The blade, remade: reinventing the blade putter, and the distance ball goes soft

Killing it softly: PINNACLE's Exception features a cover hardness rating in the 70s (softer than traditional distance balls) to go with a 1.55-inch soft-compression core ($24; 800-225-8500;www.pinnaclegolf.com). Meanwhile, PRECEPT, which has had success with lower-compression distance balls like the Lady and Laddie, has a new distance twosome. The D-Force ball's cover features a dimple pattern designed to promote a medium trajectory. The D-Feel has a softer core (16 percent lower compression than the D-Force) and is designed to produce a higher trajectory ($25; 800-358-6319;www.preceptgolf.com).

Fresh blades: Below and to the left are pictures of two new blade putters. No, really. The more traditional-looking model on the left is the Melbourne I from COBRA, but the one on the right is also characterized as a blade.ODYSSEY has taken its 2-Ball concept from an oversize mallet to a completely re-engineered blade. The 2-Ball Blade uses the two-disc alignment aid, but the rounded shape has been trimmed to resemble more of a T shape. It also features a traditional offset hosel ($215; 800-228-2767;www.callawaygolf.com). Cobra's Aussie series has eight models (six bladelike styles and two mallet styles). The heel-toe-weighted putters feature a black nickel finish and a milled-alloy face insert ($109; 800-917-3300; www.cobragolf.com).