SIK Flo Putter Review

Introduction

When Bill wrote about the SIK Pro putter last year he commented on SIK Golf’s “range of familiar head shapes preferred by golf traditionalists”. Well the latest offering from SIK Golf, the Flo, shatters that familiar concept. What hasn’t changed is SIK Golf’s face design – Descended Loft Technology (DLT). DLT incorporates four different lofts into one face. What does that do for you? It gets the ball rolling more quickly, regardless of when you make contact.

Looks

In today’s putter market, with its endless variety of mallets, the SIK Flo looks unique – almost simplistic. The bottom wings are designed to move the center of gravity (CG) back and keep it low. I really like the sight lines that provide immediate feedback on lie angle. Also available in a satin finish, I think the black with white paint fill is a great combination. In the middle of the face are finely milled horizontal grooves. Even the grip screams “SIK”.

Sound & Feel

Hits near the center offer a somewhat firm, deep thump – similar to what you hear firmly tapping the tip of your middle finger on your desk or table. Move out a bit from center or hit high on the face, and you pick up a metallic ting. To get any feedback in your hands you basically have to miss the grooved section. To me that’s not a negative, but the result of a very balanced putter with an ample sweet spot. Bottom line with the SIK Flo – hit anywhere on the grooves and you will have a solid feel.

Performance

That last statement about feel is true of performance too: hit the grooves and you’ll achieve solid performance. Even if your stroke isn’t perfect, the SIK Flo delivers very consistent results. Although my gamer is a blade, this mallet was easy to swing. The 390 gram carbon steel head coupled with the low CG requires minimal effort to get the ball rolling. And reiterating my comment on the sight lines, getting my hands in the proper place at setup really improved my stroke.

SIK Golf studies reveal that even pros deliver the same shaft lean at impact and address only 20% of the time. Can DLT really help? I wasn’t totally sold until I visited the SIK Golf studio in Orlando. There, a high speed video analysis system called Quintic reveals what’s really happening to the ball and the putter head for each stroke. And like most analysis software, it’s eye opening. The empirical data can be used for putter selection and setup as well as stroke improvement. SIK Golf president Steve Harrison will tell you, “Our mission is to make you a better putter, not just sell you one.”

Conclusion

SIK’s presence is growing in the pro ranks and that drives awareness for the general golf market. I enjoy seeing companies grow based on design and technology – not just name recognition and marketing. The SIK* Golf motto is Change the Way You Roll. If you’re ready for a change and want a mallet putter that delivers solid performance with every stroke, the SIK Flo is worthy of consideration.

*anyone notice what SIK stands for?

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Matt Meeker

Senior Writer at Plugged In Golf

Matt - aka 'Meeks' - lives in the beautiful Lowcountry of South Carolina with his wife who allows his golf obsession to stretch the limits of normalcy.