In Review: MacGregor Response DCT Putter

As noted here earlier, MacGregor Golf is making an admirable push to refresh its image, both in personality and products. One of these new products is the Response DCT mallet putter ($199) created by legendary putter designer Bobby Grace. The name honors the earlier MacGregor Response putter that Jack Nicklaus used to sink some epic putts on his way to winning the Masters in 1986.

The Storyline
According to MacGregor Golf, the Response DCT is “comprised of the best materials on the market. Only the finest grades of 303 Stainless Steel and 6061-T-6 Aircraft Aluminum are machined to the most stringent of specifications.” It features two signature technologies: (1) Face-Off, though which you can switch between two putter faces, one polymer, the other milled titanium; and (2) Distance Corrective Technology (DCT).

MacGregor Golf states in a press release that “Distance Corrective Technology uses patented inserts to provide consistent distance control even on the most common miss-hits by a combination of the materials and weighting in the clubhead.” Another article notes that the face inserts are denser and harder as they move away from center, therefore transferring more energy to the ball on miss-hits, thus correcting putts that otherwise would fall far short of the hole.

As for the Face-Off technology: “The polymer insert, designed for faster greens, makes every impact feel dead-center and, with 3 degrees of loft, performs best with this material. The milled metal insert, designed for slow greens, provides golfers with more feedback.”

The Response DCT also supposedly features an adjustable weight system. According to the MacGregor Golf web site: “To top it off, adjustable weights allow you to choose between the heavier tungsten variety and the lighter aluminum weights to establish just the feel you’re looking for.”

This refers to the removable weights under the heel and toe—yet the putter does not come with extra weights, nor does it come with any information pertaining to extra weights. PutterZone.com spoke with designer Bobby Grace, and he said that extra weights will be available to consumers in the future. This is a production and marketing issue that should not reflect negatively on Mr. Grace or his design. I guess we’ll just have to call it an adjustable “wait” system for now.

The View from PutterZone.com
The putter head is elegantly configured with a terraced heel and toe separated by a shallow sole. The sole is divided by a thin raised sightline that bisects a large half moon at the rear, which houses the 303 stainless steel backweight. From the top, the half moon shows two allen screws on either side of the sightline, which connect to the backweight (and which should not be removed or tinkered with). The double-bend shaft mounts at the heel. The black polymer face, which is rimmed in light yellow-gold, is my favorite of the two faces. It’s buttery smooth, forgiving yet responsive. I’m not typically partial to softer inserts, but this one is an exception. My instinctive affection for this insert could very well have something to do with the efficacy of the Distance Corrective Technology.

Changing the faces is relatively simple using the included wrench, and the fitting of the faces is very precise. The wrench features a gray “T” handle (not the straight-handled wrench pictured here and on the web site), and the faces are changed via four rear allen screws. I think that the middle portion of the wrench shaft should have been coated in thin vinyl or some other soft material, as you have to be very careful not to scrape metal on metal when uscrewing the faces (my solution: wrap the middle with a thin pass of masking tape). The yellow-and-gray motif is echoed in the grip, as well as on the sole of the putter. The soft pleather cover features a magnetic closure, which is pretty slick, although it would benefit from a bit of scooping on either side (for right and left hand versions) to better encicle the shaft. Overall, this is a unique putter that stands out from the visual crowd while earning points for fresh technological ideas.

The Bottom Line
If you are one of those golfers who is in constant pursuit of an extra edge, and who believes in adaptable technology as a key to unlocking your best game, then MacGregor Golf’s Response DCT putter is a promising and exciting option. The Face-Off feature is a tinkerer’s dream, and the Distance Corrective Technology is a confidence booster for those who want to sweeten their sweet spot.