Committing to and choosing a putter/putting style

Hello Friends...

Like many I struggle with committing to a putter and putting style and STICKING with it and grinding it out. I recently played a round w a former tour pro and he commented on how important putting is and has renewed my focus on working on putting(obvious I know but I/m guilty of not practicing putting much). I have weird optics (blind in one eye) and always struggle w line perception over the ball which leads to an open stance.....blah blah blah.

I'm curious of my new idea/plan resonates with anyone else??

My new plan:

*Always us a line/lines on the ball for aiming and evaluating if the stroke and read are good. I like the Pelz O-Balls--

*Commit to the Line on the ball and adjust the ball if changing reads

*Practice with chalk line or elevated string

*Nail down inside 10 feet drills

The other issue is sticking with a putter!

I've got a full variety, Newport 2, #9, Fastback, Seemore, Edel torque balanced etc. Should I test which putter I pure the most--i.e. no wobble of the line on the ball? Hit maybe 10-15 with each putter??

I'm hoping these concepts ring true with someone and curious to hear your approach.

Thx

BW

I’m guessing all your putters aren’t the same length, weight, etc.

One of your putters “fits” you and your stroke, stash the others away.

> @Ghostwedge said:

> I’m guessing all your putters aren’t the same length, weight, etc.

> One of your putters “fits” you and your stroke, stash the others away.

>

>

There is a good deal of variety in weight, shape and neck/offset. 3 no offset, 1 plumbers, 2 half shaft. etc. Without spending 2-3 hours on a SAM w a fitter how does one choose and commit??

I found the best method is to get a lesson with an instructor that know putting and putter fitting. That way you can improve your stroke and have the tool that best fits your improved stroke. Otherwise your putter will be a band-aid used to fix issues with your stroke or it will work against you to create new issues in your stroke.

You need to figure out the proper length (most golfers I see go with putters too short for them), the weigh, the lie, loft, grip design and size, head shape, hosel design and offset, etc. All key parts to getting a putter you will be satisfied with and keep in your bag.

For myself, I was playing a Bettinardi Queen B #9 at 34" long at 70* lie angle and 3* loft with a large paddle grip on it. When I would go to fitters that weren't putting instructors they would always recommend some sort of mallet putter (like the Queen B #9) that was face balanced.

I went to go see David Orr and he fitted me for a blade putter (Anser style to SeeMore) with a half shaft offset flow neck and told me where the neck location should be and he suggest either no sight line or a sight line in the cavity. He told me that my putter should be 35-1/2" long (1-1/2" difference) with a midsize pistol grip and a head weight of 350-355 grams, 3* loft and 70* lie angle while he was working on my stroke.

We experimented with a few different putters that he had on hand. We found that I putted with the SeeMore the best, but he felt that I would probably putt better with a 1/2 shaft offset flowneck instead of a center shafted putter.

I bought a SeeMore and it's a great putter and all, but not for me. I had a Toulon Long Island that has a flow neck. They claim it's 2/3 offset, but it looks full shaft offset to me. I tried that and putted better, but not quite hitting the lick and I had it at 35" long (instead of 35-1/2"). I then put in a new shaft and made it 35-1/4" long (not fully committed to the 35-1/2") and my putting improved.

I then decided to purchase an EVNROLL ER1.2. I had Bastain Milled lop off the neck and replace it with a 1/2 shaft flow neck they welded on. I then got a shaft and now made it 35-1/2" long and it putted beautifully just as David prescribed.

I was then stupid enough to try the BGT Stability shaft and it didn't work as well. I think the shaft is too hefty and stiff for a 350 gram putter head. So I'm going back to the old putter shaft this week.

RH

the loft and lie of the putters may impact your roll as much as anything. If you have anybody who knows a lot about putting strokes, maybe ask them how much arc your stroke has since your collection is from 1 end of the spectrum to the other as far as toe hang goes.

You are having the same dilemma as i was going through. I have 7 putters in my basement. Golfers in general seem to feel that the hardware is mostly the answer. I think that was Hogan's frustration when he said its in the dirt. No magic. No mystery. Sure picking the right putter may help in narrowing your accuracy by a few percent. But i don't believe a chunk of metal is going to make more difference then focusing on putting technique and practice. The putters i have are a combination of mallets and blades. Odyssey, Ping, Cleveland, Scotty all up against the wall. My putting stays about the same regardless of the putter. If i practice then i get more accurate. If i get lazy then my accuracy and feel goes away.

I would focus on technique and drills to develop a proper stroke to your preference. Then pick a putter you like. I have found quite a few details in grip and stance and swing path that can make big differences in putting regardless of the type of hammer you have in your hands.

Just my 2 cents.

March

> @march11934 said:

> You are having the same dilemma as i was going through. I have 7 putters in my basement. Golfers in general seem to feel that the hardware is mostly the answer. I think that was Hogan's frustration when he said its in the dirt. No magic. No mystery. Sure picking the right putter may help in narrowing your accuracy by a few percent. But i don't believe a chunk of metal is going to make more difference then focusing on putting technique and practice. The putters i have are a combination of mallets and blades. Odyssey, Ping, Cleveland, Scotty all up against the wall. My putting stays about the same regardless of the putter. If i practice then i get more accurate. If i get lazy then my accuracy and feel goes away.

> I would focus on technique and drills to develop a proper stroke to your preference. Then pick a putter you like. I have found quite a few details in grip and stance and swing path that can make big differences in putting regardless of the type of hammer you have in your hands.

> Just my 2 cents.

> March

Thanks for that and I agree. My intention is to stick with 1 putter for a while and actually put some time in on the greens---That being said our 4 yr old is getting a sibling in December soooooo. I won't be logging that much time at the course for the next year or so.

I'm actually leaning to the Old Bronze Seemore w Rosemark grip...something about that $40 putter I love.

I like your new plan, but I would nail down the putter you aim best with first. Hopefully this will be the one you like the look and feel of as well. A SAM session would help give you a baseline for where your stroke is now and you can go from there. You can also self test with a chalk line and 2 tee drill which is what I like to do. Confidence comes from knowing you are hitting the sweet spot and rolling the ball online. Then you can move on to circle(short putts 3-6ft) and speed drills.

> @vman said:

> I like your new plan, but I would nail down the putter you aim best with first. Hopefully this will be the one you like the look and feel of as well. A SAM session would help give you a baseline for where your stroke is now and you can go from there. You can also self test with a chalk line and 2 tee drill which is what I like to do. Confidence comes from knowing you are hitting the sweet spot and rolling the ball online. Then you can move on to circle(short putts 3-6ft) and speed drills.

I had an Edel fitting and have a Tourque Balanced E2 I supposedly aim well with---I've been using it since I got it maybe 3 months ago. I like the no offset putters, sometimes It feels like a weak toe strike w the toe up torque balance head tho. The old Seemore and The Edel both have a Rosemark grip so 1 is toe down and 1 is toe up....I'm covered LOL! Just need to pick and commit I think.

I have found it interesting that I can have 4 or 5 putters that are nearly identical, Anser style, same toe hang and head weights within a few grams, and I putt better with two of those better than the others.

The two better ones are the same weight and length, but different MFGs.

I'm a pretty decent putter, avg right a round 32 putts per round, and I think no two putters are exactly the same.

Kinda like surfboards for me when I was younger and they were all hand shaped. There were a few "Magic" ones and no matter how you tried to reproduce them, something was always a little off with the copy, feel wise.

Currently rolling a Toulon Madison with a plumbers neck, but I have had great success anything but a mallet.

> @wattage said:

> I'm actually leaning to the Old Bronze Seemore w Rosemark grip...something about that $40 putter I love.

What I love about SeeMore putters is what you disccused in your first post: they pretty much force you to commit to a consistent putting style and setup. I find that I can putt fine with pretty much any putter with enough practice, but it takes time to get everything in the right place on a regular basis. With the SeeMore, at least you'll always have your hands and the putterhead positioned in the middle of your sternum. That's one variable that you can forget about.

Start reading these blog posts and you will find your way...promise!

https://bargolfinstruction.blogspot.com/?m=1

> @getitdaily said:

> Start reading these blog posts and you will find your way...promise!

>

> https://bargolfinstruction.blogspot.com/?m=1

I love working w Bruce! I feel all this could be put to bed with an in person session.

> @getitdaily said:

> Start reading these blog posts and you will find your way...promise!

>

> https://bargolfinstruction.blogspot.com/?m=1

I appreciate your comment and link, thx!

I read a few posts, I'm very familiar w Bruce's work and love the information he puts out! It was a good reminder to trust what works for YOU, your optics, open stance v. closed stance etc.

I spent ~2 hrs the other day w the Pelz elevated string line and compared my Old Seemore and the Edel E-2 Torque Balanced same length and same grip. It became apparent the Seemore is a more natural feel and fit. I found a nice relaxed setup and pure release and was soon rolling the ball nicely.

Now I will commit to that putter and use my little bit of practice time honing it in. Somewhat in preparation for a Carmel family trip in a few weeks.

Thanks for the feedback, I love the WRX resource--Thx Fellas

BW

> @wattage said:

> Hello Friends...

> **Like many I struggle with committing to a putter and putting style and STICKING with it** and grinding it out. I recently played a round w a former tour pro and he commented on how important putting is and has renewed my focus on working on putting(obvious I know but I/m guilty of not practicing putting much). I have weird optics (blind in one eye) and always struggle w line perception over the ball which leads to an open stance.....blah blah blah.

> I'm curious of my new idea/plan resonates with anyone else??

> My new plan:

> *Always us a line/lines on the ball for aiming and evaluating if the stroke and read are good. I like the Pelz O-Balls--

> *Commit to the Line on the ball and adjust the ball if changing reads

> *Practice with chalk line or elevated string

> *Nail down inside 10 feet drills

>

> The other issue is sticking with a putter!

> I've got a full variety, Newport 2, #9, Fastback, Seemore, Edel torque balanced etc. Should I test which putter I pure the most--i.e. no wobble of the line on the ball? Hit maybe 10-15 with each putter??

>

> I'm hoping these concepts ring true with someone and curious to hear your approach.

> Thx

> BW

I had the same issue.... which technique and putter should I use? My prob was I'm naturally a decent putter so any technique or putter I used was ok so I didn't know which one to commit to...... so then I learned to let the technique come to me and not just choose a cookie cutter technique. Worked so good I now advocate the approach to people but I dont think I have had one taker haha but doesnt surprise me.

Its basically that I'm the one putting not my technique so make the technique form to me not the other way around. I actually came up with 6 home grown techniques that I use but have my main one. All the techniques had to out battle the other techniques to become my main technique but I can use different techniques for different situations... Same goes for putters.... they just have to prove themselves worthy compared to the current one using... no forcing or loyalty.

I now putt with a longer putter standing up tall kinda like Rickie or Raymond Floyd with an open stance.... Just remember your the putter not your technique.