Putters with hotter faces?

kygolfer81 · June 5, 2020

I've got a Spider Tour and love the look and how it sets up, but I feel like on anything longer than about 15 feet I'm just perpetually leaving putts short. What are some putters you'd recommend that have "hotter" faces that may assist in getting a little more roll out? Note: I realize a different putter isn't a magic fix for any stroke issues. I'm low handicap player and play fine but find myself always in that three foot or so short range on longer putts. My thinking is if I could simply find something to give me just a little more roll and all things else staying the same (so I don't have to adjust the feel of the stroke and how my eyes/brain see it), I'll have gimme tap ins a lot more instead of grinding over three foot par putts all day.

Am I crazy for thinking putts come off the Spider Tour a little soft and slow?

rufus mangler · June 5, 2020

I went through the same thing with an Odyssey WHP 7, and a Ping CrazE I played. I felt like I had to pound lag putts. The good news was the 3 footers I left myself were a LOT easier to make with those putters.

I don't have that problem with either of the non insert putters I play now. The Cleveland HB Soft 11 is a great balance for both lags and must makes.

Rory4Pres · June 5, 2020

odyssey white hot 7 putter. Also, I recommend a scotty cameron 6m with heavier weights in the back for a higher MOI. If you are using the spider red with the softer face, try the black model with the firmer face (it was what DJ was using for a while).

kygolfer81 · June 5, 2020

This is exactly why I've been hesitant to even go down this path and pose the question; I do make a lot of short range putts. Even on the grinders I tend to leave myself, I'm usually making most of them. Rounds of golf would just be so much more enjoyable to not have them EVERY. SINGLE. HOLE.

I've heard that the non-insert putters do offer a little more pop off the face. Seems a lot of people suggest that the grooves on a lot of the faces today do make them a little softer and balls not pop as much, but I'm not sure if there's any truth to that?

I'll take a look at the Cleveland putters. They do tend to make some nice looking and feeling putters for affordable prices. I putted around with the new Heppler line a bit at the store the other day and I'm a huge fan of the feel and acoustics of those at impact. I'm a little worried about the weight though. Seems putter heads keep getting heavier and heavier and from what I've heard putting experts like David Orr say, heavier putters tend to just kill most people on the greens and most everyone would be better suited with something lighter.

kygolfer81 · June 5, 2020

Thanks, I'll see if I can locate those locally to try out. Yeah I actually do have the black Spider currently and got it because of the firmer face compared to the black. Go figure.

Rory4Pres · June 5, 2020

ok, I had that model too. Liked it a whole lot more than the soft face. So regarding the white hot, I have a white hot blade putter and the thing is like a trampoline off the face. Definitely makes getting the ball to the hole easy. It's great for slow greens. I will say, on fast greens, it's a little more challenging to get your speed right.

One trick you might try that i do (rather than buy a new putter) is put the ball slightly back in your stance (say another couple inches compared to normal) and compress it by hitting more down on it. Typically for short and mid range putts I like to hit slightly up on the ball giving it the ideal spin and direction off the face but on longer putts where the goal is simply getting it close, slightly back in the stance and compressing the ball allows me to take a shorter controlled swing yet get the ball to cover a longer distance. It does require practice to get the hang of it.

kygolfer81 · June 5, 2020

Thanks. Worth a shot I guess. I'd worry about popping the ball up and getting a roll that's really bouncing doing that, but if it gets to the hole i guess it'll work.

Rory4Pres · June 5, 2020

Bounces are possible, especially on mishits. I'd avoid doing it on the fringe as well because of that but generally speaking, with a well struck compressed shot, you shouldn't have much bounce. I will be honest that I find this a lot easier to do with a blade versus a mallet but figured it's worth a shot for you to try it out for 30 minutes on a putting green and see if that helps fix your issue.