I don’t switch putters very often. In fact, the last time I switched was because my old putter was stolen. I’ve switched and I’m very happy with my new putter by Grant Mackay of Dornoch Putters. This thing is amazing.
I missed the DHL guy a couple of times. I didn’t know what he was delivering. On the 3rd day he finally caught me and handed me a golf club box. The problem was that the top 1/3 of the box was gone and there was the handle of a golf club sticking out about 1.5 feet. I looked at the return address and this thing had come clear from Scotland. I asked the DHL guy about the condition of the box and he said “this is the way it was when it got to me.” Surprisingly the putter had survived a trip from Scotland to Utah with half the box gone and/or destroyed.
I tested the putter out on the practice green a few days later and shot some pictures of it, as I do for all my reviews. I wasn’t quite done testing it on the practice green, not confident enough to try it on the course yet. The next day I forgot to put my regular putter back in the bag and found out the Dornoch Putter was in play when I arrived at the 1st green in my Thursday money game. Uh oh. That could be expensive.
As it turned out, it was expensive… for my opponents. I putted so well that day, that the putter hasn’t left my bag since.
Grant Mackay hand makes his putters in Scotland to the spec of the player in the very shop in Scotland where Donald Ross started his career as a carpenter. If that isn’t a source of some kind of putting magic, I don’t know what is. There are currently eight models in the Dornoch line.
The putters are milled out of 304 Stainless steel. The face has a very interesting milling pattern which gets the ball rolling well. See below:
The weight, length, loft, lie paint scheme and the grip are all customized for the player by Grant Mackay.
Specs
Head Weight: 335, 340, 345, 350, 355, 360, 365, 370, 375, 380 grams
Loft: 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5 degrees
Lie: 68, 69, 70, 71, and 72, 73, 74, 75 degrees
Offset: 1/4 inch, customizable.
Length: 31”, 32″, 33″, 34″, 35″
Finish: shot blast with fine glass beads
Grip: Golf Pride, code 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Shaft: True Tempers finest sleek stepless chrome steel
Head Cover: Dornoch Putters, Velcro seal
On The Course
I’ve logged about 15-20 rounds with my “Bird Dog 1” putter and with great results.
I always line up the lettering on the golf ball when I’m putting, as an alignment aid. I’ll get the white aiming line of the putter head in line with the lettering on the ball. Following the stroke I’m seeing the ball rolling with that lettering perfectly on line, end over end. It is quite amazing how perfectly the ball rolls with this putter. I can’t stress how big of a difference it is.
The weight and feel of this putter is spectacular. The head “likes,” in fact it insists on staying square to the target line while the weighting and the larger grip promote a smooth stroke and no wrist breaking.
The audible feedback of the putter is unlike any I’ve heard. There’s a very light pinging sound which is very nice and gives a good indication to how close to the sweet spot the strike is.
Critiques
No critiques of the putter in any way. My only critique, which is common in my reviews, is the head cover. I’m not a fan of Velcro. I prefer magnetic head covers as they last much longer. Velcro wears quickly and starts to look shabby after a few rounds.
Conclusion
I’m one happy camper with my new Dornoch putter. I haven’t used a putter which rolls the rock better than my Bird Dog 1, and I’ve reviewed a lot of putters. Grant Mackay is making some very fine flat sticks which come straight from golf’s birthplace. As a bonus, the back of the putter face has a Scottish flag on it.
Related Links
Dornoch Putters Web Site
Hooked On Golf Blog Dornoch Putters Image Gallery
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
I like the ridge pattern. I’ll have to try one of these new puppys out.
John
The putter will be next in my agenda. I have just brought a new driver last night and hopefully, they will put nice putters on sale this month.