Toulon “Garage” Madison review
How will I get on with this rare, limited edition putter from Toulon?
Introduction
I’ve long had a soft spot for Toulon putters, and I’ve also long admired this particular head shape. It’s a classic Anser style that many manufacturers have copied. But with Toulon (and Odyssey), they generally only offer it with a plumber’s neck. So when I found this custom “Garage” model available with a flow neck, it immediately went on my eBay watch list.
Toulon have gone through a lot of changes over the years. From being independent, to being part of Odyssey and now being independent again. This is an Odyssey era model. For those in the know, it is fairly easy to tell different generations apart. Early models had only part-milled faces (it almost looked like an insert) before they went fully milled. There have also been several colour changes and alterations to the sole weight system. The Odyssey relationship makes the branding on this particular putter look confused, with Odyssey in the cavity, but Toulon on the sole and grip. Most putters of this generation would also have had a Strokelab shaft installed.
First Impressions
Listed on eBay by GolfClubs4Cash at £250, I received a discount offer and bought it for just £123. Too cheap not to! Like many GC4C putters, it didn’t come with a head cover, which is a shame as the Toulon Garage cover is particularly nice (and expensive to replace). That lack of cover may be the cause of the small ding on the leading edge, something to be alert to when buying second-hand online. In this case, it was visible in the original listing and has no impact on performance. It looks worse in the photo than it does in reality.
Otherwise, the putter is in great shape. The quality and finish of Toulon putters are always excellent. The gunmetal grey finish is particularly nice and eliminates any potential sun reflection. A key Toulon differentiator is their deep diamond face milling. It produces a unique feel, which we will return to later. This putter is fitted with a nice orange Toulon-branded Lamkin Deep Etched grip, which is a shape and size I like and have used extensively.
The putter sits beautifully at address. To my eye, the proportions are perfect, with a nice thin topline and lovely, rounded bumpers. The half shaft offset also suits my eye, and the only thing I would change would be to have a top alignment line (like my SeeMore) rather than a flange line.
Specs (as tested)
Total weight: 558g
Head weight: 352g with standard A7 sole weight
Swing weight: D2
Length: 34”
Loft: 3°
Lie: 69° (slightly flat for me, but was unable to alter)
Toe Hang: 60° (5 on a clock face)
Grip: Lamkin Deep Etched
Protocol Snapshot (How I Tested It)
Surface: St Andrews Academy practice green
Conditions: A lovely day, but very cold (2°C). The green was frozen, but rolling nicely. In fact, it was nicer frozen than when it thawed!
Make Test: 6 putts x 3 reps from 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 ft
Lag Test: 40 ft to 3 ft - uphill and downhill
Start Line: Gate drill (two tees at 18 inches ahead, gate only just wider than a ball)
Benchmark: Compared to my current gamer, a SeeMore Nashville FGP (run once)
Full testing framework: HERE
How did it perform?
Notes
Despite the cold weather, it was a lovely day for testing. The ground was so hard that I struggled to get my marker tees into the ground.
The SeeMore put in a very good performance again and quickly pulled away from the Toulon as testing progressed. The Broadie data shows that the Toulon was a decent performer, but the SeeMore was considerably better.
Pros and Cons
Looks and Feel (neutral): This is a very attractive putter that sits beautifully behind the ball. The gunmetal colour is fantastic in the sun. However, the way it felt on impact was disappointing. I’m genuinely puzzled by that, as I enjoyed the feel of the Atlanta heads I’ve owned. Maybe it’s due to the different shape and weight. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not unpleasant, but I struggled with it. The head is made from 303 stainless steel, so you expect a firm feel, but it was considerably softer than expected. The deep diamond milling definitely produces a muted impact sound. Looking back at my review of the Toulon Formula 90, I noted that the milling was noticeably shallower than that of my Atlanta, so this might be an area where they have received other negative customer feedback.
Pace control (-ve): This follows from feel. As distance increased, my performance deteriorated, and my confidence started to falter. I struggled with pace, as you can see with the lag tests. The misses were also inconsistent, both long and short. With longer putts, I felt that I really needed to hit them hard, which is bad for my stroke. There really was no contest, and the SeeMore pulled away. Given how well I putted with my old Atlanta, this result really surprised me. I wonder if the heavier head and different shape of the Atlanta are behind the different feel and pace control.
Aim/Alignment (-ve): I struggled to aim this as well as the SeeMore. At address, I felt like it was aiming slightly to the right of my target line. I wonder if that is down to the alignment line being in the flange, rather than on top? Strangely, I didn’t have that problem with the Monoblok 6.5. This deserves further investigation, and I will try another Anser-style putter soon, but whatever the reason, it didn’t inspire confidence, and that was key.
Headcover (neutral): It didn’t come with one, but I know Toulon make good covers with a magnetic closure. If you haven’t gathered from other reviews, I don’t like covers that use Velcro! My Nashville cover is a good example. It is a lovely cover, but the Velcro has lost its stickiness, and it won’t stay closed.
Grip (+ve): The Lamkin Deep Etched is a great pistol-style putter grip. Having played it for years before switching to the SuperStroke 1.0, I’m very comfortable with it.
Price (neutral): Since the split from Odyssey, new Toulon putters have become very expensive at over £600. In the UK, they remain a niche brand, without the same cache as the likes of Scotty Cameron (despite their quality being every bit as good). Used models, therefore, don’t hold their value well, and picking this one up for under £125 is a good example of that. Difficult to justify new, excellent value used.
Conclusion
If you like Anser-style putters, then Toulon options are well worth consideration. The quality and finish are excellent, and there are some real bargains out there. I have always loved this head shape, but the review has made me think about why I struggled with aim and alignment, which is something I will investigate further. Is it the shape? Is it the alignment line? Is it something else?
Needless to say, my SeeMore will be staying in the bag!
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All of my other putter reviews can be found here: On the Green
Keith another interesting review thanks I’m curious since there are screws in the bottom of the face. Does that mean you can take some weight out of that putter it might be worth doing and you might get better results with it on the longer tests.