Columnist Victoria Sun: New putter gets some positive spin

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, April 12, 2000 | 11:32 a.m.

Most things that sound too good to be true usually are.

But after watching Las Vegan import Dalton McCrary's Airborne Overspin putter in action and listening to McCrary describe the simple but revolutionary design of the putter, it's hard not to believe that the putter will be magic in any golfer's hands.

Because of its construction, the putter is said to eliminate the underspin, sidespin, skipping and skidding of the ball that other putters put on the ball. Instead, Dalton says, it puts 44 degrees of overspin on the ball before it ever hits the ground.

"It is so accurate that it is unbelievable," Dalton, who has a 2-handicap, said. "It's a Tiger killer.

"You don't have to forward press or manipulate it to help you putt better. All you have to do is aim and turn it loose."

Sound too good to be true?

Here's how it works.

If you take a look at a normal putter, you'll see that most of the weight sits on the bottom of the club so that when you strike the ball it lifts it up, causing the unwanted action of the ball upon contact.

With the Airborne Overspin putter, 80 percent of the weight is positioned above the equator of the ball so that it will go static upon impact without the skidding. The shaft is positioned in the center of the putter to give it a bigger sweet spot.

Last December, McCrary, the founder and CEO of Dalton's Straight Shootin' Golf, acquired the worldwide rights to market and sell the putter from inventor Verne W. Stevenson.

Stevenson still owns the pioneer patent to the putter, which regulates how much weight a manufacturer can have in the middle third of the putter and says that a manufacturer can't put more than 50 percent of the weight of the club above the equator.

McCrary was giddy when he explained the significance of the pioneer patent.

"We know it takes 80 percent of the weight to be above the equator of the ball for this to work right," he said. "It amazes me that nobody else has figured this out."

Sometimes, the best ideas are the simplest ones.

McCrary, who has sold millions of copies of his instructional video called, "How to Hit the Golf Ball as Straight as You Can Point ... Guaranteed," finished shooting an infomercial for the putter a month ago at the Rose Ranch Golf Course.

The putter, manufactured by Henry/Griffitts Custom Clubs based in Idaho, has a price tag of $239.

McCrary expects the infomercial to be aired in early May and said 5,000 of the Airborne Overspin putters have already been manufactured. For now, the solid brass milled putter will only be sold over the phone.

For more information on the putter call (888) 655-4653.

Here's a tidbit: Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz and Mike Trombley of the Baltimore Orioles tied for first with a 0.9 handicap and in basketball, Sacramento Kings guard Jon Barry was best with a 0.1 handicap.