Advice for switching from Newport 2?

[slightdraw]

with so many putters around i thought i would see if folks here can help me narrow the list of possibilities.

 

i currently play a 340g cameron oil can newport 2 with sight line.

 

im looking to try something different, and would like to find something with the same style head (roughly at least), preferably 350g, color something like a matte black, with a sight line like i have now. if the face could be a bit softer than my current is, that would be better. doesnt matter to me if its new or not, only that it is playable.

 

without shelling out 2K or 3K or whatever for a GSS in 3X, does anyone have any advice?

im wondering if the best idea is to find a putter with the head, weight and feel that i like, then taking it to a company that can do the coating and sight line (and perhaps dot also).

i havent tried working with a company other than the manufacturer to make modifications to a putter before, however, so not sure if that is an ok idea or completely foolish.

 

any thoughts would be great - thanks

[KaizerSoseOU]

Give TP Mills a call. Jay Green can hook you up. Personally I just bought a Fleetwood but am really looking at buying a Ming or Soft tail.

[PuttingDoctor]

I would advise taking a look at Bettinardi.com for a BB1 or BB8 depending upon which looks best to your eye.

[irishfight4it]

Seemore DB series... awesome milling done on those beauties

[J13]

Bettinardi BB series, unreal

[mac94]

Another option is a carbon head with deeper milling, like a Slighter Tacoma. I had one of those and wish I still had it.

[HouAggie]

Piretti Cottonwood II, Carbon Steel [url]http://www.pirettigolf.com/putters/?putterR=cw2-cs-pn-black#cw2-cs-pn-black[/url]

[reflog74]

Here are some Anser2 styles (that's what a NP emulates):

Bettinardi BB8 -- FIT face is very soft
Byron Morgan 006 -- carbon for softness
MACHINE M1A Fixer -- the aggressive face milling is extremely soft
TP Mills Tradition -- carbon

Of course, there's always the original, Anser2. Not sure how soft it feels.

John

[Llortamaisey]

Nike Method... or so I've heard.

[woodequip]

[quote name='slightdraw' date='19 July 2010 - 11:31 AM' timestamp='1279553464' post='2585671']
with so many putters around i thought i would see if folks here can help me narrow the list of possibilities.

i currently play a 340g cameron oil can newport 2 with sight line.

im looking to try something different, and would like to find something with the same style head (roughly at least), preferably 350g, color something like a matte black, with a sight line like i have now. if the face could be a bit softer than my current is, that would be better. doesnt matter to me if its new or not, only that it is playable.

without shelling out 2K or 3K or whatever for a GSS in 3X, does anyone have any advice?
im wondering if the best idea is to find a putter with the head, weight and feel that i like, then taking it to a company that can do the coating and sight line (and perhaps dot also).
i havent tried working with a company other than the manufacturer to make modifications to a putter before, however, so not sure if that is an ok idea or completely foolish.

any thoughts would be great - thanks
[/quote]
For an inexpensive option, find a Mizuno Bettinardi C-02H. It is carbon nickel plated. If you like it, you can have it stripped and finished anyway you want rather inexpensively. I even saw one of these stripped and copper plated. I use these and newport 2 pro-platinums in the rotation but to me the bettinardi has a better feel (and is heavier..about the weight you are looking for in the C-02H. H stands for heavy)

[RobotDoctor]

I second the Byron Morgan 006. I tested one of these and it is a terrific putter.

I think a Cameron GSS runs around $5K or better. The Cameron 303 SS generally run around $2.5K - $3K.

[slightdraw]

thanks everyone - its a big help...

a follow up question -
is the softness of the face determined most by the material (it sounds like from some posts that carbon steel is softer, and in some cases also less expensive like for the seemore), the milling on the face, or the finish?

thanks again=

[Aitch]

[quote name='HouAggie' date='20 July 2010 - 07:00 AM' timestamp='1279634438' post='2587885']
Piretti Cottonwood II, Carbon Steel [url="http://www.pirettigolf.com/putters/?putterR=cw2-cs-pn-black#cw2-cs-pn-black"]http://www.pirettigo...cw2-cs-pn-black[/url]
[/quote]

+1

I am loving my cottonwood. If I remember right, headweight is around 355.

[RobotDoctor]

The carbon steel putters are generally the softest material that is used, in terms of feel. 303 and 304 Stainless is generally a little more firm. German Stainless Steel, another 303 grade, has been reported as softer than the general 303 SS most putters are made of. The German Stainless Steel properties are probably as such that the chemical composition tends to create a softer feel alloy.

Finish, in most cases, will not affect the feel of carbon steel. There will be no difference in feel between a putter that is finished in Oil Can compared to Black Oxide. The feel will be the same. The exceptions would be additional plating applied. A nickel plating would lend to a little firmer feel. I am not sure how Copper plating would apply, possible a little softer.

Face milling, in general, will not have any affect to the feel, making the putter feel softer. The one exception is the Fit face, done by Bob Bettinardi. The Fit face removes some material from the face thus reducing the area that impacts the ball. This in turn makes the putter feel a little softer.

I tend to prefer a putter made from carbon steel because it does feel softer. I had a 304 SS TP Mills Softtail that felt as soft as carbon steel. My experimentation with 303 stainless steel is that these putters were definitely not as soft as carbon steel. I would not hesitate in purchasing a TP Mills 304 stainless steel putter again due to my personal experience. I am contemplating a Byron Morgan DH89 made from German Stainless Steel as my next putter because of the maintenance benefits and it's (reported) soft feel.

[mac94]

[quote]Face milling, in general, will not have any affect to the feel, making the putter feel softer. The one exception is the Fit face, done by Bob Bettinardi. The Fit face removes some material from the face thus reducing the area that impacts the ball. This in turn makes the putter feel a little softer.[/quote]

Any deep milling does the same thing. Rife grooves do the same thing.

[granata10]

Its a little different than the Newport 2 but give the Ping Redwood D66 a try.

[slightdraw]

i could probably keep asking more and more...

i see a number of the putters suggested are a black finish that has a "shine" (don't know the right term) - at least how i see them on the manufacturers website.

if I wanted a matte black instead, can these companies also do that? or do i need to go to another company afterwards to change the finish?

thanks again all -

[PuttingDoctor]

Perhaps what you want then is a RIFE Aussie Blade. Don't forget that sound plays a great influence on the perception of feel.

[pg59]

This is bound to cause a stir, but here goes.....

I had been playing a very nice, very clean original Newport 2 for several years. It was great but it was so high maintenance. Every round I was stressing over dings and scratches and rust. The headcover was a constant cause of stress. All in all, i decided i wanted to change direction. Over the winter I bought an original stainless Ping Anser 2 on ebay for $30, threw a new grip on it and have been playing it all year. My putting is no better and no worse than before and my on course stress level has gone way down.

[Guest]

I've been a Cameron guy for a long time but I recenty putted around with my local course pro's stick and was shocked at the feel and look. It's the only putter I've considered switching to in a long time. Love everything about the Scotty, but if the kids take me away from the course for any length of time it's hard to find the dime sized sweet spot on my curent California Monterey consistantly. Furthermore, you guys are throwing around some high-end numbers so I'm not sure you're what you're after, but the Odyssey Tour Black #2 is a cheaper option than a vintage scotty or bettinardi and is definately worth a look. The milled face is incredible and it's got nice weight (350).

[url="http://www.odysseygolf.com/Global/en-US/Products/Putters/BlackSeriesTourDesigns/BlackSeriesTourDesigns2Putter.html"]http://www.odysseygolf.com/Global/en-US/Products/Putters/BlackSeriesTourDesigns/BlackSeriesTourDesigns2Putter.html[/url]