Before You Buy Your Putter ( Cameron or other)

[bigoak]

Being old and having been there and done that:

1. before you guy your new putter to improve your putting, take a lesson from a professional who specializes in the short game. "" I was having trouble chipping and putting. The aprons and greens were not stellar but I tought I could do well anyway. I went for a lesson on chipping and putting with an excellent short game professional. After 10 minutes he said to me " now what exactly is wrong with your putting and chipping????" "" On the greens at his CC I had no problem. You may not need a new putter, you may need a new place to play golf.

2. If you want to buy an expensive putter to impress your buddies, You can buy Scotty Cammeron Putter Covers on EBay and make everyone think you bought large.

3. Buy a putter that matches the turf where you play. I play on a public course now so I use a putter with a lot of loft because godforbid that anyone fix a ball mark so they mow at a higher height. It is stupid to buy a millfaced soft metal putter and bang the hell out of it to get it to the hole. It is also stupid to buy a face balanced putter if you have to bang it. If you can make a smooth stroke and roll the ball to the hole then get a new putter. I don't play on Greens with 10+ speed so I don't need a putter that would work at Augusta. When I play at the local CC, I take my Scotty Cameron to Putt there. I'd putt right off the greens with my Public Course Putter.


4. Try the putter on the course(s) where you play and not on the carpet at the store. When you have to make a 4 footer to win the match, it won't be on the carpet at the store. When Zebra putters were popular, Raymond Floyd have over 100 of them.

[joshtpa]

Thanks for your thoughts. I dont really agree with them as far as the changing courses aspect goes. If you feel comfortable enough with your putter, with a little practice on courses, the feel is the same. It may take a minute or two (hole or two) to judge speed, but after that, you should have the feel down.

[Lange]

Thanks for your thoughts. I dont really agree with them as far as the changing courses aspect goes. If you feel comfortable enough with your putter, with a little practice on courses, the feel is the same. It may take a minute or two (hole or two) to judge speed, but after that, you should have the feel down.

I agree with this, all you have to do is get the feel for the greens at the course, and figure out how much more or less power your gunna have to put for distances compared to another course u may commonly play at.

[DDBowdoin]

I used to feel this way but I've become a much better putter over the last couple of seasons and have developed enough touch that I'm able to smoothly adjust my stroke to compensate for changes in green speeds. Thats pretty much part of the game, it's what makes pro's so great... I know, I know... they obviously dont see the slow greens that we are used to but when you are at that level and see 11 or 12 stymps, I could see 9 or so affect your game

its how you overcome those variables that makes you a great player

[GaijinGolfer]

Lessons are great, but new putters can help too. Today I was at a local sporting goods store and tried out an Odyssey White Hot #7 (the one that looks like a spaceship). I must admit, it has a very soft touch to it and on their little practice green I was sinking 10' putts over and over.
Its got me thinking about upgrading putters. Those new putters may look weird, but man, oh man are they nice.
While I cant deny that having the basic fundementals of the short game is important, if you are playing an older putter, theres a lot of be gained by upgrading to something that is state of the art.

[FlopShotArtist]

Lessons are great, but new putters can help too. Today I was at a local sporting goods store and tried out an Odyssey White Hot #7 (the one that looks like a spaceship). I must admit, it has a very soft touch to it and on their little practice green I was sinking 10' putts over and over.

haha, I LOVE the XG #7.

[joshtpa]

Lessons are great, but new putters can help too. Today I was at a local sporting goods store and tried out an Odyssey White Hot #7 (the one that looks like a spaceship). I must admit, it has a very soft touch to it and on their little practice green I was sinking 10' putts over and over.

Thats the putter I play. I have tried everything and like this one by FAR the most.

[GaijinGolfer]

haha, I LOVE the XG #7.

Thats the putter I play. I have tried everything and like this one by FAR the most.

Yeah, nice putter. Like I said, its got a very soft touch. When you hit the ball you can just barely feel it and the ball goes dead straight even if you mishit it.

I was very tempted to buy that putter today. I think Ive spent enough money on golf stuff for this year though, (Id bet Ive spent over $600 on golf stuff over the past 2 months) so I didnt buy it. Maybe next year though. Im seriously considering buying a Scotty Cameron Circa '62 #1.

[Harry Longshanks]

Thats the putter I play. I have tried everything and like this one by FAR the most.

"Fang" has a lot of fans. If I was a mallet guy, I would give it a shot.

[FlopShotArtist]

"Fang" has a lot of fans. If I was a mallet guy, I would give it a shot.

I'm NOT a mallet guy and I still might give it a shot.

[williethekid]

Stan Utley's Art of the short game says putters of 5* loft are a good thing, maybe 6, so perhaps you should try a higher lofted putter in general. Personally I game the same putter regardless of where I play, just adapt the arc stroke and drills Stan says and don't have too many problems.

[iacas]

Thanks for your thoughts. I dont really agree with them as far as the changing courses aspect goes. If you feel comfortable enough with your putter, with a little practice on courses, the feel is the same. It may take a minute or two (hole or two) to judge speed, but after that, you should have the feel down.

It's not just about speed, though. On slower greens, a bit more loft is advised because the ball is sitting down even more than normal. On faster greens, you need less loft.

Still, I avoid having separate putters under certain conditions by moving the ball up in my stance a little bit (which increases the loft). I do so:

• on aerated greens
• when putting from the fringe or the fairway
• on slower greens

It's not just about the speed, but more about getting the ball started online.

[jrode]

While the course obviously matters, if you're comfortable with your putter, you're comfortable with your putter.

If I see the pros start to change putters every week at all the different courses they play, I'll start doing the same.

[The Rambler]

Being old and having been there and done that: 1. before you guy your new putter to improve your putting, take a lesson from a professional who specializes in the short game. "" I was having trouble chipping and putting. The aprons and greens were not stellar but I thought I could do well anyway. I went for a lesson on chipping and putting with an excellent short game professional. After 10 minutes he said to me " now what exactly is wrong with your putting and chipping????" "" On the greens at his CC I had no problem. You may not need a new putter, you may need a new place to play golf.

Why would you switch courses because you can't putt? I agree on getting a lesson though.

2. If you want to buy an expensive putter to impress your buddies, You can buy Scotty Cammeron Putter Covers on EBay and make everyone think you bought large.

... until they see that you are still putting with a K-Mart special and call you a poser.

3. Buy a putter that matches the turf where you play. I play on a public course now so I use a putter with a lot of loft because godforbid that anyone fix a ball mark so they mow at a higher height.

Why can't you just practice distance control?

It is stupid to buy a millfaced soft metal putter and bang the hell out of it to get it to the hole.

ie. Tiger woods

It is also stupid to buy a face balanced putter if you have to bang it.

ie. Paddy Harrington

If you can make a smooth stroke and roll the ball to the hole then get a new putter.

If you are already making a smooth stroke and roll the ball to the hole why do you need a new putter?

I don't play on Greens with 10+ speed so I don't need a putter that would work at Augusta. When I play at the local CC, I take my Scotty Cameron to Putt there. I'd putt right off the greens with my Public Course Putter.

I think it's the indian and not the arrow

4. Try the putter on the course(s) where you play and not on the carpet at the store.

First sensible thing you've said (granted the Pro Shop let's you)

When you have to make a 4 footer to win the match, it won't be on the carpet at the store. When Zebra putters were popular, Raymond Floyd have over 100 of them.

All in all this article is somewhat useless

[bigoak]

Thanks for all of your reactions BUT

1. we are not all sweepers. some of us are tappers. That's why they make different putters with lofts and different metals.

2. I need feedback from the putter. The last thing I want is a soft feeling putter. Did I leave it short because I mis-hit it or because I did not stroke it hard enough. I've tried the claw at the golf store and made everything but I don't putt on carpets on the course.

3. I know that some of you are all so talented that you can change from velcro to billiard tables with no problems. I cannot. After about 9 holes a handgrenade goes off on the billiard table and I'm 10 feet past. So I change putters before just to remind myself where I am and what I must do.

4. Tiger Woods putts with one putter. Not everyone does. Raymond Floyd who had the reputation of being able to putt with a broom had over 100 putters of the same model.

5. On slow greens I don't want a balanced putter that I have an enormous arc and lose the feel of the head.

[Laxplayer201092]

oak.. if your not mishitting the putter, why would you need to get feedback? if your not mishitting it, your putter will feel soft, i dont know many putters that dont feel soft when struck well.. I mean theres a difference between a scotty soft, and an oddysey soft..

And is there nothing to be said for confidence? sometimes a new putter can just make you feel better about your game..\




Yay first post back!

[bigoak]

Have you ever been to the practice round of a PGA event? Go to the equipment vans and see what the pros are trying. Many pros are trying things all of the time. The companies just hand this stuff out.

[nike_golf]

I'll admit flat out that I'm a head case w/ the putting game. I love my scotty and I feel its the best putter made but if for some reason I'm not sinking putts, then I go w/ my ping redwood anser 2 putter.......

w/ putters I firmly believe, along w/ all golf equipment, that you get what you pay for. If a guy wants a good putter be prepared to drop atleast $150. And by all means, try different ones out. I might like the feel of a Scotty or a Ping but Joe Blow likes the Taylor Made Spider.

Ya know what I mean?