Beginner Putter

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Dornenglanz

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I've spent the last few hours reading back over dozens of forum posts trying to weed out some general recommendations for my first putter. I'm inclinced to buy second-hand, as this seems to be a good way to get a good quality putter, perhaps a little unfashionable, for an attractive price.

I'm a complete beginner, so all this talk about arcs and putting styles goes over my head. I've had a couple of lessons now, but we haven't got onto putting yet. All I know is that my friend told me to think of my stroke as being like a pendulum, with my shoulders swinging the club, which is what I've been doing. I'm putting reasonably well, and enjoying it, but so far I am unformed.

I'm currently using a "blade" style club with a hickory handle and a leather grip. No idea how old it is. But it's not mine, and I do need to give it back.

I've read the general suggestion to go and try a bunch, but since I'd prefer to get second hand, and since I'm a complete beginner, I don't really think I could get a lot out of trying a bunch of putters and seeing which feels right. Basically I suspect anything will do.

I've seen these on ebay which look appealing to me:

- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/titleist-...466115?hash=item3d1e4e8003:g:GkQAAOSwv9hW5a2x (I've heard of Scotty Cameron, and this looks attractive)
- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wilson-TP...3b99a7b66:g:aDYAAOSwvg9XZSx4&autorefresh=true (this was mentioned on a forum somewhere)
- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Macgregor...516080?hash=item1c68a1c370:g:GVUAAOSwvg9XXsjx (I've just bought some Macgregor forged irons, so I looked for Mcgregor putters)

Budget is notionally £50, but flexible.

Thoughts?
 
GreiginFife

GreiginFife

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There really is no such thing as a beginners putter. Its more personal than that.
Go and try some to find the style that suits your putting stroke, then look for similar style models 2nd hand.

You dont have to buy what you try but it will at least give you an idea.
 
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selwood90

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I was recommended a mallet putter when I first started. Went and tried one out and it felt awful. As people state it is more personal. I got warned off a blade for a beginner but tried one and that was what I liked the most. Even though from what I was told a blade putter has less feel for a beginner. Whether that is true or not God knows. I now use an odyssey xg1 and feels lovely. You will swap and change them like God knows what anyway once you've had one for a bit. But the ping ketsch certainly isn't a bad putter to start with quality bit of kit!
 
Oddsocks

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One things for sure, unless you know the person or the seller can prove its real then I'd stay away from a used Scotty. Simply put there are just to many fakes out there

Have a look in the forsake section, someone has s good select of quality used starting at £35 quid
 
Smiffy

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Check out various styles and weights by playing with a few in a pro shop.
You'll soon come to realise which style you prefer looking down on, some of them can look really weird.
Also, the greens you regularly play on could be a deciding factor.
If they are normally fairly quick, a "lighter" putter might be more beneficial to you, whereas slower greens would see me preferring a heavier one.
I've personally got a Yes Tracy, which can be picked up fairly cheaply 2nd hand and are a good make.
I love mine, and it's been the one constant in my bag over the last 5 or 6 years.
 
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HomerJSimpson

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Go to a pro shop or high street retailer and at least try different head/weight models and see what suits your putting stroke and eye. It should be easy to narrow the search on second hand sites to something you like and have tried that way
 
Hosel Fade

Hosel Fade

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Mentioned this in your other thread as well but head down to your local shop and just roll a few putts with different head shapes and you will quickly get an idea for what you like. Then you can figure out what to do after that depending on budget etc

In addition to the things I mentioned on there it seems the Taylormade putters with the milled face inserts (Ghost Tour Black) are available for decent prices, I say Black because the white finish is crap and chips really easily

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Taylor-Ma...567774?hash=item2cad732dde:g:6ugAAOSw2GlXKvAz
 
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Dornenglanz

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Went to AG. Took my hickory-shafted club (which attracted much admiration!) for comparison. The people in the shop watched me put a dozen balls, before stating that I had a slight arc, and would be best off with a blade. Then went through a series of blades, from the cheapest (Fazer? Nike?) through Oddysey, Wilson, Ping, and then tried a Scotty. My favourite by some distance was the Ping Cadence TR Anser 2. I tried a few mallets, and didn't like them more. Then I tried the two ball, and found I really liked the way I could align with it, and found that it felt good too. So those were my favourites.
 
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rob_golf1

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It is a personal choice as many have said.

I remember the first set of clubs I bought as a teenager with my first wage and I picked up a putter with the change I had, think it cost about £14.99 from Direct Golf. I didn't really try it out before apart from a few taps on the carpet in the shop. It was one of the big mallet head putters, and I tried it for a few round on the course and could never get used to it. I found that it kept catching the ground on the follow through and I felt like I didn't have much feel from it at all.

Now I use a more regular classic style head and much prefer this.

The other thing worth noting is the grip. If you are finding you are too tense when putting, maybe try something with a thicker grip. I recently upgraded to a Super Stroke 2.0 which gives me a lot more confidence when putting now.
 
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A centre shafted mallet would be my suggestion, a 'Ping Karsten C67' is the one constant in my bag, transformed my putting almost over night, my boss went to a centre shafted 'Cleveland' after borrowing mine for a competition one weekend !...:thup:
 
D

Deleted member 1740

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Dornenglanz said:
I've spent the last few hours reading back over dozens of forum posts trying to weed out some general recommendations for my first putter. I'm inclinced to buy second-hand, as this seems to be a good way to get a good quality putter, perhaps a little unfashionable, for an attractive price.

I'm a complete beginner, so all this talk about arcs and putting styles goes over my head. I've had a couple of lessons now, but we haven't got onto putting yet. All I know is that my friend told me to think of my stroke as being like a pendulum, with my shoulders swinging the club, which is what I've been doing. I'm putting reasonably well, and enjoying it, but so far I am unformed.

I'm currently using a "blade" style club with a hickory handle and a leather grip. No idea how old it is. But it's not mine, and I do need to give it back.

I've read the general suggestion to go and try a bunch, but since I'd prefer to get second hand, and since I'm a complete beginner, I don't really think I could get a lot out of trying a bunch of putters and seeing which feels right. Basically I suspect anything will do.

I've seen these on ebay which look appealing to me:

- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/titleist-...466115?hash=item3d1e4e8003:g:GkQAAOSwv9hW5a2x (I've heard of Scotty Cameron, and this looks attractive)
- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wilson-TP...3b99a7b66:g:aDYAAOSwvg9XZSx4&autorefresh=true (this was mentioned on a forum somewhere)
- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Macgregor...516080?hash=item1c68a1c370:g:GVUAAOSwvg9XXsjx (I've just bought some Macgregor forged irons, so I looked for Mcgregor putters)

Budget is notionally £50, but flexible.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

There's a odyssey #1 in the for sale section on here for £30 ish, it's a bargain.
 
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jaymays

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Putters are totally personal preference. Pick one that fits you and you think looks and feels good. Though you need to pay attention to shaft length; most are too long IMO. Just have confidence that you picked the perfect one for you. Price doesn't really mean crap when it comes to putters. Also, trying other's putters on a practice green can also be a good way to figure out what you like, plus opens the possibility of buying a used putter. For example, my Bettinardi was $200 new when I first saw it at Golf Gear Lab, and I now see them going for ~$50 plus shipping on eBay.
 
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