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NWO Golf Links
MATT SATERNUS
Equipment
Review:
FORGIVENESS IS A WORD THAT MOST GOLFERS ASSOCIATE
with drivers and irons,
but it’s equally important in putting. While the miss hits in putting tend to be small,
so is the margin for error. Though there are many putters with high MOI, most look
like spaceships and feel totally alien to players who like traditional flat sticks. The
PING Ketsch Mid-Putter bridges the gap by combining impactful technology with a
traditional feel.
While perhaps not small enough to qualify as a traditional
mallet, the PING Ketsch Mid-Putter is substantially smaller
than its big brother. Side by side, the Ketsch appears almost
twice as long as the Ketsch Mid.
Beyond the size, the Ketsch Mid has all the other
hallmarks of the original Ketsch. Triple alignment
lines, plus the round shape, with deep milled-out
areas push weight towards the perimeter. As much
as I liked the original Ketsch, I find myself even more
drawn to this slimmed-down version.
At impact, the PING Ketsch Mid feels soft with excellent
feedback. The feel isn’t too mushy, but it’s miles from firm,
unless you’re putting a range rock. The soft feel is coupled
with a pleasant “thock” on the sweet spot that gets a bit
louder as you move toward the heel or toe.
The first time I took the PING Ketsch Mid-Putter to the
practice green, I felt like PING made it just for me. When
testing the original Ketsch, I was blown away by the
forgiveness I got from the combination of PING’s True Roll
face and the large, high MOI head. The Ketsch Mid retains
the feel and balance of a traditional blade putter but still
provides tremendous forgiveness. For the first time in recent
memory, there’s a real chance that I’ll be gaming a mallet
regularly.