There is a new putter in town that is all the rage – it is commonly referred to as the “Boutique Putter”. Somehow, I have drawn the short stick for every such putter review but this time I struck gold when I drew the assignment to review the new Kenny Giannini G6 putter.

I know I know, product review guys claims “THIS” putter is the best ever after just claiming that “THAT” putter was outstanding and a game changer. I’ve been pretty fortunate to review some outstanding putters here at Three Guys Golf and with no intent on discrediting any of those fine companies, I have to say not one of them has impressed me to the level that the new Giannini G6 has.

My first encounter ever with Mr. Giannini was back in 2013 at the Las Vegas PGA Show when I had the opportunity to chat with him at his booth. During our conversation he asked me what I was currently putting with and when I told him an Odyssey Versa he just smiled and chuckled. “You guys and your inserts.” He then went on to educate me about why using a putter with an insert isn’t the most practical solution if you’re looking to gain any form of consistency with your putting. It was a rather humbling moment to say the least.

Prior to attending the PGA Show in Orlando I knew there was a new line of putters coming from Giannini, so I made it a point to make their booth one of my first stops and when I arrived. Gusten, one of their reps, placed the G6 in my hands and I instantly fell in love. The “Flow Neck” design of the G6 is simply gorgeous with its classic look and beautiful finish; it stood out over the others new putters in the 2014 lineup. I loved the look and feel of a blade putter and from the first time I was able to hold the G6 in my hands, I literally couldn’t wait for the day it arrived on my doorstep.

As a certified geek when it comes to the techy/nerdy side of golf and equipment, I really enjoyed learning about Mr. Giannini and his history as a club designer and craftsman. The putters he creates are the real story though, so let’s get into it.

For starters, all Giannini Putters are all billet milled using a solid one-piece of carbon steel and they all incorporate the Trademarked and Patented milled Soft Slotted Face Technology (SSFT®) slotted sole. You read that correctly, you simply will not find this technology on any other putter, period!  This “slot” that is present on the sole of the club is milled into the body of the putter just behind the face. The placement of the slot provides for the inertia of the ball striking the face to be distributed across the face, thereby allowing the putter to square up to the intended line on “slightly” off center hits, be it the heel or the toe.  The “gear effect” where the heel of the putter will pass the toe on a toe strike or vice versa on a heel hit just isn’t there, which makes it an unbelievably well balanced putter.

Where other companies may have incorporated a slot similar to this one, none of them are performance-based. For most putters, the slot is just is an audible enhancement, creating a different sound. The SSFT on the Giannini putters is 100% performance-based and when you hit a putt for the first time you’ll be utterly amazed at how well the putter head travels through the impact zone. Dropping putts will become a mere formality and not the rare occasion.

Here are the specs on the Giannini G6 we received for review:

Giannini G6: 35” with PureGrips “Big Dog” putter grip, ¼ inch offset with a ¾ toe hang in the “003” non-glare finish.  The ¾ toe hang is ideal for the inside-square to inside putting stroke which is another reason I enjoy putting with it some much. It fits my stroke path perfectly.

If you recall our last product review from Giannini, the G5 Mallet, you will see there have been some dramatic changes to the appearance of the new line. A new branding of the putters featuring a scripted Giannini logo on the back of the club that has replaced the square enclosed G logo. You’ll also notice Giannini has a new finish that is very appealing; it’s called “003” and this new finish has a non-glare attribute which is great on the course but also helps in accentuating the new white scripted logo. You also have the choice of the platinum finish.

In speaking with Gusten and Tim from Giannini I found it remarkable how much they take into consideration the suggestions from people who have played or are currently playing their putters. Several of the changes they have made, all of which I believe have made the new line outstanding, came from suggestions from existing players and reviewers. According to Gusten and Tim, this is all in the pursuit of creating a putter that doesn’t compromise their basic premise of the company’s tag line “The Look, The Feel, The Balance of Winning”

The “Big Dog” is a new grip from PureGrips that I was a little hesitant to try. The Fat grip craze is all over the place (even juniors as young as 7 years old are using them) but I’ve been a traditionalist for a long time in regards to the size of my putter grips. Not that I haven’t tried them, it just hasn’t been a good fit for me. Luckily Gusten talked me into the grip because even though I was leery of an oversized grip, I’ve been putting lights out with it and couldn’t been happier. The “Big Dog” is a very heavy grip and because of its weight it acts similar to how a counterbalanced putter is used. The putter practically putts by itself, I just have to be there to hold on! With PureGrips being the grip of choice for Giannini LLC, it’s pretty sweet how they have incorporated the scripted Giannini logo into the grip.

No worries if you’re not a fan of the larger grips. The PureGrips pistol grip is the standard for all Giannini putters and they are both available in a wide variety of colors.

Much like Adam’s assessment of the putter cover he received with the G5, I’m a huge fan of the G6 cover as well. Giannini matched my red grip to a red cover and it looks fantastic not only protecting the club but also when it’s safely tucked into my bag. The stitching is outstanding, it’s obviously not going to fall apart on you any time soon, and the lining reminds me more of an exotic fur coat than a putter sleeve. The best part . . . magnets! Most putter companies have gone away from using magnets in their putter covers due to cost, but when you’re dropping close to $400 on a flatstick it’s nice to see Giannini didn’t choose to trim the budget on an important piece of the package. Once the cover is placed over the putter head, it isn’t going anywhere!

The first couple of days with the G6 I mainly stayed at home and used it on my backyard green to get a feel for it. I’m not the type of player that likes to show up for a round with a foreign entity in my bag, so having the putting green out back really assisted me in getting the feel for it and how the ball was reacting to the milled face. In a single word it was flawless. The ball rolls off the face in such an elegant manner that it was pure pleasure rolling the ball. The sound coming off the face is pure and in no way has that distracting high ting you’ll find in some boutique putters.

My first on course outing took place several days later at one of my favorite tracks in town, Rio Secco Golf Club. I chose Rio because they have some of the best greens in town and I didn’t want to deal with a crappy putting surface the first time I put the G6 into play. Even with a 3-putt on the first hole (completely my fault, not the putter’s) I managed to record 28 putts with 9 1-putts. Both personal best!

I have played a total of 5 rounds with the G6 and have been averaging 1.7 putts per round. Along with that statistic my 3-putts have significantly decreased, a number that I NEED to be lower for sure.

As chaotic as my golfing life has been over the past three years, it is a newfound blessing knowing that every time I walk up to a green the last thing I’m worried about is how I’m going to putt.

The craftsmanship and advancement in the club design is remarkable, the appearance is extraordinary, and when you take into account the spectacular performance what you have on your hands is one SEXY putter.

You can purchase the G6 for $355 on the Giannini website. But be sure to check out all the putters in the new Giannini line and find the right one for your game.

Great golfers are often compared to artists, implying that the game requires more than just technical skill. The same is true for the craftsmen who have dedicated their careers to creating the perfect putter. Commonly referred to as boutique putter shops, companies like Kenny Giannini are quietly making some of the finest flatsticks available. For years my only exposure to high end putters was the plastic cases in Golf Galaxy that guarded the Scotty Camerons. Well folks, I am here to tell you that if you dig a little deeper, there is far cooler stuff to be found.

While the Kenny Giannini company is fairly new, Kenny has been around golf his whole life and has been in the putter business for over 35 years. Mr. Giannini got his first start at the Ben Hogan Company and then continued to perfect his craft at Cleveland and Mizuno. Notably, at Cleveland Golf, Kenny developed one of the first completely milled putters.

Now, Kenny is producing his own line of putters and by producing I do not mean just slapping his name on it. Kenny oversees and is intimately involved in all aspects of the process. There is not a single putter that goes out of the door that Mr. Giannini has not personally touched. Go ask a big “signature putter” designer that same question and you will likely get a whole lot of “uh, um, mmm”.

Starting with the looks, the Kenny Giannini G-50 putter has a fairly standard mallet vibe. You won’t find any over the top bling, but you will find a number of subtle touches that set it apart from the mass produced flatsticks. For example, notice the etching on the face – it not only looks bad-ass but also helps the ball come off of the face straight and true.

Flipping it over, you will see the groove that runs parallel to the face. This is called Slotted Soft Face Technology (SSFT). In laymen’s terms, this helps to balance the putter face and give you forgiveness on off-center putts.

On top of the putter you will find a single alignment aid, which is plenty for me as I am not a huge fan of bells and whistles blaring “hit it here!”. Speaking of toned down bling, in my opinion, high end putters have a certain obligation to add at least a few touches that let you know this putter is not one of a million. While the Kenny Giannini putter is fairly modest, I think the face and logo meet the required “boutique bling” quota.

Now for some nuts and bolts. The G-50 putter is 100% milled out of a single piece of carbon steel, not slapped together by some machine. Nope, this guy is just one of a small number that is produced with a level of craftsmanship not possible in huge golf companies. The G-50 is 370 grams which puts it slightly on the heavy side but something I prefer. Additionally, the G-50 differs from the G-5 as it is offset by 1/4 inch, causing the toe to be a little heavier than the heel, which benefits a modest arched putting stroke.

On the course there was zero break-in period as the putter feels very natural and is easy on the eye. Still, whenever I get a new putter, I like to take out my Putting Alley just to make sure I am finding the sweet spot and getting the ball rolling on a straight line.

A couple of things I noticed (or did not notice). There is minimal impact sound. I prefer not to hear a loud click or ting or, god forbid, twank when I putt. The Giannini putter surely makes a sound but it is so easy on the ear that it goes virtually unnoticed. The other thing (and most important) is that it rolls super easy and true. For me, a mallet is just a better putter. I have more confidence and I can control the head better than a blade. Whether I am lag putting from 40 feet of grinding out 5 foot par putts, I feel like I can make anything and everything. Part of that confidence comes from the fact that the head resists any torque if I mis-hit the ball a touch (which is nice).

Finally, there is the all important headcover. Look, you just dropped good coin, it better come with an equally crafted cover. Truth is, I feel zero obligation to keep stock headcovers on my clubs. Not one of my woods has the company headcover on it. However, the putter is a whole different story. I absolutly prefer to have the stock putter cover, provided that it is 100% awesome. Checking that box is not a problem with Kenny G (I wonder how many people call him that and how much he wants to smack them?). This leather putter cover not only keeps her safe and sound but also tells the world you have a big time putter.

You can check out the whole line of Kenny Giannini Putters on their website.