Putter search - no go.....???

[RGDave]

I've been meaning to post something about putters for a while. It's something I feel quite strongly about, so if you don't agree with me, please feel free to say so, but I'd rather not get abuse for trying to offer some advice over many years of trying and buying all sorts of putters.

Last Saturday I went and tried a few and found nothing.

Today, I went somewhere else....and failed again in my bid to find something "between" a tasty blade (my preferred type for short range) and a mallet (which I like over the winter and for long range efforts).

I love my TM putter, but I don't make as many par saves (you know, 5-10 footers) as with my old but unforgiving Ping.

The pro at today's shop knows me and knows my game. I explained about getting a C/F Ping 15 years ago and how since that moment, I have struggled to find anything that feels instantly "right".

His opinion (and I trust him, since he's not "just" a salesman) is that IF I've been using a fitted putter for years AND that putter is more upright than an off-the-shelf club, then I'm going to struggle to find anything without taking a bit of a gamble - i.e. buying one and then getting it adjusted to my taste.

I took a gamble last year with TWO putters, a 1990s (unused) MacGregor "The fat lady swings" off ebay and a Taylor Made Monza Corsa which just begged to be purchased because I got such an amazing consistency with it from long range.

Both these are now retro adjusted by my range pro, who has also cut my driver down 1/2 inch and checked the lofts on my irons, all for nowt.

I posted a reply on the Odyssey "review" thread about putters and thought I'd cut n paste it in here.

Here it is.

How tall are you Del boy?

I'm 6'1" and use a 35" Sabertooth.

Why do you ask?

OK...here's what to do.

Take your putter to either a custom fitting expert or to your pro or to your local range.
Ask them, beg them or pay them, to knock it upright a few degrees. Odyssey putters arrive on the shelf at approx 71 degrees (give or take) so do Mizuno, so do Taylor Made.

A tall players should be able to use a 35" putter and try somewhere around 73-75 degrees. I CAN make a world of difference.

The issue is not with the design and quality of premium brand putters (I love odyssey design, total class) but in so much as the flatter the lie, the harder it is to make a pure "straight back and through" stroke on short putts when the hands are so low to get the sole of the putter flat.

Harrington has his a degree or two up, most pro's over average height (most pros!) have them "doctored" by the tour van guys and it's the lack of custom fitting on putters that causes the odd push and pull on the short strokes.

On long putts EVERYONE has to go with the "garden gate" style of inside-square-inside. On short putts, the flatter the lie, the harder it is to make even a short stroke nicely square throughout.

I bought a Taylor Made Monza Corsa and took it to my range pro. He's 6'2".....first thing he said was "oohh, that's too flat, even for you", and banged it up to about 74 degrees.

Those "horrible" pulled shots disappeared overnight.

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I realise this is contentious, but all the guys I know between 5'10" and 6'4" (or more) have more upright putters.

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I anyone doesn't think this is worth a thought (it might not suit everyone, because everyone (mostly) has LEARNED to putt with flat lie, long shafted putters.

If you are average height, think about a shorter putter.
If you are taller, think about a more upright putter.

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It's my opinion, but when I've discussed it with pros and/or looked online for info, I've found very little argument against it.

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Take it or leave it. The reason why I'm struggling to find a putter is because I'm used to a "fitted" putter, and as soon as I get a putter adjusted, I can play with it to my usual standard......which isn't great (32-33 a round) but at least I'm more secure over short ones once I've had it fitted.

 

[bobmac]

Have you tried the YES Callie? Basically a Ping Anser with C grooves.
Why not go along and get custom fitted at the YES Hq by Phil Kenyon. He knows a bit

 

[USER1999]

I am 6 2, and find most putters are too upright. The toe is always in the air. It would help me to have it bent flat.

I have always been a bit odd.

 

[RGDave]

Have you tried the YES Callie? Basically a Ping Anser with C grooves.
Why not go along and get custom fitted at the YES Hq by Phil Kenyon. He knows a bit

Thanks bob, I'll look this up right now.

D'you reckon it's madness (my thoughts) or is it safer not to comment!!

I think the full C/F is probably the only way to go. I loved that Ping I had (still have it, an A-Blade) but oohh, what a horror putter from long range....

sweet-spot? needle in a haystack?....

 

[RGDave]

I am 6 2, and find most putters are too upright. The toe is always in the air. It would help me to have it bent flat.

I have always been a bit odd.

I respect your opinion. Like I was trying to say, what we find suits us tends to lead us certain ways down the line (when we buy another).

If I felt good with standard lie, I'd have left with a pair of shiny beauties today....I'm a putter tart.....

 

[HTL]

Have you tried the 2 ball blade mate, sounds like the perfect club for you.

 

[bobmac]

Murph, is your putter shaft and forearm in a straight line as in the pic below?

 

[theeaglehunter]

Today, I went somewhere else....and failed again in my bid to find something "between" a tasty blade (my preferred type for short range) and a mallet (which I like over the winter and for long range efforts).

Can I recommend the Mizuno Bettinardi BC3 as a possible answer to your prayers? I think a couple of other people on here have one as well now and they are great putters and have a small half mallet appearance. I'm not sure what you have in mind exactly but give this head some consideration as to me it is a great in between club from blades-mallets.

That said the sweetspot isn't huge but the feedback is immense meaning when you do start finding it you will be putting with great confidence again.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

A tad left field but why not look at the new XG teron http://www.golfonline.co.uk/odyssey-white-hot-teron-putter-p-5020.html or the F7 http://www.golfonline.co.uk/odyssey-white-hot-ball-putter-p-5021.html which is similar in shape to the itsy spider

 

[Herbie]

I have nothing to say about your post RGDave as I think its a very good one, I am just perplexed that you seem disappointed with a 32-33 a round putting average., GIR and standard putting gives you 36 putts, I am more than happy with 36 putts but delighted with less. If you 3 putt on a regular basis then to me there is a putting problem, if you regularly 2 putt and no more, there is only a minute improvement to be made to have you sinking putts like pros do.( finding that minute factor would be the teritory of pro advice and the best putter for you) I dont think you should be thinking your putting isn't great as that thinking might not help you.

 

[vig]

When I got the Rife last year, the pro bent it with a gadget to suit my stance.

Took about 10 seconds, sits perfectly

 

[haplesshacker]

Today, I went somewhere else....and failed again in my bid to find something "between" a tasty blade (my preferred type for short range) and a mallet (which I like over the winter and for long range efforts).

Can I recommend the Mizuno Bettinardi BC3 as a possible answer to your prayers? I think a couple of other people on here have one as well now and they are great putters and have a small half mallet appearance. I'm not sure what you have in mind exactly but give this head some consideration as to me it is a great in between club from blades-mallets.

That said the sweetspot isn't huge but the feedback is immense meaning when you do start finding it you will be putting with great confidence again.

I think Eaglehunter and myself can actually agree on this one!!

The BC3 is a great putter. No where near as ugly as some of the Odessey offerings, but has great feel, especially with the softer premium balls. Distance judging is beautiful, though I am pulling left about 50% of the time, but that is me, not the putter. It's a great balance between the blade style that so many prefer the look of and the more forgiving (weird) shapes of some of the mallet bridgade!

 

[RGDave]

I have nothing to say about your post RGDave as I think its a very good one, I am just perplexed that you seem disappointed with a 32-33 a round putting average., GIR and standard putting gives you 36 putts, I am more than happy with 36 putts but delighted with less. If you 3 putt on a regular basis then to me there is a putting problem, if you regularly 2 putt and no more, there is only a minute improvement to be made to have you sinking putts like pros do.( finding that minute factor would be the teritory of pro advice and the best putter for you) I dont think you should be thinking your putting isn't great as that thinking might not help you.

Hey, thanks mate.....I feel all warm and fuzzy.

I don't think I'm bad at putting, just "fail" to deliver the killer blow when things are on offer.

I hit quite a few greens and don't make many birdie chances. These don't bother me greatly, nor do 2 putting long par 4s when I'm on the green for 3.

What I WISH I could do, was make more 5-10 footers, especially after a half decent chip/pitch.

The reason why I'm still searching is because with my old Ping A blade (C/F) I make a scary amount of these length.
However, from long range, it doesn't do the job like a mallet with high MOI (or whatever, you know...forgiveness).

In the summer, I use the Ping or maybe the odyssey dual force (330?)....

Don't get me wrong....if I can get round with no 3 putts and 3-4 1 putts, I'm smiling....but if only I could get a few more medium length....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I know the par for putts is 36 but if you are serious about shooting good scores and lowering a handicap that number has to average out (for a mid-handicapper) at around 33 per round. There will be days when you chip close and drain a few and that number will be nearer 30 and that is when the good scores will come. You can get away with missing a fairway or a GIR if you are getting up and down.

I think the magic 5 foot circle is where the psychological mind games involved with putting play a huge part. If you are standing there thinking the equipment isn't up to the job or responsible for bad swings then a number will be missed.

I've seen Dave putt and to be fair I didn't really see and huge flaw in his technique. It has to come down to self belief. If getting a putter altered to sit upright does the trick then make no mistake once his confidence returns he'll be right up there at forum meets.

 

[RGDave]

This is a very helpful picture.

What you can see here is exactly what I'm trying for.

BUT, to do this, I "feel" I need a more upright putter. Just looking at this picture, if his putter head is sitting bang on flat to the rail (green), then this putter is also more than 70 degrees, surely....

The thing is......when I hold an off the shelf putter, I feel like I'm holding it more along the coloured lines I've drawn in.....

It's not P.H. is it?

 

[RGDave]

There will be days when you chip close and drain a few and that number will be nearer 30 and that is when the good scores will come. You can get away with missing a fairway or a GIR if you are getting up and down.

Absolutely, you know where I'm coming from....

Thanks for the vote of confidence, pity I was still messing with the "fat lady" when I came to Ascot.

t.b.h. if I could hit 10 greens, I'd take 36 putts, and maybe, just maybe, back to a 9 h'cap!

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One/two more greens, one/two less putts, one/two more up n downs, ought to be easy!!!

 

[bobmac]

P.H.? Paul Hogan? Does he enjoy the crack too?
Putting is a very personal thing, but to put well, some things help. This straight line does help and not moving the hips.
Homer. Jeeezzzz, I hope your taste in women is better than your taste in putters. I thought the itsy weenie yellow dot spider bikini putter was bad enough, but eewwwwww that teron.....
Each to their own

 

[haplesshacker]

Homer. Jeeezzzz, I hope your taste in women is better than your taste in putters. I thought the itsy weenie yellow dot spider bikini putter was bad enough, but eewwwwww that teron.....
Each to their own

Ouch!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I didn't say I liked it or that it would ever win any beauty contests but if it got the ball in the hole on a regular basis I'd use and old boot on a broomhandle.

Actually having seen the Teron in the flesh yesterday it isn't that bad and the visualisation lines are very, very good at getting you to focus on the line you want the ball to start on. It has a nice soft insert other odyssey users will recognise and is designed not too twist through impact.

To be honest the square shaped putter did look horrible and didn't perform anywhere near as well as the Teron which at the end of the day is only a modernised version of the sabretooth which I seem to recall got decent reviews from a number of people on a separate thread. I did say the idea was left field!

 

[haplesshacker]

And the Sabretooth is a development of the No7..........

Things move so damn fast in this game, (except slow players!!). It's no wonder we're confused about the 'right' kit for us.