New putter

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JV24601

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New putter required for me but I don't know where to start in trying them.

Does anybody have any advice on what to do or would most people recommend simply just trying a few and seeing what feels the best?

Seems like an obvious thing to do, but I wondered if there was anything I was unaware of such as a putter fitting service.

Thanks in advance.
 
First thing to really ask, is why a new putter is required? Old and tattered, or just fancy a change? What is your putting like at the minute? Solid and reliable, or can it be iffy? Struggle with longer putts or shorter putts? What head shape do you prefer, blade, mallet, half mallet? As it is the club you will use for most shots, it is important you are extremely happy with how it looks and how it feels. Personally think the looks thing is one of the main factors, as if you like what you are looking at, you are more likely to hole putts.

There are places that offer putter fittings, but if your stroke is out of sync at times, and unreliable, then maybe working on becoming more reliable is a better start
 
JV24601 said:
New putter required for me but I don't know where to start in trying them.

Does anybody have any advice on what to do or would most people recommend simply just trying a few and seeing what feels the best?

Seems like an obvious thing to do, but I wondered if there was anything I was unaware of such as a putter fitting service.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

With all due respect, this is only going to result in an avalanche of 'get the Kerching Xtra Shiny 2015 model'.

There are two approaches to putting, one probably as good as the other.

1. Go into a store of your choosing, pick some putters up, waggle them, try a few putts, find the one you like most.

2. Identify your putting style, how much you arc the putter, straight back-straight through, etc find what designs suit that, get a static fitting for length and lie and buy one of the putters thus identified.

3. Get a pro to fit you using some mixture of the above.

I prefer method 1 myself.
 
One tip i have been given in the past regarding blade or mallet putter is:
For a right handed player if your dominant eye is your right then you should use a mallet putter
If its left then blade or mallet is ok
 
Ethan said:
With all due respect, this is only going to result in an avalanche of 'get the Kerching Xtra Shiny 2015 model'.

There are two approaches to putting, one probably as good as the other.

1. Go into a store of your choosing, pick some putters up, waggle them, try a few putts, find the one you like most.

2. Identify your putting style, how much you arc the putter, straight back-straight through, etc find what designs suit that, get a static fitting for length and lie and buy one of the putters thus identified.

3. Get a pro to fit you using some mixture of the above.

I prefer method 1 myself.
Click to expand...

^^ this

or option 4

Have a putting lesson. Long term it might be the best solution :thup:
 
Get a lesson or at least find out what style you have and which putter fits. Then it's a personal thing. Try as many as you can, ideally on a proper putting green. Speak to your pro and ask their advice
 
steadyeddy said:
One tip i have been given in the past regarding blade or mallet putter is:
For a right handed player if your dominant eye is your right then you should use a mallet putter
If its left then blade or mallet is ok
Click to expand...
Not heard this before any idea what the thinking is behind it...
 
PM NWjocko, he's got more experience than anyone when it comes to buying putters,although I think he's reigned it in a bit recently and he's down to about 1 a week. He's had more putters than Bob Bettinardi ;)

Seriously.. I'd just find a good well stocked pro shop and take a selection out on the putting green and just find the one that suits your eye, Feels balanced, and is the best of the bunch at lagging the ball up well from distance and holing out.
 
steadyeddy said:
One tip i have been given in the past regarding blade or mallet putter is:
For a right handed player if your dominant eye is your right then you should use a mallet putter
If its left then blade or mallet is ok
Click to expand...

I was once given a tip that if you are left handed you should stand on the opposite side of the ball as your right handed mates.

Some tips work and some don't ;)
 
Thanks for all your input.

Homer - you mention style. How would I find out my style?
That's what my original question was getting at.
Is there putting styles out there and how do you find out what they/you are?
 
JV24601 said:
Is there putting styles out there and how do you find out what they/you are?
Click to expand...

Yes, there are apparently two styles, arc and straight back and through. Certain styles of putter suit particular styles allegedly. I'm not really sure what my style is but I've had all styles of putters over the years and they have all worked to one degree or another.
Confidence is vital when it comes to putting so if you like the look of a putter then give it a try and see if it works for you.
 
I went to a pro with a SAM PuttLab piece of kit. THis was really insightful and helped me with a choice of style of putter (brand didn't matter- it identified the characteristic that would suit me best).

I then had the knowledge to either work on my putting or if I chose to buy new, I could do so armed with this knowledge.

Simon
 
SVB said:
I went to a pro with a SAM PuttLab piece of kit. THis was really insightful and helped me with a choice of style of putter (brand didn't matter- it identified the characteristic that would suit me best).

I then had the knowledge to either work on my putting or if I chose to buy new, I could do so armed with this knowledge.

Simon
Click to expand...

Go to American Golf and try as many as you can, you will know by the feel what suits best
 
SVB said:
I went to a pro with a SAM PuttLab piece of kit. THis was really insightful and helped me with a choice of style of putter (brand didn't matter- it identified the characteristic that would suit me best).

I then had the knowledge to either work on my putting or if I chose to buy new, I could do so armed with this knowledge.

Simon
Click to expand...

Thakns SVB.
That's what I'm going to do first, to establish the putter type best suited to me, then I can get the putter and from then on there are no excuses - just practice!
 
mikeb4 said:
Go to American Golf and try as many as you can, you will know by the feel what suits best
Click to expand...

I'm not saying that is not worth doing but I got plenty else from my SAM session. For example the analysis showed I was hitting up on the ball by 1.5deg +/- 0.2 deg, i.e. very consistantly but none the less hitting up. Solution was either swing change or, given it was so consistent, take that loft off the putter. I chose option 2, result was a much better roll on long putts as they did roll rather than hop as a sort of chip. I would not have got that insight from putting on an 8' huxley strip in AG. Also, I was not presenting a square face but was consistent. My current putter was pretty much face balanced, one with quite a bit of 'toe flow' solved this without any stroke changes.

Now, I'm not saying my putting is now perfect, but I am at least practicing knowing I've got the right kit and it has been sorted to provide all the help it can. Rest is down to me!

Simon
 
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