Sizemore XB-1
The Sizemore XB-1 is certainly a unique putter. It has the frame of yet another anser copy, but it is very unique. Bruce Sizemore has incorporated the flange angles into the alignment system which offers a visually appealing and perceptually accurate device for alignment. If you like blade putters, but you want suggestive parallel alignment lines, this is your putter. The Overall quality of the putter is astounding. The annealed copper insert is perfectly fit and the mill marks are some of the most amazing I have ever seen.
Initial impressions:
The first thing I though of when I saw the face is how amazing the copper insert would look as the face of a watch. The dull silver finish provides an elegant contrast against the rich burnt orange color of the insert. The putter head has evident mill marks on all sides which adds to overall impeccable quality of the putter. My one complaint with the head is the engraving. Bruce Sizemore does not hold anything back when telling you what is going on with the putter. It is a bit over done for my tastes, but in the end it is not a problem because it does not effect perfomance in any way.
The grip is my only complaint with the putter. The grip seems to be Winn style grips answer to the Grip Master Stitch-Back. I like to call it the Winn Master Stitch-Back. I played with it in the rain and the grip became very slippery. At that point I had little feel for how I struck the putt.
Feel:
Feel is a very subjective subject. I personally love a firm click-y feeling at impact that can only be described as solid. The XB-1 is solid and not overly click-y, but rather a smooth click. Feel often determines how effective your speed control is. The Sizemore was incredibly easy to adjust my stroke to, and once I did distance control became much better. The balls seems to come off with precisely the amount of speed I intended it to have and with minimal skipping.
Grip:
Earlier I mentioned the grip appearing to be a Grip Master Stitch-Back made out of Winn's material. It is one of the firmest Winn type grips I have ever held, and the material is slick at best. The grip looks great, it matches the tech-y feeling of the club, but its performance is greatly lacking. I don't think an actual Grip Master Stitch-Back would fit this style of the putter, so I think Sizemore is on the right track. I think maybe a grip constructed of Elastomer would be a better choice for this club.
Head cover:
The headcover is unique. Sizemore ditched the golden-Standard AM&E headcover for a design that appears to be their own. I've never seen this style before and it works great. I actually find it a little refreshing to see a high end putter ditch the AM&E cover.
Conclusion:
The Sizemore XB-1 is a great putter. Bruce Sizemore has made an amazing high quality putter with a technologically unique concept. The result is a putter that is as playable as it is visually attractive. The milling marks will keep you looking for hours on end (maybe not, but they did me). The few misses (grip and markings), do not detract from the XB-1 enough deter someone looking at buying one. All in all I feel that Sizemore has produced one of the best putters money can buy. The XB-1 is in my bag, and if you try one it may be in yours too.