Going from heel toe balanced to face balanced putter

[hypergolf]

I have been playing with Scotty Cameron Newport 2 for the past 1 1/2 years now and it has been a good putter. However, I have a straight back straight through putting stroke and been recommended by a few friends that I should try a face balanced putter (with shaft in the center) instead. I would seriously like to improve my putting since I can shave off around 5 strokes if I were to be more precise. However, since I got accustomed to the shaft in the heel, the center shaft looks awkward...

Is this switch really going to help in my putting strokes? Which face balanced putters are recommended out there? Anyone made a transition from heel toe balanced to face balanced putter and noticed a difference? Any face balanced putters that do not have shaft right in the middle of the putter head? Thanks.

[The Rambler]

I have been playing with Scotty Cameron Newport 2 for the past 1 1/2 years now and it has been a good putter. However, I have a straight back straight through putting stroke and been recommended by a few friends that I should try a face balanced putter (with shaft in the center) instead. I would seriously like to improve my putting since I can shave off around 5 strokes if I were to be more precise. However, since I got accustomed to the shaft in the heel, the center shaft looks awkward...

The biggest name for face balanced putters is the 2ball. for scotty try a futura phantom mallet or red x center shaft

[drck1000]

I've recently gone from a Cameron Newport 2 Pro Plat Mil-Spec 33" to a Yes Tiffany 34" (face balanced). According to the Yes rep that I spoke to at a demo day and on their product brocures, the Tiffany model is intended for those with a straight back and through stroke, which I at (or at least trying to). The model I have has the hosel way on the heel, but there is a center shafted model. On the Yes website, it says that the center shafted if for the longer belly and pendulum putters, but I've seen them in the standard 34-35" lengths.

The Yes Tiffany feels quite a bit lighter than the Cameron and took some getting used to at first. I had the Cameron for over 5 years and up until about a month ago, I loved it. But I noticed that I was pulling and pushing a lot of putts. Then I noticed that the putter was wavering to both the inside and out on the backstroke. Probably all in my head, but I think the flatness of the Tiffany putter helped me with that and not quite sure how the fact that it's face balanced factors in. I didn't go looking for a face balanced putter in this case, I just liked the looks. But if you are worried about center shafted vs shafted in the heel, no problems here.

[Guest]

I also have a straight back/straight through putting stroke and have heard the same thing about face balanced vs heel-toe weighted putters. I have compared two putters - My SC Newport Te (heel/toe) and a Nike OZ (face balanced). On occasion I also noticed the wavering of the SC during my backswing but still putted pretty well with the Newport. The one thing I will say is that the putter did not feel real stable during the stroke and if my stroke was just a little off during a particular round I would miss a lot of putts in the 4-8 foot range that seemed to just roll over the lip.

The Nike OZ is considerably heavier than the Newport and just feels like a rock of stability during my entire stroke. It seems like it is much easier to get the ball started on the correct line and I have less of a tendency to pull or push the ball. The weight differential between the two makes distance control a little harder when switching back and forth. I would say that if my putting stroke is "on" that particular day I would putt pretty much equally as well with both putters. If the stroke is a little off on a particular day I would putt better with the face balanced putter to the tune of maybe saving 3-5 strokes.

[Philbo]

i switched from a TM mezza monza to a Ping Ug-Le due to my putting stoke also be straight back and through. I tried manipulating my stoke to the more traditional swinging door like pathway under the direction of my coach but it just didn't sit right with me. Himinez and Carrie Webb have both used this putter. As the name suggests, probably not for the traditionalist, but it works !!!

I swtiched to the face balance, centre shafted Ping and it works brilliantly. Fits my eye very well and it just makes sense. I guess these are the things you want in your putter.

The only thing i can advise you of is to make sure you hit A LOT of puts with a few different putters as they will all feel different. You may shank a few when you first start off but as you get your groove, the right putter will really jump out at you.

Hope this helps.