You may be wondering, with all the Tour players using zero-torque rigs and OEMs mass-marketing new models, is a zero-torque gauge right for you?
In the past month alone, Odyssey AND Bettinardi have discovered new models with zero torque while Golf LAB has added to its stable of “low-spinning sister” pawls with the release of the OZ.1.
Zero torque golfers first hit the PGA Tour with Adam Scott and Lucas Glover playing the LAB Golf Mezz.1 and Justin Rose using an Axis1 for the past few years.
While both of these brands have been on the market for more than five years, other manufacturers are now cashing in on the trend. Zero torque design revolves around placing the digger’s center of gravity (CG) directly below the shaft axis, thus keeping the shot square throughout the stroke. This results in a putter balancing with the toe pointing up, rather than down (toe-hanging), or parallel to the ground (face-balanced).
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Back to the original question; Is this something that can help all golfers? Not necessarily says GOLF’s Fully Equipped co-hosts Wadeh Maroun and Kris McCormack.
“I think zero torque is going to be fantastic for a lot of people,” Maroun said. “And I think zero torque isn’t going to work for a lot of people.”
McCormack agreed, calling it a “love it or hate it” kind of thing.
“Look, the address, it’s really strange to look at,” Maroun continued. “And so I think to myself, when I look at something like a zero torque meter, and I’ve spent a lot of time with (CEO) Sam (Hahn) at LAB, and I love what LAB does, and I love Sam, and I’ve tried to I play with some LAB players, but as you go through different things and see what’s going on, and you see people who are doing really well and successful with it, they’re more rockers. They’ll go square on the square as I accelerate the ball.
“And what I’ve noticed is because I accelerate through the ball, I close the face a lot faster with a zero torque meter and it really doesn’t work very well for me.”
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The concept isn’t exactly new to golf, and McCormack, in his years as a fitter, often had questions about just how different zero-torque setters are. this is so dramatically different, it’s only a matter of time before every other manufacturer starts copying the design and basically makes a version,” he said.
Now that seems to be exactly what is happening.
For more from this week’s episode of Fully Equipped, watch below.
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Jack Hirsch
Editor of Golf.com
Jack Hirsh is the Equipment Editor at GOLF. A native of Pennsylvania, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also *tries* to remain competitive in the local amateurs. Prior to joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a television station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a multimedia journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.