The most noticeable feature is the new finish. Scotty Cameron refers to it as “Honey Dipped.” The gold tone is created when the stainless steel heads go through a special heating process. Depending on the light, the California putters show flashes of pink and purple too.

The visible appearance of a putter is very important. Pick a putter that has a flowing look because if anything looks sharp or out of place your eyes tends to go to it. Remember, the best putting pros on TOUR keep it simple and  need to feel comfortable over the ball. Choosing a putter that is not visually appealing will only distract you from making a good stroke.

Two other subtle things help to keep the look of the new California Series putters clean. First, there are no steps in the shaft of the California putters. Second, the decorative shaft band has been placed on the back of the shaft near the handle. These details are designed to make it easier for your eyes to concentrate on the ball and your line at address.

While Scotty Cameron may refer to the putters as “old world classic,” there is one modern feature built into the new line of putters. On the sole of each California model are two 10-gram weight screws. These screws are not designed to be removed or adjusted by the golfer. However, via custom order, they can be changed to create heavier versions of the putter using the same head.

About Each Putter (From top to bottom)

• The Coronado is a classic blade putter with two steps in the back flange area. It features a single alignment dot on the top and a round neck.
• The Monterey is a classic heel-toe weighted, Anser-style blade with a plumber’s neck and a single-line alignment aid.
• The Sonoma also features a plumber’s neck and a single alignment line, but it has a rounded back flange and slightly longer face.
• The Del Mar has a larger, circular back flange with a high toe area.

To learn more about the new California Series putters visit www.scottycameron.com.

Bob Vokey and Stan Talk Grooves

What’s all the hoopla over the “groove” rule, and what does it mean for me? I get asked this question a lot by my students. They’ve read and heard so much about “V” grooves and “U” grooves, but few really know how and when all these changes are going to affect them. Considering the cost of equipment today, I don’t blame them for asking about it.

In short, there are three significant dates to remember. To the average player, only one of these has any real importance if you play in club or local daily fee course pick-up games. On the other hand, if you play in USGA sanctioned events, well you’re going to have to think about this in a few years. Finally, if you are a tour pro, then you already know about the impact this will have on your equipment, and considering that many pros have manufacturer reps working with them out on tour in the tour vans, most are already working with prototypes on the practice range to determine the levels of spin they’ll get out of all types of rough and many different lies.

Tour pros will be affected beginning with all tournament play on January 1, 2010. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Tour officials have decreed that play will begin after the first of the year with clubs that are conforming to the new standards.

The second calendar date to remember is 2014, since all sanctioned amateur tournaments operating under USGA or R&A rules will require that all clubs of 24 degrees of loft or higher must adhere to the new groove standard, and any non-comforming clubs will be relegated to that old, dusty and massively heavy “tour” or cart bag in the garage that holds all your old clubs. I know I have one of those at my house in Arizona, and it’s a grab bag of clubs I’ve retired from active use. Tour players and competitive amateurs may have to get a second “old club bag” to hold their non-conforming clubs.

The final group impacted by these equipment changes will be every day golfers who just have fun playing around their local courses. While most new equipment released over the next year will be fully compliant, you won’t be required to replace your clubs until 2024. By then, technology will be such that you may wish to buy new clubs anyway, but the powers that be won’t force you to get rid of those comfortable, pitted, scuffed and rusty wedges and irons until then.

So, breathe a sigh of relief if you just play golf to have fun. If you play in sanctioned amateur events, you’ve got some time before you have to commit. If you are a professional on one of the tours, well…your equipment provider has probably already sent you new clubs that are in full compliance! It should be very interesting to watch how the pros adapt to changes in spin…but, these guys and ladies are good, so we may see little change in how they play the courses beginning in 2010.

That being said, I do have a couple of thoughts that you might find helpful as you think through what type of clubs may work best for you. First, I have worked with Titleist for many years, and I play a combination of irons and metal woods by Titleist, wedges by Bob Vokey and my putter is a Scotty Cameron. So, I’m in the family so to speak. But, there are other brands in the market that may be better for you. How can you tell?

Well, I’m a fan of going to the practice range with a couple of demo clubs from various manufacturers. Make sure the shafts are the same stiffness so you can really sense the differences in how the ball feels at impact, and how it accelerates, flies and the distance you get, from the different manufacturers. Some of my students are into the “look” of a club, and they lean toward traditional blades with a thin topline as you look down on the club at address. Remember that a lot of the game depends on the mental aspect, so getting comfortable with the look and the feel of a club sets you up for the right mindset as you play the game.

Other players need some “forgiveness” because they don’t always hit the ball in the exact center of the sweet spot. Many of these students are best with a cavity-back model that spreads out the sweet spot and makes it quite a bit larger, helping mitigate mishits while providing a solid feel.

The point that I am trying to make is that picking out individual clubs or an entire set of clubs is based on feel and comfort, which are both in line with the way that I teach the short game. Having the proper set of clubs for your particular skill set is very important if you want to score low.  So, choose metal woods, irons, wedges, hybrids and a putter that you feel most confident with when standing over the ball. Try them in a hitting bay at a local retailer, or use a demo club at your home course to see what you think.

What’s good for me may not be right for you, and that’s why we have so many wonderful club choices from some outstanding manufacturers, all of whom use the latest in technology innovations. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find out what’s right for you. One of the things that all good golfers may have at home is an old, unused golf bag sitting in the corner of the garage. You’ll usually find it filled with clubs that they’ve bought, experimented with and then put into the “bin” while they try a new replacement club.  Occasionally, they’ll go back in and pull one out for a particular course they are going to play, or because they just want to try the club again. To be a good golfer, you’ll find that tinkering with your mix of clubs is going to be a way of life.

Try to find a way to enjoy it

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