment of inertia (MOI) value for the putter. Why is this desirable?
In the simplest of terms, the higher the MOI, the more resistant the putter is to twisting during the stroke.
Traditionally, companies will add steel or tungsten weights to the edges of the putter to increase MOI. The first generation of PXG Battle Ready putters used this strategy. The center of the putter was lightweight aluminum and the edges featured heavier tungsten bars or adjustable weights.
Battle Ready II does MOI better. The switch to the new S COR design boosted MOI 10 percent compared to the original Battle Ready putter line.
S COR Technology Hollow Body Design Increases Forgiveness
The new S COR design allowed PXG to switch from aluminum to stainless steel. Normally, stainless steel would be too heavy for many of the Battle Ready heads. With the hollow design, the light polymer takes up so much volume that stainless steel is a viable material.
The other thing the polymer did was allow PXG to give these putters a very thin face. More specifically, a face that is only 0.055 of an inch thick. Removing weight from the face again helps to increase MOI but thin faces are not common because the sound they make at impact is undesirable. The supporting polymer removes this tonal issue.
Perhaps unexpectedly, the polymer-supported thin face improves roll across the face, essentially making the roll more consistent from heel to toe. This necessitated PXG’s revision of their face-milling pattern.
PXG’s previous milling pattern was designed to improve the roll of off-center strikes. Since the hollow design already does that, the new face milling now is uniform across the face. S COR normalizes the impact so face pattern variation is no longer needed.
In general, the more uniform face milling should produce a more uniform interaction with the ball at impact and, subsequently, better rolls.
PXG Battle Ready II Putter Line: Other Features
While the main story of the PXG Battle Ready line is the new hollow construction, it is not the only story. Custom fitting is a huge part of the new line as PXG has designed significant adjustability into the individual models.
Like the previous Battle Ready putters, most of the new models will come with different neck options. With plumber’s neck, heel-shaft, center-shaft and double-bend hosel options, players can choose the neck configuration that best suits their stroke. Armlock builds are also available.
The new PXG Battle Ready II putters also feature between two and four adjustable sole weights. For the two weight putters, you have a 20-gram range of adjustment. For the mallets with four weights, you have a whopping 40-gram range.
PXG is introducing new grip options with the Battle Ready II line. These new grips feature a polyurethane wrap around an EVA foam core. Players can choose from different sized “pistol” and “straight” grips. These new grips do come with a $10 upcharge.
Overall, the adjustable sole weights, hosel and grip options allow players to dial in a Battle Ready II putter to their exact play specifications.
PXG Battle Ready II Putter Specifications and Models
Specifications: PXG Battle Ready II Putters
Materials: 303 stainless steel, S COR polymer, tungsten weights Construction: CNC milled Finish: Platinum with black accents Heads: Nine: four blades and five mallets Neck Options: Four total, count varies by head Lengths: 33-38 inches Head weights: Varies with model Sole weights: adjustable up to +20/40g Loft: 3° Lie: 70° Shaft: Steel or optional M16 bi-material shaft Grip: PXG standard or custom pistol/straight options. MSRP: $389.99PXG Battle Ready II Putter Models: The Blades
One of the things I appreciate about PXG is their willingness to build non-traditional putter shapes. I’m not talking about building them as limited runs but rather as parts of their normal production lines.
The Battle Ready II blades come in the classic shapes of the Brandon and the Closer, and then the “PXG classic shapes” of the Dagger+ and Mustang. Everyone who bemoans another “Anser copy” blade will be running out to buy a Dagger+ and a Mustang, right?
Speaking of the Mustang, this is one blade that I am very curious to roll. The original Battle Ready Mustang was a lovely surprise. The roll was sublime, especially compared to my initial feelings about the non-traditional looks of the putter.
Though I would likely go with the Closer as it is the closest to my current gamer, that Mustang will see more than a few laps around the corral.
PXG Battle Ready II Putter Models: The Mallets
While the PXG blades are solid putters, I believe it is with their mallets where PXG really becomes an industry challenger. Remember, both the Bat Attack and the One and Done proved lethal in the Most Wanted competition.
The mallet shape diversity is extensive. The ironically named Hercules is the smallest and most traditional mallet of the bunch. At the other end of the spectrum is the new Apache. If that expansive head was made from solid stainless steel it would likely be over 1,000 pounds!
The One and Done features a new hole-free design this time around and the new silver and black color scheme only adds to the attraction of the spider-like Blackjack. If only that Blackjack had two long ball-width sight lines …
We are missing the PXG classic Gunboat and the novel Blackbird but maybe they will come in a line expansion as they did with the first Battle Ready line.
Final Thoughts on the PXG Battle Ready II Milled Putter Line
I love that PXG has taken their successful 0311 iron design and applied it to their putters. In general, I find the lineup compelling and I truly look forward to seeing how the S COR technology feels and performs.
One can easily make the argument that this has been The Summer of Putters
. Outside of that little LIV/PGA TOUR thing, all of the golf news has focused on the flatstick. We’ve had a cellblock of Jailbirds, TaylorMade’s return to milling and now PXG pushing the putter design paradigm into the polymer province.
What that all means is that it’s a great time to need a new putter!
Find out more about the PXG Battle Ready II putter line at PXG.com
FAQ: PXG Battle Ready II Putter Line
How does a putter being hollow with polymer filled improve MOI?
The polymer at the center of the putter is much lighter than the steel at the edges. This positions most of the putter’s head weight near the edges of the head thus boosting MOI.
Where can I buy a PXG putter?
PXG has a great online interface but you can also find their putters in retail stores. Follow this link to find a PXG fitter near you.
Do I really need a new putter or can I just practice more with the one I have?
Yes, you always need a new putter. Alan Iverson told us decades ago that practice is overrated. If you can’t make putts, buy a new putter. End of story.
(Kidding. Settle down on the rage commenting…)
A new putter may be the solution if the putter you have does not fit your stroke or your alignment needs. You may practice enough to compensate for your misaligned relationship with your putter but you should have an easier time if the wand fits the wizard.
Will there be a military/first responder discount on these?
As of writing, I do not have confirmation that these will be included under PXG’s military and first responders discount program but I assume they will. Kudos to Bob Parsons for his commitment to these important people. If the discount program needs expanding, I think it would be cool to add teachers to the discount-eligible list as well.
The post PXG Battle Ready II Putters appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
