As “zero” and low torque putter options started flooding into the marketplace, one major player stood quiet and watched the growing trend.
But on Tuesday, Scotty Cameron unveiled its new OC — short for Onset Center — putters, finally entering the low torque putter space. The OC neck design is being released as an option on two head shapes in the Studio Style and Phantom lineups: the Fastback OC and Phantom 11R OC.
“In the last few years, we’ve seen a growing number of golfers who want to minimize the feel of face rotation in the stroke via putter setup,” said Scotty Cameron’s Senior Director of Putter R&D, Austie Rollinson, in a release. “And as a designer, what excites me most about OC is that it gives golfers options. We now have an entirely new configuration for golfers who want to feel a square, straight-back-and-through path.
“We designed our OC models to minimize face rotation while maintaining responsiveness and feedback.”
Keep reading below for more on the Scotty Cameron OC models and my thoughts on this long-anticipated release.
What are Scotty Cameron OC putters?
It should surprise no one that Scotty Cameron was one of the last major putter makers to enter the low torque putter market, doing so more than a year after competitors like Bettinardi, Toulon Golf and Odyssey.
“The way the Cameron brand operates, they don’t really want to rush into something,” Andrew Thomas, Cameron’s Senior Marketing Manager, told GOLF. “They want to be deliberate and methodical about how they approach a specific technology in putters.
“I think Scotty himself wanted to kind of keep an eye on this and see, is this going to be a fad? Is this really something? And as we’ve seen over the last year or so, it’s really something.”
For Cameron, the new OC models aren’t a new putter family, but rather extensions of tow flow and neck offerings to their existing Studio Style and Phantom lines.
As Rollinson began taking Tour player feedback on low torque designs, Rollinson kept hearing that gaming a low torque — commonly referred to as “zero torque” — putter often meant sacrificing feel. Because of that, Cameron’s OC designs put a clear priority on feel and maintaining a traditional setup.
Both the Fastback OC and Phantom 11R OC putters differ from their base models with a center-shafted design that places the shaft axis directly through the CG of the head. But they are also 15 g heavier with slightly stiffer shafts designed to match the weight increase without dulling the feel.
To keep a more traditional look and setup position, the putters have just one degree of shaft lean, allowing them to use conventional grips.
Unlike other low-torque options on the market, the Onset Center putters do not have the shaft go directly into the head, meaning the lie and shaft lean — thus loft — can be adjusted. Cameron says any adjustments would have no impact on the putter’s low torque properties.
The putters feature Cameron’s new chain-link milling pattern, a key feature of all recent Cameron releases, and the Fastback model sports the new Studio Carbon Steel insert, a material that Cameron says is one of the softest he has ever used.
The Phantom 11R shape also denotes more rounded edges than the current Phantom 11 putters, similar to Cameron Young’s Phantom 9.5R putter.
Who are Scotty Cameron OC putters for?
Thomas was adamant that the new OC options and low torque putters in general are not a silver bullet and not for every golfer out there.
But for players who have a more natural square-to-square stroke, the new OC putter options will complement that nicely.
With the heavier headweights, chain-link milling and SCS insert on the fastback option, the Cameron low torque models are certainly positioned for players who like a softer feel.
My thoughts!
It was only a matter of time before Scotty entered the low torque chat, and the entry is exactly what we were expecting.
Going forward, it’s likely you will start to see plenty of OEMs distance themselves from the “zero torque” terminology, as Cameron is here, because these putters aren’t actually zero torque. It’s nice to see an OEM acknowledge this right at the launch of a new product. Cameron has specifically stated that they understand that as soon as human hands are on the putter, there is going to be a certain amount of torque introduced.
The statement here with OC is that it’s that these two models are now the lowest torque offerings from Scotty Cameron with the greatest ability to keep the putter head square through delivery.
In terms of feel, these putters definitely live up to the Scotty Cameron name. I haven’t decided whether I’m fully on the low torque train yet, but I have been toying around with the Fastback OC. I’ve found that to have a very similar feel to my Studio Style Catalina, which has been my gamer.
Price, specs and availability
Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback OC Putter
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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: Titleist
Scotty Cameron 2025 Phantom 11R OC Putter
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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: Titleist
Scotty Cameron OC putters will be available in golf shops starting on November 14. Both models will cost $549.
The putters will be available in 33″, 34″ and 35″ lengths with stock loft of 3.5˚ and lie of 70˚. The loft and lie can be adjusted by ± 2˚.
Want to find the best putter for your game? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.