COST: $379.95

TESTED BY: Callum Hill, Golf Australia Writer.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: It was a bit before my time when Ray Floyd was winning the Masters in 1976 with a Zebra mallet putter, and Nick Price was hoisting the Claret Jug at Turnberry in 1994 using similar. So, my first impression of the Zebra AIT 1 was when it came out of the box.

It was the first time I had held and laid eyes on a Zebra putter, and I wasn’t disappointed.

At first glance, it was different from anything I had seen or used before; the Zebra stripe pattern across the top of the putter offers a pleasant aesthetic and certainly helps with alignment.

The AIT 1 is slightly heavier than other mallet putters I have tried, and I really liked this; the extra weight was evenly distributed, and I was able to make a confident stroke and feel at ease over the ball. The extra weight comes from two 15-gram inserts, which you can replace with lighter or heavier weights to suit your personal preference. For me, the 15 grams felt perfect and added to the optimal forgiveness of the putter.

The putter face has a more traditional look, and there is seemingly plenty of margin for error with a decent sweetspot.

RIGHT: PHOTO: Supplied.

I quite liked the soft feel and responsiveness that comes from the combination of urethane and steel in the putter face.

As an aside, I thought the headcover looks fantastic in the bag, and the simple combination of black and white is a timeless classic.

HOW IT PERFORMED: I have gone through my fair share of putters over the years and have traditionally been a blade guy. But the AIT 1 made me re-evaluate this. I loved it.

I spent 15-20 minutes on the practice green rolling putts from four feet to 25 feet, and the feel and consistency were excellent. Even when I made a poor stroke or didn’t quite find the middle of the putter, the roll I got on my ball tended not to differ too much.

When I got out onto the course the AIT 1 filled me with confidence, especially inside eight feet – an area of the game I have historically struggled with. I felt I would make everything; I obviously didn’t, but having that kind of faith in a putter is pretty important.

Putting from around the greens was also super simple, the extra weight and supreme balance making this a fantastic option and means you don’t have to rely on getting a wedge out if that is not a strength of your game.

ZEBRA SAYS: This is a modern take on our iconic original mallet design. The size has been pumped up to boost the moment of inertia to modern standards, while this upgrade also helps to elongate the Zebra stripes to further enhance the alignment system.

For more information, visit the website: www.zebragolf.com.au