Wheel-to-wheel racing at close to 400km/h on a banked oval might not appear to have much in common with holing putts, but premium putter maker Toulon Designs has managed to distil some Indycar racing know-how into its first-ever high MOI putter.
Called the Indianapolis, the Brickyard-inspired flatstick is one of four new 2017 Toulon Designs putters available at GolfBox from Early October.
The Indianapolis came into being after Toulon Designs' top dog Sean Toulon picked the brains of veteran Indycar team owner Chip Ganassi to discover how multi-material construction is utilised in the Indycar realm.
Toulon had a lightbulb moment and when he applied the principles learned from Indycar racing, the new Toulon Designs Indianapolis putter was born.
TOULON INDIANAPOLIS - WHAT'S UNDER THE BONNET
The Indianapolis is a blend of exotic and high performance material. It has a 6061 aircraft-grade aluminium face that is light but still produces great feel at impact and a milled 303 stainless steel sole to keep the CG low. Two milled tungsten weights spread the weight wide in the back wings to increase MOI and keep the CG rearward, while a lightweight carbon composite crown, a material similar to the carbon fibre that makes up an Indycar chassis, keeps the CG low.
Multi-material construction aside, the swept-back wing feature sitting on the rear of the Indianapolis is the biggest nod to its Indycar influence - it wouldn’t look out of place in Gasoline Alley bolted onto a front wing.
The Indianapolis has one long, bold white stripe on top of the putter as well as eight other prominent lines that are parallel or perpendicular to the target line to ensure easy alignment.
The Indianapolis has three degrees of loft and a lie angle of 70 degrees.
TOULON CLASSICS - AUSTIN, COLUMBUS AND LONG ISLAND
While a design as striking as the Indianapolis undeniably takes centre stage, three other new 2017 Toulon Designs putters are more classic pieces of putting art, all crafted from single blocks of soft, 303 stainless steel.
The Austin is Toulon Designs' take on the timeless Anser design but features a wider cavity and more pronounced heel and toe bumpers. It has an H1 hosel with a full shaft offset and 45 degrees of toe hang.
The Columbus is a perimeter-weighted blade and is the first Toulon Designs putter to feature the H2 extended neck. It has a notchback shape, with elongated heel and toe bumpers protruding out past the Columbus’ backline, and 20 degrees of toe hang. The Columbus acts more like a mallet through its improved stability.
The Long Island is a pintail-shape putter with a slightly longer blade that gently curves up to the toe. It has 60 degrees of toe hang and is fitted with Toulon’s new H6 flowing hosel and a three-quarter shaft offset.
The Austin, Columbus and Long Island all have three degrees of loft and a lie angle of 70 degrees.
TOULON ORIGINALS – MADISON, MEMPHIS AND SAN DIEGO
The four new putters for 2017 join three existing models in the Toulon Designs range, the Madison, Memphis and San Diego.
The Madison is a classic and clean-shaped heel-toe weighted blade that has been improved by stretching the length of the bumpers and softening the edges. The two shoulders are symmetrical and have been widened to improve forgiveness. The Madison has 45 degrees of toe hang and sports a new mid-slant hosel with full shaft offset.
The Memphis is a mid-sized mallet and is the only face balanced putter in the Toulon range. The wide back cavity flows into the side bumpers to create two parallel lines that run perpendicular to the putterface, framing the cavity, and work in unison with a single white target line to aid alignment. The shaft on the Memphis terminates directly into the putterhead and has a full shaft offset.
The San Diego is another blade style putter in the Toulon Designs stable but its contours are squarer and sleeker compared to the Austin and Madison. It also has a thinner topline, 45 degrees of toe hang and is fitted with the H1 hosel with a full shaft offset. The San Diego is a popular choice among current professionals on the PGA Tour.
The Madison, Memphis and San Diego all have three degrees of loft and a lie angle of 70 degrees.
TOULON CONTACT PATCH – A ROUGH DIAMOND
All Toulon putters feature a unique diamond pattern milled into the putterface called the “contact patch”. After extensive research and prototyping, Toulon Designs found the diamond pattern improved the acoustics and feel at impact by channelling away vibration to produce a soft, yet crisp sound.
The intricate milling process to create the "contact patch" takes about 40 minutes to complete and the diamond cross-hatching is interspersed with tiny grooves to reduce backspin, improve roll and help putts stay on line for longer.
TOULON CUSTOMISATION - SOLE AND RELEASE
Toulon Designs putters have a wealth of customisation options to correct or complement any stroke.
The standard soleplate on any Toulon putter can be swapped to alter feel and impact characteristics. Interchangeable soleplates come in aluminium (7g), stainless steel (20g) and tungsten (40g).
Toulon putters also have the option of adding a counterbalanced weight inside the top of the shaft to customise the release dynamics of their putters.
An MR (moderate release) option of a 25g counterbalanced weight produces a slightly pronounced release, where the putterhead smoothly passes the hands, while the 50g AR (aggressive release) option can mimic a more forceful release where the putterhead quickly passes the hands.
All Toulon putters can be fitted with a Toulon Designs Lamkim Deep Etch rubber grip, a Superstroke Pistol GT Tour grip or a Superstroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip.
The entire range of Toulon Designs putters will be available at GolfBox from Early October and will retail for around $649, with the price changing slightly depending on which soleplate is fitted.
