Justin Rose talks new Axis1 prototype putter, Miura irons
Justin Rose – winner of the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open – is likely making a putter switch for his 2025 PGA TOUR debut at the Farmers Insurance Open this week.
Back in 2020, Rose signed a deal with Axis1 to play the company’s torque-free putters, which he had already been using for about a year at the time. For the following four and half years, Rose used the company’s Axis1 Rose Proto putter, but during the back-half of 2024, he switched into a Scotty Cameron T-5 mallet putter.
Now, it appears that Rose is switching back into an Axis1 putter, except this time around, it’s an all-new prototype head that he helped co-design.
“It’s been coming for a long time,” Rose told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at Torrey Pines. “Obviously you know I’ve had a great relationship with Axis1 for many, many years now and I love their concept, their technology and their putters. Obviously they’ve always had a unique look with the hosel design.
“The middle of last year I just wanted to look at something different, after it sort of being five years. I sort of wanted to scratch that itch. Along that process, you learn certain things about why you like a different look, or a certain look. I gave all that feedback to the team and we’ve been working on, I would say something that looks a lot more conventional, but still has all the performance benefits of an Axis1. So that’s what we have here, really.”
Rose’s previous Axis1 putter had what he describes as a “gooseneck” hosel design, but this new prototype is now a bit more “traditional” looking.
“You’ll see we’ve gotten rid of the whole heel that we’ve had in the past,” Rose said. “There used to be sort of a big chunk here (points to the hosel) that the putter would kind of gooseneck on so that it could kind of rotate. This one is … a lot more of a traditional package.”
Axis1 first presented him with the new prototype options this week, and Rose spent Monday and Tuesday fine-tuning the specifics such as swing weight, feel and sound. Come competition time on Wednesday, all signs point to Rose officially switching into the new Axis1 mid-mallet prototype.
“Along with Luis (Pedraza) and Phil (Long) it’s been my handywork really going into this one,” Rose said. “So yeah, obviously a bit more incentive to play it when you’ve been a part of the journey of the putter I guess, but it’s still got to work. There’s been some things this week, like trying to get the swing weight right, get the feel right, the sound. Those little things that you don’t know on a CAD drawing as it comes out as a part. And then you have to refine it in gametime.
“So for me, I love the feel that the stroke flows with the Axis1. I’ve actually been super comfortable with the alignment, which is the one reason I switched away from the Axis in the first place, was I wasn’t that comfortable with my alignment. This one for me feels like you just put it down and it aligns square, so it’s super nice.”
According to Axis1 founder Luis Pedraza, the new designs have tungsten weights in the toe and heel sections of the face, helping Axis1 achieve the same torque-free performance throughout the stroke as the company’s former designs.
The putter won’t be Rose’s only recent switch-up in the bag, however. He also recently switched into Miura’s MC-502 irons.
“In December I traveled to South Africa with two sets, and I just put them in play and I really liked them,” Rose said. “Here we are. It wasn’t exactly extensive, I then did get to Abu Dhabi and put them through the ringer with good club fitters and people who know what they’re doing. And yeah, they felt really good, good through the turf. They’re obviously known for their feel, so – it’s a blade, you know? It ain’t a change for me, it’s just a different look. A little bit of a sole difference … They actually felt good when practicing on Bermuda, as well. There’s lots of refinements you can make, but to me, a blade is a blade for the most part. So just a nice change of shape and something different to look at.”
SOURCE: [pgatour.com]
