Spread Your Wings

You may be devoted to a single putter brand, but don’t deny yourself the chance to try Tour Edge’s new models, especially at this price.

By Tony Dear

It’s unlikely anyone was anxiously awaiting news of an updated Tour Edge Wingman putter, but that certainly isn’t to say we’re not glad the new 700 Series is here. The original, introduced at the start of 2020, was a fairly typical mallet putter that Tour Edge’s President and CEO David Glod claims enjoyed ‘cult-like status’. One can never really be 100% certain what that phrase means, but it’s probably fair to say that, while they didn’t fly off (get it…Wingman?) the shelves at an alarming rate, those that did buy one raved about it.

After two and a half years of spreading the Wingman word, and with a shiny new line about to go on sale, it’s time for the Wingman to rise from cult-like status to mainstream. That said, a Tour Edge putter probably won’t ever reach the Ping, Odyssey, TaylorMade or Scotty Cameron mainstream but those commercials with Duffy Waldorf, Tim Petrovich, Scott McCarron, Bernhard Langer and all their senior friends are working.

The new 700 Line features three new heads each of which comes with two hosel options. While each of the three heads is distinctive from the others, there’s plenty of tech that’s common to them all. Thankfully, given how effective it was, the Lock-On alignment system (okay ‘system’ might be a bit grandiose as we’re talking about two straight lines), at least a version of it, is back. Numerous putter-makers have offered something similar to ensure the sole of the putter lies flat on the ground. With Lock-On straight white lines are painted into the bottom and top levels of the hollow carbon center. If the two lines don’t match up, either the toe or the heel of the putterhead is raised off the ground slightly and you risk having a poorly-aligned face at impact. A number of players – Seve Ballesteros, Isao Aoki, Hubert Green, etc. putted with the toe raised slightly while Steve Stricker, Scott Hoch and one or two others tend(ed) to putt with the heel raised. They all did pretty well on the greens, so it’s certainly not impossible to make a putt having the shaft lay flatter or steeper than the true lie of the club, but the Lock-On tech will very likely improve your make percentage over time.

They all feature a hollow carbon sole-plate which is a good deal lighter than the stainless steel around the perimeter of the club – a configuration that greatly increases the club’s Moment of Inertia (MoI) which means the putterhead will remain stable and be unlikely to twists if you make contact away from the sweetspot. Actually, 34% of the steel was replaced by the carbon to create perimeter-weighting and keep your putterface square.

And, like the original, each model comes with moveable weights that help you create the exact weight and feel you’re looking for. And heavier weights in the wings of the perimeter obviously give the MoI a boost. The weights come in three, eight and 15 grams with the three-gram weight being the standard option (eight and 15 gram weights sold separately).

Each model’s putterface features the same MicroGroove Face Technology as on the original but with a softer, durometer, thermoplastic TPU insert for improved feel. The horizontal grooves improve forward roll earlier in the putt, says Tour Edge, and reduces skidding off the face to create a better roll.
The new models are the 701, 702, 703, 704, 705 and, yep, 706. The 701 and 702 have the biggest heads with extended wings and, thus, the highest MoI. The 701’s neck produces mid-toe-hang which is good for those whose stroke moves on a slight arc, while the 702 is face-balanced (ideal for the straight back and through stroke).

The 703 and 704 have the side fins removed meaning a slightly smaller, less busy head. And the weights have been moved forward which puts the club’s Center of Gravity nearer the face. These models don’t quite boast the same MoI as the 701 and 702 but are still forgiving putters. Tour Edge says these putters are designed for those ‘wanting a more compact, smaller footprint while still providing massive MOI properties’. The 703 has the neck that gives mid-toe-hang neck, and the 704 is face-balanced.

The 705 and 706 are smaller still with shortened wings and forward weights, producing what Tour Edge says is the ‘playability of a blade putter with the stability of a mallet’. The 705 is the mid-toe-hang model while the 706 is center-shafted for golfers who like to position their eyes directly above the ball.

Tour Edge Wingman Series Putters

Price – $200
Loft – 3˚
Lie – 71˚
Length – 33”, 34”, 35”
Shaft – KBS CT Tour Putter Shaft
Grip – Lamkin Sinkfit Straight
Available in right-hand only
Pre-order on website, available in stores on August 1^st
www.touredge.com

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