Arc Golf Alexander Putter and Nicky "Bump-and-Run Club" Review

Pros

• Heavier head-weight keeps stroke online
• Well-balanced

Cons

• Optics make it hard to see down the line
• Sweet spot not well-defined
• Lie angle can't be adjusted easily
• Overall appearance looks a bit "prototype"

One of the things I find interesting about the golf industry is how some small companies do their best innovations in the putter arena.

A new offering from Arc Golf is a putter called the Alexander. There is a complementary short-game club called the Nicky - a sort of chipper that Arc Golf refers to as a "bump-and-run club." You've probably never seen anything like them.

What struck me first about the Alexander was how the shaft connects to the club. Rather than a conventional center or heel-attached hosel, the shaft connects from what can best be described as two black metal bands resembling the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

The Alexander's makers told me that adjusting lie angle for putters of varying heights and styles is accomplished easily when the putter is ordered. But it's not something the golfer can easily accomplish once the putter is assembled.

The clubface of the Arc Alexander has a slight radius to help get the ball rolling. The Alexander putter does this well. I tried the demo from a range of lies on and off the green and there was no problem with the ball getting on a smooth move.

A sightline and rear stabilizer are combined into one. The added benefit is that weight is moved rearward for greater mass behind the ball and stability at impact. Speaking of weight, the Alexander has a 420-gram head, which is heavier than other stock models of putters - yet the overall product feels well-balanced. The head is made out of brass chromed 1018 which delivers a pleasingly soft feel to the putter.

Rolling the Alexander definitely takes some practice. I found the optics, where the hands are positioned, and sitting the putter flat to the ground, took a little getting used to. The Alexander is not your traditional putter. But after a practice session, the Alexander did fine on the course. The unorthodox look hides a very functional putter. Distance control was good wand the heavier weight of the head quiets "yippy" hands.

When off the green, the Nicky could be a good friend. With no grooves and a shaft that is 3 degrees ahead of the face, the Nicky promotes a crisp blow via a heavy head and regular putting stroke to get the ball onto the green. The makers tell me there is almost a pound of steel behind each shot with the Nicky. That weight could give the Nicky an additional benefit as a warmup club.