It’s an age-old question that we can argue about for days.
Is the person wearing it pretty? Or is it the shooter himself that counts?
I’ve seen it as borderline humor from people who will swear by betting it’s about the person holding the ass, more than some games that cost $200. Some other games north of $300. And many more will have a Scotty, a Betty, or a PING PLD that sells for over $400.
If you firmly believe that a do-gooder can face anything, why are you facing what you set out to do?
Like I said, we could argue about this for days.
MyGolfSpy has shown over the years that you don’t have to sell a kidney to buy a good putter. You can, but you don’t have to. The relative bargains from Tommy Armour, Wilson and Cleveland have been excellent performers in our annual testing.
Ram Golf hopes to join that group. Our early reports suggest that the $99 FX throwaway line might just be able to do just that.
Ram FX: A $99 Thruster Doesn’t Mean “Cheap”
For $99, you’re not getting a 100 percent handcrafted piece of jewelry with innovative face technology and a high-end headpiece. It just doesn’t work that way.
But you can get a pretty nice stick that does the job.
“If there was a category for the best club at a certain price, I’d be bummed if we didn’t win every time,” says Ram Golf owner Simon Millington. “In terms of what we do and what we put into it, I would be absolutely gutted.”
Rami has a history decorated with nails. The original company was founded in Chicago in 1948 by Lyle Hansberger and brothers Bob, Al and Jim. It was known as Golf Sportster and produced affordable golf equipment.
In the late 1950s, the company contracted with George Low to produce the legendary Low Wizard 600, the forerunner of the Wilson 8802. Jack Nicklaus had a George Low in his bag for 15 of his 18 majors. In the mid-70s, Ram came out with the iconic Zebra, which Ray Floyd used to set the 72-hole scoring record at the Masters in 1976.
Under Millington, Ram has returned to its Sportsman Golf roots as a direct-to-consumer value brand. Ram offers what you would call “open mold” products along with clubs designed by Millington and former Odyssey designer Larry Tang, one of the fathers of the two-ball.
of Ram FX shooter The line is an example of a standard design modified by Tang to give it a unique flavor. You won’t find any technological advances here, but for $99 do you want originality or do you want to put the ball in the damn hole?
We tested the Ram FX-01 and FX-03
of Ram FX shooting line was released after this year’s MyGolfSpy testing was completed, so we have no data to share. However, we can share on-course impressions from a few rounds of the last season with the FX-01 and FX-03.
What we found was quite encouraging.
The Ram FX line features a wide body blade (FX-01) and four hammers including the serrated FX-03. The entire line is blacked out from grip to toe with a black shaft and a modest black Ram-branded handle. Each model features ultra-fine face milling and a single alignment line (the FX-02 steel has three lines).
In total, they are the epitome of “not busy”. The black on black Ram lettering in the hollow is oh so subtle. The only thing that might qualify as odd is the white Ram logo on the heel side of the face, which gives one a Dodge pickup vibe.
The FX-01 is a double wide Anser style with a hydraulic neck and a slight fingerboard hang. Normally, I’m not much of a plumber, which is ironic because I’m willing to bet the entirety of Dave Wolfe’s golf collection and half of myself that I’m the only licensed plumber working in the golf media today. Regardless, the FX-01 is the heavier of the two heads, at 384 grams. This weight is useful as it makes the FX-01 feel very stable.
The Ram FX-03 is an Odyssey Seven-style serrated hammer. It features a short sloping neck which gives it a modest fingerboard hang for easy bow strokes.
What about performance?
We golfers judge golfers in one of two ways. We’re either in the “gotta like the look and feel” camp or the “let’s do the full monty putter” camp. My favorite metric is “three-plug avoidance”. While I love bomb sinkers, not triple setting is a more sustainable state of bliss.
The key to avoiding three-putting is distance control, and right here Ram FX-03 stood out to me. It’s the lighter of the two at just 360 grams and while I did sink a couple of 15 to 20 feet, most of my first casts ended up within the tap-in/gimme range. If you know my on again/off again romance with my aging but still beautiful Hybrid Rife 2-Baryou know how important reliable distance control can be.
I also found the FX-03 easier to aim. Both impellers have a single alignment line, but the short, tapered neck hose transition has always been easier for me to line up consistently. Each of us is different, and this transition is just one element towards consistent aiming, along with head shape, length and lie.
As for sound, both Ram shooters had, shall we say, distinct auditory feedback. High-end grinders like Scotty or Bettinardi have a subtle, quiet sound and feel. For a $99 meter, the Ram FX line is no slouch. That’s not to say they sound like Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. They don’t, but there is a muted metallic sound to them. It’s not unpleasant, but it’s different.
However, as I continued to take shots inside the Circle of Love, I grew to appreciate it as “The Sound of Distance Control.”
They look a bit familiar, don’t they?
If you haven’t noticed already, we’ll save you some time. There is a striking similarity between Ram FX shooter line and the actual Wilson infinite shot line. As mentioned, the Ram line is a base model modified by Ram consulting designer Larry Tang. It’s not uncommon for companies like Ram to work with its Asian suppliers to adjust the shaping, weighting and milling to create something almost unique.
Deal with it, gang. At a $99 meter, you’re getting an off-the-shelf design. And if you’re going to go with an off-the-shelf design, this is a pretty good model. Wilson Infinite versions have traditionally tested very well for MyGolfSpy. While the head shapes are similar, there are small and subtle differences, mostly in the milling, hose transitions, and other small details. You have to look for them, but they are there.
It will be interesting to see if any of these changes make a difference in testing next year.
Ram FX putters: Final thoughts
Let’s go back to our original question.
Does it matter the person holding the shooter or the shooter himself?
Allow me, my friends, to put it this way: It is both. The right stick in the wrong hands is worthless. The wrong stick in the wrong hands is less than worthless. The wrong stick in the right hands is frustrating. The right stick in the right hands is where the magic happens.
The surest way to get the right stick in the right hands is with a barrel assembly. If you’ve had one and know your specs, this is where the fun begins. This is when a direct-to-consumer brand like Ram can provide value.
If you know what kind of head shape, hose transition, length, loft and lie you like in a barrel, you can make a little $99 magic happen.
If you are one of those people who firmly believe that a good shooter can do anything, then why they are not betting on a $99 keg?
Looking for a friend.
Post Would you play a $99 shooter? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
