difference between a "plumbers neck" vs. no "plumbers neck" on a putter and which is better for my putting stroke?

[bjwestner]

Hi All,

Looking for some information/help regarding which kind of putter is best for my kind of stroke.  I'm not sure what it's called but I think it's referred to as a "plumbers neck" on my current putter.  I have a SC Select Newport 2.  The bottom of the shaft fits into a cup that then shoots down into the putter itself.  I have a straight back/straight through putting motion.

It seems to me that a putter where the bottom of the shaft goes directly into the putter itself (examples of this are Odyssey Versa 1 wide and SC Select Newport 2 Notchback) would work better with my putting stroke versus a putter that has this "plumbers neck" (example is my current SC Select Newport 2).

I think that no plumbers neck may be better for my stroke because a putter that has the plumbers neck always will have your hands just in front of the blade of the putter, regardless of how your set up is.  Without the plumbers neck your hands are more even to the face of the putter.  I hope this makes sense, sorry I am not familiar with all the terms.  Am I correct that a putter with no plumbers neck is better for a SBST putting stroke?  (note: I am not talking about center-shafted putters, just the ones where the bottom of the shaft goes right into the putter at the heel of the putter).

[boogielicious]

There are a lot of variables in putter design.  One is how the weight is balanced on the head.  If the shaft is mounted at the heel, the putter will be toe down if you balance the shaft on your finger (head pointing straight down).  If the shaft is joined near the center, it can be set up to be center balanced.  When you balance the shaft on your finger, the putter head will not rotate in any direction.  It will be stable where ever you set it.

The neck off set (plumber's neck or straight shafted) can affect the head balance as well.  Some putters are off set by a full shaft width, and some less.   If you balance the shaft on your finger, the head will point to 4 o'clock or 3 o'clock, etc. depending on the head weight, point on the head the shaft joins and shaft off set.

All this leads to how your putting motion matches the design that is best for you.  No one really is fully straight back, straight through.  It would be really difficult to do this.  What varies is the amount of arc you really have, some more and some less.  In general terms, the head balance should fit your arc.

There is a lot more to this.  I would recommend a putter fitting, which I did.  The fitter made some adjustment to my current putter and I have had success with those changes.

[bjwestner]

Originally Posted by boogielicious

There are a lot of variables in putter design.  One is how the weight is balanced on the head.  If the shaft is mounted at the heel, the putter will be toe down if you balance the shaft on your finger (head pointing straight down).  If the shaft is joined near the center, it can be set up to be center balanced.  When you balance the shaft on your finger, the putter head will not rotate in any direction.  It will be stable where ever you set it.

The neck off set (plumber's neck or straight shafted) can affect the head balance as well.  Some putters are off set by a full shaft width, and some less.   If you balance the shaft on your finger, the head will point to 4 o'clock or 3 o'clock, etc. depending on the head weight, point on the head the shaft joins and shaft off set.

All this leads to how your putting motion matches the design that is best for you.  No one really is fully straight back, straight through.  It would be really difficult to do this.  What varies is the amount of arc you really have, some more and some less.  In general terms, the head balance should fit your arc.

There is a lot more to this.  I would recommend a putter fitting, which I did.  The fitter made some adjustment to my current putter and I have had success with those changes.

My putting stroke is "considered" SBST.  I don't want to start WWIII on that argument (whether SBST is real or not) as apparently people can get pretty heated about that.  I guess what I am asking is more of an offset question then.  It seems that putters with less offset (i.e. Newport 2 Notchback and Odyssey Versa 1 wide) are better for my SBST stroke versus a putter that has at least 1 full shaft of offset (i.e. Newport 2).  Has anyone else run into this?

I know that I can get fitted, but this would be down the line and to tinker with the lie and loft.  To my knowledge the offset pretty much is what it is on a putter as the manufacturer of the putter decides that in the design process.  I did not think that offset on a putter could be changed in a fitting?

[GaijinGolfer]

IMO, its a matter of person preference.  Even Scotty Cameron himself would tell you that.  I personally cant stand a plumber's neck because I tend to pull my putts with it.

[boogielicious]

Offset and loft are connected too and related to how much shaft lean you have at impact.  If you really want more detail, I picked this up a year ago as a reference.

http://www.putterzone.com/the-acclaimed-putter-fitting-guide

He goes into a lot of detail about of the design elements of putters and how they fit different stroke types.