On Tuesday, Bettinardi revealed two new forms in it Thrower Antidote Serieswhich are low-torque, peak-up models from the Bettinardi family. The trend has been booming for the past couple of years and doesn’t seem to be slowing down, so Bettinardi is doubling down on the shape offerings by introducing the new SB3 fender style and SB5 crescent style designs.
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I had a chance to pass Bettinardi Studio B in Oakbrook, Ill., to actually adjust for the best option for my game and both players surprised me. Unsurprisingly, the SB5 would be the last in the lineup I would have reached, but it became my personal favorite.
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Bettinardi
The SB3 has a fang-style design, but it’s a compact look at address and behind the ball, the two-tone design really shines in its beauty. The two white lines that adorn the rubber casings in the flange area are easy to use for their intended purpose, and my favorite part about both new models is that even though the clutch sits behind the topline, they made it its own section, so the topline is still nice and thin.
Having a high design like this, I feel like you can use both ends (front and back) to help verify the perpendicular alignment of the face with the intended placement line.
Bettinardi 2025 Antidote SB3 Custom Putter
The Antidote series was first introduced to simplify the implementation of the advanced zero torque design. With the addition of the SB3 and SB5, Bettinardi brings new options to players looking for tournament-proven stability with head shapes that inspire complete confidence at address. Antidote SB3 – A high MOI, fang style hammer designed to stay square on impact. Its modern shape improves alignment and frame, while Simply Balanced™ Zero Torque Technology eliminates twist for consistent rotation. Antidote SB5 – A compact hammer with sweeping shoulders that flow into the back flange, distributing weight evenly around the perimeter for exceptional balance and control in a refined silhouette.
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When you flip the SB3 over the sole, you’ll see a clean sole design with cutouts in the 303SS aluminum backplate. This tells you that Bettinardi is trying to push the CG as far as the design will allow while maintaining the low-torque characteristics they demand, as well as the sound and feel players expect from Bettinardi. Fret designs like this are really tricky to tone down, because the frets can act like tuning forks, but Bettinardi nailed it.
As you make impact with the ball, you get a nice click like face shot that gives you instant feedback without feeling too soft. In my testing so far, and verified by my fitter Nick at Bettinardi Studio B, the SB3 is just a touch louder and louder than the SB5, which brings us back to my choice in the Antidote line-up.
As I mentioned above, I’m not much of a half moon hammer shape player, but the feel from the SB5 is probably the best Bettinardi I’ve ever done. It’s a nice compressed face shot with just a slight click that gives you a lot of confidence in the face spin. It provides enough feedback in the hands that you can feel your shots off-center, but feels as clean as a well-strung muscle when you hit the putter off-center. Both putters feature Bettinardi’s FIT face, which provides enough ball speed for the putter to help you without feeling like you’ve lost control. Again, we saw great numbers at Quintec. The ball spins very quickly and the FIT Face does not stay on the ball for long.
Bettinardi 2025 Antidote SB5 Custom Putter
The Antidote series was first introduced to simplify the implementation of the advanced zero torque design. With the addition of the SB3 and SB5, Bettinardi brings new options to players looking for tournament-proven stability with head shapes that inspire complete confidence at address. Antidote SB3 – A high MOI, fang style hammer designed to stay square on impact. Its modern shape improves alignment and frame, while Simply Balanced™ Zero Torque Technology eliminates twist for consistent rotation. Antidote SB5 – A compact hammer with sweeping shoulders that flow into the back flange, distributing weight evenly around the perimeter for exceptional balance and control in a refined silhouette.
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However, what makes me so upset about the SB5 is the scope. Instead of having a different colored 303SS backplate like the SB3, all of the SB5 is the same kind of matte satin silver that shines well in good light and on the eye without reflecting in the sunlight outside. There is a single marine look line up top with two marine alignment aids adorning the thruster bumpers in the flange area and the way these bumpers and those marine lines frame the flange is just perfect. It’s not a different finish in this drop area, but the way the bumpers flow and shape creates an effect for your eyes as if this area in the middle of the flange, about the size of a golf ball, is brighter than the rest of the tire. To my eyes, whenever I put the pusher behind the ball, it looks like I can see this “line” from the flange to the bore. I haven’t aimed a low torque tip this well since I messed with it He-One Max Stripe. And you can probably guess why.
Flip the SB5 over and you can once again see some material carved out of the back as they try to get that CG closer to the face, which helps improve the feel and gives you a “blade-like” playability that I (as a staunch member of blade nation) really appreciate.
