When Kelly Thompson's son Kendric was three years old, he was diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). When Kendric was 6, he helped his father come up with a putter design that led to the creation of the LogicalOne Putters.
ITP is a blood disorder and autoimmune disease in which an individual's antibodies attack and kill his blood platelets. There is no cure. When young Kedric was first diagnosed, his platelet count was 3,000, compared to a healthy person's count of from 150,000 to 400,000.
A 2-day blood infusion process is required when Kendric's count drops too low.
What does this have to do with putters? When Kendric was six, he and his father were at a miniature golf course. Kelly was watching his son line up a putt, using the mini-golf putter, and "I thought that there had to be a more logical way to align a putt," the elder Thompson exlains on the LogicalOne Web site. "I then started focusing on people on the golf courses and how they addressed putts, alignment in specific, and noticed many people had the same issue as myself and as what I noticed with my son."
What Kelly Thompson came up with was an alignment system that led to the design for LogicalOne putters. And now that Thompson is making and selling those putters, he also donates a portion of each sale to the Platelet Disorder Support Association (PDSA), an organization that supports research into the disorder afflicting his son.
So that's the story behind the LogicalOne putters. What about the putters themselves?
Thompson explains the alignment system he devised for the LogicalOne: "To represent the relationships and to aid in alignment I uniquely, but simply, designed the top of the putter head with alignment lines that represent the width of the hole, the width of the ball and the center of the head. Lines are the most basic and understandable geometric shape and provide the essential element for motion across a visual space and has a definite purpose in direction. These alignment lines are also all on the same level so the eyes are not having to adjust/adapt to multiple levels for alignment."
LogicalOne putters are center-shafted mallets with tightly milled faces. The putters weigh in around 366 grams and come with a 3-bend shaft. Multiple colors are available.
A special in place on the company Web site at the time of this writing puts the price at $169 per putter. There's also an "Awareness Package" that includes a putter, extra grips, bag tag, t-shirt, cap and ITP-related items for $209.
Visit the LogicalOne Web site for more info.
Sizemore Collection Debuts New Putters
Bruce Sizemore Jr. got into the golf business as a PGA professional. Then he began designing his own clubs, creating six putters for Copper Stix that received play on the PGA Tour.
Now, he's the designer behind the Sizemore Collection, a new company built around its designer and co-founder. The first four putters, the XM-1, XM-2, XB-1 and XB-2, will begin appearing at pro shops this year.
Sizemore utilizes two patented design features in each model, the IND-X cross-milled face finish, and the AIM ((Alignment Insert Management) technology. The IND-X, according to the company, creates "the world's flattest and most accurate face finish," and does not deflect a ball offline on off-center strikes.
The AIM system is included in the XM-1 and XM-2 models and incorporates fully customizable alignment features and weighting options through custom center alignment inserts and weight caps. In addition to changing the weight of the putter head, AIM allows the golfer to focus on parallel or perpendicular sightlines, as he prefers.
The inaugural Sizemore Collection putters carry an MSRP of $349. For more info, visit the Sizemore Collection online.
TaylorMade Monza Corza Mid Putter
The Monza Corza Mid putter from TaylorMade is a mid-length update of the original Monza Corza. This one comes in lengths of 38, 41 and 43 inches, but is 35 grams heavier and features a higher MOI.
Like the original, the Monza Corza Mid includes moveable weight technology that allows the golfer to change the weight of the putter by as little as 4 grams or as much as 28 grams.
The MSRP is $240. See the TaylorMade Web site for more info.
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