Review: New Scotty Cameron Studio Style Catalina and Fastback 1.5 Putters
- keithfmuir
- Jun 24
- 8 min read
These are two putters I was looking forward to reviewing after my interest was sparked by the new Fastback 1.5. Having owned the previous model, but preferring my Toulon Atlanta, I wondered if the combination of the new slightly larger head shape, short top alignment line and the "Versa" style alignment could finally displace it. So I booked a fitting with Adam Legg. When browsing Aucherlonies, I was also intrigued by the new Catalina model and asked if I could include that in the fitting mix. My thanks go again to Adam Legg and Auchterlonies for providing me with the putters to review.
Regular readers will know how much of a putter nerd I am, so you won't be surprised to know that I was immediately interested in the new alignment system on the Fastback. It can also be found on the new Squareback, and recent photos suggest we may be about to see it on the new Phantom range too. I can't find any information online about how Scotty Cameron has been able to produce a putter with an alignment system so similar to the Odyssey Versa line. The videos and blurb on their website don't add much either.
I've included a picture of the Odyssey White Hot Versa 3 here for comparison. It's fundamentally the same shape as the Atlanta and Fastback models and highlights the Versa alignment system that I most associate with Odyssey. Unsurprisingly, I have tried various Versa putters before and always found them easy to align. Unfortunately, I have never liked the feel of the face insert, always finding it a bit "dead". When I saw Scotty Cameron now have a similar system in a head shape that I like, and with a "metal" face, I immediately became very interested.
First Impressions
These are typical of what you would expect from Scotty Cameron putters. They feel good in the hand (new grip, details later), look well-made and have considerable shelf appeal in your local retailer. It's easy to see why they are so popular. The new "Studio Carbon Steel insert and chain-link face milling technology" certainly makes for an attractive face on both putters. Hopefully, it will feel as good as it looks.
One thing I find extremely disappointing with Scotty Cameron putters though, is their head covers. They just don't do it for me, and I simply don't understand why they insist on using Velcro fastenings rather than magnetic fastenings. In my opinion, it makes them much more prone to falling off. The fastenings can also lose their "tackiness" over time and often become messy with threads and other debris. Finally, on head covers, why use an oversized blade cover for a mallet head? It sits terribly in my bag and can easily fall off, whereas a standard mallet cover is perfect (the one in the photo is from Ladybank Golf Club, a must-play course if you are visiting Fife).
With so many quality alternative options available, the head cover should be the least of the concerns in this review, but when I'm spending £449, I want a better one as standard.
Catalina impressions
I've never knowingly seen a Catalina before, and I think I have always ignored it due to the shaft, assuming it was face balanced. I'm not sure what made me pick it up in the store this time, but I'm glad I did, as I love the shape of the head. It's essentially the same head as the Newport Plus, just a wider version of the Newport. It has a lovely look at address, and while the website describes it as having "near minimal" toe flow, I'd say it was more like 30°.
Fastback impressions
I love the way the Fastback 1.5 looks. Maybe it's just familiarity, given the shape of my Atlanta, but I particularly like the short top alignment line, the thin blade and the new perpendicular aid. I want to hit this putter, and I want it to perform well.
How did they perform?
I was fortunate enough to have access to SAM Puttlab when collecting these putters for review. My stroke is very consistent with my Toulon Atlanta, so they were up against tough competition. The Catalina, with its single-bend shaft and less toe hang, reduced how open my face is at impact, but my stroke was inconsistent. The Fastback 1.5 saw a marked improvement in both face angle and path at impact, while also being incredibly consistent. Could this be going in the bag?
I then moved to the putting green and put these putters through the same tests as the Spider 5K ZT review (here). Specifically, 6 putts, repeated 3 times from 3', 6', 9', 12' and 15', then a 30' lag test and a 6' start line test. I had these putters over a weekend, so I tested them over two days and also had an extra session on the first evening.
Atlanta (D1-D2) | Catalina (D1-D2) | Fastback (D1-D2) | |
3 feet | 6/6/6 - 6/6/6 | 6/6/6 - 6/6/6 | 6/6/6 - 6/6/6 |
6 feet | 2/2/4 - 3/5/5 | 4/4/4 - 6/6/5 | 3/4/4 - 4/2/5 |
9 feet | 2/3/3 | 3/3/3 - 4/3/4 | 3/2/3 - 3/3/3 |
12 feet | 2/2/2 - 3/3 | 4/4/3 - 5/3/4 | 3/4/4 - 4/4/3 |
15 feet | 1/0 (D2 only) | 3/2/2 (D2 only) | 0/1/2 (D2 only) |
30 foot lag | 4/4/3 (D1 only) | 4/3/3 (D1 only) | 5/6/5 (D1 only) |
Start line | 4/5/6 (D1 only) | 6/4/5 (D1 only) | 6/6/6 (D1 only) |
I tested both these putters at their standard 34" length and 70° lie angle, against my fitted Atlanta at 33.5" long and 72° lie. The tests were conducted the same day as the Spider 5K ZT review, when my overall putting was not great. The Atlanta has since been re-gripped with a SuperStroke Tour 1.0 and performed much better in the subsequent BGT review. Both reviews are linked at the end of this report.
Performance thoughts
The more I used the Catalina, the more I liked it, and the more I used the Fastback 1.5, the more I disliked it! That was a real surprise. It was the Catalina that I wanted to keep hitting. It felt smooth and stable in the stroke, where the Fastback had a tendency to "wobble" in the back stroke. It just felt heavier and more difficult to stroke smoothly. The website doesn't give me any details on their relative weights, although I'm sure I could find that out if I dug a little deeper.
Where the Fastback excelled was with the start line drill and lag putts. They would appear to back up the SAM results. I wonder if my stroke was just a bit freer with the longer putts compared to the short ones? Were my expectations out of whack? Did I want to sink the short ones too badly and put extra pressure on myself, resulting in the poor stroke? Either way, those issues don't bode well for on-course performance.
The face insert is an interesting one. The more I used both putters, the less I liked the sound or feel the insert produced. It's a strange, almost tin-foil-like sound that doesn't match the quality of the rest of the club. While it definitely gives audible feedback on the quality of the strike, I found the sound quite unpleasant. It just didn't feel as solid as I expected, and I prefer the feel of the previous generation Fastback.
Pros and Cons
Face insert: This is a big fail for me and is enough to put me off both clubs, regardless of how they perform. Maybe the Versa alignment system isn't the only thing they have copied from Odyssey, as the insert reminded me of the old Metal X Milled insert from a few years ago. That wasn't a great insert either, and it's no surprise Odyssey dropped it. Why did Scotty not stick with the milled face of the previous models?
Head covers: These are marmite, some will love them, but I dislike them. Here's a link for those who don't know what marmite is. I know Scotty covers have a bit of a cult following, but these really are nothing special, and I would likely replace them with aftermarket covers from someone like Scott Readman Concepts (link) where you'll get a cover much more fitting of the quality and price of the putter.
Grip: The new Full Contact Slim grip feels like an evolution of the Scotty Pistolero grip of old. It's inoffensive, but I thought it was just too slim. There are other grip options available, and if I were being fitted for these putters, I would likely go with one of the slightly thicker "Full Contact" grips, the small Mattador or the older Pistolero.
Performance: I was really surprised that I preferred the Catalina. While I really wanted to like the Fastback 1.5, the Catalina just pipped it on performance. The balance of the Catalina felt great through the swing, and my confidence in it grew with every holed putt. The Fastback 1.5 felt unstable, especially in my backstroke, and that just made me lose confidence in it. Maybe that would improve over time, or if I were using a properly fitted model with a different grip. Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury.
Conclusion - will I be buying one of them?
The short answer is, no, I won't be buying either of them. Please remember that this review is just my personal opinion, and your own experience may be very different.
Whilst I can't deny that the Catalina performed well, I didn't like the feel of the insert and don't think I would ever get used to it. While I wanted to like the Fastback 1.5, I found it just didn't work as well in practice as it did in the studio. A different grip may have helped that, but it also suffers from the same issues with the face insert as the Catalina. If they were to release either of these putters with a fully milled face, then I would try them again and reconsider. Maybe the new Phantom models will be the answer? I got this picture from the Scotty Cameron Instagram page. The black may be a trick of the light, but I've asked the question and I'm waiting for a reply. I'd rather have a line or a single dot, rather than the three dots. I wonder if the "button back" models were the inspiration behind the three dots? Regardless, I don't like it.
Something else I subsequently discovered is that there are still some special edition Triple Black B3 LTD Catalina models available. Unfortunately, they cost around £700 (although they can be found second-hand for around £500), and from what I can gather, the black finish has not proven to be very durable. For that money, I could probably get one of the custom putter companies to produce something specific to my requirements. I know Kari Lajosi produces a similar head.
So, my Atlanta lives to fight another day. The upside to all of these recent review posts is that I have been practising my putting and green reading through doing the testing, and my performance with the Atlanta is improving all the time! Now fitted with a SuperStroke Tour 1.0 grip and with an eBay search for a BGT Stability shaft, it's becoming ever more like Trigger's Broom (link).
Finally, if you've read this far and enjoyed the post, then please consider subscribing. It doesn't cost you anything, but it encourages me to keep writing!
Other recent putter reviews:
BGT Paradym - here
Taylormade Spider 5K ZT - here
SeeMore M7 Tour Platinum - here
L.A.B. DF3 after the honeymoon - here
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