One Liner
The nine-model Ping Heppler putter line rather than grooves or face inserts have solid milled faces plus Ping’s user-adjustable length shafts
Fast Facts Ping Heppler putters
Anser 2 blade – 350g steel head 3° loft – $245
ZB3 blade – 355g steel head 3° loft – $245
Piper C center shaft mid-mallet – 365g aluminum/steel face 3° loft – $245
Tyne 3 mallet – 360g aluminum/steel face 3° loft – $270
Fetch heel shaft mallet – 365g aluminum/steel face 3° loft – $270
Ketsch heel shaft mallet – 370g steel/aluminum face 3° loft – $270
Floki heel shaft mallet – 365g steel/aluminum face 3° loft – $270
Tomcat 14 heel shaft mallet – 370g steel/aluminum face 3° loft – $270
Piper Armlock mid-mallet 41.5” – 355g aluminum/steel face 6° loft – $270
WYNTK
Putter faces with grooves or inserts or even inserts with grooves have become an industry standard, in fact the big four putter makers offer relatively few models without them. So, Ping’s introduction of the Heppler line with have flat milled faces (no insert and no groves) is a little out of the ordinary.
Grooves and inserts are meant to create better contact with the ball for a better roll with some groove patterns milled to sort of “grip” the ball’s cover, but grooves and face inserts also soften impact. When designing the Hepplers Ping resurrected the flat milled face which gives a much stronger impact and crisper sound.
“With the Heppler series, we’re providing golfers a firmer-feeling putter in highly forgiving models to ensure a choice that fits their stroke and eye,” said John K. Solheim, Ping President. “We’ve chosen a very precise manufacturing process that’s significantly advanced our ability to create high-MOI mid-mallets and mallets by combining aerospace-grade aluminum with steel. The contrasting copper and black finish provides alignment cues and a visually appealing, premium look that’s attracting a lot of interest on tour.”
Depending on the Heppler model the face may be steel or aluminum but all provide a stronger “hit.” This was evident at once with practice green trials of the Heppler Anser 2 and confirmed on the course. There is a distinct feeling the ball comes off the face very quickly, almost a “pop,” and for those of us who tend to decelerate at impact this is a nice benefit. After the initial skid the roll goes quickly to end-over-end on the intended line which is a real confidence-builder and means your attention is no longer on “where” but “how far”. In other words, distance not line.
Though having a few minor differences in look to the 1979 Ping Anser 2 the Heppler Anser 2 shares the “modern blade” shape and flat face. The two-tone black and copper head provides lots of alignment help and we were especially impressed with the head’s stability due to weight placement but also the lower amount of flex of the black chrome shaft. In addition to being stiffer, the shaft offers Ping’s unique user adjustability of the length (32 to 36 inches) accomplished simply by a wrench inserted through the grip end.