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This comment was written by Forum user MyGolfSpyChux13
PXG Battle Ready II Review
Submarines were my life for several years during my Navy days. Anything I can get my hands on that has to do with the Under Force is always a win in my book, especially when it comes to golf. You have no idea how excited I was to hear that PXG was releasing a new Battle Ready II (BR2) shooter called the Torpedo.
Sure, it’s a very familiar aesthetic, but I never thought to see the design as thatMk. 48 ADCAP torpedo I fondly remember sleeping against in some missions. Browsing the web, it was hard to find any kind of review or video that really went into this tool.
Because of this, I knew I had to stop by a PXG store to try one out along with the rest of the BR2 line now that I was in the market to replace my LAB DF2.1 wiper.
PXG assembly
PXG is known to be world class when it comes to club fit. I always feel like a VIP when I stop by and I’m not afraid to ask “dumb” questions or try something else against their suggestions, you know, just for fun! I set up my shooting rig in October while in Phoenix for some team meetings and didn’t know what to expect since I’ve never done a shooting rig.
I’ve always been kind enough to stop by a PGA TOUR Superstore and feel my way around the putters on display to find out what I like. I felt going into the setup would help me better decide which of the BR2 line would work best and how it could be set up for my shot.
We started by determining which PXG player I was most curious about. I mentioned Torpedo. We had checked out the aesthetics, but then we saw an option that PXG had yet to unleash on the world: the Mustang ZT. Looking at the ZT from below, I had no problem with the extended arms on the back of the blade.
The spin on some shots was about as off as I could have wanted, but the fitter had a hint when he saw my shot: a sloping neck, a pistol grip, and cut it too short since I’m too low to the ground when shooting shots.
I then tried Allan, Bat Attack ZT, Torpedo, back to Mustang ZT, narrowed down to Bat Attack ZT and Torpedo. The Torpedo just felt so solid. The visuals and repeatability made the Torpedo the winner after adding a bit more weight and installing the PXG Pistol I grip. I was able to try an M-16 stability shaft, but, honestly, I couldn’t tell a difference between that and the steel stock offering.
I think the fit process at the Mesa, Ariz. location could have been improved. If I’m not mistaken, the Scottsdale location is equipped with shot analysis hardware and software to get real data between each club tested.
The Mesa location was purely based on overall feel, aesthetics and playability. I think I might have been pushed towards a stability axis if the data had provided definitive evidence of performance gains. Who knows, maybe another putter helped me roll the ball even better via the data, but I just couldn’t tell the way the setup went.
I chose the Mesa location as it was closer to where I needed to be when I got into town, which kept me from going all the way to the Scottsdale location. Regardless, I know I got the ball right and can always go back to adjust if needed. I ordered the Torpedo that day and had it in my hand five days later! Our final setup resulted in two 17.5 gram bottom weights, PXG Pistol I grips, sitting at 32.75 inches.
First impressions
I disassembled the gun and shot straight into the backyard to unload the new ammo. The Torpedo had arrived and was as, in PXG’s words, “sexy” as a golf club can be!
Along with the Torpedo came PXG’s Battle Ready “26” logo covers and an envelope containing my order details, PXG tags and a “PXG for Heroes” sticker which I appreciated receiving. In sunlight, the shooter looks great.
The all-black matte aesthetic on the head doesn’t disappoint at all. I feel the matte finish was smart to help contrast an all-black, but glossy, machine-built sight line. The pyramid face looks great, the brightly etched PXG logo on the back looks stellar, and the overall build was everything I could have hoped for. I had a charity tournament to play the next morning so I was ready to load up and pressurize this Torpedo for combat.
On the course
In short, the shooter did everything I needed it to do and then some. One of the tags for the Torpedo shooter revolves around the “3-shot salary war”. Hard to fight something that didn’t exist! If I missed a putt, I didn’t miss it by much, providing extra help to our group to at least leave ourselves a manageable second shot.
From 18, I sank four one-shots, one from inside five feet and three from 10 feet and out! Granted, being in a scrimmage and having an eye on the line helps a bit, but knowing that I was able to hit my line and spin the ball nicely end to end was evident by the line design on my Maxfli Tour X ball.
The ball never slipped on the green nor did it create a ball swing off the face. The ball rolled cleanly and as consistently as I could want with a premium putter.
Feel and sound
I appreciate the extra weight in the machine for that solid, controlled feel. Adding Pistol I to my light bow shot feels good and helped me know where the shooter’s face was.
There have been times when I hit the ball with the Torpedo’s low end and knew it by both audible and tactile feedback. On hard hits, the putt feels like butter, even with an X-ball, and it felt much more clicky the more I missed the center of the face with a tone that matched the putt.
However, I hit my line and wasn’t punished as much as I was with my LAB 2.1, proving that the high MOI category that the Torpedo fits into is well represented with this head.
The good, the bad and the ugly
Even without objective data during assembly, the BR2 Torpedo has already exceeded expectations on the course. I was able to load and fire the shaft like I have had it for years. It was so good!
This is where I feel the “goodness” of a PXG mount happens. I know what to expect and I know it’s suitable for what I need, so I know I can roll this beast of a shooter with confidence. Honestly, I don’t have anything bad to say about Torpedo at this point, other than the curiosity of what the story data would have shown in the build, as I mentioned.
“Ugly” is more about my insatiable quest to improve the bag to the best of my abilities. So many people were shocked to hear that I had sold Brass Knuckles, Sweeper LAB 2.1. I was convinced that LAB would be the one!
Alas, it wasn’t much longer that I played with it, so I had to eat my words when I showed up with a shiny new toy. The price may be prohibitive to some at $399.99, but if Heroes PXG so graciously offers you the discount, the splurge is worth every penny, even if it’s still at MSRP. And, yes, shipping is still $30, still the only thing I can think of.
USS Chux13, ready for the next mission!
Overall, I am very pleased with the purchase and performance during the Battle Ready II Torpedoes DRT (Deployment Readiness Training). Every pre-work is checked and functionally verified for ongoing deployments. Seriously, it makes my heart so happy to know that the shooter pays tribute to a class of weapon that I am so familiar with from my military days.
Even if I don’t aim directly under the Force, I can still maintain the narrative about my time and service and what that experience brings me, along with a new shooter. I appreciate personal temptations when it comes to my gear, as my entire bag is set up this way. Everything in the bag tells a story.
Hopefully, moving forward, the BR2 Torpedo will have great stories of performing one-shots and the places it has traveled. If the first round is any indication of what’s to come, watch out! Since our ballistic strength is a deterrent to the enemy attack, I hope that the PXG Battle Ready II Torpedo can be a deterrent to three-hit attacks on the scoreboard.
Time will tell and I will happily continue to share the journey here with all of you. Until then, fair breezes and greens behind, folks!
HOOYAH!
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