Review: Miura Golf 1957 Series Putter Model KM-005

The 1957 Series KM-005 putter is a high-end, limited-edition forged putter from legendary Japanese club design and manufacturing company Miura Golf.

Pros

• Classic design
• Impeccable material and finish
• Very well-balanced
• Direct feedback on solid hits

Cons

• Alignment is somewhat hard to see
• Less forgiveness on off-center hits

If nearly half the shots on a typical golf hole are allotted to use of the putter, why are so many golfers so committed to the neuroses of poring over all the clubs in their bag other than a putter?

Oh yes, that's you. Every time a new supersized driver comes out, you’re the first one to run to the range to test it out. So, the Miura folks have to overcome some obstacles to get people to try their putters. Never one to look for a mass market, the people at Miura Golf are, however, looking for just a few good golfers who want honesty and excellence from their equipment. In looking at the Miura 1957 series putters, that achievement is not hard to find.

Master craftsman Katsuhiro Miura has again instilled top quality materials and razor’s edge precision in another of his designs, which is evident upon the first touch of the club. I tested the limited edition KM-005 putter, which is a traditional-looking heel-shafted putter.

The look is classic; the oiled-chrome finish is more sophisticated than a Duke Ellington songbook. The putter has all the earmarks of a new standard, but is it?

I had to really dig down into the details of the KM-005 to find out how it’s different than other putters. But, different it is. Taking life in Himeji, Japan, a Miura putter begins as a single block of mild steel, which is very different from the traditional combination of metals used by most clubmakers. That said, the Miura 1957 series putter is not heavier than other putters, it just "feels" that way since all the weight is in the single block of the head. It's a toe-down weighted putter with 350-grams of head-weight, making the KM-005 model well-suited for a traditional putting style. The shaft is connected to the club via a plumber’s neck hosel, which visually provides a reassuring offset to get the face of the putter heading on its intended line.

Figuring out the alignment was one bugaboo I had with the Miura 1957 Series KM-005. The rear flange of the putter has only a single scoring line for alignment. Not bad to keep simple, clean lines, but perhaps something more pronounced is needed for older eyes.

OK, let's hit a putt. There is no insert, no polymorphous plastic soft face or anything else in the way of getting immediate feedback from your putt. I thought that was a refreshing change from many putters on the market today. Feel off the face was crisp, but a Nippon shaft provided relief from any harshness. A milled face provides optimal roll on the ball. Mishits were about the same as on a forged iron - off-center contact resulted in a slightly muted feel; but there was still a true roll less likely to lose its line. And like a forged iron, you are "on your own" – your true technique comes out. Not a lot of wiggle room to cover up mistakes ... but there is some forgiveness there. If you’re a low, double-digit handicap golfer like me, you’ll have to spend some time with this club because it exposes your true putting skills.

I’ve never been one to subscribe to the adage that forged clubs make a better player, but playing a few rounds with the KM-005 putter forced me to really pay attention to what I was doing with the club. That’s not a bad thing, however.

If you are serious about lowering your scores, then it’s worth giving more attention to the most important club in your bag. If you really want to focus on those strokes on the green that are yours, and if you like a clean look and solid, forged feel without gimmickry and gadgetry, then you just might enjoy spending time with a Series 1957 Miura KM-005 putter.