Anticipation Award: Dark ACE Putter

The Dark ACE putter by Profound Putters earns PutterZone.com’s Anticipation Award for a putter whose retail arrival we’re eagerly awaiting.

This award is the last in PutterZone.com’s 2007 Midyear Putter Awards, which began Monday with the Next Level Award, followed by the Comeback Award, Heritage Award and Staying Power Award.

The Dark ACE is a wickedly elegant putter created by Norwegian inventor Bernt Stellander. Futuristic in look and concept, the Dark ACE will no doubt make a statement when it crosses the Atlantic, which may happen as early as this summer.

The Dark ACE putter embodies Stellander’s design emphasis on alignment and forgiveness. It includes an alignment system in which a vivid orange hue is revealed when you are misaligned, and hidden when your alignment is correct. In an earlier interview with PutterZone.com, Stellander stated, ”I wanted every element on the putter to solve a problem or have benefits.”

In addition to its unique alignment technology, the Dark ACE also boasts an innovative behind-the-face insert and unusually high MOI properties.

At the same time, Stellander is also committed to making an artistic statement: ”As a passionate designer, I also wanted to end up with a product that is an ornamental sculpture, that is different and maybe will be treasured not only for the extreme engineering properties, but also for its nice distinct shape.”

If you’re not curious about this European import, then it’s time to check your pulse.

Runner Up
GEL putters are poised to make some colorful noise with a national rollout in the coming months.

GEL stands for Groove Equipment Limited. GEL putters claim to eliminate skidding and hopping by imparting optimal topspin through groove technology. According to the company, “Each GEL putter incorporates a soft aluminum insert with a series of finely milled grooves engineered to start the ball rolling faster and straighter.”

In addition to intriguing groove technology, GEL putters also feature some rather distinctive color schemes, including powder blue and yellow. Loud? Perhaps. But not necessarily a bad thing for a putter company that is determined to be heard.

Rumor Mill
Other exciting new putters are also in the works. We’re short on details at the moment, following is what we know:

PGA Tour pro Troy Matteson was recently seen wielding a Heavy Putter prototype, and word has it that Boccieri Golf, maker of the Heavy Putter, plans to pull a few new rabbits out of its hat later this year. Stay tuned

Good word also has it that Cleveland Golf soon going to introduce a new putter with an innovative alignment tool. More information is coming very shortly.

Finally, Yes! Golf is about to release a new forged putter, and is also working on some new concepts to complement its signature C-Groove technology. Stay tuned next week for our exclusive interview with CEO Francis Ricci for more insights into what’s cooking at Yes! Golf.

Update 1:50 p.m. Cleveland Golf has just added a photo of its new putter, mentioned above, to its web site home page. Apparently, the putter (or its technology) is called Visual Performance. Looks like a sleek alignment-focused putter. No further information has yet been revealed.