The Sound of my Putter.

[RadioCop]

I recently purchased a Ping Sydney Putter. I after reading the reviews online (Something I should have done before I made the purchase), one of the chief complaints was the sound the putter made. I can understand feel and performance, but I don't understand how "Sound" can make a difference with a putter.

[GaijinGolfer]

Sound translates into feel.  If a putter has a clicky sound at impact, if creates the feeling of harshness.  Some of the softer putters out there make more of a dull thud at impact and that sound translates into the putter feeling soft.

Sound is feel.

[Mac62]

Originally Posted by RadioCop

...I can understand feel and performance, but I don't understand how "Sound" can make a difference with a putter.

IMO, it's a largely personal thing (as is the case with putters in general).  My Ping Scottsdale makes a pronounced "Ping!" sound (appropriately enough) when striking the ball.  I like the sound; others who have tried my putter had mixed feelings about it.  I also have a TM Corza Ghost which emits a much more muted 'clunk' - it never bothered me, but I like the sound of the Ping better.  Probably not coincidentally, I putt better with the Ping.

I liken it to the psychological effect of how your irons look to you at address; if you don't like the look and don't feel confident standing over it, you're probably not going to play well with the clubs.  If you don't like the sound of your putter, you're going to think about it every time you putt and it can get into your head and screw with your game.  As GaijinGolfer said, sound is part of the feel.

Bottom line - if you like the putter and how it sounds/feels/performs, who cares what other peoples' reviews say?

[rustyredcab]

IMHO, sound is a proxy for feel. I do not think we can feel as much difference as we can hear. Therefore we think we feel differences that are bases on our ears.

That "click" sound that some people like high pitched and others like lower and still others like none at all. Some like it loud and other others muted. All that can be changed a bunch by changing balls. I do not like loud click sounding balls off my white ice insert. Some balls have that click sound and it makes me think they are harder. They may be harder but does that actually translate much to distance control? I am guessing what I "feel" is largely informed by my ears. I think that link between our ears and our heads is why people care so much about sound -- it is a proxy for feel. Putters and putter inserts change the sound interaction with balls. But, at the extremes, I don't imaging any putter making hardly any sound when striking a Srixon Soft Feel ball. And, I do not recall any ball making a "click" off the white hot insert putters.

Not sure what other grip about with the Ping, but if you want to hear and feel a harder or softer feel when putting your ball, change balls.

My guess is that you will love your new putter. Go out and find the ball that feels (I mean sounds) the best to you on the greens.

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

IMHO, sound is a proxy for feel. I do not think we can feel as much difference as we can hear. Therefore we think we feel differences that are bases on our ears.

That "click" sound that some people like high pitched and others like lower and still others like none at all. Some like it loud and other others muted. All that can be changed a bunch by changing balls. I do not like loud click sounding balls off my white ice insert. Some balls have that click sound and it makes me think they are harder. They may be harder but does that actually translate much to distance control? I am guessing what I "feel" is largely informed by my ears. I think that link between our ears and our heads is why people care so much about sound -- it is a proxy for feel. Putters and putter inserts change the sound interaction with balls. But, at the extremes, I don't imaging any putter making hardly any sound when striking a Srixon Soft Feel ball. And, I do not recall any ball making a "click" off the white hot insert putters.

Not sure what other grip about with the Ping, but if you want to hear and feel a harder or softer feel when putting your ball, change balls.

My guess is that you will love your new putter. Go out and find the ball that feels (I mean sounds) the best to you on the greens.

I find that the harder covered, "distance" balls make more of a click at impact, whereas the softer, urethane covered balls sound much softer and make more of a dull thud.

Thats one of the reasons why Im such a big fan of the Bridgestone E5.  Its got a soft cover but costs about half of what a tour ball does.

[georgeshot]

If it sounds good, then it more than likely feels good. I currently am using a Carbite Polar Balanced and it produces a solid thwack each time. It's a little louder than my Odssey White #2. I think that the sound can inspire confidence. I had a friend that used to use a Ping 1 A (I believe that is the model ~ the one that produces the "ping" sound) and I didn't like the "ping" sound it made at all. He did however, but it drove me nuts!! We know skill is involved in putting, but I would not discount emotion entirely. Again, if you have a good feeling about a club or the way it looks or sounds, then you may subconsciously be inspired when you strike the ball with it.

[TourSpoon]

I have a Cameron Futura that has a distinct ting sound. It took me a while to get used to it. The sound the ball makes rattling around in the hole after making a putt helped me get over it.

[tomvk77]

Ping is known for the louder sound, not only on the putters, i think the woods do the same thing.

I never was a Ping fan, and i think never will be.

I've got a TM Ghost tour series putter and with my latest grip change ( Super Stroke slim 3.0 ) i'm holing

more putts than ever. But the TM makes a softer noise i kinda like that.

[boogielicious]

Agreed with the posters about sound and feel working together.  My SC Newport Beach has a sound slot cut into the face that give a nice "pop" sound on good contact.  I don't like the sound/feel of composite faces.  Some of the milled faces of putters sound nice.