considering sending a putter to Bettinardi for refinishing

[1puttTUT]

I'm thinking about sending in a putter I just acquired via ebay for a new face milling. I just had the putter refinished by my personal putter guy, and it turned out great, but the face milling is just too worn out to bring back. I'm strongly considering sending it in to Betti, but I started filling out the form and $200 seems pretty steep for a face milling. If the putter had other work that needed to be done then the cost would be much more justified imo.

 

So my questions are: Would they possibly charge less to do just a face milling? What are the typical turnaround times? Can you get access to special head covers (I could use a cool cover for this particular putter)? Has everyone who's done this before been happy with the experience?

 

Thanks!

 

*I'm going to post some pics of the putter in it's current condition shortly

[1puttTUT]

Pics -

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1puttTUT]

Well I called Bettinardi and I couldn't get the price adjusted...now I have a tough decision.

[AThompson_3]

I know $200 sounds expensive but there goal as a company isn't to refinish putters. Their goal is to sell new putters. Plus Betti's milling isn't the typical milling you see on most putters where you can just mill over top of the existing mill lines. I'm assuming since the milling is more detailed with Bettinardi that it is indeed a different process involved for re-milling than it is to originally mill a new putter. I mean it's all done by machine anyways, but it's still a different process all together. Plus they would prefer to sell you a new putter so them charging $200 makes the consumer have this thought process, "would I rather have a brand new putter for $300-$400 or a refurbished putter for $200+ whatever you just bought it for on EBay, plus what you paid the guy to refinish it.

[justasgood]

I'd leave it as is. The early Bettinardi milling pattern is light so it looks fine.

[1puttTUT]

I know $200 sounds expensive but there goal as a company isn't to refinish putters. Their goal is to sell new putters. Plus Betti's milling isn't the typical milling you see on most putters where you can just mill over top of the existing mill lines. I'm assuming since the milling is more detailed with Bettinardi that it is indeed a different process involved for re-milling than it is to originally mill a new putter. I mean it's all done by machine anyways, but it's still a different process all together. Plus they would prefer to sell you a new putter so them charging $200 makes the consumer have this thought process, "would I rather have a brand new putter for $300-$400 or a refurbished putter for $200+ whatever you just bought it for on EBay, plus what you paid the guy to refinish it.

 

Unfortunately you can't buy this putter anymore. They are actually extremely rare in LH DASS (no copper insert). This one cost me $450 plus another $40 to refinish it to pictured condition.

[justasgood]

What makes you think it is DASS?

[1puttTUT]

What makes you think it is DASS?

 

I have another one that I know for a fact is DASS and this one looks pretty identical.

[DrJACOB]

I had the same putter refinished and face re-milled by Studio B. Came out wonderful however lost the First generation honeycomb milling. First gen was a bit lighter depth and more circles than hexagons (ie like the copper insert BB2). It was a few years ago and cost me about $165 back when. They seemed to really be about making it original and not any custom options with stamps or milled faces.

 

I want to say the DASS only BB2's are circa 1998-99 and the BB2's with copper insert are circa 2004-05. My avatar might give away that I favor Bettinardi BB2 putters.

KJ

[justasgood]

I had the same putter refinished and face re-milled by Studio B. Came out wonderful however lost the First generation honeycomb milling. First gen was a bit lighter depth and more circles than hexagons (ie like the copper insert BB2). It was a few years ago and cost me about $165 back when. They seemed to really be about making it original and not any custom options with stamps or milled faces.

 

I want to say the DASS only BB2's are circa 1998-99 and the BB2's with copper insert are circa 2004-05. My avatar might give away that I favor Bettinardi BB2 putters.

KJ

 

Aren't they stamped DASS?

[DrJACOB]

I had the same putter refinished and face re-milled by Studio B. Came out wonderful however lost the First generation honeycomb milling. First gen was a bit lighter depth and more circles than hexagons (ie like the copper insert BB2). It was a few years ago and cost me about $165 back when. They seemed to really be about making it original and not any custom options with stamps or milled faces.

 

I want to say the DASS only BB2's are circa 1998-99 and the BB2's with copper insert are circa 2004-05. My avatar might give away that I favor Bettinardi BB2 putters.

KJ

 

Aren't they stamped DASS?

These are not stamped DASS. I have seen it referred to DASS in cetificate of authenticity and talking with Bettinardi associates. Definitely fails any magnet test!