Headlines
Puttering Around
Private Clubs Magazine
July/August 2008 Issue
Hal Roenick played to about a 7-handicap, but was never pleased with his putting. After a particularly bad day on the course, he put in motion a process that, he explains, led to the creation of the Crossbow — an adjustable (but USGA-approved) putter that “compensates for nearly every golfer’s failure to achieve proper alignment between the putter and its target.” Roenick, a member of Countryside Country Club in Clearwater, Florida, found that most golfers know they have alignment problems and try various ways to compensate. “The result,” he explains, “is inconsistent putting. Because of eye dominance and other issues, in fact, most golfers misalign their putts by at least one degree. And if your putter face is one degree off-line on a 10-foot putt, you will miss.” The genius of the Crossbow — headed to pro shops everywhere (www.roenickgolf.com) — is an “arrow” that can be adjusted left or right as needed. The Crossbow is already a hit with many Countryside members, not to mention the interest it’s receiving from established club makers. “The Crossbow is so effective because most people can align the putter face on the proper line each time they try,” adds Roenick, admittedly a biased observer — but one whose handicap has dropped two strokes. — Dave Orman