Yes!, GEL both get in the grooves with new putter lines

Yes! Golf and GEL are two groovy companies, that's for sure. Both are independent putter makers with some common, yet distinct, technological and visual features.

We're not sure if either outfit appreciates the comparisons, but they can't be denied.

Sandy model putter by Yes! Golf

Both believe in making putters with grooved face technology. Both have unique color schemes that are easily spotted.

For Yes!, it's a black, white and yellow tri-color grip, an array of colorful head covers and its signature "Yes!" in a circle stamped on its putter heads.

For GEL, which stands for the company's full name -- Groove Equipment Ltd -- it's a bright yellow and sky blue wide-striped grip and a distinctively shaped blue face insert (pink for ladies models).

On the personnel side, in an interesting twist, GEL CEO Alec Pettigrew is the former CEO of Yes! Golf Asia. Further, two of the putters in the Yes! lineup, Callie and Natalie, are named for his daughters.

In practice green testing and on-course playing sessions, a consensus of golfers assembled by CBSSports.com rated the putters from the companies "very satisfactory" and "should consider," although it must be noted the putters are premium priced. The putters from both Yes! and GEL are finely crafted from high-grade materials; they set up and align easily; and they provide a solid, stable, consistent roll.

Overall there are 26 models of Yes! putters featuring C-Groove technology, including six new styles for 2008.

GEL offers 12 putters in its current arsenal, including an alliance with noted putting instructor Paul Hurrion that produced four signature models introduced for this season.

As smaller companies, neither has a budget for star player endorsement, but each is represented on the pro tours around the world. Yes!, in fact, touts its putters as playing a part in 28 worldwide wins in 2007, including victories on the PGA Tour, Champions Tour and LPGA Tour, along with various developmental and overseas tours.

Here's a closer look at the latest from Yes! and GEL.

Yes! Golf

The company traces its roots to 1995, when European putting coach Harold Swash developed his concentric groove theory that led to the creation of the C-Groove putter. Founded in Houston as Pro Gear, making Swash designed putters, the company changed its name in 2001 to Yes! Golf and is now headquartered in Denver.

Two blade styles, two mallets, a two-piece "hybrid" and a dramatic new-alignment putter comprise the six Yes! models introduced for 2008.

"Our R&D team has worked very hard testing new putter head materials, design concepts and shaft options," said Yes! CEO Francis Ricci. "The six new putters range from traditional to radically different looks. ... Our line of C-Groove putters is very deep now and can accommodate most golfers based on personal preference."

According to company execs, C-Groove putters get the ball rolling "virtually upon impact" with little or no skipping or spinning. The result should be a truer, more consistent roll.

Five of the six new putters for this season continue the company penchant for calling them by women's names. And they all have steel heads with chrome grooves. The one exception to the naming scheme is the distinctive GrooveTube putter, which relates more to its looks.

Nicky and Gina are classic heel/toe blades with small rear flanges. Nicky has a shaft directly on the heel while Gina has a slightly offset hosel.

Sandy and Athena are mallets designed for enhanced Moment of Inertia, a factor that relates to stability at impact. Sandy has a double delta back while Athena has a hollow head design. Both have double bend shafts with half offset, near the heel.

Donna is a heel/toe hybrid -- a cross between a blade and small mallet -- constructed with two materials. The face is made of aviation-grade aluminum and the body, with an extended rear flange, is made of stainless steel. The combination of a light face and heavy back is meant to enhance the MOI.

GrooveTube is a mallet style with a 3D Heads Up Alignment system featuring an alignment tube mounted on the rear behind an exceptionally tall face. The weight distribution brings the putter's center of gravity up near the equator of the ball, which should translate to a better forward roll.

Suggested retail prices for the two blade styles and the two mallets are $190 each. Donna and GrooveTube have prices listed at $300.

GEL Golf

GEL putters feature horizontal grooves milled onto a soft aluminum insert. The design is meant to enhance feel while imparting a fast, straight roll.

GEL Rego putter, Paul Hurrion signature model

"In general, a putt is more susceptible to stray off target during the skid, while a rolling putt will hold its intended line," said Pettigrew, whose company is headquartered in Hong Kong with North American distribution offices in Moorestown, N.J., Pottsboro, Texas, and Langley, British Columbia.

The four Hurrion signature models introduced this season employ a multilayer grooved aluminum insert with a larger grooved face than earlier GEL styles.

"The idea behind these putters is to implement a teaching philosophy in the design," said Hurrion. "We want to provide stability in the putter and, like irons and drivers, increase the sweet spot too."

There are three heel/toe blade styles in the signature line, called Scindo, Sedo and Sedo II. They vary slightly in the shaping of the small rear flange, as well as the shaft and hosel styles.

Rego is a modified alignment, face-balanced putter with strategic weighting, center shaft and no offset. It's roughly a T-shape. A three-line alignment system helps square the putter at address.

The new signature putters bear a rich black nickel finish and all carry a suggested retail price of $299. The other putters in the GEL portfolio are listed at $165 each.

"We've created a good awareness about our putters (in less than two years)," said Pettigrew. "Now the challenge is getting them into golfers' hands. When we've done that, people tend to like the putters a lot."

Click Here for Yes! and GEL putter specs.