Zebra AIT 1 Putter
In 1976, a guy named Dave Taylor designed one of the most innovative and beloved putters of all time. That putter was none other than the face balanced Zebra mallet putter. Regarded as “ahead of its time” at this point, many prominent golfers would quickly put it in their bag and see success with it. Raymond Floyd even won the 1976 Masters with this funky new striped mallet. As the decades continued, so did the Zebra’s success. Eventually, the putter industry sort of left the Zebra behind as a respected historical relic, but slightly outdated. Well, IT’S BACK!!! The classic has been reintroduced with a more contemporary design in the Zebra AIT 1 putter as well as three other shapes.
The Zebra Golf brand was acquired by new ownership in 2020 and modern putter-design legend Austie Rollinson was brought on to design the “comeback range” of putters. It’s pretty easy to see the classic inspiration from the original Zebra in the AIT 1, but it also features an updated mallet shape, removable weights, and a face insert. If the AIT 1 shape isn’t quite your speed, the new Zebra line also includes a blade and two other modern mallet shapes.
The Looks
The calling card of the Zebra putter has always been its signature stripes across its back. It just wouldn’t be right – even unacceptable – to not feature those stripes on these putters and try to call them Zebras. As such, all four AIT putter models feature some form of the Zebra stripes across the back of the putter as alignment aids. The updated larger C-shape head of the AIT 1 allows for those stripes to be extended making a moderately larger frame for the ball. While the original Zebras featured silver bodies, the new AIT 1 has a black finish with grey and white stripes. Flip the putter over and the AIT 1 features a zebra laser-etched on the sole akin to the zebra on the sole of the original.
How Does it Feel?
Though technically an insert putter, the Zebra AIT 1 doesn’t have that “dampened urethane” feel. The feel at impact is firm, yet slightly muted for a moderate presence. Ball selection will play a large role, but my usual Bridgestone Tour B X had plenty of response without feeling clicky. The heel and toe sections deaden up accordingly.
Balance was always the major selling point of the original Zebra putter. There are many well balanced putters in today’s market and one might argue that the Zebra inspired them all. A higher MOI in the AIT 1 makes for a smooth putting stroke and is easy to control. With the stock 15 gram weights, the total head weight comes in 355g. Should you want something a little heavier or lighter, 10g and 20g weights are available. The weight will definitely influence the putter’s overall feel as well as MOI.
How Does it Sound?
The Zebra AIT 1 putter’s sound matches up with the feel rather precisely. Putts off the center of the face have enough click for awareness, but are somewhat muted. It’s a calm, classic “tap”. As you get more toward the ends of the putter, the tone sharpens up into a somewhat dead “clack”, as should be expected. Considering the sweet spot is fairly generous, just make a good stroke and the sound is quite pleasant.
On-Course Performance
This section is going to be more anecdotal than I’d usually prefer. Generally when I test new equipment, it goes in my bag for a handful of range sessions and a round or two. How much of each largely depends on whether or not I feel I “figured out” my full experience with the equipment. I also keep an open mind, but rarely anticipate something to immediately take hold and impress me. However, that’s exactly what happened with the Zebra AIT 1 putter.
It’s been no secret in recent putter content on this site that I’ve unexpectedly been at odds with the flatstick. That’s a rare thing for me and I have no idea why it’s happened, but alas here we are. My very first putt on the very first green with the AIT 1 felt incredibly comfortable. Control was effortless and my line was perfect. I just had to adjust to the feel for my pacing. Within four holes the AIT 1 felt familiar and reassuring. My roll was tight and my stroke far less squirrely than I’d been seeing for the past few months. All I needed to do was put my gamer grip on. Since making that change, my putting confidence has been the best it has been all year. More importantly, it’s lasted longer than the usual cursed honeymoon period.
Final Thoughts – Zebra AIT 1 Putter
I imagine what initially caught the attention of early Zebra adopters was quite similar to my experience with the AIT 1. There was just something about it that gave me immediate confidence and control. I liked how it setup behind the ball, it swung smoothly, and just flat out worked for me. Especially with the dreaded three to eight foot putts that have been haunting me this season. Simply put, the Zebra AIT 1 is an all-around solid mallet putter that does everything well. Most importantly, it makes me feel comfortable and in control of the outcomes of my putts. To me, that’s worth every penny of the quite reasonable $249 price tag of the Zebra AIT 1 putter.
