TaylorMade Rossa Monza Corza Putter Review

Monza Corza Putter
Grade: A
Teachers’ Comments: Adjustable weights allow a player to customize the club’s weight for the playing conditions.

The Rossa Monza Corza putter is TaylorMade’s first excursion into the world of adjustable weight putters. Like the adjustable weight drivers, such as the R5 TP, the fairwaywoods and the new adjustable weight Rescue Dual, the Corza has two ports where you can adjust the club’s weighting by screwing in variously weighted plugs.

The Corza also has TaylorMade’s new Anti-Skid Groove System Insert (AGSI). TaylorMade says that the system:

made of Titallium, an extremely durable seven-metal alloy 65% less dense than steel. The face of the AGSI is scored with 12 CNC-milled grooves which are significantly narrower and closer together than standard iron or wedge grooves. The combination of the AGSI’s structure and composition helps to bring two to five grooves into direct and active contact with the ball (depending on the force of the stroke). As the putterface lifts and launches the ball down the target-line, the grooves “hold” the ball through impact, reducing backspin and promoting forwardspin. Because the ball hits the ground with forwardspin, the degree of bounce and skid is dramatically reduced, as is the potential for the ball to rock off-line to the left or right. The result is better distance accuracy and better directional accuracy.

Despite all of that, I have to admit that at first, I didn’t like this putter. The first four or five rounds that I used it, I was constantly long and right. Thinking that maybe I needed a little more leftward spin, I installed a heavier weight on the outside port. But it didn’t seem to make that much difference. The ports, I decided were too close together to have an effect. I was about ready to put the club away and write a bad review. Then it hit me that the real value of the weight ports in the putter is not in manipulating the face like the driver, but in changing the overall swing weight.

Duh! I swapped out the lighter weight pluts for a couple of 8 gram plugs and was immediately rewarded with greater distance control and accuracy. The putts started falling again. Then I went on a vacation to Northern Michigan. The greens “Up North” are much slower than the glasslike surfaces of my home course, and for me, that usually has required a switch to a slower putter. (I have been swapping between my Snake Eyes Strike Line Mallet and my Scotty Cameron Newport). Even so, I generally did not putt well away from home.

This year, however, I kept the Rossa in my bag, and simply lightened the weights. The result was very good. I was able to keep the same setup, stance and swing arc, and the difference in weight took care of the rest. I got through 18 holes with 31 putts—much better than usual away from home. As for the anti skid system, I can’t say for sure whether it works.

The putts do roll very smoothly, but I have always been a smooth putter—people compliment me all the time on my stroke. I can cay, however, that the insert has a very nice feel to it. It is as soft as any of the putters with polymer inserts that I have tried. I truly like the feel. The putter’s shape is unusual, and its looks, striking. Its one of those pieces of equipment that make people say “hey, let me take a look at that.” There also is a nice visual alignment aid that extends from the front through the back of the putter head. I’ve found to be very easy to line up.

So will this putter stay in my bag? It will—at least for the time being. I’m going to save my pennies and get two of the optional 14 gram weights. I like a heavy putter, and I think that will make a big difference.

The Corza also has TaylorMade’s new Anti-Skid Groove System Insert (AGSI). TaylorMade says that the system:

made of Titallium, an extremely durable seven-metal alloy 65% less dense than steel. The face of the AGSI is scored with 12 CNC-milled grooves which are significantly narrower and closer together than standard iron or wedge grooves. The combination of the AGSI’s structure and composition helps to bring two to five grooves into direct and active contact with the ball (depending on the force of the stroke). As the putterface lifts and launches the ball down the target-line, the grooves “hold” the ball through impact, reducing backspin and promoting forwardspin. Because the ball hits the ground with forwardspin, the degree of bounce and skid is dramatically reduced, as is the potential for the ball to rock off-line to the left or right. The result is better distance accuracy and better directional accuracy.

Despite all of that, I have to admit that at first, I didn’t like this putter. The first four or five rounds that I used it, I was constantly long and right.

Thinking that maybe I needed a little more leftward spin, I installed a heavier weight on the outside port. But it didn’t seem to make that much difference. The ports, I decided were too close together to have an effect.

I was about ready to put the club away and write a bad review.

Then it hit me that the real value of the weight ports in the putter is not in manipulating the face like the driver, but in changing the overall swing weight.

Duh!

I swapped out the lighter weight pluts for a couple of 8 gram plugs and was immediately rewarded with greater distance control and accuracy. The putts started falling again.

Teh I went on a vacation to Northern Michigan. The greens “Up North” are much slower than the glasslike surfaces of my home course, and for me, that usually has required a switch to a slower putter. (I have been swappign betwen my Snake Eyes Strike Line Mallet and my Scotty Cameron Newport). Even so, I generally did nto putt well away from home.

This year, however, I kept the Rossa in my bag, and simply lightened the weights.

The result was very good. I was able to keep the same setup, stance and swing arc, and the difference in weight took care of the rest.

I got through 18 holes with 31 putts—much better than usual away from home.

As for the anti skid system, I can’t say for sure whether it works. The putts do roll very smoothly, but I have always been a smooth putter—people complement me all the time on my stroke.

I can cay, however, that the insert has a very nice feel to it. It is as soft as any of the putters with polymer inserts that I have tried. I truly like the feel.

The putter’s shape is unusual, and its looks, striking. Its one of those pieces of equipment that make people say “hey, let me take a look at that.”

There also is a nice visual alignment aid that extends from the front through the back of the putter head. I’ve found to be very easy to line up.

So will this putter stay in my bag? It will—at least for the time being. I’m going to save my pennies and get two of the optional 14 gram weights. I like a heavy putter, and I think that will make a big difference.