Cleveland Frontline Putter
The Cleveland Frontline Putter lineup adds weights to the face of the putter to help you hit straighter putts. Yes, you read that correctly – they added weights to the face. Tungsten weights added to the face of the putter are designed to move the center of gravity to the front of the putter to improve distance control and accuracy. For this Cleveland Frontline review, we took a look at the 4.0 model, which is a traditional blade shape.
The Looks
At first glance, the Cleveland Frontline has a very stealthy appearance. It sports an all black midsize grip (Lamkin Sink FIT pistol), black putter head with silver/grey insert and weight injection, black shaft, and a sleek black head cover to go with it. The putter head itself is somewhat larger than most blades I’m used to. The top line is particularly thick, but since there are weights placed literally in the face of the putter, it makes sense that the face/top line would be thicker.
How Does it Feel?
My initial thoughts based on my first few strokes with the Cleveland Frontline were that the head feels pretty heavy, yet extremely balanced. I’d attribute the balance to the tungsten weight placement, and would expect it to be heavier than a typical putter using a heavier metal.
The Frontline feels very soft at impact. When struck on the center of the face, you almost don’t even feel the ball. Buttery smooth, especially for a putter with a firm insert. The putter still maintains a soft feel across the insert, but a bad miss off of one of the weights will surely give you some feedback in the hands. Overall, A+ to Cleveland in the feel department on the Frontline.
How Does it Sound?
Putter sound varies widely based on materials, insert vs no insert, head shape, etc. The list goes on. The Cleveland Frontline seems to have a mildly peculiar sound to it. Similar to the soft feel, well-struck putts have a very muted, quiet “tock.” It’s almost surprisingly quiet, but that’s not to say it’s a bad thing. Just something to be aware of. Putts off of the toe or heel, however, have a much louder, sharp “click.” Sound is typically a big personal preference thing, but overall, the Frontline seems to be on the more quiet side when it comes to putter sound.
On-Course Performance
Cleveland packed a ton of technology into the new Cleveland Frontline lineup, most of which is geared around performance. For starters, there’s 47 grams of Metal Injection molded tungsten that was added to the face. This is designed to keep the head more stable with the added weight, as well as bring the center of gravity forward. This concept intends to start and keep your putts more on line. The Speed Optimized Face Technology (SOFT) insert helps in the forgiveness department which keeps distances consistent if you deviate from the sweet spot a little. Additionally, the groove pattern helps maintain ball speed and forgiveness across the face as well.
In short? It’s supposed to be forgiving. For one, the heavier head made it easy to keep the putter on the right path throughout the stroke. I also think the whole SOFT insert works as designed. Even if I mishit a putt, it still seemed to roll out darn close to where I expected it to.
In terms of keeping your putts on line, putting is a game of inches. Keeping a putt an inch more on line with a mishit is the difference between burning an edge and draining the putt. I’ll take all of the help I can get. While the Frontline’s forgiveness is a big help, you still need to keep the face square to maintain accuracy. That’s exactly what the Frontline gives you – a squared and forgiving face for accuracy and distance control. The end result? Closer proximity to the hole.
Final Thoughts – Cleveland Frontline Putter
The Cleveland Frontline backs up all of the technology and forgiveness it touts. It honestly does. Color me legitimately impressed. Cleveland offers head shape and neck options to fit every stroke, meaning there’s an option to fit most golfers. The feel is up there with many high-end putters, and the forgiveness technology works for both speed and accuracy. What’s not to like? If you’re in the market for a new flatstick, you’ll want to check out the Cleveland Frontline.
