Putting science vs eye/feel

[turkish]

A few months ago had a lesson on Sam putt lab and opened my eyes to my tendencies and gave me a lot to work on.

It also told me as I have a very arcy swing by theory my face balanced mallet putter didn't suit my game. Fast forward to yesterday and bought an odyssey works toe hang with same thick grip as current putter. Putted for first 9 and was ok not great. Back 9 went back to putter I've used for 2 years and felt much more comfortable, sunk more putts too (albeit bit a huge statistic)

What's your opinion does feel/suiting the eye matter most? Or should I persevere with the one the science points me to?

 

[duncan mackie]

9 holes.....?

Took me a year + to be anything like comfortable with my 7 v monza spider (similar situation) and even now, 2 years on, the spider is still more comfortable in my hands and on the green.

However, if you haven't got the time to put in on the practice green (2 hours a week on drillls is realistic) it probably won't matter much and you should just use what you are comfortable with and take what it gives you.

 

[One Planer]

I had a Quintic fitting and had my putter built around the results.

Reviewed here:

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?88124-Raa-Putters

I've tried numerous head shapes, weights, faces, lengths but nothing has felt as comfortable to play and putt with add my Raa.

 

[351DRIVER]

Never had the pleasure, i like the idea of combining the putting lab science with a putter being custom built i am sure being told first of all what you are doing badly and secondly why the custom putter will help would be useful and could not fail to help.

 

[Sats]

I'd go on both. I got fitted on a SAM and found that my mallet (odyssey dart) wasn't the putter for me, so went with the Karsten Anser and then got a putting lesson, practiced a lot and the results are good. I think the key is not to rely too much on either but find a balance between the two. Also it doesn't matter how much fitting you do if you don't practice then its pointless.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Putting is all about feel for me.

 

[351DRIVER]

Putting is all about feel for me.

Perhaps it shouldn't be

 

[Maninblack4612]

I had a SAM session a while ago & changed my putter & putting action as a result. Far too much of an arc. I'm now a little more "back & through" & many more putts are on line.

As an aside, we've had the Tour Truck at American Golf all weekend. One of the SAM customers tried to throw his putter up, rotating it through 180º & catching it while the SAM lazer thingy was attached to it. He dropped it & the thingy broke. Now it has to go back to Germany to be fixed, so that was the end of the SAM sessions. Whoops!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Have had the SAM lesson and changed my putter accordingly. These days I just tend to use a mirror every few weeks or at home and just check the basics set up and stroke. On the course I'm more concerned with line and pace and trust myself to put a half decent stroke on it. If I'm not doing that regularly, I'll hit the putting green and work on holing more putts, especially from close range. I might use and elevated piece of string to check path but just try and keep everything simple

 

[JohnnyDee]

Interesting that three replies of those who've had this course / lesson changed their putter, and there seems to be a common diagnosis of being 'arcy'.

Hmmm. Maybe I'm being cynical but seems there's a pattern there.

I'm firmly in the "feel" camp and don't buy into these "new dawn" panaceas.

At the risk of being hung drawn and quartered :mmm: - there are very few, if indeed there are any, at our place doing Aimpoint a year on, despite quite a few 'converts' to the religion when they visited.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Interesting that three replies of those who've had this course / lesson changed their putter, and there seems to be a common diagnosis of being 'arcy'.

Hmmm. Maybe I'm being cynical but seems there's a pattern there.

I'm firmly in the "feel" camp and don't buy into these "new dawn" panaceas.

At the risk of being hung drawn and quartered :mmm: - there are very few, if indeed there are any, at our place doing Aimpoint a year on, despite quite a few 'converts' to the religion when they visited.

I think I'm the only one doing it at my place. Certainly never played with anyone else in a comp that does it but it still works for me!!!

 

[One Planer]

Interesting that three replies of those who've had this course / lesson changed their putter, and there seems to be a common diagnosis of being 'arcy'.

Hmmm. Maybe I'm being cynical but seems there's a pattern there.

I'm firmly in the "feel" camp and don't buy into these "new dawn" panaceas.

At the risk of being hung drawn and quartered :mmm: - there are very few, if indeed there are any, at our place doing Aimpoint a year on, despite quite a few 'converts' to the religion when they visited.

My putting stroke wasn't "archy" before I changed.

Far from it.

I initially didn't intend on changing putter, and only went for the Quintic fitting. However, during the fitting process it became very apparent that my then current gamer was not suitable, primarily down to aim and alignment.

The 2 competition rounds following (...before I got injured and didn't play for the remainder of the season) I took 26 and 28 putts respectively winning both competition's.

I played 18 holes for the first time in about 4 months and took 31 putts (OK chipping in twice helped).

I'll stick with my snake oil.

 

[JohnnyDee]

My putting stroke wasn't "archy" before I changed.

Far from it.

I'll stick with my snake oil.

Fair dos :thup: and there's a lot to be said for the positive improvements made from a true belief in a concept that works for them. Same for Homer's faith in Aimpoint.

I suppose that as a 'pretty decent' putter then for me it's feel every time. However as a kid and growing up on a massive Council Estate in Northern Ireland I was often found putting with an old hickory shafted putter into a Heinz bean can sunk into our lawn.

Since playing the game regularly the bit of my game that has never gone down the tubes is my putting. I'm not about to join the tour but nevertheless feel happy and confident with the short stuck in my hand more often than not. Still have my Ping Sedona which is now in its 20th year and I will never retire it.

 

[tsped83]

Interesting that three replies of those who've had this course / lesson changed their putter, and there seems to be a common diagnosis of being 'arcy'.

Hmmm. Maybe I'm being cynical but seems there's a pattern there.

I'm firmly in the "feel" camp and don't buy into these "new dawn" panaceas.

At the risk of being hung drawn and quartered :mmm: - there are very few, if indeed there are any, at our place doing Aimpoint a year on, despite quite a few 'converts' to the religion when they visited.

Amen brother.

 

[One Planer]

Amen brother.

How many putters have you had in the last 18 months :smirk:

 

[MadAdey]

Perhaps it shouldn't be

Why?

 

[351DRIVER]

Why?

If you have only tried one way, how do you know that one way is best?

 

[tsped83]

How many putters have you had in the last 18 months :smirk:

173.

 

[chrisd]

I did a SAM test a couple of times and Johnny ìs right, the too was told that my putter wasn't ideal for my arc, but, as I had a pretty new putter which I liked it was told that we could just change my stroke. I did and more consistentcy followed, I then did Aimpoint and I have definitely holed more since that lesson, particularly as it was noticed how much extraneous movement I had in my putting action.

 

[MadAdey]

If you have only tried one way, how do you know that one way is best?

Because if another made my putting better than it is now I would get lynched by my partners for making stupid amounts of putts. Played today, knocked in 6 putts from the 6-10 foot range, stuck a couple of multiple breaking 40 footers to gimme range, all the putts either went in or finished within 12".

I do not see the point in messing with something that works just fine.