Putter change help required

[stevelev]

I had a ping B60, was getting good results. Went for a re-grip at Scottsdale in Manchester, what happened next really made big improvements.

The pro in the shop asked me to take several strokes with my putter. He then shortened my putter to 31.25" and re-gripped it, then he asked me to take a couple more strokes after which he adjusted the lie as my putter was very toe up. Again four or five putts, he adjusted the loft slightly so the ball rolled much quicker off the face rather than skipping for the first few inches. My putts have gone from an average of 1.9 per hole to 1.7, it doesnt sound much but over a six footer I'm confident I'll drop it, and confidence in your putting is something you cant rely on enough. Thinking you'll drop it makes putting so much more fun, especially when they are going in. On a good day I'm getting round in 29 putts, bad day 37.

Find a putter that suits your swing and get it tweaked to feel nice, and give you confidence.

BTW not sure wat they charge now I paid £15 for my re-grip advice and loft / lie and shortened putter.

 

[Robster59]

If you have, or know somebody who has, the iPing putter app it would be worthwhile giving that a go as well. I've used it and it is useful for helping you to fit a putter to your swing.
It defined me as a slight arc to my strong and from that I decided the Ping Scottsdale TR Senita was best suited. It was and I was lucky enough to win one in a comp but have gone back to my Rife Hybrid Mallet as I preferred the slightly firmer face of the Rife.

 

[KenL]

Odyssey #7. Fantastic putter, used by many pros. Right up your street if you are missing short putts.
I use the white hot pro version. Avoid the metal X version.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was struggling on the shorter ones with the Cadence Anser so got Odyssey works two ball fang which certainly helps with the visualisation. However if the OP has a lazy left eye a fitting would important to find something that accommodates that and fits the stroke he has rather than trying to manipulate into a stroke that feels awkward

 

[Billbored]

Thanks delc, backache, stevelev, ken l, homer for all your thoughts. I have been making notes and will go and see the pro-I think he has an app, but not sure how extensive his stock is so will try and ensure I am not limited to what he has. I am convinced I need an alignment aid, the scotty cameron and white ghost both seemed to give me more confidence and work better. As has been said though, I want to be comfortable with whatever I get, rightly or wrongly, I dont think I want anything that looks too cumbersome after having the Anser, it would feel especially strange on long putts. Lots to think about and please keep your experiences coming as it may help me a lot in the long run.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Thanks delc, backache, stevelev, ken l, homer for all your thoughts. I have been making notes and will go and see the pro-I think he has an app, but not sure how extensive his stock is so will try and ensure I am not limited to what he has. I am convinced I need an alignment aid, the scotty cameron and white ghost both seemed to give me more confidence and work better. As has been said though, I want to be comfortable with whatever I get, rightly or wrongly, I dont think I want anything that looks too cumbersome after having the Anser, it would feel especially strange on long putts. Lots to think about and please keep your experiences coming as it may help me a lot in the long run.

If you are putting well from distance, perhaps the simplest and cheapest option may be a half hour lesson on the shorter ones. I would wager you may be moving or peeking which is throwing things out. If your pro can get you still and with a solid stroke from close range no reason to change the Anser at all. Of course that's no fun when there are so many other ones out there to try

 

[bobmac]

If you are putting well from distance, perhaps the simplest and cheapest option may be a half hour lesson on the shorter ones. I would wager you may be moving or peeking which is throwing things out. If your pro can get you still and with a solid stroke from close range no reason to change the Anser at all. Of course that's no fun when there are so many other ones out there to try

Or........

You have a long backswing for all your putts, which is ok for the long putts but not good for the short ones.

 

[One Planer]

I have had a Ping Anser putter for 20 years and though my distance putting is good, I dont hole enough and miss short ones too often. I just wondered if others have switched to putters with alignment aids from a Ping Anser and found it helped? I have tried a Taylormade White Ghost Monte Carlo 12 white, and it seemed to improve things on the practice putting green-but it may have been just because I had been out there for some time already!

I've tried both Anser and Napa shapes and putted well.

However, I recently scratched an itch for an Odyssey V-Line after trying one at a demo day about 8-12 months ago.

I holed everything with it on the day and since making one a permanent fixture in my bag, I've noticed a definite increase in the number of putts I hole, mainly down to improved alignment.

I used to push quite a few lag putts (... I even started a thread on here a while back to try and find the cure for it), but since my alignment has improved, I no longer push them to the extent that I did.

If you've lost confidence in your flat stick, get down to your local pro shop or equipment retailer and try plenty (... Maybe even consider a fitting) and then settle on the one that give you the most confidence.

FWIW, I was fitted in 2012 and the best putter for my spec then was a Scotty Del Mar (Loft 4°, Lie 71°, Length 33").

Since then I fiddled around with other lengths lies and head but never been as consistent. The V-Line is very similar in spec' (Loft 3°, Lie 70° length 33"), albeit with a bigger head and appears to work, for me, a little better than the Scotty.

 

[Billbored]

Thanks bobmac and oneplaner, will look at the Odyssey V Line and the length of my backswing on shorter putts.

 

[Billbored]

OK, here is the conclusion. I had my stroke analysed by the pro's phone app, and it was a 'slight arc' with my current Ping Anser the right type of putter. The pro encouraged me to go for the Ping Anser 2 Cadence. I tried it for some time and coughed up £100 for it as the pro was having a sale-normally £139. It is a little heavier which should stop any unnecessary movement, has an alignment line and a groove insert. I am setting more putts on the right line but need to practice the distance to get fully confident. It is the last 'Board' comp of the season tomorrow, which is also my 55th birthday, so hoping for great things. Thanks everyone for all your advice.

 

[stevelev]

OK, here is the conclusion. I had my stroke analysed by the pro's phone app, and it was a 'slight arc' with my current Ping Anser the right type of putter. The pro encouraged me to go for the Ping Anser 2 Cadence. I tried it for some time and coughed up £100 for it as the pro was having a sale-normally £139. It is a little heavier which should stop any unnecessary movement, has an alignment line and a groove insert. I am setting more putts on the right line but need to practice the distance to get fully confident. It is the last 'Board' comp of the season tomorrow, which is also my 55th birthday, so hoping for great things. Thanks everyone for all your advice.

For that price did he adjust loft and lie on the new putter to make sure you were getting the best out of it from the off. Even though the model of putter suits your stroke, you still need it to suit your address position to present the sweetspot consistently and to make sure the putter is not sitting up to much in the heel or toe so it is balanced properly.

 

[Billbored]

No, he didnt adjust anything apart from the shaft length-it had an adjustable shaft. I had a board comp today and used the new putter. Very mixed and overall disappointing. I holed 4 putts from 8 feet to 30 feet which I maybe wouldnt have holed normally. I missed 2 straight putts of 3 feet. I 3 putted 4 times. The new putter is distinctly heavier and will take some getting used to.

 

[bobmac]

I missed 2 straight putts of 3 feet.

I'd suggest it's not the putters fault.
Try tucking a towel under your armpits

 

[delc]

No, he didnt adjust anything apart from the shaft length-it had an adjustable shaft. I had a board comp today and used the new putter. Very mixed and overall disappointing. I holed 4 putts from 8 feet to 30 feet which I maybe wouldnt have holed normally. I missed 2 straight putts of 3 feet. I 3 putted 4 times. The new putter is distinctly heavier and will take some getting used to.

A new putter always does require a bit of time to get used to. Persevere and practice with it, and you will get the feel and distance control in time.

 

[Foxholer]

A new putter always does require a bit of time to get used to. Persevere and practice with it, and you will get the feel and distance control in time.

I take the opposite view!

If the new putter takes more than a couple of putts to get used to, then it hasn't achieved the improvement I'm after and I'm not going to have confidence in it.

That's generally part of my selection process in the first place (though not always possible).

 

[Billbored]

OK delc. I think you are right. I like the contact it makes, I just need to get used to the heaviness of it compared to my old ping anser, and build up my confidence. It was asking a bit much to take it out into a very important comp in my first round with it and expect it to perform. As I said, I did hole some long putts I wouldnt have holed, it's just missing the short ones stopped me in my tracks. Glad this helped you ihwlie.