Let's talk putters..

[HomerJSimpson]

For me putters are so personal and for me aesthetics play a huge part. I love my odyssey milled #9 for the look and especially the feel the milled face gives me. That said I grew up as a junior using an Anser 2 and so there is always that hankering at the back of my mind to go back to an Answer style. The problem is of all the styles I use (large mallet type - odyssey v-fang two ball with micro hinge face or the half moon milled #9) the Anser style (Ping Cadence) is the most inconsistent. Do I simply grind away with the Anser to get it to a functional level, do I bin it and crush that hankering or stick to the #9. I am taking the Anser out tomorrow for a run out (guess that will answer some questions). I tried an old Bullseye putter my dad had. In fact it was the first putter I had when I started. The sweetspot was minute and so struggled for consistency and moved to the Anser

 

[Hoganman1]

Has anyone tried the Stability Putter Shaft from Barney Adams? It's supposed to reduce any twisting that occurs from steel shafts. It costs $199 plus shipping and I guess you have to install it yourself or have a club repair shop do it. Apparently, some Tour guys use it. I'm still a pretty good putter and I've been using my Odyssey White Hot Tour for over ten years. I hesitate to change anything with it, but I have a back-up I could use to experiment.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Putters is just about whatever helps you putt straight. I agree all putts are “straight”, the rest is gravity.

I use a toe heavy putter to ensure I swing the putter head straight and don’t open/close (garden gate) it like I was prone.

Once you find that putter that you find easy to swing straight back and straight through, you are sorted!

 

[Tommy10]

I am still waiting on the Ping Sigma 2 that I won in a competition. Ping factory is shut so all distribution delayed. Hopefully they are back up and running soon.

 

[Crow]

Has anyone tried the Stability Putter Shaft from Barney Adams? It's supposed to reduce any twisting that occurs from steel shafts. It costs $199 plus shipping and I guess you have to install it yourself or have a club repair shop do it. Apparently, some Tour guys use it. I'm still a pretty good putter and I've been using my Odyssey White Hot Tour for over ten years. I hesitate to change anything with it, but I have a back-up I could use to experiment.

I think you'll need to make a very aggressive putt in order to get the shaft to twist by even a very small amount, certainly not enough to affect a putt.

 

[Crow]

Putters is just about whatever helps you putt straight. I agree all putts are “straight”, the rest is gravity.

I use a toe heavy putter to ensure I swing the putter head straight and don’t open/close (garden gate) it like I was prone.

Once you find that putter that you find easy to swing straight back and straight through, you are sorted!

Think you've got that the wrong way round, maybe you're using the wrong puttter.

Toe hang putters are said to be suited to open-closers while face balanced are said to suit a straight back and straight through.

Personally I think that's rubbish, just use what you like. In any event, trying to keep the putter face square to target without any opening or closing is not conducive to a smooth stroke on all but the shortest of putts.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Think you've got that the wrong way round, maybe you're using the wrong puttter.

Bit late to change now I have said all that “putter for life” stuff.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

About 5-6yrs ago I replaced a Acushnet Bullseye flange putter that I'd used since 1985 with an Odyssey White Hot Pro #2 Centre Shaft putter. The difference in feel was enormous and without any practice whatsoever the number of 3ft and under putts I missed dropped dramatically. The Acushnet was lovely - but the Odyssey was so much more forgiving and easier to use. I occasionally use the Acushnet as it is enjoyable to use. But the head looks so small - and I miss more short putts

BTW - re what putter to use - and the tech to fit my technique? Well my pro told me to buy the Odyssey as it was the closest in 'look' to my Acushnet that I would be likely to find - anything else I'd struggle with. He didn't take one single look at my putting technique.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Having worked hard with my mat and gates with three distinctly different styles (two ball v-line fang mallet, milled odyssey#9 half mallet and an Anser blade) then I have found you can develop/manipulate a stroke to consistently enough to start them on line through the gates. Depending on how these styles work from the 3-6 foot range I'd suggest would be truer test of how they perform and then add in the pressure on the course (with slopes and green speed to factor in).

 

[nickjdavis]

For a bit of fun I resurrected a putter that has sat in my locker for about 3 years.

I was originally fit for a Dave Hicks iXi mallet sometime in 2006 and played with it for a few years before being seduced by all manner of exotic Japanese flatsitcks. The iXi went to the great auction house on the net.

About 3 years ago I happened to spot a mint condition iXi on ebay (in my spec) for a ridiculously cheap price so, for old times sake, like meeting up with on old girlfriend, I thought I'd buy it. I suspect that it probably only ever saw maybe 2 or 3 rounds at the most before being consigned to the spares in the locker.

For my 2nd round since we started playing again, I thought I'd give it a go for the sheer hell of it. As it happened...I putted quite well with it despite it feeling a little bit light for my tastes. Certainly putted well enough to consider getting an engineering friend of mine to make me up a couple of tungsten weights to replace the standard brass ones.

Now...no one would ever claim the iXi to be a pretty beast, but it does have a certain quirkiness about it...

 

[Fish]

I was fitted for an EvnRoll and it’s the best money I’ve ever spent.

I’m hoping to have a lesson with the fitter/pro when I can as some of the things he highlighted to me when I was being fitted have seen me putting with so much confidence, I’m draining loads, but there’s still a little more room for improvement.

 

[fenwayrich]

I use the same Anser that I bought over 40 years ago. Never seriously considered buying a replacement, not least because I find sight lines offputting and new putters all seem to have one.

 

[McStumpy]

Putting for me is 60% technique, 30% confidence, and 10% the putter and its technology. For various reasons I only play a few rounds a year now, I was a good putter as youth, lost my way through a lot of adulthood but rediscovered my mojo around 3 years ago thanks to an old Ray Cook putter I borrowed off my dad. Having rediscovered my stroke, I have found my now ageing Yes Marilyn works well for me. Nice weight and feel and it just looks right at address.

 

[SocketRocket]

I dont go with changing a putter will make you a good putter. As long as the putter is reasonable it will do the job. What makes a good putter is a good repeatable and reliable putting stroke.
I consider myself a good putter although I have gone through periods when I have lost it and it's always when I forget to keep my reliable putting style and when you start making lots of misses your confidence goes and that's the real killer.
A stroke that always moves at the same rhythm and only changes the length of stroke to suit distance is the key to good putting, rapping or jabbing the putter is a recipe for disaster. Focus on putting weight more than line.

 

[davidy233]

Read a few comments here about it's the skill of reading the line and slope - all very true - but get a scottie or an old skool ping - you can't blame the tools then