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 What makes a putter worth a million dollars? When it helps you win the WGC American Express Championship as it did for Mike Weir in 2000. Weir used a design by Bruce Sizemore called the CU Rail, a putter that had been in the market for only a couple of months. Fast forward some years later, Sizemore made improvements to this design – while keeping the meat and bones of the original – and released it as the XM-2, one of the flagship putters of his revamped collection. Let’s take a look - both at these upgrades and at the XM-2 overall - and see how this model performs.
 Looks:
The XM-2 is a triangular shaped mallet that is milled in the USA. It showcases a unique blend of materials - aluminum and copper - that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional (more about this later). One noticeable difference between this model and the older CU Rail may be the most important: the 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. “Artistic” may be the best word to characterize the waffle-weave effect of the IND▪X. In addition, the XM-2 features proprietary AIM technology, which basically involves the use of different interchangeable alignment inserts and helps the golfer focus on the proper line during the putt. There are also differently weighted interchangeable end caps that add yet another dimension of customizability with regard to helping the golfer fine tune the XM-2’s response on the putting green. Looking down at the putter at address, there is a considerable amount going on. There’s a fine line between being detailed vs. being overly “busy” or distracting, and it’s this reviewer’s opinion that the XM-2 doesn’t cross this line. This alone is a major accomplishment relative to what sees in a lot of other MOI mallets on the market. The shape of the head is relatively simple, and the corners are softened enough so as to not give the golfer any kind of jarring visual effect. The two copper rails that span the width of the mallet and the AIM insert do in fact help the golfer focus on the line of the putt, and the contrasting colors of the copper vs. the grey aluminum further help to achieve this goal. Brand new, the copper could potentially be problematic regarding sunlight reflection, but golfers should keep in mind that this metal will naturally darken over time, thus making reflectivity a non-issue over the long term. Grade=A- Feel and Performance:
The rubber grip is made by Karakal and is unfortunately the weak link in the XM-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 double bend shaft helps make the putter face-balanced, which therefore means the XM-2 is more suitable to the golfer whose stroke is more “straight back, straight through.” The shaft is positioned in the head in a way that gives the putter a full-shaft offset effect at address. The shaft works well with the head with regard to weight, balance, flex and feedback. As noted earlier, the fusion of copper and aluminum not only look good, but it helps make the XM-2 feel and perform very nicely, too. Center strokes are downright buttery, but never mushy. Heel-side and toe-side misses give only a slightly louder click along with a touch more vibration in the hands … just enough to feel and hear the difference, nothing unpleasant at all. More importantly, the putter’s high MOI helps the ball stay on its intended line with little or no distance loss during such misses. The XM-2’s weight feels just right at approximately 345 grams. Interestingly, judging speed may initially take some practice because one may potentially be fooled by the putter’s visual size into thinking that it’s heavier than it really is. Using one’s normal stroke really is a key to success in working with the XM-2. Not to be overlooked, the putter’s sole design - with its sizeable rectangular depression – allows the face to consistently sit square to its intended line. By giving the golfer one less thing to think about and not causing him/her to constantly fiddle around with the putter at address is an invaluable aid in and of itself. Grade=A- Overall:
Overall, the XM-2 crams in a great deal of artistic flare, technology and functionality that one rarely sees even in other high end MOI mallets. Understandably, the $350 price tag may deter some customers who generally view the putter as just another golf club. But one must consider the fact that other putters do not allow the golfer such a degree of customizability and ease of use that the XM-2 provides. Perhaps this is one rare example where it’s actually worthwhile to make the effort to save the extra dollars to be able to afford such a unique putting instrument. Overall Grade=A- |
