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The latest Cleveland Classic Collection putter line features four traditional head shapes with a soft copolymer face insert.  Good looks and solid performance at a very good price.

Introduction

Over the last few years, Cleveland has consistently delivered some of the best values on the putter market.  By sticking to the formula of traditional head shapes, affordable prices, and classic aesthetics, they’ve cranked out a series of winners.  With this latest line, Cleveland is adding inserts to deliver a new feel to these classics.

Looks

All the putters in the Cleveland Classic Collection HB Inserts family feature a “charcoal grey” finish and white alignment lines.  The heads are all classic designs, as you’d expect, and they’re all faithfully rendered.  There’s nothing to complain about here, though nothing to write home about either.  These are solid, traditional-looking putters.

Sound & Feel

The feel off of the copolymer insert is very soft, and impact produces a dull sound.  Depending on the kind of ball you use, you’ll hear anything from a “thock” to a “thud.”

I’m typically disappointed in the feedback from insert putters, but the Cleveland Classics provide distinct auditory and sensory feedback on mishits.  Move towards the toe or heel and you’ll find that the feel gets firmer and the sound becomes higher pitched.

Performance

Much like the looks and feel, the performance of these Cleveland Classic putters is solid but not revolutionary.  That’s not a knock: these are classic designs that don’t need reinvention.  If you want the highest MOI, “truest roll,” blah blah blah, there are plenty of new mallets out there for you.  These are traditional putters: if you make a good stroke, the ball will find the hole.  There’s a measure of forgiveness in each of these designs, but you need to stay in the same zip code as the sweet spot if you want to make putts.

The four models in the Cleveland Classic Collection HB Inserts line are tributes to the Anser (1i) and Zing/My Day (3i) plus a heel-shafted traditional mallet (2i, pictured) and a plumbers neck mallet  (10i).  The blades weigh in at 340 grams; the mallets weight 350 grams.  With the array of head shapes and necks, most golfers should be able to find a Cleveland Classic that fits their stroke.  The one exception is the straight-back, straight-through player: there is no face-balanced putter in this series.

Conclusion

The quality of the Cleveland Classic Collection HB Inserts Putters far exceeds the expected retail price of $100.  If you want a traditional flat stick with solid looks and feel, you don’t need to look much further.

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Matt Saternus

Founder, Editor In Chief at PluggedInGolf.com

Matt is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Plugged In Golf. He's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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