This article will discuss several putter product lines offered by Scotty Cameron and Titleist. These will include the two lines of mallet putters, the RED X® series and the Futura Phantom, as well as two limited edition putters.
RED X® Mallet Putters
As is the case with many of Scotty Cameron's putters, the mallet head designs of this line are very sculptured looking and pleasing to the eye. There is at once a certain boldness in the designs but also a simplicity as well. One wonders if Cameron doesn't do sculpture on the side. The newest putters in this series, the Red X3 and the Red X5, are just being shipped to Titleist retailers as this article is being written in mid-September 2007. Both of these putters are milled from 303 stainless steel, and they have a black anodized sole plate as well as a glare resistant charcoal mist finish. Cameron has used this glare resistant finish on a number of his putter designs for 2007. All the mallet putters in the product line have a single alignment line. The differences between these two putters are that the Red X3 has a traditional shaft with a ¼ shaft offset obtained by a single bend in the shaft, and that the Red X5 has a full shaft offset and a plumbing neck. Both have the standard 4 degrees of loft and 71 degrees of lie angle, and they both come in lengths of 33, 34, and 35 inches. For left-handers, only the Red X3 is available in a 35 inch length.
The older members of this product line are the Red X and the Red X2, and there are a number of variations of these. There are belly putters for both models, called the Red X Mid and the Red X2 Mid, and there is a long length putter called the Red X2 Long. These putters were designed in 2003, and Cameron did a lot of research with different materials to obtain the best feel and sound possible at impact. The heads are made of stainless steel, and there is an additional face insert made of a different type of stainless steel, and the insert is given an elastomer border which helps give good feel and sound at impact. The difference between the Red X and the Red X2 is in the shaft configuration. The Red X has a single bend one shaft offset and the shaft connects to the putter head about half way between the center of the mallet head and the heel. There is no shaft offset on the Red X2, and the shaft connects to the mallet just behind the middle of the putter head. All the putters in the Red X line retail for $300.
Future Phantom Mallet Putters
There are two putters in this product line, the Mallet and the Mallet 2. The difference between the two is that the shaft connects to the mallet head at almost the center for the Mallet 2, whereas for the Mallet putter the shaft connects closer to the heel. There is no shaft offset for either putter. As the product line name implies, these putters have a very futuristic and stylish look to them. Behind the flat putter face is a stainless steel back plate that has a five-line alignment configuration. Behind that is a semicircular bar which gives the putter its mallet shape. It is obvious from simply looking at these putters that the weight has been redistributed to obtain a high moment of inertia, or MOI, which provides forgiveness on off-center hits. The putters come with the standard loft of 4 degrees and standard lie angle of 71 degrees, have no shaft offset, and are available in lengths of 34 and 35 inches. The Mallet 2 is only available in right-handed models. The materials used to produce the mallet heads are 661 aircraft aluminum with a stainless steel back weight, as mentioned above. Both putters retail for $300.
Limited Edition Catalina Classic
This is a classic putter design with only about 2000 pieces produced. The head of the putter is made of carbon steel and is coated with the charcoal mist anti-glare finish which also increases the putter's durability. There is a single aiming line on the back center flange, and the grip is a soft stitched leather.
Teryllium Ten Limited Edition
Teryllium is a copper metal made from 12 different alloys, and it provides a soft feel and good sound due to the thick copper insert. Cameron released the first teryllium putters 10 years ago and is following up with an updated version. The sleek black look combined with the copper metal color, as well as the putter's shape, make it a really beautiful instrument. Soft hand stitched leather grips are standard.
The two mallet putter product lines offered by Cameron and Titleist, the RED X® series and the Future Phantom mallet putters, offer an exceptional range of choices for golfers who are sold on mallets. I have used a mallet for years because it let me hit solid putts on a consistent basis. For the golfer who has everything, the two limited edition lines provide unique putter choices as well.
