The zero torque putter space seems to be perpetually building momentum and PXG is the latest brand to add to its offering in this particular niche. The Bat Attack ZT putter offers the brand's popular winged mallet shape in a zero torque design. But how will it compare to some of the best putters on the market? I took it out onto the golf course to find out.
The Allan putter was PXG’s first zero torque design, and while I enjoyed the feel off the face and I thought it was extremely easy to align, I just couldn’t quite get comfortable with the looks of the large mallet head. The Bat Attack ZT possesses the same S-hosel as the Allan, ensuring the shaft axis sits directly above the CG to create a toe-up balance point that resists any twisting of the head throughout the stroke.
Because of the unique hosel design, this putter boasts a rather unfamiliar look at address, and I think that is amplified through the 5° of loft the putter has as standard. The shaft lean combined with forward press grip then allows you to set your hands in the correct position, and therefore has the putter play closer to 3° of loft which comes as standard on most traditional.
After rolling a few long-distance putts, I loved how soft the ball felt off the face, even when I had to give the putt a firm hit uphill, and noticed my distance control was very good, often rolling the ball within ‘gimme’ range from 40ft. The Bat Attack ZT features the brand's S-COR technology, which gives this soft sensation. A 303 stainless steel hollow body design has a proprietary lightweight polymer injected behind the ultra-thin face to help dampen vibrations and provide one of the softest feels from any putter I have tested this year. Naturally, this will change depending on what golf ball you use, but that is what I felt with the TaylorMade TP5 that I tested this putter with.
From inside the 15ft mark, I found the Bat Attack ZT to be fairly reliable. The single dot on top of the face, followed by a long line through the flange, offers a nice combination of alignment aids that I thought helped provide a center-strike more often than not - which is where the best zero torque putters often excel. I did find sometimes that I couldn’t quite square the face up through impact on down-hill, quicker putts, but I think that’s down to the fact I have been using a blade putter that offers a lot of face rotation.
Overall, I think the PXG Bat Attack ZT putter offers a premium aesthetic that is matched with very solid performance from all distances on the greens. While the looks and design of this putter may take a little bit of time to get used to, I do feel that golfers struggling with their performance on the greens would benefit from adding one of these putters to their bag. The soft face will help with distance control, and the zero torque technology will help eliminate any extra wrist movement that may alter the path or face. At $449/£429, these putters are towards the higher end of the price spectrum, but the premium components and performance I saw while testing, I feel, justify the price tag.
