Going through Putters

[Chuck Porter]

I have 2 TP Mills blade putters that are very sweet when my game is on. I sometimes struggle with distance control, however, as they roll much differently if you miss the sweet spot. I picked up a Futura Phantom, which is very consistent for me on distance, but just doesn't have the feel that you get when you properly strike a ball with forged putter.

I would probably sacrifice the feel of the forged blade for the consistency of the Phantom if I could only figure out how to properly ground the Phantom.

The Phantom has the floating toe, which causes me to change the resting position of this club. Should the heel be down and the toe up? Should the toe be pressed down? I am not sure how one should ground this type of putter. I read the review here, and tried to contact Titleist, but still don't have an answer. Hopefully, my question is clear and not too dumb, and somebody has an answer. Thanks for any input.

Chuck

[popey]

Im a strong believer that you stick with a putter until it falls apart. Look at Mr Woods. Used the same putter for countless number of years. Although i do believe that if you really are having a bad time putting then a new putter is the way forward. I am lucky as i have never struggled with my putting that bad to bend it over my knee.

[Q.Q.Quillume]

  popey said:

Im a strong believer that you stick with a putter until it falls apart. Look at Mr Woods. Used the same putter for countless number of years. Although i do believe that if you really are having a bad time putting then a new putter is the way forward. I am lucky as i have never struggled with my putting that bad to bend it over my knee.

Popey, I may be wrong, but I don't believe it bends . . .

[Shindig]

So, I have a funny story about getting clubs, and the putters are just a part of it.

When I first went to play (Nov 05) for-real, I used my grandfather's old clubs (1970s era clubs). I played a par-3s only course, and kept at those and executive courses for a while. As such, I decided to buy a set of irons (rather than a new driver). I could tell more of the story - is there a thread for "how did you put together your first set of clubs?" - but the short story is I kept his putter for a while. It was a Dunlop Andrews: a mallet style putter.

Eventually, I got fed up with this and took mom's old putter; she hasn't played since she was in her 30s, other than to come with me to the range a few times. Hers was a blade-style "Patty Berg" Wilson putter, and I loved that. I started putting really well (for me)... almost always two-putting or better once I was on a green. Of course, most of this time, I was playing small courses, so the greens weren't large either.

In November, the golf store near me had a "Tent sale" and I bought a used driver, 3W, hybrid, and putter. Due to their money-back guarantee, I've sinced returned all except the putter, using the credit for other clubs (such as "same club regular flex shaft instead" for all three, degree change in some).

The putter, a Ping Anser, is sticking with me for a while. I've contemplated getting a Scotty Cameron putter at some point, but I figure I need to be putting well to warrant such a purchase, and then I'd be betraying the putter that got me there.

So, 3 putters in a year, technically, but I won't be switching again for a while.

[gnuisance]

1:3

I have a few putters right now that I have been fooling around with:

SeeMore Brass Blade FGP (I bought it after ZJ won the masters with it..)
Never Compromise Z/I Alpha 2
Bobby Grace M5K center shaft

I love all of these putters, but the one I like best is the MacGregor/Bobby Grace, the head is aluminum with a copper insert on the face, it just feels so solid and I make a lot of putts with it

[MGP]

In 35 years of playing golf I've played exactly 3 putters:

1st Putter - Northwestern Model 3500, used from about 1972 through 1988.
2nd Putter - Slotline Inertial, used from 1988 through 2006.
Current Putter - Inazone B3 2-ball Blade, this is a putter I built this past winter.

I actually built 5 different putters this year and putted with them during the winter to decide which one(s) I liked and hit the best. Of the five putters, I like two of them and will keep them. One I sold, another I gave away and the last one I may keep or sell.

So my ratio is pretty close to 1:10.

[MaverickAPhiT]

I have been playing for about 15 years, and am on my second putter. My first was a beginner putter my Dad bought for me when I started. About 10 years ago I bought a TaylorMade Nubbins putter that I love, expecially the look of it. I have used it since, and don't think I will get another putter anytime soon.

[wingman]

Let's see. . . .

Been playing for around 30 years. I don't remember the putters I used up until my mid teens, so we won't count those. So we'll start with:

Acushnet bullseye (19 years--still have it)
taylormade rossa lambeau 7 (2 weeks)
byron dalehead (1 month)
another taylormade lambeau 7 (2 weeks)
ping pal 4 (6 months)
taylormade rossa lambeau sport (1 month)
cleveland '06 calamity jane (1 month)
otey crisman blade (1 week--still have it, tho)
byron x-11 (6 months)
rife mr. beasley (current putter, 1 month)

average it out, and it's 1 putter every 2 years. some overlap.

if you don't count the first 19 years, it's 1.3 putters per month.

but i'm tired of switching putters, trying to find one that suits me. I think I'll just adjust to this rife putter. it seems willing to work with me.

[outrider2288]

i voted 1:1 even tho its been about 6 years w/ 5 putters...
the first was a hand-me-down putt-putt putter
the second was an odyssey 2-ball that i got for christmas 4 years ago
third was a ping i cant remember which one, got it at the begining of my sophomore year, but my friend snapped it
fourth one i've had for about 2 years now, Ping Zing
fifth putter i just bought about 2 weeks ago Scotty Newport Detour and i have a feeling ill be sticking w/ this putter for a while

[scotton]

I am a complete putter *****. I have 5 in rotation right now, and probably 30 total. The problem is that I'll mess around with a putter at a shop and not be able to miss with it. However, sinking 8 footers on carpet is not the same as using a putter in real life. Like the two-ball. Couldn't miss with it at the store. Can't play with it on the course. I'm great with a belly putter, but can't use it off the green, where I use a putter often. One of my favorites is the first putter I bought with my own money, an old Tiger Shark with a big brass head. When you hit it on the sweet spot, you don't even feel the ball. But on faster greens I burn a lot of holes.
I had a Dynacraft mallet head that I played my best golf with. It had a titanium plate for a face with an air space between the face and the rest of the putter body. I whacked the ball out from under some trees with it once and put a big curve in the face. Man, I miss that putter.

I just bought a Zebra mallet off ebay as a tribute to my grandma, who played with one Zebra for as long as I can remember. She can't play anymore, so I'm going to try that one to see how I do. My aunt stole her putter before I could lay my grimy hands on it.

[bigboom]

1st putter was a dunlop piece of junk which i wrecked by hitting balls at the range with it. 2nd putter was an odyssey dual force. 3rd was an odyssey white hot xg #7 then the #9 and now im playing a ping anser redwood. this was all over about 5 years.

[King Cobra II]

I've used the same putter for the last 4 years, even though this is my first real year playing, as in I play regularly. Im not sure yet if I want to invest in something else. I used my friends Scotty last week, and had no feel for it at all, I use an old Dead Center SP 209, or 203 not entirly sure, but it's got some years on it.

[bluenar9]

10 years, 4 putters, roughly 1:2
Age:
12-14 some beginner putter
14-18 some other mid-level blade
18-20 Copperhead
20-21 Ping Craz-E... I hated the lack of control I had with it
21-22 Back to the Copperhead

that Copperhead has a knick in the face real close to the sweet spot along with other scrapes since copper is so soft. So I'm looking for a simple blade with a milled face, not too expensive, probably used from eBay. I'm thinking the Cleveland Classic I or II series. I plan to keep this one for a while.

[DDBowdoin]

I'm in a definate putter dillema myself... I have a straight back straight through putting style and Ive been having issue with my heel shafted Cameron. I love the weight and feel but I just putt better with a center shafted gamer. I'm in a pickle.. do I just go out and find a new center shafted putter or do I risk sending my stick out to Tom Slighter and have him tinker with it. Now I know there will a lot of cameron purists who will go crazy over that thought but I'm not really interested in that crap and just want to make more putts. I'm a wicked technology/club junky... I'm currently looking at the SeeMore M1 on ebay, looking for some steals.

[Brandonink2001]

Played an Odyssey Rossie II mallet from 1997 until Xmas 2006. Now in second year of Odyssey White Hot XG Two Ball. Don't expect to take it out of the bag for a long time.

I took the Rossie out because I had bought it used and it was never quite long enough, and after nine years using it, it was pretty banged up.

Putting is the central focus of my practice now as its what keeps me from posting low 80s scores. But I recognize it ain't the club its the club-holder.

[Stuart]

My first putter which I purchased back in December of 2006, was an Odyssey 3 ball. I got that because that's what my uncle had, and it was the only putter I had tried. I pretty quickly (3 months) figured out that I hated it with a passion. I then splurged and got a Scotty Newport Studio 2 and love it. That being said putting is not the strongest part of my game. I shot a 74 the other day and had 34 putts. I missed 10 out of 11 birdie putts in that round, which was pretty discouraging. I have just purchased a Seemore FGP putter (for $70 off of Golfsmith) as the alignment aid intrigues me. So I'll report on that in a few weeks when I've given it a chance.

[useless149149]

2 putters in 11 years. And one was my dads old putter he used in the 70's. The first was a pathetic heel-toe weighted balde, and I took over 40 putts per round with it. Now that I'm using an old school Bullseye, i got my putts down to about 36 per round.

[jimbo2007]

My ratio is about 1:8

My father bought me my first putter when I was a teen. I'm pretty sure it was a Macgregor cheapie, couldn't have cost more than $20. I used it until 3 years ago when I think the glue just dried out and the head fell off. 22 years I used it and I felt like I could roll the ball in from anywhere.

Decided to bring myself into the 21st century when the thing fell apart on me and got me a center shafted odyssey which I used for two years, but which never did it for me.

Picked up a Yes Tracey this year, which I love and which has finally put to rest my remorse over not regluing my first putter.