Not every golfer wants to splurge on a premium putter. Spending $500 — not to mention the cost of other clubs in the bag — isn’t always easy to swing. Putters that come at a relatively low price, though, don’t necessarily provide golfers the precision of manufacturing, or the feel and performance they desire.
Hone Golf, which sells its putters for $195, seeks to fill that gap and provide golfers a high-end experience — but without the high price of admission.
“You don’t need to break the bank to break 80,” said company founder Andrew DiNuzzo. “And if the game is going to grow, you need prices that most people — especially younger ones — can justify.”
With the consumer in mind, DiNuzzo works alongside his engineer, Shawn Cvetezar, to design traditional plumbers neck putters. To reduce costs and achieve the intended price range, DiNuzzo says he outsources manufacturing of the company’s designs to local shops that have CNC milling machines.
The machining process is an important aspect of Hone Golf’s putter builds. CNC milling machines help produce putters that precisely mimic Cvetezar and DiNuzzo’s designs. For golfers, that helps ensure you’re getting a product that does what it’s designed to do, without the uncertainty of human error.
As part of Hone Golf’s putter lineup, the company offers two different head designs: Apollo (named after NASA’s Project Apollo missions) and Mercury (named after Project Mercury, NASA’s first human spaceflight mission). The Apollo features a familiar Anser-style head shape, and is made in both a 303 stainless steel version and a 1018 carbon version, which has a black oxide finish. The Mercury model, which is a slight variant of the Apollo shape, is available in the stealthy black finish.
Between the steel and carbon options, there’s a slight difference in feel and sound. The stainless version is built for a firmer touch and more audible feedback, while the carbon model provides a softer feel and sound. Since the black-finished carbon model may rust with excessive exposure to moisture, Hone Golf suggests this option to those who pay extra care and attention to their putter.
“We recommend wiping down the (carbon putter version) with a towel whenever there is contact with moisture, and applying a light coat of oil after your round,” the company says. The stainless steel model, on the other hand, requires less maintenance.
Hone Golf Mercury Carbon putter
Notably, both options come with an orange sightline that sits parallel to the topline of the putters, and perpendicular to the target. DiNuzzo says the design “helps keep the face square to the intended line.” A half dot sits at the direct center of the line, as well, to help golfers align their ball on the sweet spot.
