Which style putter to use?

[Pinky5]

I have never been a great putter. My tendency is to start putts off line. I have been gaming a Scotty Newport for the past 5 years or so. I have a custom one and I really like the look and feel of it, hence I'm reluctant to change putters. But I'm starting to see that more and more people, including the pros, are gaming mallet style putters now. 

 

I have always heard to use the putter that matches your stroke. I think I have an arc putting stroke, so I was told the anser style was what I should go with. But now I am hearing that may not be as big of a deal.

 

Just looking I really like the look of the Odyssey Stroke Lab 7. But I haven't hit one and know nothing about it. Thats just the style that looks good to me.

 

Any input if I might get a little more consistency on line control with a mallet? Which putters should I look at?

 

Thanks.

[MattM97]

If your issue is aim then I'd get a fitting to find out what putter you aim best. As for which it's hard to say that's why a fitting is best cause everyone's eyes are different.

[Medson]

3 hours ago, Pinky5 said:

My tendency is to start putts off line.

 

Search for "yardstick putting drill" if not starting the putts on the line is your issue. 

[Medson]

In my opinion, mallets offers better alignment options 

 

In theory, mallets are more forgiving than blades. But I just cannot quantify the forgiveness. There is little change of my putting stats when switching between blade (Anser) and mallet (Odyssey #7). 

 

It is my personal option that neither of above helps with starting the ball on the line. 

Edited June 20, 2021 by Medson

[MattM97]

3 minutes ago, Medson said:

In my opinion, mallets offers better alignment options 

 

In theory, mallets are more forgiving than blades. But I just cannot quantify the forgiveness. There is little change of my putting stats when switching between blade (Anser) and mallet (Odyssey #7). 

 

It is my personal option that neither of above helps with starting the ball on the line. 

 

If you can't aim a putt then how can you hit the line for that putt? Please explain.

[Medson]

6 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

 

If you can't aim a putt then how can you hit the line for that putt? Please explain.

 

I consider aim and starting the ball on the line are different things. I can aim correctly and not start the ball on the line (club face is not square at the impact). And vice versa. 

 

I also have issues with aim. I use the "2 sticks & a string" drill. 

[MattM97]

1 minute ago, Medson said:

 

I consider aim and starting the ball on the line are different things. I can aim correctly and not start the ball on the line (club face is not square at the impact). And vice versa. 

 

I also have issues with aim. I use the "2 sticks & a string" drill. 

 

But OP  doesn't know his issue, is it aim or is it a putter selection? Eliminate what it is and he can find his solution faster.

[CougarRed]

Love me some Odyssey Rossie.  I have the Stroke Lab version in black.  I started using mallets when the Zebra came out 45 years ago, and have also used Anser style putters.  The Rossie suits me.  I love balance.  I love the lines.  Helps me know my eyes are directly over the ball every time.

[Tommyboi95]

evnroll armlock 11v

[RobotDoctor]

I prefer the style of the Ping Zing putter.  There is just something about that head shape that simply flows well for me.  I putt with Byron Morgan's take on the old Ping My Day putter (a Zing with a plumber's neck).  However, I have a long flow neck (called a Long Pipe) on the putter.  The toe is a bit wider from face to flange than the heel and the amount of release this putter generates works very well with my stroke.  In 35 years of playing golf I have putted with a Ping Zing/Scotty Cameron Inspired by Brad Faxon/Byron Morgan Epic Day putter for 16 or 17 years of that time, including the current stretch with the Epic Day now nearly 7 years.  There was a lot of experimenting along the way but this style simply resonates well with my putting.

[Pinky5]

16 hours ago, MattM97 said:

 

But OP  doesn't know his issue, is it aim or is it a putter selection? Eliminate what it is and he can find his solution faster.

Aim is not my problem. It is strictly pushing or pulling putts off the starting line. Its most likely not the putters fault, but wondering if the mallet style might help with that.

[MattM97]

1 minute ago, Pinky5 said:

Aim is not my problem. It is strictly pushing or pulling putts off the starting line. Its most likely not the putters fault, but wondering if the mallet style might help with that.

 

If it's not aim and face at impact then it's more an offset and toe hang issue, but since you said both push and pull it could also be a stroke issue. But this could also be a compensation for your original miss. 

 

This is where a fitting can find that answer to what you start online best. Could a mallet help? Possibly if you need something with less toe hang as that's what most mallets have. But you could also possible need more toe hang and most mallets don't provide that except for heel shafted mallets. 

[cwilk]

My son was the opposite.  He putted with a TM Spider (several models) for almost 6 years and was automatic from 6 feet and in, but terrible on lag putts.  This led to multiple 3 putts per tournament.  He tried just about everything design/shape and ended up in a Newport 2.  However, the stock weight was too light for him and led to stability issues, so we had to put in aftermarket weights.  Since then he's been putting significantly better.  He's 5'11 with a 32" wrist to floor measurement playing a 33" Newport 2 with an increase of 10 grams in aftermarket weights that brought it up from D0 to D5 SW.  

 

So I'd say look at how you perform from various distances (short/mid/long), primarily in distance control.  I'd also look at how you aim certain heads or using different alignment aids/marks.  Also, according to Scott Fawcett of Decade Golf, your start line isn't that important in the grand scheme of things.  So long as you are relatively close to a good start line, distance control is what makes or breaks putting performance.  

[5hort5tuff]

Why not pay the $100 and get fit. I've tried all types of putters and don't really find any difference in forgiveness for me. 

 

I aim a blade better. Overall putt better with them aswell. I would say mallets slightly ruined my putting for a few years.

 

To each his own. Go get it fit. Go take a few lessons. Those are the best options imo. Option b. Spend many hours rolling different styles of putters until you find one you can square up.

[Solidstrike]

8 hours ago, 5hort5tuff said:

Why not pay the $100 and get fit. I've tried all types of putters and don't really find any difference in forgiveness for me. 

 

I aim a blade better. Overall putt better with them aswell. I would say mallets slightly ruined my putting for a few years.

 

To each his own. Go get it fit. Go take a few lessons. Those are the best options imo. Option b. Spend many hours rolling different styles of putters until you find one you can square up.

This!  Club Champion or similar, don’t waste your time at a big box store.

 

What I learned from my Club Champion putter fitting is that the neck style has a significant impact on alignment.  I found out with my prior putter my alignment at address was a degree open so I had to pull every putt just a little to get it on line.  Had a center shafted putter, moved to a plumbers neck and alignment was square.  I didn’t feel different or do anything different consciously.   Also I strike on the top of the face so adjusted to 4* of loft.  This was years ago before Sik came out to tell consumers that loft on your putter matters.  
 

Since then, being a club hoe and out of curiosity, I continuously try different putter styles looking for extra MOI or whatever, but can’t seem to get away from the Newport style.  

 

Don’t guess what your arc is or listen to marketing materials.  Get fit to see what your arc really is.  

[MattM97]

1 hour ago, Solidstrike said:

This!  Club Champion or similar, don’t waste your time at a big box store.

 

What I learned from my Club Champion putter fitting is that the neck style has a significant impact on alignment.  I found out with my prior putter my alignment at address was a degree open so I had to pull every putt just a little to get it on line.  Had a center shafted putter, moved to a plumbers neck and alignment was square.  I didn’t feel different or do anything different consciously.   Also I strike on the top of the face so adjusted to 4* of loft.  This was years ago before Sik came out to tell consumers that loft on your putter matters.  
 

Since then, being a club hoe and out of curiosity, I continuously try different putter styles looking for extra MOI or whatever, but can’t seem to get away from the Newport style.  

 

Don’t guess what your arc is or listen to marketing materials.  Get fit to see what your arc really is.  

 

The amount of guys that go "I'm a SBST stroke" on here are insane and it's all probably false. 

[BHI 99]

Seems a lot of people’s putters are longer than they should be. As for style: Karsten designed it, Scotty perfected it. 

[Ghostwedge]

If you're serious about dropping strokes off your score you really need to get "putter fit." Are you left eye or right dominant ? What's the length of your natural arm hang ? Doe you move body parts or your head (peeking) when you putt ?

Are your eyes quiet when putting. what is your ROUTINE ? Pop stroke, long  flowing, short and jabby, what are you thinking about over the ball, etc,etc.

I know guys who have been "fit" and still can't putt and guys who just naturally leave themselves tap-ins all day when they miss one. 

Worth it to find out.

[PixlPutterman]

Are you using the line on your ball?

 

You want to first find out if you truly cant aim, or if you cant roll putts on line.

 

Aiming is pointless if you cant roll the ball end over end.....

 

I practiced a bunch with the line on the ball and discovered I needed the ball a bit more back in my stance than I had been playing it to get it to roll on line. 

[Pinky5]

all good answers. Yes I know I need to get fit and probably will at some point. I guess I was more just wondering if anyone made the switch from blade to mallet and saw dramatic increase in putter efficiency. But, that would be too easy. Digging in deeper with some lessons and get fit would help me figure out the root cause of missed putts. 

 

I guess Ive known all along that its not the putter thats the problem. Its the person putting.

[Fairway14]

51 minutes ago, Pinky5 said:

 

 

I guess Ive known all along that its not the putter thats the problem. Its the person putting.

 

Yes and no. For example players will address a putt with a 33" putter differently than they will with a 35" putter. At address a player will align a heel or near shafted off set putter differently than they will a center shafted non offset putter. A player will swing a 330 gram putter head with a different tempo-rhythm, path, touch etc... than he does a 350 gram putter head.

If you have 5 years not putting well with a Newport style putter maybe it's time to try something completely different, such as a non off set center shaft putter. Give it some practice green hours and several rounds of golf and see if your roll and number of made putts improves.

 

Regarding technique, here is a link to a short video of Jack Nicklaus sharing his putting fundamentals:

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Fairway14

[Hunteruu]

I didn't have a fitter around and went through the gamut with trying about a dozen putters this spring. Everything comes into play, and the feel is totally subjective. However, I think it starts with a good stroke first. 

 

I started putting with a line on the ball to see how it rolled, and found out I cut across the ball a lot. No matter what putter I used, same result. It was my stroke that was poor. I found a putter that felt stable and solid and work explicitly on making my stroke correct and repetitive until I rolled end over end for the most part. 

 

Then I found neck, toe hang, length, and weight that only further helped my putts. Now it's all about perfecting that. 

 

Fitting is the best idea, but if you can't, really look at your stroke fundamentals first. 

[TheGuywiththeWhiteBelt]

I've been gaming a T22 Newport that I picked up used. I love it.