Toe Hang, or Not Toe Hang..

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Well…when I decided back in around 2006/7 that I needed a change in putter from the Acushnet Flange I‘d been using since 1985/6, my pro suggested that best for me would be an Odyssey White Hot Pro #2 Centre Shaft.

Why? My putting had been good until my striking of ball off sweet spot had gone a bit awol…the Odyssey was as close in ‘look’ as I would get from a 2006/7 putter and it was much more forgiving. Plus he said I would struggle with the look of any of the techno-fangled ‘deep’ putters. And he was right. And so my Odyssey is still my trusty blade. It is a little thing of beauty.

Toe-hung or not toe-hung I haven’t a scoobie, but that differentiator was not part of the equation or a deciding factor. ‘Look‘ was 100% the critical deciding factor.

 

[Orikoru]

As with my irons, the most important feature of my putters is their looks.

Although I do like a long blade as it makes it visually easier to square it to the line.

I forgot my putter once and borrowed a Taylor Made Spider variant, the stability of it was frightening and I felt I couldn't miss anything under 5 feet.
I was glad to hand it back.

So you're saying I should putt with a rusty old piece of crap for a year, then go back to a modern putter and I'll be absolutely amazing with it?

 

[Orikoru]

Well…when I decided back in around 2006/7 that I needed a change in putter from the Acushnet Flange I‘d been using since 1985/6, my pro suggested that best for me would be an Odyssey White Hot Pro #2 Centre Shaft.

Why? My putting had been good until my striking of ball off sweet spot had gone a bit awol…the Odyssey was as close in ‘look’ as I would get from a 2006/7 putter and it was much more forgiving. Plus he said I would struggle with the look of any of the techno-fangled ‘deep’ putters. And he was right. And so my Ofussed is still my trusty blade. It is a little thing of beauty.

Toe-hung or not toe-hung I haven’t a scoobie, but that differentiator was not part of the equation or a deciding factor. ‘Look‘ was 100% the critical deciding factor.

This could be me being stupid but I feel like to be truly face-balanced the putter must be centre-shafted. If it's heel-shafted but the face is balanced, that to me says there must actually be more weight in the heel than the toe in order to balance around where the shaft is. If that makes any sense? That's why, like you, I've now gone for a centre shafted model. I quite like the 'versa' stripes for alignment as well though:


I do think they really help in squaring the face as it's such a clear visual when in motion.

 

[RichA]

I think that many centre shafted putters are neutrally balanced. Balance the shaft on your finger and they don't try to rotate in either direction.
And stop looking at the putter while it's in motion.

 

[Imurg]

I've used face balanced putters since about 1995.
I had a cheap Anser style to begin with and hated it..I could feel the toe weight moving through the stroke and it put me off completely.
Since turning to FB putters I've become a fairly decent putter....
Most FB are mallets and, for me, they definitely provide more stability and keep the face pointing in the direction I want it to go.
I've never liked centre shaft putters either...they work fine if you hit the middle but stray towards the edges and that head is going to twist when you hit the ball
All putters will twist but I've found CS ones to be worst.

 

[Orikoru]

I've used face balanced putters since about 1995.
I had a cheap Anser style to begin with and hated it..I could feel the toe weight moving through the stroke and it put me off completely.
Since turning to FB putters I've become a fairly decent putter....
Most FB are mallets and, for me, they definitely provide more stability and keep the face pointing in the direction I want it to go.
I've never liked centre shaft putters either...they work fine if you hit the middle but stray towards the edges and that head is going to twist when you hit the ball
All putters will twist but I've found CS ones to be worst.

Interesting. The think about the weight toe moving - it might be my imagination, but I went back to my toe-hang last weekend and I felt like I was noticing that as well, having tried a face-balanced and gone back to it.

That sounds like sound logic re the CS twisting, but surely by the same logic a heel-shafted would twist even more if you hit the ball out of the toe - but less if you hit it out of the heel? Not sure.

 

[tsped83]

This could be me being stupid but I feel like to be truly face-balanced the putter must be centre-shafted. If it's heel-shafted but the face is balanced, that to me says there must actually be more weight in the heel than the toe in order to balance around where the shaft is. If that makes any sense? That's why, like you, I've now gone for a centre shafted model. I quite like the 'versa' stripes for alignment as well though:
View attachment 51903

I do think they really help in squaring the face as it's such a clear visual when in motion.

I’ve used a Versa 1W on and off for years now. Perpendicular alignment to start line just makes sense to me. Not sure about “clear visual when in motion mind”, the last thing I’m looking at when it’s moving is the putter head

 

[Orikoru]

I’ve used a Versa 1W on and off for years now. Perpendicular alignment to start line just makes sense to me. Not sure about “clear visual when in motion mind”, the last thing I’m looking at when it’s moving is the putter head

I didn't mean to suggest that I keep my eyes on the putter as it's swinging back and forward. I just mean it's easier to keep it square visually, and if you've shut the face on the way through you can kind of get more of an indicator of that.

 

[Crow]

So you're saying I should putt with a rusty old piece of crap for a year, then go back to a modern putter and I'll be absolutely amazing with it?

You're halfway right, but after a year you should stick with the rusty old piece of crap.

(Stainless steel and brass options are available too )

 

[Captain_Black.]

The biggest benefit I've seen for myself is a swap to a blade type putter from a mallet.
I find it easier to square the face & get the ball running on the right line if the face of the putter & the back of it are square to the hole.

 

[KenL]

See I been toying with a Scotty for almost 10 years now

Always hit one of a mate brings one along

Then I saw they had gone to £429 I was like bugger that. Soon as I found a reasonable used one on eBay I went for it lol before they go to £500

Scotty putters are totally over rated in my opinion. Not having an insert makes them "jumpy" off the face and harder to use consistently.
Much better off with an Odyssey or TM at half the price or a quarter of the price if you can pick one up like new off ebay.

 

[PJ87]

Scotty putters are totally over rated in my opinion. Not having an insert makes them "jumpy" off the face and harder to use consistently.
Much better off with an Odyssey or TM at half the price or a quarter of the price if you can pick one up like new off ebay.

I don't disagree, I just fancied one lol

 

[Imurg]

Long time Odyssey user here..recently switched to Mizuno M Craft milled face.
I feel I've got more control over pace and line than with the insert...
And I had a decent amount of control before....

 

[clubchamp98]

Putting has always been a weak point in my game and I’d say on average I’d change putters at least once or twice per year over the past ten years. The newbie generally works for a few months before my eye wanders and there’s something new in the watch list. I had tried pretty much every variation from length, head shape, face balanced, mid toe hang, full toe hang, blade, mallet… the list goes on.

Coming out of lock down I had two on the naughty step, one in the bag and four in the watch list which the misses was getting alerts for… the shock part comes next!

In a general convo HID asks, “ how many putters are in the garage, how much have you wasted on selling fees and postage, just get fitted for one and have done with it “

I got fitted for the spec and decided on the scotty as the investment should stop the temptation. My putting got better by a good margin but there was still an itch as I didn’t like the visual look of the neck on the face balanced Scottie’s. Two putters over this winter I have just had to accept that the Scotty suits me, I have an ugly stroke, the scotty has an ugly neck and we need to learn to co exist.

Over the next month I have some time on my hands and short game work is going to take a front row seat. When I dedicate the time to practice, my putting improves however 5 practice putts pre round before hitting the tee is never going to deliver great results (ironically I had 10-15 putts yesterday and putted well)

Invest and then stick with it

You sound very much like me.
Except for the number of putters.
If I don’t like it I get rid.

But one guy said to me last year.
” why do you complain about your putting you havnt three putted all day”
but it’s the birdie chances that I miss that’s the killer.!

When I looked in detail my putting isn’t as bad as I thought.
I suspect yours will be similar?

 

[BiMGuy]

Scotty putters are totally over rated in my opinion. Not having an insert makes them "jumpy" off the face and harder to use consistently.
Much better off with an Odyssey or TM at half the price or a quarter of the price if you can pick one up like new off ebay.

Odyssey inserts are horrible.

I’ve just moved on a face balanced TM Truss to the boy after using it for a year. I was never convinced by it. It too had an insert which was much firmer, but I still don’t think it was as consistent as a one piece milled putter.

 

[Orikoru]

Long time Odyssey user here..recently switched to Mizuno M Craft milled face.
I feel I've got more control over pace and line than with the insert...
And I had a decent amount of control before....

I guess we're back to it being personal feel then...

My Evnroll has a milled face with their groove technology that's supposed to bring slightly off-centre strikes back to the middle. Not sure if that works but the ball sure does fire off there sometimes. The 'white hot' face on the Odyssey is a softer feel for sure - would be better on faster greens I think when I just want to nudge it up to the hole. But not sure if there's any benefit to that kind of face insert.

A while ago I had a different Odyssey with the 'microhinge' insert that they also use. Feel-wise probably somewhere between the two.

 

[clubchamp98]

Long time Odyssey user here..recently switched to Mizuno M Craft milled face.
I feel I've got more control over pace and line than with the insert...
And I had a decent amount of control before....

I agree
insert putters are good on fast greens.
But in the UK that might be three months of the year.

 

[Backsticks]

I very much doubt it was tongue in cheek.

We also dont need any follow up posts that you dont believe in fitting, there are enough of those in the fitting thread.

Does the same apply to posts advocating fitting ?

 

[Crow]

When I played modern clubs I had an Odyssey "White Steel" #1, Anser style which has a steel insert embedded in the polymer insert.

Still have it somewhere in the garage.

 

[clubchamp98]

This could be me being stupid but I feel like to be truly face-balanced the putter must be centre-shafted. If it's heel-shafted but the face is balanced, that to me says there must actually be more weight in the heel than the toe in order to balance around where the shaft is. If that makes any sense? That's why, like you, I've now gone for a centre shafted model. I quite like the 'versa' stripes for alignment as well though:
View attachment 51903

I do think they really help in squaring the face as it's such a clear visual when in motion.

It’s the way the shaft is bent.!
A face balanced heel shafted putter is bent to get the shaft running at the centre of the head.
Look down the shaft from the grip the shaft will line up with the centre of the head.