The Bettinardi BB Series 2018 range of putters take some of their classic shapes and some new ones to give a range of 4 putters in a new Matte Black finish
The first BB Series came out in 1999 and the BB1 Anser style putter is still in the range and features the same Super-Fly Mill face milling pattern that appears on the other models too.
Together with the blade BB29 and the new half-moon BB39 mallet, the heads are milled from a single block of soft carbon steel with 3° loft and give a classic look with the 'electric yellow' graphics.
This extends to the Bettinardi branded Lamkin Deep-Etched grips that come in a choice of standard and jumbo, which I would recommend going for if you like anything larger than normal.
However the unique putter in the range that you might start to see on tour is the high MOI BB56 and that is the one I put through its paces.
Bettinardi BB56 Putter Review
The Bettinardi BB56 is a new model for 2018 and is milled from a single block of 6061 aluminium.
Unlike the other models, Bettinardi adds a 303 stainless steel strip to the top of the head to create the long sight line you see at address.
This raises the centre of gravity of the head above the centre of the ball to get the ball rolling better, which it did very well.
I do like a long, prominent site line on my mallets and the brushed steel section on the BB56 is excellent for lining up and doesn't take over the head like some others do.
It actually distracts your eyes from the size of the large dark head, which is surprisingly manageable for a putter of this size.
When you turn it over the full dimensions of the sole become clear and it is pretty flat which is a bit of a double edged sword.
On the plus side, it means the BB56 site very well at address before you take your grip as the face does not fall back or open to add loft like some others do.
On the other hand, I did find that the rather subtle sole camber from heel to toe and particularly front to back meant that I would slightly catch the ground during the follow through on some of my strokes.
Now I suppose if my stroke was tour perfect then this wouldn't be an issue, but Seve putted with the toe up in the air and us mortals are never going to get it right every time, so it would be better if Bettinardi can make some allowance for this without losing the benefits of the flatter sole at address.
I should point out that the head has a 1/8th toe hang, but is as good as face balanced to me and because of the deeper CG comes with 2° loft instead of the 3° for the rest of the 2018 BB Series range.
The feel from the face was good, although the sound was a little high pitched and firm and not quite as luxurious as I was expecting from a milled putter in this price range. Maybe it needs some grooves to help with this or the classic Bettinardi Honeycomb pattern on the face, which I have to say I was a little disappointed wasn't on there, but is on the Queen B Series if you do want it.
Overall though, there is a lot to like about the Bettinardi BB56. The quality is evident and the shape and style of the high MOI head is one of the better ones in the market, so if the sound and feel work for you then it is going to be a good investment.