Finding the holy grail of putters

Hey guys,

So I finally found my "holy grail" driver and I love it but as of late I haven't been putting too well despite trying different things while practicing my putting. I did do the whole left hand on bottom right on top (righty) and it seemed to work but I am a little leery about it.

I am looking at trying something other than the classic Anser style putter and venturing out and trying something like the Odyssey #9 style. I hit one in Edwin Watts before playing today and it felt great and the way the ball rolled was a big "hint hint" feeling to buy it. They had one for $70 used and I almost thought about buying it but I didn't...

Is there any difference in how the weight is distributed have an effect on my stroke? I have seen one that is toe weighted and the others are heel-toe. I might have used the toe weighted one today and I am sure it is the XG 2.0 #9.

Anyone using one or compared the #9 models?
I really like the bronze "tour" model for $89.99 at TGW but don't know how it will be compared to the toe weighted XG 2.0 model...

There is much to consider when buying a putter. So much of it is trial and error. No two people can agree at times. There is tons of info on putting and putters on the below link to putting guru Geoff Mangum's site. Read over some of the many articles below if you find time. Great info.

http://www.puttingzone.com/ziptips.html


-Dan

Will a heel-toe compared to toe weighted affect my stroke?

What he said ^^^. It's not like a driver where you can match the shaft to the player. I bought my Odyssey #1 a few years ago and liked it alot. Then I got a Scotty and gave it a full season to come around I just couldn't dial it in. I tried a few other putters and went back to the Odyssey and haven't looked back. So in my case it was trial and error. Good luck in your search. I too have found the "holy grail" with my driver and my putter. Two clubs that even if I had a $100M in the bank wouldn't replace.

I play the White Hot Tour #9, and it is a great putter. I also tried the black i #9 at the store, but actually prefer the feel and weighting of the tour series. The tour series is heavier than the XG and has a firmer insert. The XG felt too soft for my tastes.

I recently found my holy grail of putters.

Scotty Cameron Circa 62 #1.

Beautiful lines, feels unreal coming off of the face and is gretly toe weighted. Feels so amazing.

Furyk spent $39 on a used putter, didn't have it checked/set for loft and lie, grip was misaligned...and he went on to putting lights out with it.

Putting takes practice. Putters are black magic.

It's not so much that it'll affect your stroke but that each type of putter fits a different type of stroke. The characteristic you are talking about is known as toe hang. All it describes is how the toe "hangs" when you balance the putter in the shaft and let the putter head rotate to it's equilibrium position. If you have a gated stroke (think of a gate opening on a hinge), a putter with a lot of toe hang (toe points to the ground) will fit your stroke better. If you have a straight-back-straight-through stroke, a face balanced putter (face stays horizontal when balanced) should fit your stroke better.

That being said, they really are no rules as to what fits you better. Putting is so much about feel and about what's upstairs between your ears; if you are convinced in your head that your putter is good for you, then that's all that really matters at the end of the day.

You can check "toe hang" yourself, (also called "toe flow) even in a golf shop. Place the shaft of your putter on your palm - palm up, facing the ceiling - probably near about 1/4 of the way between the head and the grip. Work your way around until you find the spot where the putter will balance on two, maybe ONE finger. The shaft is of course paralell to the ground, but look at the TOE of the putter. A face balanced putter (lots of center shafted models) will have the putter face pointing directly at the ceiling, ie the toe does not move at all when balanced in this way, or ZERO toe hang.

Most Anser style heads, Cameron Newports, or plumbers neck models, will have medium toe hang... When balanced in the above fashion, the toe will hang DOWN slightly and the face will no longer point perfectly atthe ceiling. The actual amount of hang is measured by imagining the hand on a clock.

Face balanced and zero toe hang is toe at 9 o'clock and heel at 3 o'clock. Scotty Cameron Newport for example, probably has the toe hanging down to 7:30 and the heel is at 1:30. (you just measure the toe, so you would say "toe hang about 7:30). A Cameron Napa (heel shafted old school putter) or Ben Crenshaw's Wilson 8802 would have the toe hanging straight down to 6 o'clock and the heel up at 12 o'clock. Pretty much maximum toe hang. The face is now pointing directly at the WALL. Toe all the way down, heel all the way up.

The weight of the putter (toe vs heel vs the entire head, including neck, etc) is being measured here. Even "heel toe weighted" putters like Ansers and Tigers Cameron have some toe flow due to the weight of the neck being above the heel. Designers have to make thentoe heavier to offset the neck weight. You can read up on how toe flow affects the stroke, but basically.... Toe hang causes toe FLOW, or the tendency for the toe to subtly try to CLOSE the clubface through impact. Don't think snap hooks or draws or even pulls, think of the laws of physics helping you to fight pushed putts.

You can also measure toe hang on a table, but do NOT simply stick the putter on a table with the head hanging off a few inches and the entire shaft and grip on the table.... The grip will cause the toe to not hang correctly. Instead, us the corner of the table. Putter head and grip end both free, touching nothing, and a small portion of the shaft resting diagonally across the corner.

I'm no expert but I see to hang this way. If you have a flowing, longer, "syrup-ee" stroke (Crenshaw or even Mickleson) get yourself some toe flow, try a few putters at the shop that are at 6 to 7 o'clock. If you have more of a straight back and through, shorter, more pop, or a "hit" kind of stroke, try some zero toe hang or 8 oclocks. The rest, try the middle ground.

I'll post some pics later today if I can... Iphoning now.

Well I went to Golfsmith today and hit all three #9 putters and decided on the White Ice #9. It felt really good and I really liked the weight of it. I am pretty sure I'll get it for my birthday since my parents don't know what to get me and my dad went with me and made sure I liked one so it was kind of a hint lol..

Thanks guys

Well I did find it.. White HOT XG #9. I was going to get the White Ice but I hit them both over and over and the more I did the more I leaned towards the WH.

I got it today at Golf Galaxy for $75 with tax because they were on sale until the 29th and only in store plus a $10 off coupon when spending $75 or more. We went in there and my dad told my mom that it was what I was wanting and she sorta knew so she didn't want to miss out on the sale plus she wanted me to get used to it before next weeks round with my brother and my dad on my birthday! Woohooooo...

Anyways,
I am dropping more putts in and even my dad likes it, he said he might have to go back today and pick one up.

i got very lucky when it came to putters - quite literally the first putter i ever bought just happened to turn out to be perfect for me. it has just enough weight for me, and it's appealing to my eye. i played it for about a year, tried two or three other putters over the course of a year, then went right back to my first putter and haven't wavered since. if i were to ever make it on tour (which i don't expect, just saying if i did), i'd probably get a lot of grief and ridicule for using a beat up old $35 wilson putter, but hey, more often than not, it gets the job done.

Nice looking putter. I have a similar putter and like the way it lines up behind the ball. Putting is all about confidence (well all of golf is) and if you like it and you feel good, you made a good buy.

Looks good! I especially like the alignment line along the top line. I have something similar on my Cameron, but it is along the flange. I feel like I am lining up the entire face of the putter when I use it. I'm not a big fan of the more popular alignment lines... the ones that run towards the back of the putter along the line of the putt.

Did you ever think about changing the paintfill on your putter to colors you choose? It's a piece of cake... Some Testors brand paints from a model shop, some toothpicks, some acetone or nail polish remover, some wiping, maybe a Q tip or two.

Your favorite team colors, school colors, match a bag or a headcover, etc. Just a thought.

I am game...what exactly are the steps and I will try it out this weekend. Is it just toothpick the paint in and wipe the surface clean?

That is pretty much it....

That is fantastic to hear. Putting is such a mind game and having a putter you are confident with is fantastic.

I finally found mine. Scotty Cameron Circa 62 #1 with a standard lie, length 36-1/4", and a Midsized Tigershark black grip. It relieves my back because I can use good posture and I love the feel of the toe. It has severe toe weighting and I like it. It feels similar to your Odyssey.