Sub70 009 Mini with double bend shaft review

[Golfinfloridaafter40]

OH WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN!!! 

 

Many have seen me bragging about Sub 70 recently which is all true, but it is only fair to share the bad as well.

 

Bought this putter from Sub 70, was really excited about it for a few reasons.  I have long arms/torso and short legs for my height, plus I putt with my eyes directly over the ball, so as you can imagine, I stand close and have to use a shorter putter because of it. Most retail putters are no good for me because of the lack of head weight needed when you use a 32-33" putter. 

This one not only starts at 380g or so, but has a full weight kit included so I knew there was a chance of it being a great fit.  I also hate gimmicky feeling inserts, as I grew up with Ping putters, Bettinardi era Cameron putters, and just prefer the crisp and predictable but soft feel of a milled face.

I need a double bend/face balanced shaft as my stroke is very straight and I saw double bend as one of the many options. Since the price was amazing and the forged wedges and hybrids I ordered were so good, I figured why not try a Sub 70 putter.

 

Looks - Everything about this is what I like.  Size, shape, deep black, non-glare finish with white site lines that really pop next to the ball. EXUDES CONFIDENCE at address!!!

 

Feel - Crisp, soft but not mushy or fake feeling like most putters are today, pretty close to perfect if you like older style milled putters

 

Performance - This is where things got weird!  I know there are many members that will laugh at me owning roughly 150 putters in my life, as some of you have had 1000+ but I consider myself to have a lot of experience in this area, plus putting is the strength of my game. This putter had the strangest balance I have ever seen.  Instead of being face-balanced or having toe-hang, it actually had heel hang.  I'm not even sure if that is a real term, but I knew something wasn't right.  I contacted Sub70 explaining that I thought it would be face balanced, they said that they couldn't get it to there but it was close.  It wasn't!  I started putting and immediately pulled the crap out of every putt I hit.  It was so bad that I made a game out of trying to find some odd way to hold the putter to keep the face from slamming shut.  I even held the face open and tried cutting across the ball and that was about the only way to get the ball to go straight-ish

 

Sub70 is taking the club back and they are known for amazing customer service.  They also have several different hosel and shaft options so one of them may be better, and this is probably not what to expect with all of their putters, but it was quite the let down none the less.

[MattM97]

3 hours ago, Golfinfloridaafter40 said:

Instead of being face-balanced or having toe-hang, it actually had heel hang.  I'm not even sure if that is a real term, but I knew something wasn't right.  I contacted Sub70 explaining that I thought it would be face balanced, they said that they couldn't get it to there but it was close.

 

Shaft was installed incorrectly. 

[5hort5tuff]

2 hours ago, MattM97 said:

 

Shaft was installed incorrectly. 

 

I agree with this. It's the shaft.

[Golfinfloridaafter40]

3 hours ago, MattM97 said:

 

Shaft was installed incorrectly. 

You think whoever installed it just didn't know what they were doing, or the shaft isn't manufactured correctly?  It did stick out a little bit more visually than a typical double bend

[MattM97]

2 hours ago, Golfinfloridaafter40 said:

You think whoever installed it just didn't know what they were doing, or the shaft isn't manufactured correctly?  It did stick out a little bit more visually than a typical double bend

 

Could have been installed correctly but could have moved before the epoxy dried. It's not uncommon for single/double bend shafts. 

[chip75]

5 hours ago, Golfinfloridaafter40 said:

You think whoever installed it just didn't know what they were doing, or the shaft isn't manufactured correctly?  It did stick out a little bit more visually than a typical double bend

Like MattM97 posted, if the grip is on straight it was installed incorrectly or twisted before it dried. Odyssey sometimes have the same issue.

[13ITZ]

I had a similar issue last year. Ordered the 005 wide blade with the single bend composite shaft and Garsen Max grip. With that grip, alignment is everything and the face was very closed at address where it seemed like the shaft had twisted at some point. I returned and was refunded in full as the CS is fantastic, but also bummed because I really wanted the putter to work.