Bettinardi putters have a well-established tradition for bold aesthetics within the framework of meticulously classic shapes, especially in their limited run offerings. But the latest entry, the new BB-1 Wide “Totally 80s” model that’s set to land next week might say a little something more to think about from a putter technology standpoint that goes beyond its distinctive stylings.
Of course, while never disturbing the view of the address position and still maintaining the completely milled 303 stainless steel construction, those stylings are as dramatic as they are authentic. The look of the Totally 80s heel-toe weighted blade includes hot-pink/baby blue accents that at the same time evoke Miami Vice, the Go-Gos and a vintage video arcade. There’s even a boom box outline milled into the sole and the aluminum plate in the cavity seems a vibrant mix of Cyndi Lauper’s and David Bowie’s makeup tables.
But that “gnarly ‘80s style colorway” comes in a new shape for the Bettinardi BB lineup, one that reflects a growing trend over the last several years to build more stability into traditional blade shapes. The company has seen increasing popularity this year in its BB8 Wide, which features a wider flange than typical blades for “the player seeking a traditional blade appearance, yet looking for added confidence on the greens.”
Now, in this limited model, Bettinardi is taking his most popular blade shape, the BB1, and again adding a wider flange and additional weight to improve confidence and off-center hit performance. These wider blades are becoming a frequent option for other manufacturers, including Odyssey’s Stroke Lab Double Wide, the Ping Sigma 2 Kushin C and the Titleist Scotty Cameron Special Select Squareback 2. Another alternative to adding stability to traditional blade shapes is the TaylorMade Truss putters, including the TB1 used by Dustin Johnson to win the Travelers Championship.
The key on these wider mallets is that the mid-mallet level forgiveness comes with the similar toe hang of a traditional heel-shafted blade. The Totally 80s BB1 Wide features 30 degrees of toe hang compared to the standard BB1’s 40-degree toe hang. That slight difference is because the wider flange means the center of gravity is slightly farther from the face to provide off-center hit stability. The wider flange also means the BB1 Wide comes with a slightly heavier heft at 362 grams, compared to 355 grams on the standard model.
These wider-style blades might be an alternative for players not ready to leave that traditional blade putter look and feel. They head design still fits in with an arcing type of stroke, but the extra stability allows for both more consistency in the stroke and at impact.
The Bettinardi Totally 80s BB1 Wide features the traditional Bettinardi honeycomb milling pattern on the face for a firmer, responsive feel. There’s also a matching Lamkin Sink Fit grip. The limited run includes just 300 putters and they go on sale July 16 at the Hive section of the company’s website and special authorized dealers ($750).