Calling all Scotty Owners

[timastyle]

I personally have one and have been working on my putting stroke to get better and there are moments when I hit the putter and it's just pure butter. More often than not though, I get a bit of a thud sound. Distance control and everything is much better with the thud, but the buttery feel I get at times is much more satisfying. What are your experiences with your Scotty. What type of feel and/or sound do you get with your Scotty? Any suggestions of getting more of that buttery feeling (cause it does feel good)? Thanks!

[halcon]

I guess the only solution is to practice more to get better! My Scotty makes a click sound when I hit it in the sweet spot, and the feel is buttery as you describe it; the club's sweet spot is very narrow (this is not a forgiving club), so practice and good mechanics is the way to go.
If you have a blade putter, I'll recommend you read Stan Utley's "The Art of Putting"; he teaches a very simple swing that becomes natural in a short time. Also, Dave Stockton has some videos in YouTube that can be helpful.
If your putter is face balanced (a mallet, typically), then you should read Dave Pelz "Putting Bible"; I am not a big fan of his method, but it works for some people, and it has some interesting statistics (did I mention that he worked for NASA? ).
I hope this helps; the search for the butter can be addictive (I have the same "problem" with my irons and my putter), but for me it works as a extra incentive to improve my game.

[nike_golf]

Oh yes, the infamous "buttery", sweet spot on a Scotty.

I believe this is one big reason that seperates Scotty's from all other putters.

If you don't make good contact on the sweet spot, you'll immediately know it, and I really like that.

If/when I am mis hitting putts, it's usually because I'm not staying down w/ the putter. That kind of sounds strange putting, but it's what I have to keep after myself to do on a consistent basis. Through the stroke, I'll bring the putter up a little bit and contact the ball on the bottom part of the face. Cursing immediately follows.

A couple of years ago I went w/ the forward tilt action w/ the putter to de loft it. That has helped. A lot, or even most golfers do this (I think?), but Phil Mickelson is one golfer you can easily see doing it.

Anyway, a Scotty only helps you putt better. When you get that "butter" feel, you hit it correctly. When you don't get the feeling, you didn't hit it correctly. Since people love that "feeling" of a good, true putt, they will want to work at it to make sure to keep feeling that on a consistent basis. Correctly hit putts correctly roll the ball towards that hole.

[kpaulhus]

I cannot wait to get my California Del Mar!!!! YOU GUYS ARE KILLING ME!

[DavidFehertysBike]

If you get too much butta (like you didn't feel the ball leave type butta) then its likely that you struck the putt with too much loft. There should be a slightly firm feeling with the scotty on a well stuck putt. It could be a thud to you, though. Everyone is different.

[timastyle]

If you get too much butta (like you didn't feel the ball leave type butta) then its likely that you struck the putt with too much loft. There should be a slightly firm feeling with the scotty on a well stuck putt. It could be a thud to you, though. Everyone is different.

I find that interesting as I would think that the feeling you want. A feeling as if you didn't hit anything. That's the feeling I was referring to when I said I wanted the buttery feeling.

[timastyle]

Oh yes, the infamous "buttery", sweet spot on a Scotty.

Are you using the forward press to stay down on the ball? One of my biggest problems right now is catching the ball thin or having a day putt.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I find that interesting as I would think that the feeling you want. A feeling as if you didn't hit anything. That's the feeling I was referring to when I said I wanted the buttery feeling.

It is a neat feeling, but i dont think it necessarily means that you put a true roll on the ball. I find my best putts ( the ones i drill right into the back of the cup) tend to have a firm feel off the face.

[timastyle]

It is a neat feeling, but i dont think it necessarily means that you put a true roll on the ball. I find my best putts ( the ones i drill right into the back of the cup) tend to have a firm feel off the face.

I would think that one would want that feeling all the time, and it makes me wonder whether that the added loft as you previously mentioned is optimal or not. It definitely goes in line with Stan Utley's book and how most people he fits for a putter fall in the 5 degree loft range. I also feel that I get the best roll when I get the butta feeling, but I don't get it on a consistent basis which makes me think whether or not I should change my putter loft to 5 degree...

[nike_golf]

Are you using the forward press to stay down on the ball? One of my biggest problems right now is catching the ball thin or having a day putt.

Well, really, the reason for the forward press is to de-loft the putter face and thusly get a truer roll on the ball.

Maybe mentally, when I make the press motion right before my back stroke, I kind of remind myself to stay down on the ball. It's just all become part of my putting routine, which everyone should have. I guess I don't have a "trick" or technique to stay down on the ball. Everyone miss hits putts now and then. You're not going to hit it perfectly everytime. That is where practice and patience helps. I'm up in Minnesota. I use the winters indoors working on short game stuff and putting. You wouldn't think putting on carpet in the house would do much for your golf game, but I know it's helped me.

[timastyle]

Well, really, the reason for the forward press is to de-loft the putter face and thusly get a truer roll on the ball.

The impression I got from reading Stan Utley's book is that the forward press is more for making sure that you start your backswing with the putterhead end of the putter rather than the putt. He even states that a fair amount of loft is required in order to get the ball rolling and if that is the case, then de-lofting the club contradicts that (hence why he has 5 degree of loft on his putter rather than the standard 4 degree).

I have started putting everyday at home and on practice greens to work on my stroke more seriously for a few weeks now and feel that I'm making good strides, but the fact that I haven't been able to get that consistent buttery feeling got me to post this thread. Come to think of it, I haven't had the feeling once when delofting the putter. It's only happened when I have kept the putter shaft even...

[Elvisliveson]

I personally have one and have been working on my putting stroke to get better and there are moments when I hit the putter and it's just pure butter. More often than not though, I get a bit of a thud sound. Distance control and everything is much better with the thud, but the buttery feel I get at times is much more satisfying. What are your experiences with your Scotty. What type of feel and/or sound do you get with your Scotty? Any suggestions of getting more of that buttery feeling (cause it does feel good)? Thanks!

So much of putting is personal preference and sounds and feelings can be interpreted differently amongst individuals. But, to me, especially when putting with the Napa, a thud is a slight mishit.

[timastyle]

So much of putting as personal preference and sounds and feelings can be interpreted differently amongst individuals. But, to me, especially when putting with the Napa, a thud is a slight mishit.

I believe I was mispoken when I called it a thud, maybe not, but it could very well be a click, but my whole point is that it's not that super buttery feeling I get at times. Best way I can describe the feeling of a pure putt that I have is much like hitting your iron right on the sweet spot. Buttery smooth and minimal feedback because it was hit so well.

[Elvisliveson]

I believe I was mispoken when I called it a thud, maybe not, but it could very well be a click, but my whole point is that it's not that super buttery feeling I get at times. Best way I can describe the feeling of a pure putt that I have is much like hitting your iron right on the sweet spot. Buttery smooth and minimal feedback because it was hit so well.

There is a different, softer feeling you get when the putt is hit just right. Most Scottys, since they have a fair amount of toe hang and milled out oif soft metals, are designed to give that sort of feedback. High MOI putters like an Odyssey Sabertooth, not so much. But, it is up to you to remember what you did in your stroke to get that feeling and strive to repeat it. For me, since my stroke has pretty much been ingrained, that usually means I moved my head or lower body slightly during the stroke.

[timastyle]

There is a different, softer feeling you get when the putt is hit just right. Most Scottys, since they have a fair amount of toe hang and milled out oif soft metals, are designed to give that sort of feedback. High MOI putters like an Odyssey Sabertooth, not so much. But, it is up to you to remember what you did in your stroke to get that feeling and strive to repeat it. For me, since my stroke has pretty much been ingrained, that usually means I moved my head or lower body slightly during the stroke.

Thanks for the tip. Any thoughts on adding loft to the putter?

[Elvisliveson]

Thanks for the tip. Any thoughts on adding loft to the putter?

I would say only if you had a pretty heavy forward press. Phil Mickelson has done that.

But, to me, and this may seem simplistic, Scotty Cameron has researched and determined the best loft and lie, so who am I to change it?

[Laurentius]

Scotty is a very consistent putter, but what they say when you put well you don't hear the sound at all. The most important sound is the one when the ball hits the bottom of the hole.

[nike_golf]

The impression I got from reading Stan Utley's book is that the forward press is more for making sure that you start your backswing with the putterhead end of the putter rather than the putt. He even states that a fair amount of loft is required in order to get the ball rolling and if that is the case, then de-lofting the club contradicts that (hence why he has 5 degree of loft on his putter rather than the standard 4 degree).

I'm not familiar w/ the teachings of Stan Utley but I'm just telling you the forward press does work well for me. Yes, there needs to be some loft, but the forward press doesn't take all of the loft away. I kept this thread in mind when I was putting tonight and looked closely at everything going on. I think it's sort of an illusion when forward pressing. You see the shaft angled forward quite a bit so you assume the head is angled just as much. Well, not really. The way the shaft is angled to the head on the putter, forward "tilting" of the shaft doesn't really "tilt" the actual head all that much. Upon a closer look, to me, the head looks to actually be quite straight.

I have to admit, a few years ago, when I was struggling w/ my putting, I was looking for new techniques and/or a whole new setup and stroke altogether. I noticed Mickelson's foward press and it intrigued me. Upon doing a little bit of research on it and finally trying it, I fell in love. Not forward pressing while putting would be like swinging a club without the interlock grip. It would be both uncomfortable and the results would suck.