THE proliferation of face inserts in putters is not purely for aesthetic reasons although they do look well. No, the manufacturers will tell you that the inserts lead to greatly enhanced "feel" and impart "ideal roll" on the ball.

But the idea of face inserts is nothing new. As with most things in golf club design, there is a cyclical element to the trend of insert technology. Just as manufacturers dabbled with the idea in the 1960s, and again in the 1980s, the 1990s has witnessed an explosion and, nowadays, just about every Tour player - in the US and Europe - can be seen to be leading the conversion of the masses to such putters.

The idea may not be new (RAM were using inserts in putters in the late 1950s and classic persimmon woods were made for years with fibre inserts that served as reinforcement and decoration) but the materials being used most certainly are modern. The result is that insert putters have established a significant foothold in the market.

So, this time around the use of inserts is not merely a trend, but something which appears to be here to stay.

There is a wide range of materials being used as inserts by the various manufacturers: from Stronomic (a soft elastomer, like plastic, which is seven times lighter than stainless steel) to mouldable polyurethane, and another substance called aerospace polymer, in an effort to winover players.

The soft putter inserts are supposed to assure each and every player of, in manufacturer speak, an "efficient transfer of energy while providing optimum feedback."

The most public face of the insert putter is probably the Odyssey, used by among others Nick Faldo and Steve Stricker. This much vaunted wand actually started out as a club head made completely from the black material called Stronomic, but it was subsequently discovered that it worked best as an insert in steel and brass heads.

What makes Stronomic so useful is its weight and, because of this, when used as an insert, the material helps to create "extreme perimeter weighting in the club head" and provides a soft feel for players.

Interestingly, manufacturers are now bowing to the increased might of women in the sport and are producing new women's models featuring shorter shafts and smaller grips as well as a heavier head to offset swingweight loss resulting from shorter shaft lengths.

The R and A and the USGA offer guidelines to manufacturers on just about every aspect of club making, and there is a legal limit on just how "soft" an insert in a potter can be - but there is a myriad of new designs on the market with the advent of each new type of material suitable for insert; and, given the success which these insert putters are having, the end is nowhere in sight.