Jack Nicklaus’s use of a MacGregor Response ZT putter during his 1986 Masters victory created a frenzy for the golf club. The oversized aluminium putter, once considered a novelty, quickly gained popularity after Nicklaus’s win.
From Novelty to High Demand
Clay Long, the former head of research and development for MacGregor Golf and the designer of the putter, recalled the initial perception of the club. “Up until that point it was a novelty, a goofy putter,” he said, “but it got serious real quick(ly).”
MacGregor had initially projected selling 6,000 putters for the entire year. However, by the time of the Masters, they had already sold 20,000. The company received 5,000 orders on the Monday following the tournament, and by the end of the year, sales reached 150,000.
To show their appreciation, MacGregor presented Nicklaus with a red Pontiac Fiero at the July sales meeting that year. This award was originally intended for the salesman who sold the most sets of commemorative irons celebrating the 25th anniversary of Nicklaus’s first year as a professional. However, the Response ZT putter far surpassed the irons in sales.
A Modernised Homage
Long is now collaborating with Sean Toulon of Toulon Design, a division of Callaway Golf, to produce a limited-batch putter that pays tribute to the ’86 Masters. Long and Toulon, who previously worked together at Cobra and TaylorMade, decided against creating an exact replica.
The new putter, named the Small Batch Columbus, is a modernised version of the original, featuring both stainless steel and aluminium components. Long said, “It’s a more modernized version of the putter but it looks a lot like the original one,” and added, “I’ve been putting with it and it feels very good.”
The Accidental Design
Long revealed that the original putter’s design was accidental. It was initially intended to be a corrective putter face with an overhang, but the USGA deemed it non-conforming. Long then created several models without the overhang, resulting in a high inertia putter.
Nicklaus discovered the putter in Long’s office. According to Long, Nicklaus initially asked, “Is this a joke?” He then tested it, liked its roll, and requested a couple to try out.
Nicklaus experimented with the putter at Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter, Florida, and shot the course record with it.
The Small Batch Columbus officially launches on Thursday.