$100+ for a putter? What gives?

[powermatt99]

Okay. I have to ask. Why do a lot of you fellow TST forumites spend upwards of $100 on a putter (and some of you upwards of $300)? To me the putter is the simplest tool in my bag. Heck, look at the designs of putters from antiquity until the newfangled Pings in the 80s. Simplicity. I am not ridiculing your purchasing decisions. If you want to stimulate our economy to the tune of $300 for a Scotty Cameron, that's your business. What I'm asking is, does your $300 Scotty Cameron perform 30 times better than my Top Flite POS Special from Walmart? In other words, looking at the clubs in my bag (below), is a high-dollar putter my next logical purchase (besides maybe getting my driver reshafted to reflect my actual swing speed)? What should I look for in a putter? I had a Ping Anser in High School but it was too short and I wrapped it around a tree after a tournament (long story). I don't remember the feel being that much better than my Top Flite putter. I would rather not spend the next three evenings at the Galaxy trying putters either. Any tips that could narrow my search are appreciated.

[BirdIsTheWord]

Good clubs can't make a bad player good, but they can make a good player better...

[jonnythan]

From what I gather, about $100 is all you need to spend to get a top-quality putter. They will have low-tolerance design, be attractive, have great balance, and just be all around excellent.

Pay more than that and you're trying to get something that is a beautiful golf club - the best. It's like buying a $5000 Tag Hauer instead of a $150 Skagen. Both will tell the time equally well, but the Tag Hauer will simply be a higher quality, more beautiful timepiece.

[ballhog]

you know, I dont have one personally, mine was around 120 new, i got it used, but I have tried many of the putters you are speaking of and have friends who have scotties but it is all a confidence/status thing. If someone feels like the putter of whatever price is going to help them putt.....then it will...... thats really all there is to it, we all know how big a factor confidence plays in this game. Unless they just like having a more expensive piece of equipment in their bag

[twinke masta]

Why do people spend 300$ on a driver and then three putt with their 20$ putter?

Find a balance and work with it. You don't need to spend 300$ on a putter but you shouldn't be dumping all your money on a driver and ignoring one of the most important aspect of the game, which is finishing the job you started with your driver.

[CG031]

Because a putter is something you can have for a very long time, a lot of the technology stays the same (unlike a drive, or 3 wood, hybrid, etc.), doesn't wearout (like a wedge in 2 years), and overall is a confidence booster when you're confident your putting with top quality equipment, and we all know 95% of putting is confidence to be honest, because so many people have different styles of putting that works for them.

Hey if you putt well with a 20 dollar putter, power to you, go for it. If you putt well with a 300 dollar putter, power to you, go for it.

Who cares? If it's someone's own money, why are you concerned with how they spend it? If they feel like, or it does, improve their game, I don't see what's wrong with it at all.

[opie]

What other club are you going to use 25+ times a round?? I used my driver twice last 2 times I've played. Seems $300 on a putter gets more value than $300 on a driver

BTW.. I don't have a $300 putter but I sure would have bought one if it were my preference

[powermatt99]

  twinke masta said:

Why do people spend 300$ on a driver and then three putt with their 20$ putter?

I understand the sentiment. But a driver seems more complicated than a putter, therefore the higher price. Plus, its larger and requires a graphite shaft, making it more expensive. I want my putter to be on par with the rest of my bag, but they seem to be more gimmicky functional.

[Mathlete1123]

I think its a a mix of a status/mental thing, like buying a nice car or watch people will notice the headcover in your bag, and Tiger using a Cameron probably has something to do with it as well. Its easy to instantly be confident in a putter company that tiger's won 14 majors with, but IMO a ping anser will putt just as well and last just as long as any other putter out there provided you care for it properly. Also aren't most of the cameron designs just a slightly modified anser, they might make them a little differently but the designs about the same.

[ballhog]

  Mathlete1123 said:

I think its a a mix of a status/mental thing, like buying a nice car or watch people will notice the headcover in your bag, and Tiger using a Cameron probably has something to do with it as well. Its easy to instantly be confident in a putter company that tiger's won 14 majors with, but IMO a ping anser will putt just as well and last just as long as any other putter out there provided you care for it properly. Also aren't most of the cameron designs just a slightly modified anser, they might make them a little differently but the designs about the same.

exactly my thoughts

[twinke masta]

  powermatt99 said:

I understand the sentiment. But a driver seems more complicated than a putter, therefore the higher price. Plus, its larger and requires a graphite shaft, making it more expensive. I want my putter to be on par with the rest of my bag, but they seem to be more gimmicky functional.

it's not necessary for you to spend hundreds on a putter. Spend however much you like but it is a very important tool in your bag used at EVERY hole.

What I am trying to say is if you like a putter, the price should not affect your decision to buy it, whether it be 20$ or 200$.

[DES NUTTZ]

It can go both ways. $300 putter will not make you better but may give you confidence and I use my putter more often than I use my driver in a round. But then again my putter was about $90 when I bought it brand new 4 years ago.

[bIGwIRE]

I game a Cameron for a few reasons.
One is that it is finely tuned. The designed is Anser based, but taken to the next level. What is better yet is that the feel, swingweight, length, lie, loft, ect... are all tuned to me and what I want my putter to be.

Second is for show. You can tell time just as well with a 10$ Timex from Wal-Mart as with a 300$ Citizen. Why do some people spend 10,000$ on a Rolex, and do they wear it to bed?

Also, 300$ isn't alot of money to some people, esspecially when you really love golf. My last heat bill was more than that.

Why didn't you tie a rock to a stick and putt with that?? You could've bought a cheeseburger!

[powermatt99]

Okay. So what do you look for in a putter? What should I look for in a putter?

[jonnythan]

One that makes you feel warm and fuzzy.

[wrx_junki]

If your putting well with your current putter don't change it.

[frogger]

Unfortunately, I think the only way to find the putter that is right for you (regardless of price) is go to a Dick's Sporting Goods or Golf Galaxy or similar and spend a few hours and try them all. A putter is a very personal choice and no one can help you choose one. I spent several hours at a Golf Galaxy putting with a ton of models. In the end, my favorite was a Karsten Series Ping Zing which was $90. My second choice was a Cleveland Classic which I believe was $70 or 80. My third choice was a Maxfli Crossbax 3.0 Mallet which had been $90 but was on clearance for $12.50. I hit all three far better than most anything else in the store including a couple of Scotty Camerons. I did also rather like a Nike Ignite but it was in a similar price range to the Ping. Unfortunately for me, cash was very tight at the time so I went with my 3rd choice because it was such a smoking deal. It is still a nice putter that works fine for me. However, as soon as I can, I will probably go back and buy the Ping Zing.

[amcquay]

Look at your typical par 4. Getting a GIR means getting on in two, leaving you with two putts to make par. That's half of that hole's strokes made with the putter by design. If you ask me, you should go after a quality putter that you identify with before any other club. Now, whether you prefer a $20 or $200 putter is up to you, but either way I think it's justified.