Review: Nike Method Converge Counterflex Putter S1-12

Bringing Stability To Your Putting
There are many factors that go into making putts.  There are thousands of putters and putting styles that will get the ball into the hole.  The key is can you repeat it every time you are on the green for 18 holes.  What we really are looking for in our putting is stability.  If we are sure and confident over the putts and the putter does the same thing on every stroke, then our putting should improve or at least remain a solid part of our game.  The Nike Method Converge Counterflex Putter is all about stability in your putting.
Counterbalance putters are kind of the current “it” product since the anchoring “ban” went into effect.  Just about every putter company is trying to figure out a way to give golfers the benefits of anchoring without actually anchoring the putter to the body.  Counterbalancing is one way to have extra weight near the hands to offset the heavier head and give more stability to the putting stroke.  The Nike Method Converge Counterflex S1-12 putter takes that to the ultimate adjustability level.

Let’s start at the hands and work our way down the putter.  The Counterflex is done with a unique adjustable weight inside the grip.  There is a screw top that allows you to slide the counterweight out of the grip.  You can then move the 75grams of weight either above your hands, in your hands or below your hands.  Each adjustment makes a noticeable feel change to the putter.  I’m a above the hands guys.  I like the full amount of weight above the hands to really help with a pendulum stroke. 

The grip itself is a large taperless grip that had a very nice soft feel to it.  I don’t understand the color choice since the putter head is red, black and white, why the grip is blue, but other than the strange color combo, I really like how the grip felt in my hands in terms of size and touch.   A side note about these grips is that you can’t use your stat tracking caps in these because there is no grip hole to insert the GAMEGolf or Arrcos sensor.

The additional lenbth on the Nike Converge Counterflex putter is something I’ve come to like.  While I’m a 34″ in regular putter user, the 37-38″ putters work well too, I just grab them at 34″ and putt like normal.  The S1-12 model I received from Nike is a big mallet head at the end of the double bend shaft.  It is face balanced so better suited for a “straight-back/straight-through” putting style.  It has ample weight on the sole and has a fair amount around the back rim, making it very stable.  The long red alignment line was very easy to use.  It was easy to just set behind the ball and line up quickly.  There was no adjustment time needed to this putter.

Nike continues to employ some form of Method putter faces in all their putters.  This is the newest version with a RZN groove  insert to give it a firm feel with consistent roll.  I have always putted with forward roll technology putters.  This new insert offers very good feel and excellent touch on putts.

I found that I liked everything about this putter except that is was a mallet.  I found my same issues with this mallet as I do with others.  When there is so much back weight behind the ball, my speed control gets off a little because I have a feel for pushing the weight of the putter through the ball, but on a mallet, that weight passes through the ball later which usually means I hit the ball with too much speed.  That was my biggest problem with this putter.  So if you are a guy that leaves them short, this might be a great solution.  I probably would be a better candidate to use the B1-01 model.

The Nike Method Converge Counterflex S1-12 Putter has all the technology and features of one of the most stable putters I’ve ever used.  It offers a good firm feel, adjustable counter-balance, a very nice grip, an easy alignment aid and puts a great roll on the ball.  If you are a mallet putter or leave too many putts short, this model is perfect for you.    I think that you can really dial in your putting and get some help without anchoring with this putter.  The Nike Method Converge Counterflex Putter will bring some stability to your putting.  

For more information: www.nikegolf.com

Quick Hits
+Adjustable counterflex grip
+RZN Method grooves feel nice
+Very stable head
+Easy to align
+Accurate aim control

–Strange color choice on the grip
–Mallet wasn’t the best fit for me