Comments on: Scotty Cameron Newport Detour Putters Review

By: Ernest Reed

Ernest Reed — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:22:06 +0000

What a fantastic review! I have been playing my Detour Newport 2 for 50+ rounds now and there are a great many things that Erik points out as being true, based on my experiences. As with the past comments related to the introduction of these putters, they are not just a "training aid", but rather are legitimate putters. As with others, I will not get into the physics or mechanics of the putting stroke, as I am of firm belief that much like anything in golf; to each their own. What I do know is that the Detour suits my style of putting perfectly. I have had many look at my putting stroke and comment how I am not a straight back and straight forward putter, but rather I am an inside to inside putter, and that is wrong according to them. For this, I have been called a "lazy" putter because I do not want to work to keep the club straight througout the stroke. My belief has never changed; why should I? The Detour plays very well to my stroke, which I consider natural, and I suppose I can't ask for anything else as a golfer. Since you logically expend close to a third of your strokes on the putting green, would one not think it best to find a club that can minimize your strokes in this area? As for the looks of this putter? It is what it is, nothing ugly and nothing gorgeous. I find it no more unattractive than a three-ball putter and in fact, find it more attractive because it combines the aesthetics of a blade putter and a less bulkier mallet putter. How can that be considered ugly? As for the head cover...You certainly won't be leaving it on the green as it really stands out. Sure, it may not be appealing to some, but if this is the worst thing about the Detour, then there really are no problems. The Detour is a solid putter with performance built into it. It may not be for everyone, but it is for me...And that really is all that matters, in my opinion. Great review, as usual, and very helpful for those that may be interested in making this investment.

By: MArty

MArty — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:41:45 +0000

Ever since I have had this putter, no more 3 putts!!!

By: Charles

Charles — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:54:05 +0000

Wonderful review.

This putter becomes a gift to myself after breaking 90; however in the game next day I bought this putter, I always miss RIGHT. It's totally different result with comments, even erik's review. I found the reason is CG on putter face, wasn't the line of orange alightment arow, but a little bit closer to heel ( camron website's video for this putter mention by himself as well ). So every puts I aim and hit arow, club twist to clockwise direction, then I miss right.

Everyone here who have this putter can try to find less vibration hitting point on club face by using golf ball to bounce on face with 2 inch high. Now I start aiming toward lower edge of that aluminum sight block, and having much solid feeling, and the feelings I like.

I was using a face balanced(plumbing) anser putter, knows this solid feeling can feel only when hitting the center of putter head ( the extend line of shaft's axis cross the club face ). This is the 1st time I use putter with "toe flow", so now I have the confusion is....

People using putter with toe flow, feels solid hit, cause amount of toe flow just helps releasing the club head, so off center hit ( in this case the aluminum sight is off center ) feels less unsolid ( or solid if you prefer ), or friends here same just aiming little closer to heel like me now?

I love this great looking putter, but if I can't solve this puzzle, to find the right spot to hit on the club face, I will keep looking another putter..

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:35:31 +0000

The feel of a blade putter and the alignment of a mallet putter is great. This putter Newport Detour 2 has improved my putting dramatically .My golf buddies cannot believe the difference in my putting.It is now very rare that I miss my line.
This is the very best putter I have ever used.
Brian

By: Brett

Brett — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 17:55:51 +0000

I think that this newport detour putter is a good one but, there is no comparison to the studio style newport. It is almost the same thing and is less to look at. Some people like that there is less to look at and some like more, I just think less is better.

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 19:28:25 +0000

It is a fine review, kind of a tricky putting issue, straight back and through or "arc" line and through. All I can say is, I bought the Detour (original) and at first the curved line bothered me, but putting on the practice green I was nailing everything. I use the "claw" grip and so I tended to be straight back and through, and on short putts this style of grip is money. At first with the Detour I noticed that I did pull the short ones left, probably because I was paying to much attention to the back line. I abandoned that and just paid attention to "my target mark" and I started drilling the short ones as well. To make a long story short, we had a pro-am at my club and I had the best putting day of my golf career (43 yrs.) shot a 33 on the back nine with 5 one putt birdies in the round. I had a 74 to our pros 75 and I had an 8 on one par 5. I had never done anything even remotely close to that before in a tournament, though I have had a few really good putting days. Anyway I am kind of sad that I don't see this putter in the hands of a competent pro on television, even all those seniors now using the claw would benefit from this alignment marvel. What I don't like about it is the Huge head cover which looks like someones ugly christmas slipper covering the other clubs in the bag. I shucked the cover, got a few bag dings on the Detour (blashphemy), but the putter seems to work fine regardless. I've had other Scotty putters and they worked, but not like this one, there was some pretty sneaky thinking going into the development of this putter. Many people buy Scotty's for investments (resale on ebay) like a dress watch they never use. This is a Scotty for playing golf with. I like it.

By: Jonno

Jonno — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 00:57:25 +0000

Good review. I went to the pro shop yesterday intending to buy an Odyssey 2 Ball SRT with the XG face, having putted with a center-shafted Ping G5i blade for around 3 years. As usual I got sidetracked by the Scotties, and was particularly interested in the Newport detour 2 - I like the look, really compact and neat, and the feel was good, although I prefer the GSS/urethane insert on the regular Newports. I didn't buy anything, preferring to take some time to think and get some info on the putters. I kind of wish Scotty would swallow his pride and produce an optional Newport style putter with the backweight and a straight sightline, coz I think it would make an excellent alignment aid on a refined looking putter. I'll go back tomorrow and probably pick up the Newport Detour 2, if not the Newport 2!

By: headtilt

headtilt — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 18:32:52 +0000

Nice looking putter, but I am of the straight back,and through mob. I prefer a mallet type as well. So this putter is not for me. I still love my three ball

By: JP Bouffard

JP Bouffard — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 14:12:48 +0000

Right--it can be a tedious debate. The thing I object to is not really the question of which method might be better, but the position, on either side, that the opposite method is some how "impossible." I think you hear Utley/Cameron people saying that the Pelz stroke is "impossible" more than the obverse. It's not impossible to use a Pelzian "PILS" putting stroke for most stroke lengths.

By: Erik J. Barzeski

Erik J. Barzeski — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:35:08 +0000

JP Bouffard said on July 5, 2007:

I like to point out to "screen door" guys that Pelz proves his point pretty well in his books, with some very good photography.

I don't want this to turn into a debate on putting methods, but Scotty Cameron could argue with some pretty logical math and physics. He too has a pretty high-tech putter studio of his own, complete with cameras and sensors to monitor everything. And, lest I point out, even Dave Pelz' primary student putts with an arc stroke.

Regardless of the method you use, it's still important to choose a putter that suits that method. Virtually every Scotty Cameron is intended to be used with an arc stroke - especially the Detours and Newport Detours.

There's further discussion of this, including some information from Scotty Cameron, here and elsewhere on the Web, including scottycameron.com.