Scotty Cameron Super Select Newport 2.5 Plus Putter Review
Scotty Cameron’s aim in creating the new Super Select range of putters was to save weight... 10 grams specifically - it doesn’t sound like much but when designing the very best golf clubs, it’s significant. So how was it achieved? Through some clever features, notably I beams in the hosel and back pocket as well as deeper ‘bombs’ behind the face.
The putter that is the subject of this review is the Super Select Newport 2.5 Plus, one of three plus shapes that are essentially larger versions of their name sake to provide a little more forgiveness and alignment assistance than the originals. Cameron calls them ‘inbetweeners’, sitting between the classic Newport and Newport 2 and larger shapes like the Squareback 2. These Plus putters also have lighter aluminum sole plates, which disperse even more weight to the perimeter to increase off-center stability.
Intrigued, I took the Newport 2.5 Plus to the course. At address, it’s noticeably wider than the other Newport models but not to the point where you could call it a wide blade or a double wide like the Evnroll ER2V currently in my bag. It sits beautifully - perfectly flush to the green and almost tries to square itself. The extra width does make the sightline a little longer, helping with aim, and it stands out sharply from the this putter is also very long from heel to toe, which takes a bit of getting used to. With the lack of paint fill in the back, these putters don’t quite pop off the shelf like previous models, but they remain a premium, elegant flat stick offering that oozes class.
The stock grip on this model and all the blades is a textured Pistolini Plus, which is slim overall and tapers only very slightly towards the bottom. As someone that is used to a thicker grip, this did feel excessively small at first and given the generous size of this putter I can’t help but feel a mid-sized grip would be more appropriate.
The face on this putter benefits from a new milling technique where it essentially gets milled for a second pass to take off the high spots. It’s really intricate and if you look closely on the face you can see the milling lines between the main circular milling pattern. As a result, this didn’t sound as loud, firm or clicky as the previous Special Select line. It wasn’t as soft as a plastic insert, but for a milled face the acoustics where gentle on short putts, progressing nicely to something a little louder on longer putts with more feedback. It is also said to make the face flatter and more consistent, ranking it highly among the best Scotty Cameron putters.
With its short slant hosel, this putter has plenty of toe hang and therefore creates a lot of flow or rotation during the stroke, which I really liked. Despite feeling uncomfortable with the thin grip at first, I soon became accustomed to it and holed out regularly from inside 10 feet. It didn’t take long to figure out how to get it to square up, something you'll discover with the best golf putters.
But it’s from long range I think you’ll notice a difference in the Plus versus the standard Newport models in that it feels a lot more stable. When your stroke gets longer, the likelihood of a mishit increases, but even away from the sweet spot this putter feels solid - partly down to the size but also the two 20g tungsten weights in the heel and toe. Once accustomed to the green speed, I was consistent from long range with this putter - knocking long putts close and even holing a few from 25 feet or so in testing.
I do think the Plus models add something to the range that golfers will appreciate given the trend we’re seeing towards larger shapes becoming more popular. For £429 of your finest pounds, some golfers may want more ‘tech’ but you won’t find a more user-friendly milled blade putter than this on the market this year. The second drop in May will include the Super Select Fastback 1.5, Del Mar and the new GOLO 6 and GOLO 6.5 models but if you’re after a forgiving blade putter, the Newport 2.5 Plus is the standout option.
