Review: Bettinardi Inovai 3.0 putter
Putters are a very personal thing. What works for one may not work for another.
But, if like me, you’re a fan of a slightly larger mallet with plenty of forgiveness and alignment help the Bettinardi Inovai 3.0 could be a great option.
We’ve seen Matt Kuchar using Bettinardi putters on the PGA Tour for many years so were keen to give one a try for ourselves.
Bettinardi Inovai 3.0 putter review – First impressions
There’s a fantastic head cover on this putter which adds to the premium feel.
It’s what I’d expect when paying over £250 but some brands still don’t pay enough attention to this.
There’s also a lovely Lamkin Deep Etched pistol style grip so when you first get it in your hands you won’t be disappointed.
The Inovai 3.0 has a fang head shape with a fairly simple and clean black and silver design.
It’s designed to offer high MOI (moment of inertia, resistance to twisting on impact) and a true roll from a milled face insert.
There’s loads of alignment assistance here with lines on the topline and flange.
This putter has a entered shaft, so for me that provides additional help when trying to strike the ball out of the sweet spot.
Bettinardi Inovai 3.0 putter review – The results
There’s quite a unique sound off the face on this putter.
The feel is nice and soft but there’s quite a hollow sound which isn’t as sweet at the feel.
I found the ball was rolling end over end very easily and had no trouble lining this putter up at all.
There’s a bit of forgiveness from off-centre strikes but you do notice a difference in feel when hitting nearer to the heel or toe.
I had no trouble holing out on the short putts which is a problem I often find with larger heads.
But this is more of a medium sized head, and it’s not too heavy, so there’s no trouble on those pesky two and three footers.
Bettinardi Inovai 3.0 putter review – NCG Verdict
For me, the strength of this putter really lies in the alignment which comes in the form of loads of straight lines and contrasting colours.
One of the first things you should be looking at when buying a putter is whether or not it helps you aim.
That’s why there’s so much variation on the market. People react differently to lines or dots or lines in different places.
I’d have no trouble with the putter out on the course at all.
It’s a very functional piece of kit and as well as the alignment help, it does get the ball rolling very nicely indeed. And helps me get the ball in the hole so is doing everything I need it to.
The only slight downside for me was the feel off the face.
When paying around £260 for a putter I want it to feel silky soft and smooth off the face – so much so that I look forward to every putt I hit on the course.
But that’s me being quite greedy.
Details
Weight: 358 grams
Material: 6061 Aluminum/303 Stainless Steel
Finish: Black Anodized/Hand Polished Stainless
Loft: 2°
Lie: 71°
Configuration: Centre/heel Shafted
Dexterity: Right/Left Handed
Price: £269
Visit the Bettinardi website for full details on their putter range for 2017.
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James Savage
Former equipment editor of NCG. Inconsistent ball-striker and tea-maker.
