Hot on the heels of their new Hellcat putter, PXG is rolling out the Battle Ready II Torpedo. Shockingly, the PXG Torpedo is not a zero-torque putter.
Not zero-torque? Oh, the humanity!
Although PXG has produced some of the best zero-torque putters in the marketplace, like the Allan, they know that zero-torque is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
As such, they continue to produce traditional-torque models. The Torpedo continues the rich tradition of PXG’s Battle Ready II putter line, known for its precision construction and novel approach to maximizing stability and MOI.
And, yes, the Torpedo does have a striking resemblance to another popular putter model.
PXG’s Battle Ready II assistive putter technologies
I know I have said it before but I believe that PXG makes some of the best putters in the current marketplace. Not only do they offer a wide range of putter models but all of their putters are packed with assistive technologies.
The Battle Ready II line is a great example of the tech that PXG packs into their putters. Here are some of the features of the new Torpedo that should help you make more putts.
Hosel options
Like the other Battle Ready II putters, the PXG Torpedo has four hosel options. Each delivers a different toe hang, thus providing different fitting options. The double-bend hosel creates the least toe hang. The heel-shafted hosel adds the most and the plumber’s neck hosel’s toe hang falls somewhere between the other two.
The fourth hosel facilitates an armlock build scheme for the Torpedo. I’m not sure how many folks out there are armlock putter people, but I am sure that they are stoked that PXG has this option for them.
Pyramid powered face and precision milling
The PXG Battle Ready II Torpedo features the third incarnation of PXG’s Pyramid Face Pattern. The small pyramids on the face interact with the dimples on the golf ball, improving roll and feel. The feel at impact is soft but the ball still hustles along the turf-ace.
Though not technically an assistive feature, it is worth pointing out that the milling on the Torpedo is first-class. From the diamonds on the face to the shallow lines along the spine, PXG’s commitment to precision construction is apparent.
Hollow bodies filled with polymer
The most interesting design feature of the Torpedo, and the rest of the Battle Ready II line, is their hollow construction. The stainless steel walls of the head are very thin. According to PXG, the face of the Torpedo is only 0.055 inches thick. According to Grok, that’s about the thickness of a credit card.
While a putter face that thin would deliver a vigorous roll, it would also likely feel awful and collapse after impact.
To correct both of these issues, PXG fills their Battle Ready II putters with their patented S COR polymer. This polymer supports the thin metal surfaces and reduces unpleasant vibrations.
Like with a jelly-filled doughnut, once you combine all the components, you end up with something delicious.
The flies and spiders get along together
Any Cake fans out there? They still put on a great live show. If their tour stops nearby, go see them. You could even go home with a tree. Cobwebs fall on an old skipping record.
Getting to the point, I, too, think the PXG Battle Ready II looks more than an itsy-bitsy bit like a Spider. At this point, I’m somewhat desensitized to the emergence of putter shape doppelgangers.
Legally, there is nothing litigious going on here. My understanding is that TaylorMade was able to patent specific Spider design elements like the True Path alignment, but the overall Spider shape is not patented.
As with the PING Anser, the Spider shape is a putter shape that works. Also like the Anser, the Spider shape is one that other companies explore and enhance with their own creative spins.
Each new spin on the design brings something new to the Spiderverse. Things may have started with Peter Parker, but Miles Morales is also spectacular.
Torpedo versus Blackjack
Rather than comparing the Torpedo to the Spider, I think it is more interesting to compare this new putter to PXG’s Blackjack. The Blackjack was also a Spider-inspired design, featuring a perimeter weight ring.
The PXG Torpedo has lost the rear portion of the Blackjack’s weight ring. We still see an overall weight-to-the-corners weight distribution scheme, but the ring alteration makes the Torpedo’s weighting a little fang-like.
When you compare the sole of the Blackjack to the Torpedo, you will see that the Torpedo has more material closer to the ground. The Torpedo also lacks the Blackjack’s adjustable weights toward the face.
What all of this means is that although the two putters look similar, they have subtle, but significant, differences in construction. The weight distribution is different and this will influence feel and performance.
If you tried the Blackjack and didn’t quite mesh with it, you could have a better experience with the Torpedo.
Rolling rocks with the PXG Torpedo
Although my putter well is populated with zero-torque models these days, I will be adding the PXG Torpedo to the rotation. As soon as I started rolling balls with it, all I could say was “damn.”
(By the way, did you know that the phrase “Damn the torpedoes!” originated in the Civil War? I’ve always known that the phrase was about going forward despite obstacles, but I didn’t know it was about sailing through a mined waterway. Mines were called torpedoes back then. Damn the Torpedoes is also a fantastic Tom Petty album, of course.)
Why am I not damning this Torpedo? In a word, stability. This putter is not a zero-torque model but it is so stable that it almost feels like one.
Putting involves dropping the Torpedo behind the ball and making your stroke. The Torpedo stays low and smooth the whole time. Let the putter do its thing and you should be good.
The plumber’s neck hosel fits my stroke very well. This putter was making putts for me as soon as I took it out of the box. The learning curve was flat.
Naturally, the Torpedo reminded me of the Milled Spider Tour putter. The two are similar but I think the Torpedo has a better feel and look at address
Beware of high horses
If you don’t want to like the PXG Battle Ready II Torpedo because it looks like a Spider, that is your prerogative. Ultimately, you get to draw your consumer line in the sand.
That said, if you happen to see a Torpedo in a shop, go roll it. You may find it tastier than expected.
The Torpedo is an excellent example of how iconic designs can still be improved upon. Our initial response may be one of indignation but I think we should move past that to a feeling of curiosity.
I’m going to approach future historical reimaginings more along the lines of “What have they done to the design? rather than “Why did they copy the design?”
By the way, did you know the Sumerians created the first sausage, likely blood sausage, back in Mesopotamia around 3100 BC? Me neither. Thanks again, Grok.
Should we be angry about all of the other kinds of “copycat” sausages or should we just celebrate the distinctively delicious diversity of modern sausage varieties?
If you need me, I’ll be on the putting green with my Torpedo and kielbasa.
The PXG Torpedo will be available on XXXXXX with a MSRP of $XXX in shops and at PXG.com
The post Don’t Damn The PXG Torpedo appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
