It won't be news to anyone reading this review that Ping entered the golf world by making putters, Karsten Solheim spent hours in his garage building clubs and designed the famous Anser.
Many companies have a specialist putter section, for example Titleist have Scotty Cameron and Callaway have Odyssey - Ping have Ping as it's what they’re famous for. In fact, there isn't even a name for this new 2021 range. The models have a matte black finish with each putter also receiving a flash of red, and the look is similar to the Ping G410 colours.
I think these new wands sit nicely between the firmer face Heppler range and the softer feel of a Sigma 2 model.
What's It All About?
The new feature and main piece of tech with the new range is a Dual-Durometer insert, which combines a softer front layer of Pebax and a back layer which is made of a firmer material.
Ping say this gives you a soft feel on short putts and ensures distance control on longer putts. The Dual-Durometer face also has shallower, more uniformed grooves to aid roll and consistency of strike.
The new putters have also been made a little more forgiving by increasing MOI and optimising the CG due to varying densities in tungsten and aluminium. These weights are visible in the toe and heel of the face on the Anser model.
As with drivers, the further the distance between these tungsten weights the more balance and stability in the head during the stroke and impact. It is said to aid poor strikes and face manipulation.
There are 11 new models in the the new range that fall into three different categories: Blade (Anser, Anser 2, Anser 4), Mid Mallet (Kushin 4, DS 72, CA 70, Tyne 4) and Mallet (Fetch, Tyne C, Oslo H, Harwood).
Each putter is available in three shaft lengths: 33, 34 and 35 inch with an adjustable shaft available for an extra £50 - see my Ping Heppler review for more information on this. Grips are available in different weights and thickness, from the classic PP58 grip used by Tiger Woods to the PP58-S paddle and the PP60 pistol design.
The Test
I tested two models in the new range: Anser and the Oslo H (which is the style Tyrrell Hatton uses) at Denton GC.
The two putters were both 34 inches in length, the Anser had the PP58 pistol grip on and the Oslo H had the PP58-S grip.
I hit a tonne of putts during my test from a variety of distances: long, medium and short putts and then tested each putter on the trusty compass six foot drill.
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Ping 2021 Anser and Oslo H Putter Review
Looks
I am a huge fan of matte black putters - when Ping brought out the black Redwood back in the day, I was sold - I loved those putters. My Australia tour friend Nikki Garrett had advised me to use one as it stopped the glare from the sun, however she was far more in need of this feature than I was... Unfortunately the sun doesn't shine too much in Denton.
The Dual-Durometer insert is black and in true Ping style it subtly fits into the head, it’s only highlighted by the red line on the bottom of the face which I think looks great. It's eye-catching but not too in your face.
You can see the weights on the heel and toe in the Anser model I tested but once again they are black and inconspicuous. When comparing the looks to the Heppler, the copper has been replaced by black and a little touch of white in the detailing. Again, there is one red stripe on the bottom of the face for shelf appeal and to draw your attention to the new features. Ping’s logo is black and white so this is nicely on brand.
Feel
Both models I tested felt softer off the face but they still holed out nicely. This is going to sound a little contradictory but Ping have struck a nice balance with these putters - you get a soft feel off the face but a positive roll (if that makes any sense), this is exactly what I like and what Ping are trying to do with their Dual-Durometer technology.
You can also still feel the strikes that aren’t as good, mine are the ones that are on the bottom of the face. But all in all the feelings are the same more often than not and consistent across the face.
Consistency
The consistency in the roll is noticeably softer than the Heppler range from Ping, they're not known for inserts but this one is discrete yet effective. The heel and toe weighting really helps with face stability in the Anser shape. I would also say that off-centre strikes performed well and face rotation was certainly less than with my older Ansers that I used on tour.
With both models, the roll was very good - it seems to start rolling straight away rather than skip first.
On The Course
Oslo H
This is far from the shape that I normally enjoy but having not hit too many putts before I conducted my review due to lockdown, I needed the forgiveness that the mallet shape offered.
It out-performed the Anser easily on the six foot compass drill. The strike was consistent and the face rotation very limited. It was very easy to line up due to the black head and strong clear white line.
On longer putts the ball rolled great and hugged the surface, I holed a few monster 40 foot putts which brought a smile to my face too - what could go wrong?
Anser
I wasn’t great with my short putts during testing, my time away from golf hasn’t been kind to me. I struggled with strike and the face opening and closing, meaning that I missed short putts on both sides of the hole. This was me rather than the putter, however it does highlight that even with the added heel and toe weighting, a blade is not as forgiving.
On long putts I enjoyed the roll and release of the putter, I would hit one and think “that’s soft, it is probably short”. Then I would look up and it was running nicely to the hole, the putt never felt it was getting away from me in pace. These are the types of feelings and thoughts which you want on the putting surface.
Ping 2021 Anser and Oslo H Putter Verdict
These are beauties both in look and performance, I used a Ping putter my whole career but found this Dual-Durometer insert to be far less 'clicky' and the strike consistency to be higher.
You get a load of technology whilst both putters still manage to keep their stealthly and premium looks. They aren’t flashy but they’re dependable and quality looking.
I think this range will be extremely popular due to its selection of heads and the soft feel yet firm roll which the face provides. I felt I was getting the best of both worlds - on a downhill putt I could be confident in not racing it by but on the uphill putts I had enough firmness in the face not to have to whack the ball towards the hole.
Who Should Use It?
With eleven models, there is no doubt you will find a putter which suits you. They are softer off the face than the Heppler and sound this way also. These putters are great for golfers who like to keep the same putter during winter and summer conditions and/or somebody that plays many different courses with different green speeds.
The technology in the head of these Ping putters makes them easily adaptable for whatever green conditions you will face.
When considering trying a putter think of how we buy irons. Compare it to blades and cavity backs.
Blades feel and look great but don’t have the forgiveness. The mallet is the game-improvement putter shape just like cavity back irons. It can get the MOI back and has a bigger head to add stability to your stroke and therefore strike.
This isn’t to say that good players and great putters should only use blades as Tyrrell uses a mallet, Dustin Johnson won last year's Masters with a TaylorMade Spider and this is due to a golfer's putting stroke and arc. Blades are suited to a bigger arc, mallets are more suited to a slight arc.
Would I Use It?
I definitely would. These putters look the same as the PXG Brandon putter I am using at the moment. I am a player that doesn’t want to change my putter loft or head when I visit quicker greens or grainy greens, which is why this putter would be ideal for me. I feel it adapts extremely well in the feel department for all types of green speeds and slopes you face - I think the word I'm looking for is versatile.
Pros
- Great feel across different models
- More forgiveness in the Anser than previous Anser models
- Huge amount of choice throughout range
- Headcover is premium
Cons
- Harwood model comes with an extremely large price tag (£375) and £40 upcharge for adjustable grip is a lot
- Very hard to find any others in all honesty...
