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What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Jack Backhouse brings you the low down on the Zebra AIT 3 putter
45 years since the original Zebra putter was released, Zebra are back with some new technology and designs. How does it perform? Read our Zebra AIT 3 putter review below to find out.
This putter is brilliant for players who need some assistance when lining up. The Zebra stripe system works brilliantly helping you aim properly on those crucial putts inside of 6 feet.
The two external weights increase forgiveness and help keep the ball running at the right speed, and online when miss-hit.
Zebra have brought back their iconic look on a popular head shape making this putter a great option for players looking for a change.
PROS
Easy to aim correctly
Good performance on miss-hits
Adjustable
CONS
Alignment lines on the top of the head are very thick and don’t match up with the line drawn on the ball
I liked the original Zebra putter a lot. My dad actually might still have one in his collection somewhere and I have borrowed it a few times before when needing a short break from whatever flat stick I have been gaming. I was excited to see if the new generation of Zebra could build on the old legacy and be worth putting in the bag. As soon as I took the headcover off the AIT 3 model I was testing, I knew I was going to like it.
Zebra AIT 3 putter review: NCG Verdict
The first big change Zebra made with the new generation of putters is changing the head colour from S silver to black, and it was a brilliant decision. The grey and white alignment lines contrast really well against the black, and it makes it really easy to point the putter in the direction you want to hit it.
I tested this putter out on the course, first thing in the morning straight after the greens had been cut and ironed, perfect conditions for a putter testing. What I noticed straight away is that it felt so easy to keep the putter face square throughout the whole stroke. The AIT 3 is a face-balanced model with adjustable weights on the sole, which help the putter swing in balance.
I know when you’re putting you’re not supposed to take any notice of what the putter is doing in the stroke, but throughout the swing, out of the corner of your eye, you can see that the Zebra stripes are still pointing towards the hole and this gives you loads of confidence that you are going to hit more putts on line. It almost feels like the putter is locked in on a train track.
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The AIT 3 has the same head shape that we see in other popular putters, but with a ‘ball void’ which also allows you to aim the putter better. I also noticed that on off-centre strikes the contact still felt solid and I didn’t lose too much control of distance as you see with some putters. This is another brilliant advancement from the original Zebra.
Everything about this putter feels to be built towards helping you aim better and hit more putts online, one of the essential 3 skills you need to be good at to be a great putter.
The only criticism I could find of the AIT 3 was not from me, but from a playing partner who relies on lining the ball up at the hole, and then the putter with the ball. Generally, the lines on the ball are drawn pretty thin, and the Zebra lines on the putter are pretty thick, which makes matching the 2 up not as easy as it would be if it was a thin line on top.
I putted great with the Zebra AIT 3, and although I have played with a blade style putter for many years it would definitely be an option for me, especially if my short putting went off the boil with my old Ping Zing.
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