50 Words or Less
The PXG Battle Ready II Apache putter is a massive, modern mallet with a clean look at address and a compelling tech story under the hood. Among the most stable, forgiving putters you can buy.
Introduction
Having already reviewed two of PXG’s Battle Ready II putters, the Closer [review HERE] and Blackjack, I knew I could expect a lot from the Apache. This line borrows tech from PXG’s irons to push forgiveness to new levels. With the PXG Battle Ready II Apache, that tech is paired with a massive footprint to make mishits almost irrelevant.
Looks
The PXG Battle Ready II Apache putter is the one new model in the Battle Ready II line. This putter has an extremely large footprint, but that’s balanced with a very clean address look. The aggressive tapering of the silver portion makes the Apache feel like an arrow being aimed at the cup. The black “wings” – undeniably reminiscent of the TaylorMade Spider – virtually disappear when you’re focused on the silver or the ball.
Flipping the putter over, you’ll find a removable weight in each corner. The middle of the sole is home to a large, black PXG logo, “Apache Battle Ready II” branding, and the well known PXG skull.
As I noted in my previous Battle Ready II putter reviews, PXG spares no expense when it comes to their head covers. If you drop your entire bag, your putter will be the last of your worries. This cover is well padded and has an excellent magnetic closure. Additionally, it has the QuickStick Cart Magnet so you can attach it to your cart while you putt.
Sound & Feel
With a super thin face supported by S COR polymer, the PXG Battle Ready II Apache putter produces a very soft feel at impact. Striking a urethane-covered ball, you would never guess that there’s so much technology behind the pyramid face structure because the feel is so traditional.
The sound of impact is equally traditional – a medium volume “tock.” There’s nothing clicky or harsh that would hint at the thinness of the face.
Feedback through the hand and the ears is modest. You can feel a slight difference between mishits and pure strikes even though the Apache will not twist. Mishits sound a little harder, more of a “knock.”
Performance
The PXG Battle Ready II Apache putter’s reason for existing is stability. You can hit the ball almost anywhere on the face at almost any speed and not feel the putter twist. Practically speaking, that translates to mishits that stay on their intended line and don’t stop short of the hole. On short putts, mishits are meaningless: if you aim it correctly, the Apache will put the ball in the bottom of the cup.
While that much forgiveness is almost unequivocally positive, you still need the putter to fit your stroke and preferences. The Apache is the heaviest putter in the Battle Ready II family with stock head weights ranging from 375 to 395 grams depending on the neck (more on this below). Even with the lightest weights and hosel, it tips the scales at 345 grams. If you favor a lighter putter, you’ll need to look elsewhere in the Battle Ready II line.
I tested the PXG Battle Ready II Apache with a plumbers neck which created a toe hang around 3:30. Being an Anser player, this is less than I’m used to. Less toe hang, combined with the extreme MOI of the Apache, created a feeling that was extremely stable. For players who want a straight-back-straight-through feeling, this set up is ideal. You can even go more extreme by putting heavier weights in the rear positions.
For me, a putter this large and stable feels a little lumbering on long putts. On short putts, it’s automatic, but I struggled with distance control. I found a solution with the Apache the same as I did with the PXG Battle Ready II Blackjack [review HERE]. By swapping the stock rear weights – 10 grams – for lighter ones and packing more weight forward, I regained a feel for the putter face while retaining most of the benefits of the Apache’s design.
Finally, I tested the PXG Battle Ready II Apache with PXG’s proprietary M16 putter shaft [review HERE]. This shaft comes at an $89 upcharge, but it noticeably improves stability. The M16 is 26% stiffer than traditional steel shafts and delivered a 37% improvement in accuracy in robot testing, per PXG. If you want to truly minimize the effects of mishits, pair your Battle Ready II putter with the M16 shaft.
PXG Battle Ready II Putter Customization
The original PXG Battle Ready line was the unequivocal champion when it came to putter customization, and the Battle Ready II line looks like it will retain that belt. First, almost every one of the nine putters in this family has four hosel options – double bend, armlock (not available online), plumbers neck, and heel shaft – each offering a different amount of toe hang. Three models – Dagger, Blackjack, and Bat Attack – also have a center shafted option.
Your choice of hosel will also affect the head weight with double bend being the lightest, heel shafted 10 grams heavier, plumbers neck adding another 10 grams, and the arm lock version a full 45 grams heavier than the double bend. On the topic of weight, every PXG Battle Ready II putter comes with either two or four adjustable weights. The stock weight is 10 grams, but PXG offers weights from 2.5 to 20 grams so you can customize the feel.
New for the Battle Ready II line is a wealth of grip options. There are PXG Sink Fit Pistol and Skinny grips. Additionally, PXG has Pistol I, II, and III, and Straight I, II, III, and XL grips. The Pistol I is a fairly conventional pistol-style grip, where the Pistol II has a much larger profile and less pronounced flare at the butt. Pistol III is the largest with a pronounced pistol shape. PXG’s Straight grips all have the same flat topped, taper free shape. They get larger from I to II to III, and the XL is a longer grip specifically made for armlock putting.
Finally, though this might go without saying, every golfer is able to order their preferred length, lie angle, and loft when they purchase a Battle Ready II putter through PXG’s website.
Conclusion
For players seeking the ultimate in forgiveness, the PXG Battle Ready II Apache putter is hard to top. I appreciate that PXG hid all their tech beneath a clean address look. What’s best is that, no matter your preferences, you can build an Apache that works for your putting stroke.
Visit PXG HERE
Matt Saternus
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Looks similar to Evnroll putter