Why a #9 Could Work For You...

This is a journey, of sorts. I am a decent player...not God. I am above average in terms of distance, fairly accurate, with a passable short game. Like many of you, I am not a consistent enough putter.

I have been fit for a putter. I practice putting (I'm a High School Golf coach) daily. I practice speed, line, etc. But what I've found is that I'm not consistent enough making putts on the course. I read greens fine, but I have not been consistent enough with my Sizemore blade, or my Bettinardi BB32 mallet. I've tried every grip out there too. This season, I finally discovered that it might just be the style of putter. I am a feel player. And when I'm putting well, I feel like i am trying to hold the face angle as long as possible.

Though I have always liked the 8802 or Del Mar style putters out there, I never pulled the trigger on one. I thought they were to unforgiving. I had heard that they were hard to square up. So I never grabbed one, until last week.

I got this club. An Odyssey White Hot Pro 2.0 #9 at 35 inches. It is everything that my other 2 putters are not.

The results have been remarkable. My speed control is a lot better. I can feel where the toe of the club is through the stroke better than either of the other putters. I have always tried to see the line of the shot I am playing, and it's like I see the line better. Short putts are short putts. I never had the yips (thank God) with either of the other putters styles. I see and feel the line on those intermediate and long putts better. I'm yet to have a 3 putt with this thing (4 rounds played in the last week). And my confidence is growing.

This is not a testament to this particular putter...although I think it is very solid. It is more a journey that I have made. One that has been very rewarding. Maybe it is a honeymoon. Maybe it is a revelation. I don't know. I just wanted to share this story with you all.

It's my favorite model. Very clean, not a lot of fancy going on. I had a nice run with one until a random single I was playing with said, "Funny you should use that when you've got such a short, straight stroke."

Never made another putt with it again. Confidence is a funny thing.

I am very happy with the #9 putter.

I'm in almost exactly the same boat. Always played a mallet and still have several but I traded for a Newport 3 Scotty the weekend they came out because I really liked the looks of it. Played my first round about a week later and I'm asking myself why I didn't try this sooner. My distance (speed) control seems to be quite a bit better and it's definitely not any worse and maybe better on alignment. It's staying in the bag for a while without a doubt. Now I'm looking at an Odyssey White Hot RX 9 too.....this is GolfWRX after all :taunt:

I went from a 2 ball to a 7 style head and have now been gaming a blade for the past 2-3 years but have been pondering a ho-tinker with a 9 as well. Nice to know I'm not alone.

Every few years or so I gravitate back to the 9, putt well with it, get bored, sell it, hate myself, putt with other putters, buy an other #9.......it never ends

The flow neck on my #9 helps me keep my weight forward, hands forward, and hands moving toward the target. Ie, no decelerating.

(Because if I don't, the result is not so good.)

Plus, it looks killer.

I've got two like this, I should try them again with my pencil grip

Del Mar buttonback and a Metal X milled w the weight kit. Both AWESOME looking putters

In order for me to putt my best, I need to feel where the toe is on the club. Even though I am slight arc, I feel that this style putter is more consistent.

The flow neck on my #9 helps me keep my weight forward, hands forward, and hands moving toward the target. Ie, no decelerating.

 

(Because if I don't, the result is not so good.)

 

Plus, it looks killer.

I always felt the same; when I have the flow neck I feel like I can keep the putter (or my hands as you say) very low which gives me a lot of confidence.

I bought a spider tour; I've been putting with a center shafted mallet for about two years. I definitely consider myself a feel player, I am thinking of going back to a number 9 as I feel very comfortable with one in my hand.

The flow neck on my #9 helps me keep my weight forward, hands forward, and hands moving toward the target. Ie, no decelerating.

 

(Because if I don't, the result is not so good.)

 

Plus, it looks killer.

 

I always felt the same; when I have the flow neck I feel like I can keep the putter (or my hands as you say) very low which gives me a lot of confidence.

 

I bought a spider tour; I've been putting with a center shafted mallet for about two years. I definitely consider myself a feel player, I am thinking of going back to a number 9 as I feel very comfortable with one in my hand.

I'm a mechanical player outside of putting. With putting, it's see target, roll ball there. I also a have a CS mallet and I rotate between the two for fun. There is no appreciable benefit to either.

The #9 is more of a pull the head through the ball kind of stroke while the CS is more of a let the weight of the head drop into the ball kind of stroke. I know that's not super technical, but that's how it feels. I'm a big trackman fan, but never been on a SAM (sp?) putting lab to see what I'm actually doing.

The flow neck on my #9 helps me keep my weight forward, hands forward, and hands moving toward the target. Ie, no decelerating.

 

(Because if I don't, the result is not so good.)

 

Plus, it looks killer.

 

I always felt the same; when I have the flow neck I feel like I can keep the putter (or my hands as you say) very low which gives me a lot of confidence.

 

I bought a spider tour; I've been putting with a center shafted mallet for about two years. I definitely consider myself a feel player, I am thinking of going back to a number 9 as I feel very comfortable with one in my hand.

 

I'm a mechanical player outside of putting. With putting, it's see target, roll ball there. I also a have a CS mallet and I rotate between the two for fun. There is no appreciable benefit to either.

 

The #9 is more of a pull the head through the ball kind of stroke while the CS is more of a let the weight of the head drop into the ball kind of stroke. I know that's not super technical, but that's how it feels. I'm a big trackman fan, but never been on a SAM (sp?) putting lab to see what I'm actually doing.

Exactly. For me, feeling where the toe allows me to pull through the ball. FB putters almost make it feel like you are a small vertical arc...something that impacts my speed control.

The flow neck on my #9 helps me keep my weight forward, hands forward, and hands moving toward the target. Ie, no decelerating.

 

(Because if I don't, the result is not so good.)

 

Plus, it looks killer.

 

I always felt the same; when I have the flow neck I feel like I can keep the putter (or my hands as you say) very low which gives me a lot of confidence.

 

I bought a spider tour; I've been putting with a center shafted mallet for about two years. I definitely consider myself a feel player, I am thinking of going back to a number 9 as I feel very comfortable with one in my hand.

 

I'm a mechanical player outside of putting. With putting, it's see target, roll ball there. I also a have a CS mallet and I rotate between the two for fun. There is no appreciable benefit to either.

 

The #9 is more of a pull the head through the ball kind of stroke while the CS is more of a let the weight of the head drop into the ball kind of stroke. I know that's not super technical, but that's how it feels. I'm a big trackman fan, but never been on a SAM (sp?) putting lab to see what I'm actually doing.

 

Exactly. For me, feeling where the toe allows me to pull through the ball. FB putters almost make it feel like you are a small vertical arc...something that impacts my speed control.

Totally agree with this. I play my CS as if I'm playing Skeeball with my right (low) hand. Hence, vertical arc (pendulum) feel.

Lemme ask you this... when you play with the #9, do you ever feel like you're hitting a "draw" with it? Ie, I feel like I'm flatter with my stroke, and swinging out while closing the club head. It almost puts a different kind of roll on it if you will.

The flow neck on my #9 helps me keep my weight forward, hands forward, and hands moving toward the target. Ie, no decelerating.

 

(Because if I don't, the result is not so good.)

 

Plus, it looks killer.

 

I always felt the same; when I have the flow neck I feel like I can keep the putter (or my hands as you say) very low which gives me a lot of confidence.

 

I bought a spider tour; I've been putting with a center shafted mallet for about two years. I definitely consider myself a feel player, I am thinking of going back to a number 9 as I feel very comfortable with one in my hand.

 

I'm a mechanical player outside of putting. With putting, it's see target, roll ball there. I also a have a CS mallet and I rotate between the two for fun. There is no appreciable benefit to either.

 

The #9 is more of a pull the head through the ball kind of stroke while the CS is more of a let the weight of the head drop into the ball kind of stroke. I know that's not super technical, but that's how it feels. I'm a big trackman fan, but never been on a SAM (sp?) putting lab to see what I'm actually doing.

 

Exactly. For me, feeling where the toe allows me to pull through the ball. FB putters almost make it feel like you are a small vertical arc...something that impacts my speed control.

 

Totally agree with this. I play my CS as if I'm playing Skeeball with my right (low) hand. Hence, vertical arc (pendulum) feel.

 

Lemme ask you this... when you play with the #9, do you ever feel like you're hitting a "draw" with it? Ie, I feel like I'm flatter with my stroke, and swinging out while closing the club head. It almost puts a different kind of roll on it if you will.

On longer putts, absolutely. On shorter putts, I am trying to obviously hit it as straight as possible. But your comment on roll is on to something. The roll I get is better with this style. Putting "experts" would say that the typical miss for a #9 putter style are actually slice putts. I try to hold my face square and pull through the line. Another thought is that I try to hug the ground with this putter. I'm pretty sure I am getting better top-spin by doing it.

Speed control on lightning greens was awesome yesterday.

Tell you what, I just hopped on the No. 9 / Del Mar train a week or so ago. Happened by accident and Ive never rolled the ball better in my life. I rarely change putters, had a Newport of some kind for almost 6 years, but I had stated to struggle getting the putter back on line, so I tried one of the Spiders (double bend) at Golf Galaxy. Went ahead and ordered the DJ model offline and when it arrived I couldn't make a straight 7 footer (have a putting green in my second bedroom), not even hit the hole, which was astonishing to me b/c I'm a decent player and putter. So I went back to GG on a Saturday just to put with everything imaginable in LH to see if anything fit my eye and felt right. I went through every Scotty, TM, Odyssey available and just could not get comfortable with anything. Having thought the No. 9 style was so far off from my standard stroke I had never really tried it, so in frustration I grabbed on of the wall and proceeded to make every single putt I looked at. Stayed at GG for prob 1.5 hours putting with the No.9. Interesting how these kind of things work out sometimes. Total game changer for me.

(I did snag one of the all milled Protypes off of eBay and I love it)

Every few years or so I gravitate back to the 9, putt well with it, get bored, sell it, hate myself, putt with other putters, buy an other #9.......it never ends

this is my entire life summed up in one sentence.

Same here , tried everything but now I have 2 putters this style, Odyssey 9 Black I and a Scotty del mar . No going back! For some reason they just work for me, being alignment or toe hang they just work.

This is a journey, of sorts. I am a decent player...not God. I am above average in terms of distance, fairly accurate, with a passable short game. Like many of you, I am not a consistent enough putter.

 

I have been fit for a putter. I practice putting (I'm a High School Golf coach) daily. I practice speed, line, etc. But what I've found is that I'm not consistent enough making putts on the course. I read greens fine, but I have not been consistent enough with my Sizemore blade, or my Bettinardi BB32 mallet. I've tried every grip out there too. This season, I finally discovered that it might just be the style of putter. I am a feel player. And when I'm putting well, I feel like i am trying to hold the face angle as long as possible.

 

Though I have always liked the 8802 or Del Mar style putters out there, I never pulled the trigger on one. I thought they were to unforgiving. I had heard that they were hard to square up. So I never grabbed one, until last week.

 

I got this club. An Odyssey White Hot Pro 2.0 #9 at 35 inches. It is everything that my other 2 putters are not.

 

 

The results have been remarkable. My speed control is a lot better. I can feel where the toe of the club is through the stroke better than either of the other putters. I have always tried to see the line of the shot I am playing, and it's like I see the line better. Short putts are short putts. I never had the yips (thank God) with either of the other putters styles. I see and feel the line on those intermediate and long putts better. I'm yet to have a 3 putt with this thing (4 rounds played in the last week). And my confidence is growing.

 

This is not a testament to this particular putter...although I think it is very solid. It is more a journey that I have made. One that has been very rewarding. Maybe it is a honeymoon. Maybe it is a revelation. I don't know. I just wanted to share this story with you all.

I was in the same situation earlier this year and got a number #9 as well. It was spot on for all of January and most of February. Then one day it was gone and I could not get it back no matter how hard I tried. I really hope your feeling continues! It is a great feeling to step up over a putt and say, "I'm going to make this!" and actually have that happen!

Thats my issue, one day I just start putting duck hooks with it.....

So what we have found out is that some people putt better with a #9, but cannot tell why...almost blind faith...I like it!!!

I am in the same journey now.

I am a poor putter.

I bought and try many 2 style putters and sold.

2 balls and mallets.

I had best result with odyssey 5 model.

But I always admired 8802 style putter.

However, I dare did not even try those because I thought I am already bad enough with putting.

Two days ago, I went to my local shop and found like new original 8802 putter.

Just tried it for fun and gracious God, it felt awesome!!

No greooves, no techs, no weighting.

I haven't played it yet.

I am so exited.

It's weird how the shape of them doesn't suit my eye but the results are there! I have a Golo 5R due in tomorrow. I think the bigger head will help! We shall see...

It'd be curious to find out if the people who like this style of putter have a slower, longer swings with the putter. For me, I think this style has slowed my swing down a bit as I try to sense where the toe is.

Heel shafted or nothing!

This is a great thread. The purest putting experience I've had is with a #9. The way it releases is so...pure? But I can't remain consistent with it!

I still have black milled carbon #9 and will never sell it. Very nice impact feeling, it's more like - level knocking stroke rather than acending blow. I am trying to collect each toe hang position and this #9 took the place for 5.30. IMHO full toe hang putter allowed me to set it up at address with more ball forward position and let me play bit longer shaft 1/2"-3/4" (same lie angle) compare my face balance putter.

Afterall, I think any putter will do great and feel good if it sit and support the user. Either we adjust our setup and still feel comfortable with it or we should find a suitable one for our profiles and postures.

I'm curious if this style is still working well for you? I've been considering switching to this style but have read mixed reviews on it.

I think if a toe down putter like the no 9 or an 8802 style fit your swing then when you first try then they just feel completely natural.

Took me a long while to find my fit

Was going from mallet to a different mallet then tried a Wilson staff 8882 model and suddenly my putting felt natural, not forced

Would like to try the odyssey no 9 "O" works putter as well

Anyone tried that putter yet?

I think if a toe down putter like the no 9 or an 8802 style fit your swing then when you first try then they just feel completely natural.

Took me a long while to find my fit

Was going from mallet to a different mallet then tried a Wilson staff 8882 model and suddenly my putting felt natural, not forced

I feel the same.. putting with Del Mar or #9 style (which are my favorites) just feels right, my speed control is fantastic but sometimes I lose confidence on short putts due to pulling or pushing one or two. Other styles, I feel like I have to manipulate my stroke and make an unnatural putting motion "straight back straight through" etc. that being said I just had a 27 putt round with my seemore Mfgp!