50 Words or Less
The Edel Array F-3 putter is part of a fitting system with loads of unique fitting options. Multiple necks, alignments aids, and adjustable weighting. Great feel and strong performance.
Introduction
Lots of companies like to portray themselves as rebels, unafraid to go against the grain. Edel Golf actually walks the walk. In everything they do – like their CG-shifted wedges [review HERE] – they make clubs that are unlike anything else on the market.
The new Edel Array putters are no different. This system offers golfers myriad options while continuing to put fitting at the forefront.
Looks
The Edel Array F-3 putter is called the “Modified Mallet” in their materials. Personally, I call it beautiful. This shape suits my eye with a balance of visual interest and simplicity. The overall shape is clean – a little swell moving back from the face followed by a sharper tapering. At the back edge, the scoop mirrors the ball. The mill marks across the head add something for the player who wants to take a closer look. At address, the cavity frames the ball precisely, which I prefer.
Flipping the putter over, you can see that Edel filled most of the sole but without crowding it. The script Edel wordmark and winged E sit between the removable weights. Below a triple line is “Array F-3” – large but toned down in black on grey. The branding is primary but allows some attention for the carved out portions at the rear of the sole. Overall, the look is sharp and well-executed.
Sound & Feel
At impact, the Edel Array F-3 putter feels like a gentle giant. The sound is soft and low in volume, more “thud” than “knock.” Through the hands, it feels like the putter is nudging the ball on its way rather than pounding it, despite its heft. And, in spite of the multi-piece construction, the feel is very solid.
There is feedback through both the hands and ears, but the sound provides the clearest signal on mishits. Off-center strikes switch to a firmer “knock” and are louder. The feel also becomes more firm. The Edel Array F-3 is an addictive putter to hit on center, and it provides an obvious signal when you miss the mark.
Edel Array Putter System
Before diving into this specific model, let’s discuss the Edel Array putting system. This is a comprehensive fitting system built around the ideas of customization, adjustability, and modularity.
The family includes four head shapes – the B-1, F-1 [review HERE], F-2 [review HERE], and F-3. The B-1 is a wide-body Anser [review HERE]. Each of the F models is a different mallet, as shown above.
In addition to the four head shapes there are four necks/hosels. There’s a single bend, a short plumbers neck, and a slant neck, all seen above. Edel also offers a long plumbers neck. Changing hosels will affect both the look of the putter and the toe hang.
The final major piece of the Array putting system is the interchangeable alignment plate. If you’re familiar with Edel’s putter fitting philosophy, you know that aim is a huge part of it. With six different alignment plates featuring everything from dots to lines to perpendicular lines, they’ve covered every aim bias to help golfers get properly aligned.
This system gives golfers a total of 72 mallet combinations and 8 different blades, and that’s before factoring in head weight, counter weight, and grip. Finally, huge kudos to Edel for making everything user friendly. All of the components can be adjusted with a Torx wrench (just like adjustable drivers), and all the pieces of this system will be sold separately.
Performance
With fitting at the forefront of the Edel Array putting system, I spent some time with the wrench and components before any real testing. Of the three alignment options I had, I found the three dots to be the most natural fit for the rounded shape of the Edel Array F-3 putter.
For the neck, it was a toss up between the slant and short plumbers (the latter is shown in most of the pictures). I preferred the look of the slant neck with this head, but the diminished toe hang of the plumbers neck (25 degrees vs 44) felt better with the weight of this head. For the testing, I spent a good bit of time with each. Having been through the full Edel fitting with their previous system [read more HERE], I’m curious how my self-fit results would compare to a professional fit.
Once I got the Edel Array F-3 putter dialed in and starting putting, what stood out to me was the heft. I tested the Array F-3 with 15 gram sole weights – putting the head weight at 370 grams – and no counterweight. The sole weights range from 5 to 25 grams, giving the head a range from 340 to 390 grams. The F-3 never felt clumsy, but it did feel heavier than other 370 gram heads.
This may be the result of the weight placement. Most modern mallets try to get all the weight in the far corners of the head. The Edel Array F-3 putter has hollow sections in the rear corners, removing weight. Some putters push all the weight forward to minimize gear effect, but the F-3 doesn’t do that either. The removable weights sit just forward of center.
The question that naturally follows is, “How does this affect the forgiveness?” For me, the Edel Array F-3 putter had forgiveness that was in line with larger traditional mallets. This putter is happy to cover up a small mishit, keeping it online and getting it to the cup. You can find more forgiveness, but you’ll need to go to a non-traditional looking mallet.
Finally, something I was pleasantly surprised by was the ease of distance control. I often struggle to find a good pace with heavy-feeling putters, but that wasn’t the case here. The weight seemed to give longer putts a naturally firm pace and allowed me to be gentle on short putts. This ease with distance control is also undoubtedly related to finding a neck configuration that worked with my stroke rather than fighting it.
Conclusion
The new Array system is easily one of the best putter fitting systems I’ve come across, and it’s enhanced by Edel’s willingness to open it up to the golfer. Rather than hiding the components behind lock and key, Edel invites the player to experiment. The Edel Array F-3 putter is my favorite part of this line with a shape that’s not quite traditional but not fully modern. If you’re ready for a putter that fits every piece of who you are as a golfer, visit a local Edel fitter soon.
Visit Edel Golf HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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15 Comments
Matt,
Great review and fantastic concept by Edel. They have really executed on the looks of each model as well. One question: how are the alignment plates attached? I assume the plates are secured as a function of attaching the body to the head and everything is held in place by the torx screws. Is this accurate?
Thanks for highlighting this very intriguing product. This is the reason I come to PIG every day!
Christopher,
Yes, the alignment plates attach via screws, same as everything else. The screw runs parallel to the sole, so it’s invisible at address.
Best,
Matt
Matt,
Great review and awesome looking putter.
As far as “bag appeal” goes, it would be great if you could include a photo of the putters with the Headcovers on. Some scream class and I’m always curious as to what these high-end covers look like.
Keep up the great work!
GREAT review… have you ever reviewed the EVNROLL ER5 putter?
Thank you.
No, we have not.
-Matt
Great review, always
I have a fitting at Liberty Hill with them coming up, can’t wait. I have done a couple of SAM testing fittings in the past, but have heard great things about Edel fittings and all the options they bring.
I realize feel (sound) is personal, but if you could compare it to anything else on the market what would it compare to? thanks
Will,
I’m sure there are good comps, but nothing that comes immediately to mind.
-Matt
So how much is it please
$399
Edel website says $399.99
Thanks Matt, this is a wonderful explanation of what Edel is doing with their putters. With all the customization they are offering I am kind of shocked that the lie angle is locked in at 70 degrees. Do you anticipate Edel offering lie angle customization at some point? If not, why not? Thanks again!
Mark,
I would expect that any club builder could bend these putters to your preferred spec. You can also order it to your preferred spec direct from Edel.
I don’t envision Edel offering lie angle customization because A) there’s not much demand for it and B) I think it would be a tremendous headache in terms of the machining, thus, limited ROI.
Best,
Matt
When ordering, you have a lie option of +- up to 2 degrees.
Robert
Great review. Interesting putter, I love the modular design and it reminds me of the Machine/Dogleg putters. I bet it was a lot of fun trying various combinations.
That same setup is the one that caught my eye the most outside of the blade. Such a good looking design by Edel. I’m going to have to go try one for myself.