50 Words or Less
The PXG Allan putter enhances consistency with its Zero Torque Balance Technology and high MOI design. Great modern mallet aesthetics plus a pleasant sound and feel. Toe-up design may seem awkward at first.
Introduction
If you’ve read the numerous Plugged In Golf reviews of PXG putters, the name Allan may seem out of place – certainly not aligned with the Battle Ready moniker. But there’s a good reason – the PXG Allan putter is a totally different “game-changing design” that features Zero Torque Balance Technology.
I’ll discuss the technology in more detail in the Performance section, but simplified, the design keeps the putter face square to the path throughout the putting stroke. So why the Allan name? It’s a tribute to Bob Parsons younger brother Allan whose favorite saying was: “We’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time.” And with the PXG Allan putter, golfers can make more putts and thus have more fun.
Looks
With its black geometric body and aluminum strip down the center, the PXG Allan putter has the modern look frequently found in larger mallet putters these days. The wide and long black alignment line made aiming the putter face a breeze.
In the bag – absent the sharp looking cover – the Allan looks like a high-tech assembly from a jet factory. The PXG logo is large, but exactly what I expect for the brand. The milling on the aluminum emphasizes a look associated with quality and precision.
Sound & Feel
Given its milled face and multi-material body, I wasn’t sure what to expect with my first putt, but both the sound and the feel were quite pleasant. The sound fell between a ‘tick’ and a ‘tock’ – I’ll call it a ‘tycke.’ And to my hands, contact felt firm and responsive.
As I rolled putts of varied lengths, the volume changed appropriately but was always on the low side. With contact towards the heel or toe, I strained to note a difference in the sound. There was a slight vibration with the mishits, but that was the extent of feedback. The PXG Allan putter may not be the right putter if you practice hours a day to hone precision, but for the average golfer, having each putt feel like it was perfectly struck is a confidence booster.
Two design features contribute mightily to the sound and feel of the PXG Allan putter. The first is observable – PXG’s refined Pyramid Face Pattern that “creates the soft sound of an insert putter while maintaining the responsive feel of a solid, milled putter.” The second feature, hidden behind the face in an interior cavity, is PXG’s proprietary lightweight polymer called S-COR Technology. The material dampens sound and vibration, adding to the wonderfully pleasant communication.
Performance
With consistency being the theme in Sound & Feel, it’s appropriate to start this section by stating the Allan is also consistent in regards to performance. Roll-out was nearly unaffected by contact location. And harkening back another section, the long alignment line made me feel like the Allan was a point-and-shoot putter. No putter can solve the speed and break equation, but the Allan felt like money on straight putts.
What’s different about the PXG Allan putter is its Zero Torque Balance Technology. While most putters are face balanced (face points to the sky) or have toe hang (the toe is lower than the heel) when the shaft is resting and free to find its natural position, the Allan’s face is vertical. This toe-up natural position is achieved by placing the putter’s CoG under the shaft axis. With this configuration, there’s no torque generated on the shaft axis at the CoG location. What you experience while making a putting stroke is a balanced, stable putter head. I found myself just lightly engaging the grip and letting the putter flow effortlessly through impact.
That said, as someone who has used toe hang style putters for years, the Allan did feel strange. A few years ago I tested the Axis 1 Rose putter (read the review HERE) that had its own torque-free technology. I found the S-Hosel of the PXG Allan a much better design visually – which in turn, made it more mentally acceptable. For those into details, the Allan has 5° loft with a 2° forward press, resulting in a 3° standard loft. That forward press/loft combination provided for a nice, consistent roll, during my testing. And I must finish by mentioning that the sole design on the Allan putter allows for a ball to be picked up – just lock it in with a gentle press.
Conclusion
The PXG Allan putter may not eliminate the “pushed/pulled it” exclamation we’ve all made or heard on the putting green, but the zero torque design that keeps the face square to the path is intended to help. And when contact wavers from center, the Allan is full of forgiveness – in both feedback and execution. For a golfer just starting the game or struggling with putting, the PXG Allan putter would absolutely be my recommendation – though its $450 price makes it a serious investment. Regardless, if you’ve never tried a zero torque design, give the Allan a try – the results may have you rethinking what normal should be. And as Allan Parsons himself might say: “Let the good times roll.”
Visit PXG 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.