Bruce Sizemore may not be a household name, but his putters have impressively won $6 million on the PGA Tour without any payment of endorsement fees. This includes a virtual out-of-the-gate victory in the autumn of 2000 when Mike Weir won the WGC / American Express Championship using one of Sizemore’s early Copperstix mallets. As has historically been the case with fiercely independent thinkers, Sizemore’s products were born from his belief that he could build something better without being confined to the processes and bureaucracies commonly found among the larger golf equipment manufacturers.

Let’s see how one of his latest incarnations, the SB-2 blade putter, adheres to Sizemore’s principles. 

Looks:
The SB-2 is part of Sizemore’s new Player Series line featuring one-piece milled in the USA, all stainless steel heads. This particular model is a heel-toe weighted blade that makes some important departures from the venerated Ping Scottsdale Anser. The first noticeable difference maybe Sizemore’s most important selling feature, his IND▪X face finish. This is a proprietary process involving computerized, cross-sectional milling that produces an extremely flat surface with multi-directional milling patterns spaced 28/1000th of an inch apart throughout the face. These patterns serve to soften the feel of the putter’s head upon ball contact while allowing the ball to roll along its intended line. This technology works and gives added meaning to "not just another pretty face."

A couple of Sizemore background facts:

1. He was active in and at least partially influenced by his local artists’ community back home in Michigan; and
2. He spent a lot of time around drag-racing tracks and garages in his youth, and got to see first-hand at an early age how specialized car parts got custom milled.

Knowing the above, it’s not surprising to learn that Sizemore first builds wax model prototypes of his putters before putting them into production. With the SB-2, one can see that he makes a lot of effort to ensure that, like a race car, there is no "boxy" look to his putter: all the lines, angles and radiuses blend together very nicely with no sharp corners. The tiered flange angles down and in to produce a unique cavity design that looks nothing like other Anser-style putters at the address position. With such putters, the cavity looks like a basic rectangle. On the SB-2, the cavity tapers towards the flange, providing a somewhat trapezoidal effect.

Sizemore says this is to assist the golfer when he/she focuses on the sight line pocket. Preference for this shape is subject ive, but overall, the SB-2’s topline and cavity do frame the ball well. From the back, the putter has aesthetically pleasing radial milling patterns along the neck and rear of the flange, and the back wall bears the Sizemore product logo (a simple "SB-2" is stamped on the face). Overall, a good deal of thought went into the making of the SB-2, and transition from ideas to reality is successful.

• Grade=A

Feel and Performance:
The rubber grip is made by Karakal and is unfortunately the weak link in the SB-2. It does look very attractive, with its shimmering reptile skin effect. Practically speaking, however, it is simply way too slick, especially for those whose hands tend to perspire. In addition, it seems to a lack a certain degree of cushioning found in other rubber grips, perhaps due to a thinner underlisting. However, the vibrations transmitted to the hands through this grip do give one a good distinction between flush vs. missed strokes.

The responsive feedback is further aided by the shaft, a stepless, tip-stiff model made by Royal Precision. It is very well-suited for the SB-2’s head: in addition to providing good feel, it is weighted perfectly – the golfer doesn’t have the urge to either to hold back during the stroke, nor the inclination to provide extra "oomph."

The SB-2’s head is made of stainless steel, a departure from Sizemore’s XB and Copperstix blades, which are constructed of carbon steel - then nickel-plated – and have copper inserts. The rationale behind this is to provide the customer with a no-nonsense putter - minus some of the bells and whistles - that still has all of the important elements of Sizemore craftsmanship and technology, but at a lower price point.&nb sp; The sole has a very pragmatic tri-plane design that helps the golfer make solid ball contact (i.e., less stubbed putts).

Mission accomplished! Even the more traditionalist golfer should not be disappointed with the feel of the SB-2’s stainless steel. There is perhaps a slightly louder "click" upon ball contact, but no unseemly vibrations are felt in the hands. More importantly, distance control should not be an issue with this particular model. Toe-side and heel-side misses are not overly punished, and the stainless steel construction seems to provide some advantage should the golfer choose to putt from off the green.

• Grade=A-

Overall:
There is quit a bit of artistry and technology crammed into the package of the SB-2. And at $199, it should be seriously considered as an option over some of the other more "well known" – and more expensive - brands. It is good to see that quality does not have to be sacrificed for the sake of economy, and it is products like the SB-2 that should give all golfers at least some excitement about what will come next for Bruce Sizemore.

• Grade=A

(The reviewer wishes to thank Scott Penrod of Sizemore Golf for taking the time to provide information not readily found elsewhere)