Scotty Cameron Phantom 11R OC Review
A strong first effort in zero torque, even if the onset never worked for me
Introduction
When Scotty Cameron enters a category, it matters.
Not because every Scotty Cameron putter is automatically right for every golfer. But because it is usually a sign that a market has moved beyond novelty and into something more established. That is how I see the Phantom 11R OC. For me, it is serious validation that zero torque (or very low torque, as they describe this model) is not a fad and that Scotty Cameron believes it needs to compete in this space.
That made this putter interesting before I ever rolled a putt with it.
I had seen the Phantom 11R OC in shops, but had not had the chance to try it properly. For those unfamiliar with Scotty talk, OC stands for “Offset Centre”. This one belongs to a friend who gave me the chance to test it before we played. I was curious about this head because it reminded me a little of the Toulon Formula 90 that I reviewed last year: a high-quality milled putter, a familiar shape within an established product line, and a premium brand’s first serious take on zero torque.
The main questions for me were fairly simple. How would I get on with the feel? Could I aim it comfortably? And would I struggle with pace control the way I have with several other similar putters?
First Impressions
My first impression was positive, but cautious.
I liked it straight away, yet I was also concerned by how much onset there was, by which I mean the distance from the face to the shaft. Behind the ball, it is an attractive putter and unmistakably part of the Phantom family. The shape is clean, familiar and very obviously Scotty Cameron. It’s finished off with a custom black shaft, which is very nice, and I also liked the short alignment line.
I was particularly interested in the face. Having tried the insert version on the Catalina and Fastback last year, I was curious to see how the full face milling would feel. Having been sceptical, it turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises.
What I did not like was the amount of onset. With the Toulon, the shaft is much closer to the face, and I have generally much preferred the other ZT models I’ve tried with a more forward shaft placement.
That was the first thing my eye kept coming back to, and my immediate reaction at address was that the putter looked slightly closed and wanted to aim left. The alignment line was not really the problem. There is only 1° of shaft lean and no press grip. When you combine that with the amount of onset, I felt very awkward over the ball. With some (not all) L.A.B. putters, the leading edge of the press grip should align with the leading edge of the putter face, making it easier to set up and feel more natural (once you know that).
Otherwise, there is nothing offensive about the way it looks, and I’m keen to see how it performs on the green.
Specs (as tested)
Total weight: 590g - to date, the heaviest putter I’ve tested
Head weight: not disclosed by SC
Swing weight: unable to test
Length: 34”
Loft: 3.5° + 1° shaft lean
Lie: 70° and no option to adjust
Toe Hang: Low/Zero Torque
Grip: SuperStroke Tour 3.0 (usually a mid-sized Matador)
Disappointingly, there does not appear to be any options to change the lie or loft, only the length.
Protocol Snapshot (How I Tested It)
Surface: The old Eden green at the St Andrews Links Academy. An excellent, mature putting surface, with lots of variety on offer. Cold and windy.
Conditions: A lovely, but chilly and windy, March afternoon. The green had been micro-tined the day before, but was rolling well.
Make Test: 6 putts x 3 reps from 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 ft
Lag Test: 40 ft to 3 ft - uphill and downhill - run once
Start Line: Gate drill (two tees at 18 inches ahead, gate only just wider than a ball)
Benchmark: SeeMore Nashville mFGP
Full testing framework: HERE
How did it perform?
Notes
The biggest surprise was how much I liked the feel.
That was not what I expected after how disappointed I was with the Catalina and Fastback last year. The face feels very well judged, with a pleasing sound at impact: not too loud, not too soft, just a solid middle ground. The head itself is a high-quality piece of kit. It is beautifully finished, the milling looks good, and the whole thing feels properly premium in the way a Scotty Cameron should.
It is not perfect, though. The milling gets dirty quite easily and seems to collect grass more than I would like. I also remain unconvinced by Scotty Cameron headcovers. At this price point, I would much rather see magnetic closures than Velcro. This one was already losing its sticking power.
The broader takeaway from the session is that this putter reminded me of the Toulon Formula 90, not just in concept, but in shape and the premium milled execution. However, I preferred the reduced onset of the Toulon.
Pros and Cons
Looks (+ve): I like the shape a lot. It is clearly a Phantom, and it looks like a quality item from the moment you put it down.
Aim/Alignment (-ve): This was the biggest issue. The short alignment line was fine, but the amount of onset made it look closed to me, and I never fully settled into it. While it was good on the short putts, it deteriorated quickly as the distance increased, and I think this is the first time I’ve had a zero with any putter. It would take me a long time to trust it.
Feel (+ve): A very pleasant surprise. I liked the face much more than I expected, and the balance between firm and soft was excellent. It felt considerably better than the chain-link insert used in the other Scotty Cameron models I’ve tried.
Sound (+ve): Very good. It has a pleasing sound that sits nicely between muted and loud. It was what I would want from a milled face.
Pace control (+ve): Excellent and by far the strongest part of the test. With several other ZT mallets, I’ve struggled with pace control, but I had no issues with the 11R OC. Even on poor hits, the ball generally got to the hole, so there is plenty of forgiveness on offer too.
Performance overall (neutral to -ve): I’ve marked this as neutral, primarily because pace control was so good. If I could adapt to the alignment issues, then this could be a very good putter, and if it suits your eye better than mine, you really should have it on your short list to test. I also seemed to choose a particularly tricky uphill, left-to-right breaking putt for the tests today, and that might have contributed to the perception of aiming left of the target line.
Grip (-ve to neutral): The SuperStroke Tour 3.0 is too thick for my preference. I’m not sure why my friend changed it from the standard Matador (I hope he saved it), which I personally prefer. So it’s negative for this putter, and neutral for the standard grip.
Headcover (-ve): I do not understand why Scotty Cameron persists with velcro closures. This putter deserves a better quality cover, and there are plenty to choose from in the aftermarket. Scott Readman Concepts is a great place to start.
Price (neutral): At £499, it is expensive, but not excessive relative to other Scotty Cameron putters. Prices on eBay appear quite robust at around £420. My bigger criticism at this price (and also discussed in the comments section of my Odyssey S2S #7 review) is that the customisation options appear limited to length only.
Conclusion
The Phantom 11R OC feels like a serious first effort from Scotty Cameron in the zero torque space. If I get the chance, I would like to compare it to the Fastback OC that was launched at the same time.
There is a lot to like about this putter. The shape is attractive, the head is beautifully made, the feel is much better than I expected, and the pace control was excellent (significantly better than expected). I can absolutely see why this putter will appeal, especially to golfers coming from a face-balanced mallet who want to explore zero torque without moving into something that looks too radical.
But I would not game it.
For me, there is simply too much onset. That one visual issue was enough to affect my aim, then my confidence, and finally my stroke. Once that happened, the rest of the putter’s strengths were not enough to compensate.
So my verdict is this: a great first effort from Scotty Cameron, with too much onset for me, but a putter that may suit others very well.
Fit verdict (for me):
Would I game it tomorrow? No.
What would I change? Less onset.
What do I need to watch? Not assuming my visual reaction will be universal. My results were poor, but that does not mean yours will be.
If you have tried the Phantom 11R OC, I would be interested to know what you thought of it. Do you think Scotty Cameron has a winner here? Mike, I know you love it, and you used it very well when we played.
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Links:
Full testing framework: here
All my other putter reviews: here
Interesting on how the shaft onset affected your aim. I remember trying the old Odyssey BackStryke putters which I think had a similar shaft position - I could never have played with one of those, just looked all wrong to me...
A fair and thoughtful review. Most interesting that speed control excellent. As always, ZT for some not for others.