Club Tinkerer or sweet science?

[GOLFER1994]

Evening,
Always been massively equipment obsessed and spend hours on an evening looking at clubs online/looking for bargains etc. Now, i don't have the money for custom fit anything, my entire bag has been purchased second hand. I don't really use driver off the tee as I can hit my irons a relatively good distance and am far more comfortable doing so. Things are starting to click back into place and hit an all time best 87 since starting playing again during my last round.

However I can't seem to get my putting down. It was a large improvement on recent rounds but still not as consistent as it should be. I keep chopping and changing between clubs (different blades). Now ive decided i want to give a heavier head a try to try get a better stroke, thinking either an odyssey o works tank model or some sort of mallet head (If anyones selling any putters for a reasonable price please PM me). I know logic says just get a lesson but I enjoy the experimentation. Is anyone else like this who just tinkers with there set up or do people go straight back to the drawing board and work solely on technique. I am not undermining the value of practice and do regularly work on all aspects with my game but no matter what I do, I am not very confident when setting up my putter for a putt.

Interested in what other people do or think about this "technique". I know there will be people on here who have garages full of spare set ups and clubs so am intrigued if they actually get regularly rotated in?

 

[Crow]

Out of choice I play a different set every week, woods, irons and putter.
It does nothing for my scoring but I enjoy it. I do practice a bit but not excessively.

I just try and get a feel for the irons on the tee, there's no consistency in shaft length, swing weight or loft that the irons might have from one week to the next.
If there's time I'll hit a couple of putts on the green, again just to get a feel for the putter of the day. Nearly all my putters are true blades so that simplifies things a bit but lie angles, shaft lengths, etc are all over the place.

Luckily I'm average build so I can hit most stuff okay.

 

[GOLFER1994]

Out of choice I play a different set every week, woods, irons and putter.
It does nothing for my scoring but I enjoy it. I do practice a bit but not excessively.

I just try and get a feel for the irons on the tee, there's no consistency in shaft length, swing weight or loft that the irons might have from one week to the next.
If there's time I'll hit a couple of putts on the green, again just to get a feel for the putter of the day. Nearly all my putters are true blades so that simplifies things a bit but lie angles, shaft lengths, etc are all over the place.

Luckily I'm average build so I can hit most stuff okay.

Was expecting a reply from you Crow ! Love that you do this and just have fun with it

 

[bigslice]

I learned to putt using one of the ruturning machines at aged 5. Dis this at my grandpas. Started of short ish putts then longer. A bit repitive but thats wots needed

 

[Grant85]

If you are genuinely concerned about scoring and lowering your handicap then stop tinkering with different equipment, sell all your excess gear and get a couple of lessons on chipping and putting.

Practice should obviously improve your game, but can be a bit directionless without a coach giving you something to work on to improve your technique. A few 30 min practice sessions a week would likely make a big difference if you have something to work on and can put the time to it.

If you enjoy experimenting... then keep spending all your cash on 2nd hand equipment that will make no difference to your ability or your scores. But if you genuinely enjoy it...

 

[Orikoru]

I suppose I'm closer to 'chop and change' although I don't think I'm as bad as a lot of people. I've had the same putter for just coming up to two years now, because even though my putting is sometimes dreadful, I still like my putter, and I was fit for it. I don't believe there's a putter out there that would really improve things. I got my irons nearly a year ago, and I like them too, can't see myself changing them any time soon. I did get a new driver this year when my driving with the old one was poor for over 6 months, and the new one has definitely made a positive difference. I've chopped and changed hybrids certainly, but still haven't really found one I can hit unfortunately. That definitely does need practise, but I struggle to find time for that.

 

[NorwichBanana]

I'm a practice kinda guy!

Only club I want to change is my Putter - Its an Odyssey rather than a Cleveland/Srixon like the rest of my bag!

 

[Garush34]

I'd just stick with one putter. You say you don't have the funds for a custom fit but if you stopped chopping and changing then eventually you could have saved enough to get a custom fit.

I find with putting it is a matter of practice, find something you like and then just work on it. I have two putters that I use, a Rife blade which is better on faster greens and for the summer, the ball comes off the face nicely and I put well with it. The second an odyssey white ice No.7 which I use for slower greens and the winter. The heavier heads just works better for me on the slower greens. I work on my stroke a few nights a week in the house using my Arc putting matt and a set of putting gates.

The chopping and changing of a putter in my opinion not going to help in the long run. If your changing every round how do you know if its the putter or your stroke, you need to give it time. If you've had a putter for a few months and stuck in a rut then a change can be good, just to refresh the mind. That's why I got the odyssey as I was in a rut in the middle of the season, happened to find the the 7 on ebay going for cheap and it worked out after a few rounds I was back to the rife and putting well again.

 

[mhwgc]

You said it yourself, get a lesson and with someone who really knows what they're doing, they'll also be able to point you in the direction of the right type of putter to use.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I try to ensure my stroke is fairly neutral straight back and though, with not to much curve/face rotation. Always surprised how many people have quite 'extreme' face rotation in a putting stroke, such a large variable to bring into a stroke.

I would ensure you find a putter that feels right in the hands, can make quite a bit of difference as I have found out recently. I personally found out I like a putter that feels heavy in the head, and this has definitely helped with distance control for instance.

 

[Robster59]

There are times when I look at other putters and am tempted to try them but I don't. Putting especially is a mind game and I have convinced myself it's the Indian and not the Arrows.
My main criteria is a mallet putter, face balanced with a 32" shaft and a Winn Midsize grip. I'm considered to be a reasonable putter and have set myself up with a consistent stroke and maybe this is what you should concentrate on.

 

[GOLFER1994]

Cheers for the reply guys, with the changing i will never lose money just keep rotating what i have. I think ill have a bit of messing around over winter and invest in some putting lessons when the weather improves. Greens were holding a lot of water this morning so only inevitable the winter greens will be out soon !

Certainly agree technique is 90% of it but it needs to feel right and at the minute im not sure what i have actually gives me any real confidence

 

[HomerJSimpson]

At this time of year I'm a tinkerer. My putting in 2018 hasn't been great and have switched from a large headed putter (Ping Wolverine) to a milled Odyssey #9 and a Ping Anser blade. I am going to chuck the Odyssey O Works V-Line Fang CH Putter (snappy name Odyssey) into the mix this weekend. I need to narrow it down to one I trust and use the winter with it to get my confidence back. I use to tinker with my swing as well but no more. Keeping that nice and simple. Short game is robust and linear working a treat.

 

[Bxm Foxy]

I love putting, and find the simplest of simple bladed putters work best for me. Really need feel.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I love putting, and find the simplest of simple bladed putters work best for me. Really need feel.

I use to enjoy putting and really have a yearning for using a blade. I was brought up with my Ping Anser 2 but these days I feel my stroke is less steady and so a larger MOI putter is perhaps. Maybe the answer is to simply knuckle down again and work on the basics over the winter and hone a decent stroke. It's something I didn't pay much attention to this summer so perhaps reaping what I've sowed