Putter Fittings

[billchao]

12 minutes ago, ladders11 said:

There was an actual study that indicated people corrected their putting stroke and actually got worse. I know it sounds paradoxical, but it's golf. (Search Adam Young putting study if you feel inclined).

This one?

The Results of This Golf Putting Study Will Surprise You - Adam Young Golf

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This article is controversial – but understand I am simply explaining what I found. As much as the results of this study may force you to question your beliefs, have a real good think about these results and the possible...

That's not really about correcting a putting stroke. He's basically saying people subconsciously make compensations in their stroke and continue to do so (to their detriment) when shown the correct amount of break. The human element is always a factor.

He even points out at the end that this is likely a short-term issue. It seems no different to me than teaching a slicer how to draw the ball and his scoring not improving immediately afterwards because he's still aiming to play his non-existent slice.

36 minutes ago, ladders11 said:

However I recall we are not discussing the merits of putting practice, but a ~1 hour putter fitting.

One hour spent on a proper putter fitting would have saved me dozens of hours on the practice green.

40 minutes ago, ladders11 said:

I will even allow that a quick correction is probably helpful to those who have consistent errors in their stroke. Inconsistency is most people's problem, though.

Inconsistency can be a result of having multiple compensations in a putting stroke to make up for a poor-fitting putter.

41 minutes ago, ladders11 said:

Still confused: are there better uses of 1 hour or $100? Is there value offered at putter fitting that couldn't have been found elsewhere?

I can't answer that for you. We are different people with different values placed on our time, money, etc. Different needs in terms of golf skills. All I can tell you is I've done it both ways and I wish I did the putter fitting years earlier.

43 minutes ago, ladders11 said:

The norm in putting is we use books, lessons, and practice, combined with choosing a putter at the store based on how it feels.

That's basically just going in blind and hoping to get lucky. Some people do. Others own dozens of putters.

45 minutes ago, ladders11 said:

As 10-15 handicaps, are we somehow gaming the wrong putter, and if so how far off are our choices?

Again, can't answer that for you. Maybe your putter is perfect for you. Mine wasn't and it made me putt like a 25 handicap. It was very far off from my current one.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, ladders11 said:

There was an actual study that indicated people corrected their putting stroke and actually got worse. I know it sounds paradoxical, but it's golf. (Search Adam Young putting study if you feel inclined).

That was not only a poorly done “study” but it does not say what you think it says.

[Shank91]

Yea definitely burned the left edge of the cup all weekend. Not sure if it’s an aim thing or a poor stroke. 

[G-off]

I think length is the first and foremost part of this, always played 33 inch since it was the shortest usually  available, did a quick fitting with ping and determined 31.5 gets me where I should be over the ball.  Funny thing I can swing just about anything decently mallet, blade other than heel shafted equally.  I spent a lot of time and $ trying  the next big thing and really found out that for me length was more important than anything else.  My .02

[tinker]

On 3/31/2019 at 5:24 PM, iacas said:

No. Nearly everything you said there is wrong.

• Putting isn't a "hand eye coordination" thing. Even bad putters hit the ball with their putter, so clearly, it's a LOT more than that.
• 34" or 35" is still too long for most people. I putt with a 33" putter, and I'm not short.
• What "looks and feels good" is irrelevant. There are almost no two things that matter less.
• Tons of putters are varying degrees of toe up or toe down. Most are toe down, some are face balanced, some are heel down.
• Learning speed control is easier and more repeatable with a putter that's fit for you with the proper amount and distribution of weight.

You'd be surprised how many GOOD putters aim well outside the hole from 5'. Tiger Woods being one of 'em.

Most people don't line the ball up where they think they are.

Which often makes a player's aim WORSE.

And yet…

I think your wrong. You must buy into the mechanical robotic school of golf. Putting is like pitching penny’s. It’s 90 percent feel. I putt with an open stance, thin grip that I can feel in my fingers, short back stroke and take the clubhead to the line. I use an 8802 style putter that lets me hit with the toe on super fast downhillers. It’s all about imagination and touch.

[colin007]

33 minutes ago, tinker said:

I think your wrong. You must buy into the mechanical robotic school of golf. Putting is like pitching penny’s. It’s 90 percent feel. I putt with an open stance, thin grip that I can feel in my fingers, short back stroke and take the clubhead to the line. I use an 8802 style putter that lets me hit with the toe on super fast downhillers. It’s all about imagination and touch.

Hey, just a friendly heads up, you're way out of your element here. The guy you're disagreeing with here can back everything up with hard science. Everyone aims differently and there are ways of adjusting for that so that a golfer is able to confidently aim knowing that the face is aimed where he thinks it's aimed. I putted for years with a putter that had me lined up 2 FEET out from 10 feet out, but I thought I was aimed where I was intending.

I don't mean to be argumentative, but you're wrong, it's NOT "all about imagination and touch".

[Typhoon92]

Do you have a Callaway Performance Center near you?   We have one here in New Hampshire and they have a SAM putt lab...and it's not as expensive as Club Champion.

[iacas]

3 hours ago, tinker said:

I think your wrong.

I know I'm not.

3 hours ago, tinker said:

You must buy into the mechanical robotic school of golf.

Nope.

3 hours ago, tinker said:

Putting is like pitching penny’s. It’s 90 percent feel.

No, it's not.

3 hours ago, tinker said:

I putt with an open stance, thin grip that I can feel in my fingers, short back stroke and take the clubhead to the line. I use an 8802 style putter that lets me hit with the toe on super fast downhillers. It’s all about imagination and touch.

Okay.

[GOATee]

A SAM Puttlab fitting is they let you try a bunch of different putters with different heads, necks, shafts, weights and markings until you discover which one gives the right data and performance.

An Edel fitting is they keep switching heads, necks, shafts, weights and markings on a modular putter until they narrow down the exact configuration that works best for you.

Both can reach a similar place but I think the Edel system is a bit more thorough unless the SAM Puttlab fitting has such a wide range of putters that it covers all the different possibilities. 

Edited April 2, 2019 by GOATee

[Shank91]

The edel system seems pretty interesting. I've been looking at their website and see they have the weight in the heel of the putter. How would that affect someone with a more sbst stroke? How about someone that uses the alignment line on the ball? does that kinda of mute the point of the aiming system? Thanks for all the responses. There is a lot of valuable info in here!

[iacas]

9 minutes ago, Shank91 said:

The edel system seems pretty interesting. I've been looking at their website and see they have the weight in the heel of the putter. How would that affect someone with a more sbst stroke? How about someone that uses the alignment line on the ball? does that kinda of mute the point of the aiming system? Thanks for all the responses. There is a lot of valuable info in here!

That's only in the Torque Balanced putters. They're "torque balanced."

https://edelgolf.com/pages/classic-fit

We fit those, mostly because we find the options somewhat limited for the torque balanced line.

[Shank91]

So I ended up doing an Edel fitting and learned a lot from it. Turns out I aimed my current putter dead on. The fitter tried different sight lines and none got me on better than the same line setup. We then moved to the distance control. Turns out the weighting of my current putter was very close to what he fit me into. What did change was he fit me into a slightly longer shaft and a flatter lie.

Question is if I wanted to adjust my current putter to the correct lie would it be the same for what I was fit to?

 

[boogielicious]

8 hours ago, Shank91 said:

So I ended up doing an Edel fitting and learned a lot from it. Turns out I aimed my current putter dead on. The fitter tried different sight lines and none got me on better than the same line setup. We then moved to the distance control. Turns out the weighting of my current putter was very close to what he fit me into. What did change was he fit me into a slightly longer shaft and a flatter lie.

Question is if I wanted to adjust my current putter to the correct lie would it be the same for what I was fit to?

 

Yes. your fitting is very close to what I got a few years ago. It wasn't with Edel, but a very good fitter in NH. He lengthen my shaft to 35.5, which is long for my height and flatten my lie with my existing putter. Later, I picked up another used putter and made it the exact same specs.

[GOATee]

9 hours ago, Shank91 said:

So I ended up doing an Edel fitting and learned a lot from it. Turns out I aimed my current putter dead on. The fitter tried different sight lines and none got me on better than the same line setup. We then moved to the distance control. Turns out the weighting of my current putter was very close to what he fit me into. What did change was he fit me into a slightly longer shaft and a flatter lie.

Question is if I wanted to adjust my current putter to the correct lie would it be the same for what I was fit to?

 

At least you know for certain your exact spec now.  Getting the Edel would still be worth it for removing any doubt about your fit.

If you adjusted your putter, apart from fixing the lie, you would need to lengthen the shaft as well.

Lengthening the shaft is complicated because it changes the swingweight, and different swingweights suit different lengths, and the replacement putter shaft may not be available in the weight you want.

Edited April 9, 2019 by GOATee

[Shank91]

Yea it was definitely worth it just from the lesson aspect I took from it. It was crazy seeing how changing the alignment lines could throw your aim off so much. Either way if I decide to order the Edel or not I would like to adjust my current putter. So would I need to change the lie of my current putter to that of the Edel?

[GOATee]

The lie relates to the length.  If you just change the lie but not the length it is not the same thing.

The lie of the Edel was ideal for the longer length of the Edel.  It does not mean the Edel's lie is ideal for your shorter putter.

[LMoore]

Lots of opinions here, so i'll add one more.

A putting lesson from a professional is a must, IMHO. Might I add, if you insist on doing it yourself and want to buy an aid that has helped not only me, but many, many professionals, look into the "Perfect Putter". You will find out quickly whether or not you are lining up wrong, but it is extremely helpful in determing break and speed.

Not inexpensive, and you will definately have to spend time on the putting greem. Easy google search, although I'm encouraging all to use "duckduckgo" as your new search engine. [I haven't been on here long enough to know if I've broken a rule with the search engine suggestion]

[surfmonkey89]

After many years of using putters bought based on looks or "feel" at store, I decided to get a fitting three weeks ago (Sam). Cost $100, $50 of which they put toward the cost of a putter if I chose to buy one after the fitting.

Turns out I was using the totally wrong putter in every way: face balanced, too short (I'm almost 6'3), wrong loft, the whole thing. They set me up with a TM Ardmore 3, and it's night and day. My putts actually go where I'm aiming! And my distance control is the best it's ever been. It also convinced me to get lessons and fittings for a new set of clubs.

Take it from a doubter: the hour is worth it.