Gear: Cleveland HB Soft-Milled putters. Price: $199.99 each with a steel shaft. $249.99 with UST Mamiya All In graphite/steel shaft
Specifications: Stainless steel with CNC-machined faces
Available November 18
Who it’s for: For golfers who want to have the classic look and feel of milled putters, but at a lower price.
The Skinny: Cleveland has milled only the faces of HB Soft Milled putters, rather than milling the whole head, which can be costly. This allows for a more precise feel and a better hitting area, as well as a more stable shaft option.
The Deep Dive: Most of the best-quality putters are made from one piece of stainless steel. The computer controls a spinning bit that moves back and forth, slicing tiny bits of metal from the block. Although the process can take hours, the result is a perfectly-made putter head. Milled putters are usually expensive at $350 or more, making them difficult to afford for many golfers.
Cleveland putter designs have been available for many years at affordable prices. The brand’s new HB Soft Milled family of putters aims to make milling affordable to all.
The grooves on the HB Soft Milled putters were designed to increase distance control. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The HB Soft Milled family has 10 head shapes. Each head is cast by pouring melted steel into molds to make the clubhead. The back and front of each head is then milled. This combination of casting and milling increases precision and reduces waste.
The Cleveland Speed Optimized Face Technology is (SOFT) used by all 10 putters. This milling design increases the club’s hitting area. This circular pattern uses densely packed grooves in its center, and more space in the heel and toe to normalize ball speed. Every head is different, depending on the stroke type of each putter (slightly arc or straight span>).
Custom fitters are able to give the HB Soft Milled putters any type of grip they want, but Cleveland has different grips depending on what swing type each club is designed for. The 1, 4, and 8P heel-toe-weighted blades are great for short-arc strokes. Cleveland also gave them Golf Pride ONLY Red Star grips with a pistol-shaped grip that helps the putter turn over during the putting stroke. For golfers who prefer a straight stroke, the 8P blade, 10.5C and 11 mallets are more suitable. Cleveland also gave them Golf Pride Pro ONLY Green Star grips with ovular shapes to help calm their hands.
The Cleveland HB Soft-Milled 10.5 putter. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
Cleveland also offers all HB Soft Milled putters with a shaft made of steel and an optional graphite shaft. This shaft was designed by UST Mamiya. To increase stability and reduce flex, the All-In shaft has 26 percent more stiffness. According to UST Mamiya golfers who use it have up to 10% more consistency in their face angle at impact.
