Bad putter considering going long...

[Chris5573]

Do any of you guys play with a long putter? I would have to say that putting is probably the worst part of my game, and has been for a couple of years. I go through hot streaks from time to time, but overall it's been a weakness. I have tried out some of the long putters indoors at the golf store and I like the pendulum motion of the swing...but most of the "holes" in the store are like funnels...anything near the hole is sucked in, so I can't really tell how well I'm putting in there. Have any of you struggled with standard putters and switched? Is it worth spending the money to try one out?

[cfmgolf]

Everyone - I would also like to hear from anyone who has changed to a Belly style vs. the longer chest pendulum. I have the same issues as the original post. Miss 3-4 putts per round inside 10 ft which is hurting handicap.

Thanks

[949 Golf]

When I played golf in college one of my teammates played with a long putter for a season. We (the team) were all amazed on how easy it was to make puts inside 10 feet. 6 feet and in were automatic! Although, it's true what they say. What you gain in short puts you lose in long puts. Kind of tricky with puts outside 30 feet. How often do you practice your putting?? I bet if you hit 4 footers with your current putter for an hour straight you'd get pretty good at them. Good luck with the decision!!

[Chris5573]

When I played golf in college one of my teammates played with a long putter for a season. We (the team) were all amazed on how easy it was to make puts inside 10 feet. 6 feet and in were automatic! Although, it's true what they say. What you gain in short puts you lose in long puts. Kind of tricky with puts outside 30 feet. How often do you practice your putting?? I bet if you hit 4 footers with your current putter for an hour straight you'd get pretty good at them. Good luck with the decision!!

I have heard from several people that putts inside of 6 feet are automatic, and judging the distance is the hard part with a long putter. But...if you have a 30 footer, then all you have to do is get it within 5 feet or so. With a regular putter, you have to get your approach putt around 2-3 feet for a given. It seems like it would be tough to 3 putt if the 6 footers are easy.

[949 Golf]

Hahahah! Good point Chris! I guess that for me it just comes down to feel and being more traditional.

[bigoak]

if you are adding to your putt count by missing shorter putts then you should consider a long putter. if you are having trouble getting the longer putts close enough to the hole then a belly or traditional putter might be better. if it is both then you might want to schedule a lesson and a fitting.

[Stacey_E]

Don't go to a long putter just to hit the 5 footers. Speed control is easily the most important factor in putting.

I had problems with 3-5 footers, never with lag putts. I went to a Ping G5i Craz-E mallet, but any high moi mallet with alignment aides would do. Now, no exagerating, I expect to hit everything inside 6 feet. And confidence is everything in putting. Do I hit everything inside 6 feet? No. But I expect to, and I do hit a ton of them. Before you go long shaft, try mallet.

[beung]

This probaly depends on what your misses are....

Do you have problems with distance or with getting the ball started on the line you picked out?

I don't see the long putters being anymore helpfull in getting the weight right, in fact the opposite could be true in that the long putters are harder to judge distance with.

If you have problems with getting the putter through on line and the face square. Then I would think that the long putter can help, since the butt end it anchored you your body (which is why I think they should be illegal, but that is another topic).

But if you have troubles with both line and distance then the long putter may hurt you more then help, at least until you get the distance figured out. So only if I had problems beign steady and getting the ball on line would I move to a long putter.

[wolverine318]

Good points by people on how you miss your putts. I didnt mind my long putter. But I bent the shaft and after it was replaced it wasnt the same. It definatley wasnt installed right. I just scrapped it and went back to a regular one. Poing being when I had the long one and it was fit to me and installed right I thought I was gonig to make anything inside 10 ft. But in the end its you not the putter. After a yaer with it I went though the same battles with it as the regular putter. But you know, its like blade vs mallet. Try it some styles are better for you than others. I am overall more consistant with a mallet than a blade. So give it a shot imo.

[CosmosMpower]

Does the long putter help with stability? I mostly have a problem with a straight back and straight through motion. I always push/pull the downswing and move my putts either a few inches right of left of the hole and lip them out. Would I be better off with a long putter or a heavier putter?