Mati Putters: The M

Let me start by saying I don’t write a lot of equipment reviews. As a matter of fact, I am not sure I have written a review in quite some time. But when I ordered a new putter a couple of weeks ago, I told myself that I would review it. I didn’t know what to expect, as I have been using the same putter since high school, but when the putter arrived, I was immediately impressed.

The new putter is from Mati Putters, an Italian company that specializes in putters. Mati might be from Italy, but you would never know it. They are doing a great job promoting themselves online, and you would never know their putters weren’t made right here and available at your favorite retailer. These guys are active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+ and are going to appear on an episode of the Friday Foursome later this year.

The putter I am going to review is “The M,” but they have several other models to choose from. I chose The M because it looks like the Odyssey 2-Ball currently in my bag. The M looks like an M, I assume for Mati, and resembles the 2-Ball from what I can tell. I’ve never been a big fan of blade style putters, and prefer a heavier putter for quick greens here in Arizona. I asked for heavy… Heavy is what I got!

The weight of The M is incredible. The M weighs 375 grams, the heaviest putter they produce, and the shaft is thicker than I was expecting. Not sure what shaft it is… There is a custom label on the shaft. But man, the weight on this putter is pure. The M is also the newest putter from Mati. Oh, and the grip… They put a black and red Lamkin grip on this, and it fits my hands perfectly. I recently switched from a Winn grip to a PING grip, like the one Tiger uses, and this one, while thicker than the PING grip, feels very similar.

Earlier this week I saw a photo on Facebook. Here, look at this.

When I saw this, I immediately asked, “Do you seriously hand paint every putter head?” Within minutes they responded and confirmed that they do, indeed, hand paint every putter. Just another reason to be impressed with this company.

I’ve been doing some additional research on them, and it looks like the guy behind Mati is Brambilla Seliano. From what I can tell, he is more about the art of producing the perfect putter than he is anything… There is an art to this, and you can tell in the appearance and the quality of this golf club. We all need a putter, and The M is going to find a permanent home in my golf bag. I thought about letting my buddies try it out… See what they think. Nope. Sorry, this putter looks and feels like it was built for me.

I haven’t played any full rounds with it yet, but plan to soon. I mean, i’ve been using the same putter for 15 years. I need to spend more time with this one before I take it to the golf course. I have been, however, practicing with it, and it is almost ready!

Some of you might be asking, “How much is The M?” Well… It’s not cheap. But cheap is relative. I remember hearing Bae Sang-moon talk about the putter he used to win the Frys.com Open last year. He said it was $5,000. The M isn’t quite that expensive, but will run you close to $400 when all is said and done. But trust me, if you are looking for a club that is made with love and a passion for the game, then the price tag shouldn’t bother you. We’ve all paid that or more for a driver… We use the putter more times a round than the driver, anyway.

I haven’t physically met Mr. Seliano, but after I post and share this blog post, I am going to reach out to him on Facebook. I would love to learn more about him, his history with metals and his passion for the game. He might be making putters in Italy, but he is only a short Facebook message away from an interview to learn more.

I’m playing this weekend, and plan on using The M on the golf course. But like I said, this club has found a permanent home in my golf bag. Salute !

(Funny story… So I found Mr. Seliano on Facebook, added him, and am talking to him right now. He just told me Mati is short for Matilde, his daughter. How neat is that?)