Counter-balanced Putters

[mplsgolfer]

Hello, I am curious if anyone here can relay some info about their experience using a counterbalanced putter.

Was it hard to switch to a counterbalanced putter?  What are some of the favorites that are on the market?

[WUTiger]

The counterbalanced putters allow you to adjust the weight in both the head and the shaft butt to stabilize your putting stroke.

In new putters, the counterbalancing is often linked to the Super Stroke putter grips.

Last week I tried out some Odyssey, Scotty Cameron, and TaylorMade putter models with the Super Soft + counterbalance.

The Super Stroke + counterbalancing is fairly complicated. Find a decent golf shop and test some putters out. You could also refit an existing putter with a Super Stroke and a counterbalance core.

Either way, you probably want a putter fitting to make sure this new set-up matches your stroke.

[dkolo]

The counterbalanced putters allow you to adjust the weight in both the head and the shaft butt to stabilize your putting stroke.

In new putters, the counterbalancing is often linked to the Super Soft putter grips.

Last week I tried out some Odyssey, Scotty Cameron, and TaylorMade putter models with the Super Soft + counterbalance.

The Super Soft + counterbalancing is fairly complicated. Find a decent golf shop and test some putters out. You could also refit an existing putter with a Super Soft and a counterbalance core.

Either way, you probably want a putter fitting to make sure this new set-up matches your stroke.

Are you meaning to say Super Stroke instead of Super Soft?

[WUTiger]

Are you meaning to say Super Stroke instead of Super Soft?

Yes. I was able to do an edit before my "pencil" icon expired.

[Longview]

I have used a counterbalanced putter for the last 4 yrs.  I found that it aids in feel with the greens I play which have very fast speeds (11-13.5).  I went to a local Goldsmiths and talked with the guy who did club alteration there about it.  He was a teaching pro who started working for them, he said.  Anyway, he told me to go to the website and look up the weights for the shaft that insert at the handle end of the putter.  He said I would need to buy the weights and the cutter that works with your electric drill.  It has centering piece that fits in the hole of your grip and will thereby be guided down through the grip.  It looks like a miniature cookie cutter.  I bought the 50, 75 and 100 gram weights and tried them all.  Don't tighten them in place during the trials since they work by expanding a rubberized portion of the device and may be hard to remove.  I ended up cutting my putter down from the stock 35" to 33 1/2 based on the way that I wanted to hold the club.  I am 6 feet tall and use a Scotty Cameron blade style (Newport) with the shaft nearly straight mounted 1/4-1/2" offset.  It is an older model with the face insert but no counterweight ability.  I ended up selecting a larger sized grip, more of the triangle shape and cutting off the putter.  My pro did those things but then I inserted the weights and chose the one (75) that I felt gave me the best feel of the end of the putter.  It seems to remove the "bounce" feel when the ball impacts the face.  I use a purposeful shoulder chest rotation movement while standing with my left eye over the back of the ball almost vertically.  I have no hand or elbow movement in my putting and that really lets the counter balance give me a great deal of touch on the putter head in my hands at impact.  I did not get that with my previous use of this or other putters.  The other really good putter, which I had to counter balance was an Odessy, I forget its name but one that had lines to show the path on the flange behind the face and exchangeable weights like they used to use in the R series drivers.  I had a 2 gram weight in the rear of that one.  It is heavier even then than my SC at least to my feel.  It required a 100 gram weight to make it feel right.  I did not get as good a feedback in my hands on that putter so I changed back to my SC which I had used for years before the Odessey.

In short, it was fun to play with it and I have now got a putter I doubt I will ever go away from again.  It only has a limitation on really long putts (90+ feet) because of its head mass being small but those are rare on the courses I play.  Have fun with it!

[mplsgolfer]

Thanks for the replies, guys.  I'll head in to my local shop and let you know how it goes.

I've always thought that putting was a matter of feel, and it seems like counterbalancing would be another dimension to try to find that "right feel".  I was surprised by the amount of counterbalanced putters were on the market the last time I went to the golf shop.

Plus, it guarantees that you'll make more putts...right?

[saevel25]

My only concern with off the shelf putters is that they have a clubhead weight that is to light. When you add counterbalance then it makes the club feel even lighter even though you are adding weight. Given there is a point where you'll just feel the weight in the grip rather than the clubhead.

I have an Edel putter with 370 gram clubhead (about 40-50 grams heavier than an average putter). I have 40 grams counterweight in the grip. I've tried some counterweight putters at golfsmith and they just feel funky. If you are going to counterbalance then getting the clubhead weight right is key as well.

[Tat14]

I currently have five putters, two of which are normal - Odyssey 2-Ball 35" and White Ice #6 33".

The other three apply counter-balance in two different ways. My TM Daytona 34" has a SS Fatso grip on it, and my even older Ping Anser2 33" has the skinnier Super Stroke option.

Then there is the 38" TM Spider Slant Blade. Whereas the others are essentially counter-balanced by a grip change and are purely trial and error on my behalf, the TM was designed as a counter-balanced putter. I like it, but it feels quite different from the other four options. Like a broom rather than a club...

Having wrote this, I want to add that regardless of which putter I play, I lag to the same distance and miss to the same "damn, one more roll" spot. And, the more traditional putters play better from the fringe for me.

IMHO - much more about Read Bead Speed than tech. On the other hand, messing with tech is part of the fun too.