Acer CB3 putter

The new CB3 putter is not something easily confused with the traditional putter your grandfather owned. The head looks like they built it backwards and would be more at home in a martial arts movie. But there are good reasons for its unusual shape (see the Hireko website for photos and details.)

New USGA rules now give putter designers more flexibility in face length, which Hireko’s Acer folk have taken to heart. So the CB3 is what Hireko calls reverse engineered.

The result is a face that is shorter than you’re used to, and much shorter than the back and sides of the club. So you have a kind of trapezium frame, with most of the putter’s weight at the rear corners. This is all to ensure balance and stability.

With all that weight saved in the face going out to the perimeters and corners, the theory is that this stability is much enhanced compared to more traditional designs.

Now stability is all very well provided you don’t make it too difficult to hit the ball in the first place. Hireko say the CB3’s shorter face is not an issue. Not in physical terms…it’s still big enough for even the worst players to hit the ball. And not psychologically…it’s still big enough to give you the confidence that you will hit the ball.

There’s a clear white alignment bar to help you set up the putt, too. The putter itself is stainless steel with a soft aluminum insert.

A custom assembled CB3 putter is $36.69 with a curved Apollo putter shaft and basic grip. Numerous grip upgrades are available. See the Hireko store for details.