50 Words or Less
The Evnroll ZERO Z1 putter features FaceForward Technology for a zero torque design. Soft feel and consistent performance. Excellent craftsmanship.
Introduction
At the start of 2024 I was already familiar with zero torque, having reviewed an Axis 1 [full review HERE] putter a few years back, but the term certainly wasn’t common place. Fast forward to the end of 2024 and zero torque putters seem to be everywhere. Guerin Rife, CEO and Chief Designer at Evnroll even called it a “craze.” But Mr. Rife also recognized the forward leaning shafts of most models were “awkward” and set out to design torque balanced putters that were more traditional looking. That effort produced the new ZERO line which includes the Evnroll ZERO Z1 of this review.
Looks
At address, the Evnroll ZERO Z1 has a great rear winged modern mallet look. The solid black field of the top allows the wide white alignment lines and white circle to take center stage. It was only when I noticed the backward plumbers neck that it hit me the Z1 was indeed face forward.
Face on, the Z1 putter has a similar shape as the Evnroll Neo Classic ER5 putter [full review HERE] I tested – slim in height and nicely tapered. On the heel side, a white “Z” replaced the logo “E” that I was fond of. Regardless, the all black face looks sharp.
Flipping the putter over, the sole reveals plenty about the design and manufacturing of the Evnroll ZERO Z1. A detail that had eluded me while taking photos was the fine milling lines in the wing cavities. Impressed with that milling, I realized the entire head was milled – including the beautiful curvatures at the circular center. The two weight ports convey a high MOI design. And finally, the signature logo “E” I’d been looking for.
I need to give a quick nod to the embroidered penguins on the headcover. My research came up empty on why they are present, but they look really cool. If you know the back story please leave a comment.
Sound & Feel
With putts struck between the top alignment lines of the Evnroll ZERO Z1, I found the sound to be a medium volume ‘tock.’ The tone is quite pleasant and varied only slightly as I rotated through a couple brands of balls. Contact towards the toe shifted towards, but not all the way to, a ‘tick.’ Off the heel, the tock wasn’t as crisp.
After my first three putts, I wrote down ‘soft’ and never considered any other descriptor. I suspect it’s the combination of face milling and aluminum that give the ZERO Z1 the soft feel. It took a pretty good miss from center to register any tactile feedback – but that’s to be expected in a high MOI, zero torque design.
Performance
Even with zero torque being a current “craze” it’s worth a brief refresher on what the design term entails. The key to recognizing a zero torque design is looking at the face positioning while balancing the shaft on your fingers – it points left (for a right handed putter). Toe up, face left – just like when positioned at address. The basic concept is that the face stays square to the putting arc without manipulation.
That last bit – manipulation – can be a little tricky for golfers like me who are used to putters with toe hang. But I found the Evnroll design felt less awkward than the PXG Allan putter [full review HERE], and I was able to quickly adapt a wrist neutral type stroke. End result was a tight dispersion from the super easy to aim Evnroll ZERO Z1 and a simplified stroke. Straight putts felt like money.
The face forward, reverse offset hosel is key to the zero torque Evnroll design. However, another technology is tried and true – SweetFace. This groove design extends the putter’s sweet spot across the full width of the horizontally milled section. The V shaped grooves vary in width – wider in the center and narrowing progressively towards the heel and toe. The design keeps ball direction straight off the face with additional energy when off-center. What I observed was a beautiful, and repeatable roll that was very consistent in distance control.
And I have to finish by stating that the Evnroll ZERO Z1 can retrieve your golf ball from the green. With a gentle push down, the center hole gently secures the ball – nice job Evnroll.
Conclusion
When you visit the Evnroll link below, the first screen reads “Experience nothing” in huge letters, followed by “ZERO face rotation, ZERO mishits, ZERO torque, ZERO excuses.” That’s a lot of bravado, and quite clever. There’s no zeros in the price of an Evnroll ZERO Z1 – it retails for $449. A steep price, but potentially a bargain if the Z1 can get your misses closer to zero.
Visit Evnroll HERE
Senior Writer at Plugged In Golf
Matt – aka ‘Meeks’ – lives in the beautiful Lowcountry of South Carolina with his wife who allows his golf obsession to stretch the limits of normalcy.