Back on April 26th, 2010, TaylorMade announced the newest addition to their putter line, the TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost. I was able to get my hands on one for a review and, although contested by some, to my knowledge, I was the first non-professional to add a left-handed Ghost to my bag. Of course, this has no bearing on anything relevant, it’s just a proud moment in my blogging career.. sad, isn’t it? 🙂
I’ve been rolling with the TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost putter for a couple months now, to give myself adequate time to truly gauge the effectiveness of TaylorMade’s new ghostly short stick. Well, that and a combination of a new addition to the family, work and the laziness inherent in my nature.
But, I digress.. on to the review!
The standard loft on the Rossa Corza Ghost Putter is 4.0 degrees, the lie 70 degrees and the offset is 3/4 shaft. It’s available in both right and left handed versions.
Features:
The Contrast of White Against Dark Makes Aiming Easier
According to Dr. Steven A. Hitzeman, a professor at the Indiana School of Optometry, “Corza Ghost’s white putter head stands out so clearly against its background — the putting surface – because of the high contrast between white and green, That high contrast maximizes stimulation to the retina and highlights the head’s shape and features. White creates the biggest difference in luminance, hence maximizing contrast and promoting focus.”
I don’t think it’s the contrast from the green to the white that assists in aiming as much as the three black lines on the putter head. These lines are evenly spaced apart with the middle line residing over the center of the club face. The two outer lines are the width of a golf ball and the contrasting black lines over the white background make aiming your putt much simpler.
I chalked up the color white promoting focus as marketing hype, but decided to do some research anyway. I couldn’t find anything concrete to support the claim, but I found this on more than one site and thought it completely fit putting. You should use white in your life if you want to:
- to clear clutter and obstacles from your path
- to start a new beginning
- to bring about mental clarity
- purify thoughts or actions
I’ll let you derive your own meaning from each bullet, but you have to agree that on some level, each one could be applied to putting! 🙂
In addition, the TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost Putter has a circular hole in the back of the putter head, giving you a different option to focus on to lock in your putt. “You can focus on the topline to aim Ghost,” said Bret Wahl, senior director of iron, wedge and putter development, “or you can focus on the alignment lines to visually connect the circular hole and your ball to lock in your aim. The point is that you’ve got options, each one highly effective.”
The hole in the back of the putter is slightly smaller than a golf ball and I found it helpful in aligning putts. It reminds me of the ghost ring rear site on a rifle that you check against to confirm that your aiming correctly. The front three lines are the v-notch site on the front of the barrel. Lining these up with the ball & cup respectively is a great aid to those like me who are alignment challenged..
Eliminating Hot Spots
Hot Spots are reflections of direct sunlight from the top of the putter into the golfer’s eye, and distract the player’s attention from the task at hand, which is to focus on the putter head, the alignment system, and aiming the putter squarely down the target-line.
The TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost’s white finish is supposed to help keep hot spots from standing out, allowing you to focus your attention on seeing the whole form of the putter head and the alignment system, so you can aim without distraction.
I agree that you never have to worry about a flash coming from the putter head when the sunlight hits it a certain way, but instead, you have to contend with having the entire putter head image burned into your eyes. I’ve experienced this on more than one occasion, putting without my sunglasses on a sunny afternoon staring at the white putter head, contrasting with the green and when I close my eyes, the image lingers.
Large, Solid-Feeling, High-MOI Mallet
Being a mallet, Corza Ghost’s high-MOI head is very stable on off-center hits and feels extremely solid at impact. The feel of the putter, is by far my favorite part of the TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost.
It’s very touchy and not in a “wife’s monthly visitor, stay away from me” kind of way, but in a good vibe, zen kind of way. The feel of the putter striking the ball is ethereal and lends validity to naming the “ghost.” As a matter of fact, two of my playing partners nicked named the putter “Casper” and constantly jibe, that he’s scared the ball past the hole.. 🙁
AGSI®+ to Promote Better Roll
Corza Ghost also has the advantage of Rossa’s renowned and tour-proven AGSI®+ (Anti-skid Groove System Insert) Technology. AGSI+ features 14 polymer-filled grooves in the face that “hold” the ball briefly at impact to promote forwardspin for a smoother roll and more accurate results. The AGSI+ insert, in concert with the putterhead’s extremely high MOI, also delivers superior consistency in forward roll on off-center hits, something not shown in tests of other popular putters.
The Ghost does indeed have a “truer” roll than many of the putters I’ve used, there isn’t any noticeable backspin, and I haven’t experienced any of those putts that have the stuttering ball hops off the club face. However, it comes at a small price. The longer putts, ones that are over twenty feet, I find myself having to really muscle the putter to reach the target, more-so than is expected, which throws off the accuracy of the putt.
This could be caused by the increased duration of contact between the ball and the putter face with the club absorbing more energy as a result. Whatever the reason, this isn’t a big issue, since the strategy of longer putts is to stop it within three feet with the occasional show stopping roll-in. As an alternative, you could just land your approach shots closer to the mark. 🙂
Conclusion:
I love this putter. It’s solid, has a soft feel with plenty of feedback, rolls like a dream and simplifies aiming your putts. The only flaw I’ve found in the putter is what I mentioned previously regarding the glare from the putter head and even that isn’t a constant issue. I recommend heading out to your local golf retailer and rolling a few with the ghost, you might be scared at the number of putts you sink (baddump chiiiiii)! 🙂
The MSRP for the Taylormade Rossa Corza Ghost Putter is $159.99 and it’s available at golfsmith.com. Below is a link for free shipping.
What are your thoughts on the putter? I tried a slightly different style on the club review and I’m curious what your thoughts are, did you love it or hate it? If you have a minute, leave some feedback.