Face-balanced or Toe-hang??

obviously a lot of factors go into it, but generally, if you have a "straight back straight through" stroke, a face-balanced putter will suit you better. if you have a swinging gate stroke, putters with toe hang usually are better for you. That's not to say that SBST players can't use a putter with toe-hang and vice versa, but this is kinda the conventional wisdom

You really can't get more than a general answer, but... if you have a in-out-in stroke, (open, square at impact, closed), toe hang should be better for you. Straight back, straight through stroke, and face balanced should be better.

I know alot of people who putt well with the opposite of what I said above, too. Whatever works most consistantly for you.

What the guys say above is true. Check out the Ping website. It offers a putter-fitting tool. Answer a few questions regarding your usual stroke and misses and it will choose a style for you. I actually did this about a year ago and ended up with a heel-shafted blade vs. plumbers neck and putt really well with it.

Thanks alot. I'll try the Ping site and see what happens. If I did opt for a face-balanced stick, would a mallet be easier to use than a blade? Or is it just personal pref?

I have a toe hang putter and use a SBST.

However I dont really think you can make a perfect SBST stroke...there will always be a little open-close with the putter face (even if its a degree)

When I using a gated stroke I would always open the putter face WAY to much in the takeaway and it was causing problems. I messed around with a SBST on the putting green and its helped my putting. My best putting round this year was using a SBST stroke - 30 putts.

Just my .02

[quote name='Johwak121' timestamp='1280963325' post='2618950']
I have a toe hang putter and use a SBST.

However I dont really think you can make a perfect SBST stroke...there will always be a little open-close with the putter face (even if its a degree)

When I using a gated stroke I would always open the putter face WAY to much in the takeaway and it was causing problems. I messed around with a SBST on the putting green and its helped my putting. My best putting round this year was using a SBST stroke - 30 putts.

Just my .02

[/quote]

This is slightly off topic, but just once I would like to see some videos on here showing the differences between the so called sbst stroke and the so called gated stroke. Because I'm just not getting that there are really these two totally different ways to use a putter. You rock your shoulders back and then through. The putter head moves back and slightly inside, then squares up, then moves forward and slightly inside again.

Typically, a mallet would be more forgiving than a blade. Better MOI and all that. You'd probably get better feel off a blade though. Best is to just try both and go with what feels/looks best to you.

[quote name='atlanta golfer' timestamp='1280969629' post='2619140']
[quote name='Johwak121' timestamp='1280963325' post='2618950']
I have a toe hang putter and use a SBST.

However I dont really think you can make a perfect SBST stroke...there will always be a little open-close with the putter face (even if its a degree)

When I using a gated stroke I would always open the putter face WAY to much in the takeaway and it was causing problems. I messed around with a SBST on the putting green and its helped my putting. My best putting round this year was using a SBST stroke - 30 putts.

Just my .02

[/quote]

This is slightly off topic, but just once I would like to see some videos on here showing the differences between the so called sbst stroke and the so called gated stroke. Because I'm just not getting that there are really these two totally different ways to use a putter. You rock your shoulders back and then through. The putter head moves back and slightly inside, then squares up, then moves forward and slightly inside again.
[/quote]

here you go

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-determine-what-kind-golf-putting-stroke-use-157085/