Putter Toe Hang and Head Shape vs. Stroke Paths

[iacas]

Very quickly, I wish to clear up a few myths:

• The shape of a putter is irrelevant to how it's delivered. Mallets are not "better" for "straight back, straight through" type putters versus blades, if for no other reason than that virtually nobody putts "straight back straight through" anyway.
• Whether a putter has "toe hang" or is "face balanced" or whatever, one is not better for a "stronger arc" or a "shallower arc" or SBST or anything. The forces and torques in putting "toe hang" or anything are so small and completely overcome by just the forces from your hands required to keep the putter from slipping out of your hands from gravity.
• Different putters will feel as though the weight is positioned differently, but pursuant to the second bullet point, these are really fine feels, and many players may actually be feeling something different. Tiger Woods might notice if you moved 5g of weight in his putter head toward the heel, but odds are you won't. And I'd wonder if Tiger even could, if you could somehow do so without him knowing…

https://edel-golf-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-myth-of-toe-hang-vs-face-balanced-putting

[Hohjoe]

Searching for Putter topics I found this, and I find it interesting. Putting is one of the things I struggle with, and I have questions.

I’m trying the Day 15 Putting Bead work in the Covid Practice Plan and I’m using two putters with equally limited success.

One putter has a toe hang and the other is face balanced. One is a blade and the other a half mallet. I putt about the same with either, so how do I pick a putter?

Is it and how I like the way it looks? I don't want an ugly putter. And the way it feels to me feel regardless of toe hang or no toe hang?

Do I get fitted?

Do most people pick a putter and stick with that putter for practice and rounds?

 

[saevel25]

15 minutes ago, Hohjoe said:

One putter has a toe hang and the other is face balanced. One is a blade and the other a half mallet. I putt about the same with either, so how do I pick a putter?

I've been lucky to have a good eye for alignment. Naturally overtime got to a putter that I could aim where my body aims. When I got fitted for an Edel putter, they basically picked the closest head shape, and copied the alignment lines. The biggest thing for me was head weight and counterbalance for distance control. 

I would say, get fitted with a person who has a way of measuring how you are aiming the putter. 

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, Hohjoe said:

Searching for Putter topics I found this, and I find it interesting. Putting is one of the things I struggle with, and I have questions.

 

I’m trying the Day 15 Putting Bead work in the Covid Practice Plan and I’m using two putters with equally limited success.

 

One putter has a toe hang and the other is face balanced. One is a blade and the other a half mallet. I putt about the same with either, so how do I pick a putter?

 

Is it and how I like the way it looks? I don't want an ugly putter. And the way it feels to me feel regardless of toe hang or no toe hang?

 

Do I get fitted?

 

Do most people pick a putter and stick with that putter for practice and rounds?

 

 

 

I agree with @saevel25, the ability to aim the putter really helps. The overall weight of the putter also helps with distance control. Toe hang is really irrelevant at the speed the putter head moves. It’s not moving fast enough to create any torque and change the head position if you grip normally.

Getting fitted helps. Bring both your putters and see which you aim better. The fitter may just alter your loft and lie to help aim. For me, the fitter also increased the length to 35.5”. I play a blade type putter with one alignment line.

[colin007]

2 hours ago, Hohjoe said:

Searching for Putter topics I found this, and I find it interesting. Putting is one of the things I struggle with, and I have questions.

 

I’m trying the Day 15 Putting Bead work in the Covid Practice Plan and I’m using two putters with equally limited success.

 

One putter has a toe hang and the other is face balanced. One is a blade and the other a half mallet. I putt about the same with either, so how do I pick a putter?

 

Is it and how I like the way it looks? I don't want an ugly putter. And the way it feels to me feel regardless of toe hang or no toe hang?

 

Do I get fitted?

 

Do most people pick a putter and stick with that putter for practice and rounds?

 

 

 

Check your aim with a mirror and a laser. This is p much the only way you'll really know where the face is actually aimed.

[Double Mocha Man]

4 minutes ago, colin007 said:

Check your aim with a mirror and a laser. This is pretty much the only way you'll really know where the face is actually aimed.

Or... use a "stand up" putter as a training device.  Stand behind it and you'll absolutely know if you're aligned.

[Hohjoe]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

I agree with @saevel25, the ability to aim the putter really helps. The overall weight of the putter also helps with distance control. Toe hang is really irrelevant at the speed the putter head moves. It’s not moving fast enough to create any torque and change the head position if you grip normally.

Getting fitted helps. Bring both your putters and see which you aim better. The fitter may just alter your loft and lie to help aim. For me, the fitter also increased the length to 35.5”. I play a blade type putter with one alignment line.

I almost always miss left, even on my putting mat, so alignment may be the issue.

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, Hohjoe said:

I almost always miss left, even on my putting mat, so alignment may be the issue.

When I got fitted, my aim was about 1/2 cup left. The fitter flattened the lie to adjust so it was right on target. 

[Hohjoe]

2 hours ago, boogielicious said:

When I got fitted, my aim was about 1/2 cup left. The fitter flattened the lie to adjust so it was right on target. 

How did the fitter do that? Bend the shaft or something? I don't miss that far left, I don't think. I guess I need a fitting.

[boogielicious]

34 minutes ago, Hohjoe said:

How did the fitter do that? Bend the shaft or something? I don't miss that far left, I don't think. I guess I need a fitting.

They bend the hosel ever so slightly. 

[billchao]

3 hours ago, boogielicious said:

When I got fitted, my aim was about 1/2 cup left. The fitter flattened the lie to adjust so it was right on target. 

When I went for my Edel fitting, I aimed my putter 8” right of the hole. The fitter ended up changing my stance completely before we even started looking at putters.

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

They bend the hosel ever so slightly. 

I do that every time I hit the ball.

[Hohjoe]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

They bend the hosel ever so slightly. 

Interesting. 

Thanks.

[colin007]

21 hours ago, billchao said:

When I went for my Edel fitting, I aimed my putter 8” right of the hole. The fitter ended up changing my stance completely before we even started looking at putters.

At 12 feet out, I was 2 feet right and 16 inches in the air

[billchao]

38 minutes ago, colin007 said:

At 12 feet out, I was 2 feet right and 16 inches in the air

This wasn’t exactly a competition you wanted to win, but I’ll gladly hand you the belt on this one.