PING has this week introduced the Nome® TR™ putter with variable-depth grooves milled directly into the face, an industry-first innovation the company says produces unmatched distance control. The new model also offers a bold alignment feature that makes the mallet-style head easy to aim. It will be available at golf shops in mid-May.
The grooves, which first appeared in the face insert of the Scottsdale® TR series, are deepest in the centre and get shallower toward the perimeter to deliver consistent ball speeds, whether the ball is struck in the centre of the face or toward the heel or toe. Distance control, PING says, has been virtually off the charts. Research with this technology shows a nearly 50% improvement in ball-speed consistency when measured across nine points on the face.
“Variable-depth grooves have caught on exceptionally well with the average golfer and with many PING tour pros, who have won four times in the past month with variable-depth-groove putters,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “Just one example is Ángel Cabrera, who relied on variable-depth grooves to finish second at the Masters, and to win the following week in Argentina. In addition to precision-milled grooves, the Nome TR’s distinctive alignment bar with a contrasting sightline gives golfers added confidence to sink more putts. The combination of distance control, accuracy and extreme forgiveness will be exciting to golfers. Plus, they’re able to optimize the fit by choosing a standard or adjustable-length shaft.”
The 350-gram Nome TR has a non-glare matte-black body, white alignment bar and contrasting black sightline to make aiming easy. It is milled from high-grade aircraft aluminium. Its high MOI and extreme forgiveness come from the balance of a lightweight head and perimeter weighting in the form of tungsten-composite sole weights. As part of PING’s Fit for Stroke™ system, three different shaft bends are available to fit Straight, Slight Arc, or Strong Arc putting strokes.
Golfers can select a fixed-length shaft or, as an upgrade, a telescoping USGA/R&A-conforming shaft that adjusts from 31 inches to 38 inches, allowing golfers to modify their putter length prior to a round using a PING wrench. “Custom fitting is integral to everything we do at PING, and offering choices in shafts allows golfers to personalize the fit, and in putting, that’s especially important,” Solheim added. “When golfers are properly fit for the correct putter length, our studies show they’re much more accurate and consistent.”
RRP is £239 with a fixed-length shaft, £259 with adjustable-length.
PING www.PING.com