What are the best techniques for learning to stroke a Scotty Cameron special select Newport 2

[idontnoh]

On 2/5/2021 at 9:59 AM, getitdaily said:

I putted with a Newport beach for years. One of the best instructors I worked with taught me how to putt with a blade style putter and his method jives with what @bargolf notes in his research/ findings on the right stroke type for a blade. 

 

Look at https://bargolfinstruction.blogspot.com/?m=1 and find the article on the blade stroke type. Bruce notes that the Newport/ anser style heads are not very versatile...there's basically 1 stroke type that works for that putter.

 

You have to swing the putter on an inside to out arc AND keep the face square to path on the backswing with a closing rate at impact. The instructor who helped me with this gave me 1 key thought that clicked 

 

"Hit hook putts". To hit a hook, path needs to be in to out and the face closed to path. So do the same with the newport putter. Swing it in to out with a closed face to path...hook putts. He would have me over exaggerate the feeling...really close the face with my hands (just for practice only, dont do this on the course). He also was a firm advocate to feel like you hit down on the ball...not up. Hitting up can lead you to pull the lead shoulder up and that is bad...it'll cause the face to stay open.

 

Another key for me has been to feel like the toe outruns the heel on the through stroke. But you have to be in to out or you'll pull the snot out of every putt. 

 

Last key, stop the putter as soon after impact as possible. The backswing should be twice the length of the follow thru. That short, crisp halt of the putter head after impact helps ensure a closing rate of the face into impact. 

 

Get this right and get it consistent and you'll make a ton of putts. But it requires a lot of repetition. In my heyday I dropped 9 birdies with that putter and method in a tournament round. 

This is incredible help. I've been struggling with my putter lately so I'm excited to try this out...

[jtj74]

[YetiOne]

Are the Scotty Newport 2's really that hard to hit in the center?

[IronWolf]

6 hours ago, YetiOne said:

Are the Scotty Newport 2's really that hard to hit in the center?

There are a lot of subtle details that make it a very fussy putter,

even though the swing weight is the same the distribution/weight balance feels like a lever in my hand, it feels very toe heavy, again subtle but I can feel pressure points in my hands that I do not feel with the Byron Morgan.  That different balance causes me to take it back inside to strongly getting back to the ball square is very hard work. The face is shorter (Scotty says low profile, too low in my opinion) hitting high on the face gives a horrible clattering feedback, the extra 2 mm of length makes it over rotate in my hands, the face itself with the three cherry rings causes the face to be very thin, even perfectly struck putts sounds different each time, depending on how many microns off the sweet spot is, so in a vacuum, I still liked this putter, until I got higher revisions. I think the Odyssey Toulon is easier to hit pure and true and straight, the Byron Morgan 612 is easier to hit nearly perfect putts. And I could see this putter fitting someone else easily so it is how a putter fits your personal swing. It is not a bad putter by any means it is just very fussy.. 

[pumpkin77]

This is an awesome thread starter, just read your review. Exactly what i was searching for as i got my lefty newport 2 yesterday. Now i Will enjoy reading the 2 pages of replies! Any new updates? Cheers!

[Golf10]

On 2/4/2021 at 10:12 PM, IronWolf said:

I finally broke down and bought Scotty Cameron special select Newport 2, 34".

I have been desiring one for 20 years watching Tiger Woods and others top professionals execute flawless artistic pure strokes with them.

After watching Patrick Reed last weekend I do not regret the purchase.

Every time I tried one I realized they are truly like a scalpel for the professional. Lots of pushes, lots of pulls, clanking miss hits, could never bring myself to buy one.

Especially the 2020 select line,  Scotty Cameron says this putter is the closest he has ever made to a tour specification Newport putter, but made available to the public.

 

I have probably hit 2000, 10 foot putts in the last six weeks. Finally starting to learn the ins and outs of the putter.

But OMG, when I finally dial in the sweet spot with a good stroke......I have never felt a better putter, it delivers such amazing feel and control and just such a precise roll right into the center of the cup. The length of the blade has something to do with it I think the toe closing perfectly at impact causes the ball and the putter to release down the line and feels amazing compared to my other five putters really never felt anything like it off any of the other putter faces. Super addicting!

I actually did not realize it was such a low profile face, a very small face, that is the key most putters I only have to worry about  left and right miss hits, high and low on the face seems to be automatically forgiven.

The number one thing I have been struggling with is how horrible it feels when you miss the sweet spot high, above the centerline. Crack like a broken board

I added some 40 g weights to the bottom that actually seem to give a little more protection, better feeling on mishits.

I actually believe I am on the way to mastering it. 

I found the typical lessons for stacking coins behind your ball and hovering the putter, which seems to be almost 1/2 inch off the ground, for the sweet spot to make contact with the equator of the ball, which is the recommended contact point. 

I have also had to move the ball forward from watching all of the Newport players on TV the last six weeks I definitely notice they hit a little more on the upstroke, I have been playing the ball just in front of the centerline for most of my putters directly under my left eye.

So now I am experimenting with about one ball forward of my left eye.

 

Anyway looking for people who have mastered the Newport 2

any secrets to dialing in the stroke.?

 

So I am currently focusing on hovering the putter the correct height, as well as catching it on the upstroke so that the putter is higher off the ground at contact blending the two approaches. Things I do not have to do with my mid Mallet's.

 

It is a putter with a very narrow performance window get outside the window, and become very disappointed, but once I am inside the window it truly is one of the best putters I have ever hit.

Cheers

 

 

 

 

To the OP - I also like the look of this style of putter.  Funny enough the SS NP2 is my favorite NP2 ever.  I simply make more putts with it.  I love the sleek shape (short face).  It's just like the original Anser 2.  I wish PING would make that shape again but they're a little off to my eye.  I also feel this is the most forgiving NP2 I have used.  All these things run contrary to your experience.  If you're looking for something with a higher face try a 2010-2012 Select.  I have one and it's a nice putter.  It has a high toe with a little less tow flow.  The feel is excellent, very crisp.  

 

Personally I would use whatever makes more putts, whether it be a two ball or blade style.  Best of luck.

[NoCalHack]

Wow. I just came to the exact same conclusion the other day after going back to a Newport 2 after using a mallet for a while. I came upon this thread after googling whether anyone else felt the same way. 
 

I think IronWolf’s main point is not about overall forgiveness which I think is fine with the Newport 2. It obviously doesn’t have a high MOI like a mallet but you can miss it left or right a bit and it still feels great and the head isn’t going to twist like crazy. 
 

But it took me a while to realize you can’t hit it high on the face. It feels terrible. So the up and down forgiveness is somewhat lacking. Not so much the left and right forgiveness. 
 

For me I didn’t need to adjust my stroke too much. I just hover the putter a bit and try to be consistent with striking it a bit lower. 
 

Some people probably naturally strike this way and don’t hit it high on the face and have no idea what the OP was taking about. 

[Abh159]

On 2/5/2021 at 10:00 AM, bear87 said:

Since that nice looking putter has toe hang, I'd suggest one of the "putting arcs" that are on the market.  I have an Stan Utley Learning Curve that helps groove my stroke.  

 

This is solid advice. Newport style putters tend to work best with arc strokes (not straight back straight through). 

 

The best training aid I can recommend is literally called The Putting Arc. Buy one, and use it non-stop everyday.

[Deep Sunoji]

On 2/5/2021 at 1:12 AM, IronWolf said:

I finally broke down and bought Scotty Cameron special select Newport 2, 34".

I have been desiring one for 20 years watching Tiger Woods and others top professionals execute flawless artistic pure strokes with them.

After watching Patrick Reed last weekend I do not regret the purchase.

Every time I tried one I realized they are truly like a scalpel for the professional. Lots of pushes, lots of pulls, clanking miss hits, could never bring myself to buy one.

Especially the 2020 select line,  Scotty Cameron says this putter is the closest he has ever made to a tour specification Newport putter, but made available to the public.

 

I have probably hit 2000, 10 foot putts in the last six weeks. Finally starting to learn the ins and outs of the putter.

But OMG, when I finally dial in the sweet spot with a good stroke......I have never felt a better putter, it delivers such amazing feel and control and just such a precise roll right into the center of the cup. The length of the blade has something to do with it I think the toe closing perfectly at impact causes the ball and the putter to release down the line and feels amazing compared to my other five putters really never felt anything like it off any of the other putter faces. Super addicting!

I actually did not realize it was such a low profile face, a very small face, that is the key most putters I only have to worry about  left and right miss hits, high and low on the face seems to be automatically forgiven.

The number one thing I have been struggling with is how horrible it feels when you miss the sweet spot high, above the centerline. Crack like a broken board

I added some 40 g weights to the bottom that actually seem to give a little more protection, better feeling on mishits.

I actually believe I am on the way to mastering it. 

I found the typical lessons for stacking coins behind your ball and hovering the putter, which seems to be almost 1/2 inch off the ground, for the sweet spot to make contact with the equator of the ball, which is the recommended contact point. 

I have also had to move the ball forward from watching all of the Newport players on TV the last six weeks I definitely notice they hit a little more on the upstroke, I have been playing the ball just in front of the centerline for most of my putters directly under my left eye.

So now I am experimenting with about one ball forward of my left eye.

 

Anyway looking for people who have mastered the Newport 2

any secrets to dialing in the stroke.?

 

So I am currently focusing on hovering the putter the correct height, as well as catching it on the upstroke so that the putter is higher off the ground at contact blending the two approaches. Things I do not have to do with my mid Mallet's.

 

It is a putter with a very narrow performance window get outside the window, and become very disappointed, but once I am inside the window it truly is one of the best putters I have ever hit.

Cheers

 

 

 

In the same boat, bought a Special Select Newport @32.5” agree with hitting the sweet spot - best feedback ever. However the feedback on mishits is pretty evident and I tend to be receiving both, more of the latter 😐 Were you able to crack the code to consistently hit the sweet spot?

[scratch67]

I’ve played Newports for decades.  I have the Putting Arc too.  
 

The keys to getting that sweet spot sound/feel:

 

1) Putter head must fan open on backstroke. I do this by hands straight back and let right elbow rotate backward slightly.  Use the putting arc to test, making sure hosel end of putter stays flat to putting arc. How much you fan open depends on how much toe hang your putter has.

 

2) Let putter rise from green on backstroke & after impact.   Distance from putter head and shoulder must be consistent throughout the stroke.

 

3) Agree on the 2x to 1x backstroke to follow through.

 

4) I hover putter just slightly above the green.

 

 I just bought a Super Select 2, higher MOI. I had been using a Phantom 5.  I like the sound/feel of Newports much more.  

Edited August 27, 2023 by scratch67

[Dave2golf2]

Impact tape on the head will help immensely to identify the mishit tendency.  I've had this issue with many Cameron putters, finding the sweet spot can be inconsistent and frustrating, but you're willing to work through it because every once in a while you nail it so pure that you want to figure out how to do it every time.

 

I just got a Super Select Newport 2 and although it seems better at finding the sweet spot more often than other Scottys, I still had to use impact tape to determine where those misses were coming from - they were low on the face and towards the toe. So once I figured that out, I adjusted my stroke accordingly and now make much better contact more often.