Rife 400 Mid Mallet
The Rife 400 Mid Mallet is a compact, cavity back mallet in which the neck has been eliminated to save weight. When combined with the scalloped rear flange, the heel-toe effect enlarges the sweet spot. Includes RollGroove technology in the clubface.
When a manufacturer describes equipment as 'entry level' it usually sets alarm bells ringing. Surely this can't be for me? After all I've been playing this game for decades!
Also Read: Best Golf Putters
With the new Rife 400 Mid Mallet, however, the tag is ill-conceived. 'Entry level' hardly does this putter justice - in two rounds I almost holed everything I looked at and caused gasps of disbelief from playing colleagues.
To be fair, 'entry level' probably describes the price point - a respectable £79.99 - compared to many of the leading brands asking for up to £200 and more for flat sticks that posess all the bells and whistles of modern technology but don't necessarily suit every golfer.
As for the 400 Mid-Mallet, I've always been a fan of Guerin Rife's horizontal face grooves - they appeal to my senses and compared to insert faces or finely milled putters, deliver a soft but solid feel that compliments my left-below-right putting grip and straight-back-straight through action.
The pendulum swing also fits the no frills, grey mallet flange and within its white alignment aid is easy to set at the target line.
First time I used it I holed my first putt of the round from off the green and in my latest 18 holes discovered the magic had not deserted me with a handful of single putts from 15-20 feet and a number of solid 3-footers on seasonal, bumpy greens.
Verdict
Rife is a name that should be one of the first to consider when looking round for a putter. Don't be put off by horizontal face grooves - they act to keep the ball hugging the ground as it jumps off the face and will give you that extra bit of roll that turns a put left in the jaws into one that topples into the hole.
