Sub 70 TAIII 254 Putter
With all of the success Sub 70 Golf had creating the TAIII irons with the legend himself, Tommy Armour III, the next step was to design a putter. Based on Sub 70’s 005 wide blade putter, TA3 made some cosmetic changes to fit his personal tastes and flair. The end result is the Sub 70 TAIII 254 putter. This putter is 100% CNC milled and available in either single bend or double bend setups.
The Looks
Though I’d definitely classify the Sub 70 TAIII 254 putter as a blade, it has a wider body. In my opinion, it gives you a little more confidence in making a smoother stroke while you’re standing over the ball. The black finish with just a white site dot for alignment on the thin topline makes for an extremely clean look. Generally speaking, the TAIII 254 putter just looks reassuringly stable from address.
Flip the putter over and that’s where the fun is. Of course, there’s the signature “TAIII” logo laser etched into the sole. Also laser etched is the famous Las Vegas sign as a nod to Armour’s home since childhood. You’ll see the “254” etched into the sole as well. This isn’t just the name of the putter but also TAIII’s longstanding scoring record on the PGA Tour. Topping it all off is the special Las Vegas-themed cover that comes with this putter.
How Does it Feel?
Call me crazy, but I always feel that carbon steel putters tend to feel a little more precise, albeit softer. The Sub 70 TAIII 254 putter is 100% CNC milled out of a single billet of 1045 carbon steel with a “double milled tour design face”. Though double milled, it’s still a fairly light “fly” milling. This combined with the thinner topline gives the TAIII 254 putter a very direct and specific feedback at impact. The use of carbon steel keeps the putter from feeling clicky and has just the right blend of “pop” and “soft”.
The TAIII 254 feels very smooth and balanced throughout the stroke. Finding the right balance is as easy as swapping the weights around to get the perfect swing weight and arc. The putter comes stock with 15 gram weights, but Sub 70 also includes sets of 5-gram and 10-gram weights, plus a tool to change them with. Last but not least, depending on your stroke, you can get the TAIII 254 putter in either single bend or double bend. This will play a large role in how the putter “moves” and balances throughout the swing.
How Does it Sound?
As it typically goes, the Sub 70 TAIII 254 putter’s sound matches up pretty closely with the feel. The tone is on the softer side with enough “click” for awareness, but enough “mute” to dampen it up. As you venture out from the sweet spot, the tone can get a little more metallic and firm. That’s to be expected and you should be hitting the face in the right spot anyway!
On-Course Performance
Performance with the Sub 70 TAIII 254 putter is interesting. It’s a great fit for players that are a little squirrelly with blades, but have a hard time looking down at mallets or mid mallets. I would say if you are a “handsy” or “feel” player, but you could use some help with stability and quieting down your putting stroke just a little bit, the TAIII 254’s blade shape and wide body are a great option. Once I adjusted to the putter, my control and accuracy were really good, and I produced a tight roll on the ball. That adjustment period was quick and I formed a pretty instant connection with this putter.
Final Thoughts – Sub 70 TAIII 254 Putter
I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve really enjoyed the Tommy Armour III and Sub 70 relationship. The two are really the perfect match and the golf equipment they have produced together is legitimately super cool and very good. They’ve found a way to have fun with it while also making solid gear that flat out performs. The personal touches Sub 70 and TAIII put on this putter are perfect and make for a great flat stick.
From a pure roll perspective, this putter contends with similar models from other competition fives times its price point (or more in some cases). Of course, it really comes down to subjective preferences such as how the putter looks to your eye and feels in your hands, but the Sub 70 TAIII 254 will more than hold its own and be a great investment in your putting game.
