This is post #1 of 2010 HOG Putter Week!
Once again, this review is another of the many cases of “being a golf web geek doesn’t suck.” My daunting and difficult task is to test out the very hyped up and popular Nike Method putter, mine being the model 001. Yes, being a golf web geek can be a rough go sometimes, but someone has to do it.
Many people are comparing the quality level of the Nike Method putter to that of a Cameron. I didn’t even know Cameron made putters. I thought he was a film maker. You know, Terminator Two, Aliens, Titanic, Avatar…
Nike Method Putter Model 001 Construction
The Method putter has a multi-material face. “Flowed through low durometer Polymetal Groove Technology” (that’s what I was going to say) dampens vibrations and gives the club a soft feel. The “interspersed milled steel face” gives audio feedback which helps the player control distance.
What does all that mean in plain English? The putter has a soft and buttery feel. The physical and audible feedback gives the player a closer connection to the stroke, the ball and the proper club head speed to deliver the ball the correct distance.
Extreme heel-toe weighting via Tungsten inserts makes the MOI (moment of inertia) of the putter very high and increases stability of the head during the stroke and especially impact.
Rock & Roll
I can roll the rock fairly well. Ask any of my victims golf buddies. Putting with the Method is a joy. I can sense and see that the ball is rolling very quickly off the putter face and not skidding. The previously mentioned Polymetal Groove Technology gets the ball rolling end over end much faster than a regular putter and I can definitely attest to that. The roll is pure and there’s not much initial skidding like on many other putters.
Looks
The Method 001 is a sharp looking putter, similar to that of a standard heel-toe weighted blade. But looking closer reveals many finer details than you’ll find on any standard heel-toe offering.
The finish of this putter is a very nice gray/silver color. The bottom is chrome. The milling in the face, the bottom and the back is very sharp and precise. The face not only has the large Polymetal Grooves, it has thousands of tiny milled round diamonds. See the face image below:
Feel
One of the first tests I do with putters is to simply see if the putter “wants” to stay square during the stroke. I’ll just take a few lightly gripped swings and see what the weighting feels like and what angles that weighting wants to take the head. Due to the distribution of more than 30 grams of weight in the heel and toe, the Method 001 wants to stay square. This is a good thing. If the person putting goes to sleep a tiny bit, the putter will still tend to stay square, resulting in the ball starting out on the right line.
The softness of the face is noticeable. It feels like you can sense the split second that the ball is in contact with the face. In fact that contact feels longer.
Grip
The grip is an old school pistol grip style, but with a tacky rubber which I really like.
The grip is crucial, as it is where the player connects to the putter. Without a good connection and feel through the grip, the best milling and design in the world can’t help make putts.
Head Cover
No zipper: check. No stupid Velcro: check. No wacky, nutty, clunky design: check. The head cover passes the test. It is classy looking, functional and best of all, easy to use.
Conclusion
Though the golf world didn’t necessarily need another heel-toe weighted blade, the Method 001 should be strongly considered when looking for a new putter. All aspects of this club, from aesthetics to feel to performance, are at the highest level.
Related Links
HOG Nike Image Gallery (more Method putter pictures and other Nike products).
Nike STR8-Fit vs TaylorMade R9.
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
