Putters

[CrapHacker]

What makes a decent putter?

I know it's all down to personal trial and error, but my local pro only has limited choice, so I want to check if there's anything I'm missing.

He sells mainly 'Yes', Cleveland, and Benross putters.

I tried a couple of mallets, but I still prefer the more traditional look of the blade design. Is that just because I'm used to it? Did those of you that changd from blade to mallet love it immediately, or did it take time for it to bed in? Is it a case of love at first sight?

But what are the 'advantages' of inserts? I've only ever used traditional metal faces, and the inserts felt weird to say the least. But how can you tell by taking a putter onto the practise green for half an hour?

Initially I'm tempted by the Cleveland putters. Has anyone ever used one? Any news on their quality ?

Also brands like Odyssey, Scotty, TM, Ping. Is it worth trying them in AG on their crappy mats?

Such an impossible subject, I'm just looking for honest opinions. I'm in no rush, but when I buy one, I want it to be a relationship built on solid foundations, not a one night stand.

Cheers

 

[Tiger]

LMAO. Love the whole solid foundations line! I tried loads Fred Daly, SeeMore, Taylormade, Odyssey, Ping and then I picked up my Scotty and that was it. But then I got all confused because I liked the weight better on the SeeMore. Got the heavy weights put in and we've got on famously ever since.

I look at it and it inspires confidence. I genuinely get a little excited when I reach the green as it means I can pull my Scotty out of the bag. I love practising with it and I think the quality of the workmanship as well as the feel plays a huge part in that. Happy shopping.

 

[Spinn77]

CH, maybe take a look at the Rife range too.

I've just swapped out my original Odyssey insert putter for a scotty. There's so much more feel, especially from mid to long range. I wouldn't recomment inserts at all.

 

[JT77]

Finding the right putter is more difficult than finding the right wife mate! lol

I reckon you should try as many as you can, everyone has different preferences in putters, I went through 4 in about 18 months til I got my Scotty, tried centre shaft odyssee with insert, nike mallet, no insert, tm blade with insert, and then the Scotty, milled head, feel is so much better, but I liked it as soon as I picked it up. Had it cut by 2 inches and reweighted by the pro. I dont think I will be changing for a long time!

good luck mate, I reckon you'll find one you really like when you hold it, you'll know its for you!!

 

[Ethan]

Most of choosing a putter is feel and preference, but a part of it depends on what sort of stroke you have . If you have a Straight back Straight Through (SBST) stroke, then a face balanced putter probably suits you better than a player who makes a move from the inside, in which case a putter with some toe hang is better.

If you hold the putter on your finger near the head and the face is horizontal, that is face balanced. If the toe hangs down, it has toe hang. Most 2 ball type mallets are face balanced. Most true blades, e.g. Wilson 8802 style, have toe hang. Others vary. The nearer the shaft goes in to the heel, the more likely it wil have toe hang.

 

[jammydodger]

CH

Perhaps you need to work out what sort of greens you play regularly on too. Fast or slow.

I've had my 2ball Odyssey since they first came out in 2001 iirc. Before that I had a Ping answer. I changed because I felt i was wasting too many chances from the 10ft in range. There's no doubt that using the 2ball has enabled me to 'feel' lined up better and consequently I hole an awful lot more of these putts.

The small problem I sometimes have is when the greens are slow and I leave longer putts short , the faster the greens the better the putter/me behaves. It feels unnatural to me to have to give the putt a whack , I like to stroke smoothly and this doesnt help on slooooow greens. This is IMO why faster greens suit the better player (waits for pelters)

You can have a practice with mine at WH to get used to the feel if we've got time

The biggest thing about putters though is that what one person feels comfortable with another will absolutely hate.

GL

 

[drawboy]

Like yourself I too love the look of the traditional blade type putter and mainly disregarded the newer more modern shapes. How wrong I have been. I have just purchased an Odyssey white hot no7 Fang putter from Haplesshacker for what I regarded as a worth a punt price of £40.00, my thinking being if I didn't like it I could probably sell it for what I paid for it so nothing to loose. You would now have to prise it from my dying hands, I love it. I still own the most expensive putter Ping have ever made the JAS anser WTI which as a limited edition came with a £250.00 price tag but it's out of my bag.
With the likes of Rife, odyssey,and Taylormade all doing something different with putter design I'd say branch out a little and have a go with something strange, you may end up as happy as I am now.

 

[JustOne]

I only like center shafted putters. I never felt confident with a heel shafted putter as it always made me feel like the toe was going to spin open on impact.

Apparently Mickelson says in his book that heel shafted putters should be swung like a door opening and closing.... feck that!

 

[GB72]

I would not discard the Benross putters as an option. I have found the Pure Red range to b every bit as good as the higher priced bands at it was a close thing between sticking with mine or putting the current Taylormade one in the bag

 

[Putting_Green_Pro]

I like my Yes Callie as it is soft and responsive in the warm but hard in the cold. Seems to suit all situations for me

 

[Ethan]

I only like center shafted putters. I never felt confident with a heel shafted putter as it always made me feel like the toe was going to spin open on impact.

Apparently Mickelson says in his book that heel shafted putters should be swung like a door opening and closing.... feck that!

He is not the only one who says that. That is because those putters have a lot of toe hang and that lends itself to that gated stroke.

Centre shafted putters are usually face balanced and suit a straight through stroke better.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I've had all sorts over the last five years. Two ball mallet and the two ball blade, rossa spider (regulat and itsy) and old odyssey dualforce 554, TM Rossa daytona and my original Ping Anser. All worked for a while but in the end it was the idiot holding it. Its a personal thing and even if you look on tour there are numerous putting methods. However they are all built on a solid technique of correct address and alignment.

It depends what your greens are like and whether you want a soft feeling insert (odyssey two ball although thwy now come in a slightly firmer version too) a firm insert like the TM AGSI or a solid metal like the Yes range and some Ping etc.

There are loads of putters out there that do an excellent job. The ones I quoted were the ones I was attracted to but Wilson do some well priced ones. Fisher do a range with different coloured faces depending ont he type of greens you play on (faces are interchangeable though) and Nike are starting to produce so decent putters. I guess the answer is to find a putting style that you are comfy with and works and get the putter to fit rather than the other way round. I'd shop around other clubs in your area and see what other pros are offering as well as the high street chain (AG, Nevada Bob etc). Might also be worth getting a pro to check your stroke and recommend on that basis

 

[KeefG]

CH, maybe take a look at the Rife range too.

I've just swapped out my original Odyssey insert putter for a scotty. There's so much more feel, especially from mid to long range. I wouldn't recomment inserts at all.

I couldnt disagree more!!!!!

I had a Wilson Deep Red II before I bought my Sabertooth and the difference is light years apart. Even afyer 2-3 years of using it I could never get the pace right on mid-long range putts and missed so many chances it was ridiculous.

I got the Sabertooth and although it took me 2-3 weeks of getting used to it due to the insert, the difference was unreal. Judging pace now is a doddle and I make a lot more putts now than I ever have done, the confidence it breeds is fantastic.

I couldnt recommend inserts enough!

 

[RGDave]

CH

Perhaps you need to work out what sort of greens you play regularly on too. Fast or slow.

Yes, important i.m.o.

I nearly always have 2 putters on the go each season.
a.t.m. I have the chalk and cheese of either a TM Monza Corsa (mallet..big too!) and a Fisher blade.

t.b.h. as much as I like the Fisher, our greens are nowhere near ready for a "touch" putter, so for the time being, I'm still wielding a heavy mallet.

From medium range, I'd take a blade any day, but to lag 20-30 foot-ers close to the hole, there's nothing better than a mallet.

Then again, I'd probably get round with any old tat.

 

[Robobum]

......
The biggest thing about putters though is that what one person feels comfortable with another will absolutely hate.

GL

Spot on. To illustrate it, I too had an original 2ball putter, loved the look and feel and thought the idea behind the lining up concept to be great.

However I could never feel lined up with it, it always felt too vague for me, the two ball area always seemed to big to be able to feel lined up to the exact point I wanted to start the putt on. hence a lot of indecisive, dribbly putts.

When they released the 2balls with the black line down the centre and even more so with the 2ball blade, they seemed easier to line up. But by that stage I had already moved on through a few more styles before settling on what i have now which has behaved itself for the best part of 3 years.............so far!!

 

[HRC99]

I had a putting lesson yesterday as I've been struggling with longer distances recently.

The Pro has just been accredited as a Yes Custom Fitting Centre which was lucky as I already had a Yes putter.

A couple of pointers on my stroke, nothing too dramatic wrong and a check on the putter's loft and lie. The loft was fine but the lie was 2.5 degrees upright so the toe was up in the air.

A 4.5 degree change later and the toe is almost flat to the floor and bingo. Great roll on the ball and much more consistent putting.

Point of all this?

Go to someone who knows what they are doing and get the putter properly fitted as it makes a big difference. Everyone seems to be getting custom fitted for their irons but less so for the putter.

 

[haplesshacker]

As others have said, a very personal choice.

I didn't get on with my insert putter that Drawboy now has, and I much prefer the feel of my milled Bettinardi BC3.

Each to their own.

 

[kid2]

Its all personal taste....What works for 1 wont necessarily work for someone else even if there putting strokes are the same.....
I went from an itsy bitsy to a Ping 1/2 CrazE and im now back with the Itsy.......
There both face balanced as i have a fairly straight back and straight through stroke.....
But the ping just wasnt as stable as the TM.....
Im putting better now with the TM.

 

[USER1999]

I used to putt with a lynxs blade. Very traditional, sweet spot like a pea.
Swapped to a two ball dfx, incredibly forgiving, rolled out what ever the strike.
Swapped to a Scotty blade, sweet spot non existent.
Swapped to a Scotty Newport 1.5 Studio Select, sorted. Will never buy another putter.