No Artisan Putters at a Tournament in the Pacific Northwest

[Humble]

18 minutes ago, shart6 said:

 

Not sure where to begin so I’ll start with putter fitting – mental issues. I have enough scar tissue from just the dad of one of Today’s US Senior Women’s finalists that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. And that is drop in the bucket. I didn’t putt well enough to win a college tournament or get out the Western Regional PGA Tour Qualifying School. I have a lot of golf scar tissue I don’t think John Hatfield can help with.

Putting was always an issue and I had a front row seat watching Bob Gilder and Peter Jacobson kept putting better when I didn’t. But I was good enough to win a few tournaments and after eighteen months of despair I’m back on the right track with a different stroke and Aim Point. So, I feel pretty good on the greens. Feeling confident will be the result of more success in tournaments nothing else.

For me fitting is a process not an event. I need to putt well on Poa, bent grass, Bermuda, and Rye hard to do in one fitting.  For example, I’ve had three shafts on my current putter all the same type just slightly different stiffness to get the right feel. I build and test, evaluate each spec. And I’ve experimented with how milling changes the sound in carbon steel and 303 stainless steel do I really need to do more?

John Hatfield has a great resume with Ray Cook, Mike Taylor with Hogan and both with Nike so their talents are not in question. But basic question remains, how do you know what you are getting? Remember what Mark O’Meara said to Tiger after he beat him by a shot at the Masters? Now you know why it’s the backup. Tiger was using Mark’s backup Ping Anser 2. My current Classic Newport is essentially a backup, the sweet spot is just a little off for most of my slight misses toward the heel. I could pull out either of my 85020 Ping Anser putters and not have the issue, but I don’t like sound.

So did you mean artisan the company or artisan putters in general?

Edited September 16, 2021 by Humble

[SwingMan]

26 minutes ago, shart6 said:

 

Not sure where to begin so I’ll start with putter fitting – mental issues. I have enough scar tissue from just the dad of one of Today’s US Senior Women’s finalists that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. And that is drop in the bucket. I didn’t putt well enough to win a college tournament or get out the Western Regional PGA Tour Qualifying School. I have a lot of golf scar tissue I don’t think John Hatfield can help with.

Putting was always an issue and I had a front row seat watching Bob Gilder and Peter Jacobson kept putting better when I didn’t. But I was good enough to win a few tournaments and after eighteen months of despair I’m back on the right track with a different stroke and Aim Point. So, I feel pretty good on the greens. Feeling confident will be the result of more success in tournaments nothing else.

For me fitting is a process not an event. I need to putt well on Poa, bent grass, Bermuda, and Rye hard to do in one fitting.  For example, I’ve had three shafts on my current putter all the same type just slightly different stiffness to get the right feel. I build and test, evaluate each spec. And I’ve experimented with how milling changes the sound in carbon steel and 303 stainless steel do I really need to do more?

John Hatfield has a great resume with Ray Cook, Mike Taylor with Hogan and both with Nike so their talents are not in question. But basic question remains, how do you know what you are getting? Remember what Mark O’Meara said to Tiger after he beat him by a shot at the Masters? Now you know why it’s the backup. Tiger was using Mark’s backup Ping Anser 2. My current Classic Newport is essentially a backup, the sweet spot is just a little off for most of my slight misses toward the heel. I could pull out either of my 85020 Ping Anser putters and not have the issue, but I don’t like sound.

 

Because you have different concerns and have a different skill level, my thoughts are you'd have a different type of fitting than I had. John would address your concerns based on what you need and what you tell him. He addressed my simple concerns, whereas yours are different and more complex. You are best served by giving John a call to see whether he'd be able to assist. John  impresses me as a sincere and knowledgeable, no nonsense old school designer/builder with a wealth of practical knowledge and experience. You'd have to pick his brain to see whether he might be a fit for you. 

[shart6]

15 hours ago, Humble said:

So did you mean artisan the company or artisan putters in general?

 

In this case the company, see the references to John Hatfield and Mike Taylor.

[Maroon_19]

16 hours ago, shart6 said:

 

But basic question remains, how do you know what you are getting? 

Just from my own personal experience.  Picked up the putter from John back in April, at which time he told me to immediately contact him if I had ANY issues with the putter build or a consistent miss. 

 

I am actually going to the shop this afternoon to pick up my wedges from a face blast and I'm hoping to talk to John because I have a consistent miss just left of the hole - a slight pull for some reason.  Could be the grip?  Could be the swing?  I know it feels like I am aimed dead center on my line.

I truly believe if there is anything he can do to tweak the putter he will do it.  If it is a stroke or alignment issue, he'll help with that as well.

That's how I know what I'm getting.  (I hope this didn't come off smarmy or anything... not meant to...)

Edited September 16, 2021 by Maroon_19

[kb7]

[Bad9]

I'm really surprised that someone thinks an artisan made putter will help them make putts. Most are beautiful, exhibit fine craftmanship and fine putters in their own right but they hold no magic in making putts. That comes from the person wielding it.

[Bad9]

On 8/7/2021 at 9:35 AM, ND2005 said:

In addition to artisan putters (I am pretty sure OP meant lower case artisan, as in small brands, not capital Artisan the company), I also find it rare at tournaments or big resort courses to see:

-BB&F ferrules

-Linksmaster golf bags

-Swag headcovers

-TBC gear

 

We have to remember that this stuff and the people who post on sites like golfwrx are a very small subsegment of the golf market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have exactly zero of those things on a course in 30yrs

[Bad9]

On 8/10/2021 at 9:54 AM, MattM97 said:

 

99% of golfers use OTR putters. 

And many putter perfectly well with them.

[shart6]

30 minutes ago, Maroon_19 said:

Just from my own personal experience.  Picked up the putter from John back in April, at which time he told me to immediately contact him if I had ANY issues with the putter build or a consistent miss. 

 

I am actually going to the shop this afternoon to pick up my wedges from a face blast and I'm hoping to talk to John because I have a consistent miss just left of the hole - a slight pull for some reason.  Could be the grip?  Could be the swing?  I know it feels like I am aimed dead center on my line.

I truly believe if there is anything he can do to tweak the putter he will do it.  If it is a stroke or alignment issue, he'll help with that as well.

That's how I know what I'm getting.  (I hope this didn't come off smarmy or anything... not meant to...)

 

A couple of thoughts. First if I had your putter and the grip was off slightly, I would have had it fixed immediately. Second, I would get two pencils, some string, my digital level and find a flat spot on a practice green. Then I’d roll a few putts under the string. If I’m rolling the center of the ball consistently under the string, I probably don’t have alignment or stroke issues. Third I would grab a lighter and heavier putter and check my tempo, because mine can get quick causing pulls.

 

The right putter for my old stroke has been around since the sixties and own them. For my new stoke I’m getting the feeling that choosing a putter hasn’t changed. You find something that looks good, feels good and tweak it until it works, or it doesn’t. Repeat as necessary. I’m not against craftsman type putters, I won two senior tournaments with a David Whitlam mallet but if I end up using one it will be a castoff.

[MattM97]

1 hour ago, Bad9 said:

And many putter perfectly well with them.

 

I too putter perfect well with a putter. 

[Humble]

2 hours ago, shart6 said:

 

In this case the company, see the references to John Hatfield and Mike Taylor.

I’m talking about when you started this thread. Cause I still can’t figure out what is the point of this thread other than wanting to show you runner up trophy…. 
 

1 hour ago, Bad9 said:

I'm really surprised that someone thinks an artisan made putter will help them make putts. Most are beautiful, exhibit fine craftmanship and fine putters in their own right but they hold no magic in making putts. That comes from the person wielding it.

And not one person on this thread has mentioned that they make any type of magic putter that’s gonna help them make putts. People are just a fan of their work and respect the time they’ve been in the game. 

[MattM97]

1 hour ago, Bad9 said:

I'm really surprised that someone thinks an artisan made putter will help them make putts. Most are beautiful, exhibit fine craftmanship and fine putters in their own right but they hold no magic in making putts. That comes from the person wielding it.

 

For me it's options my preference for putters are: 

 

Lefty

Blade

Milled

1/2 offset 

1.5° Loft

 

There's no OEM that really offers that. So I get custom/boutique ones instead. 

[shart6]

7 minutes ago, Humble said:

I’m talking about when you started this thread. Cause I still can’t figure out what is the point of this thread other than wanting to show you runner up trophy…. 
 

And not one person on this thread has mentioned that they make any type of magic putter that’s gonna help them make putts. People are just a fan of their work and respect the time they’ve been in the game. 

 

The OP was based on the simple fact that the last time I saw a craftsman, artisian or other custom built putter in a tournament I was playing in was my David Whitlam mallet a few years back. None of the guys I want be competitive with again do much other than regrip OTR putters.

[Humble]

20 minutes ago, shart6 said:

 

The OP was based on the simple fact that the last time I saw a craftsman, artisian or other custom built putter in a tournament I was playing in was my David Whitlam mallet a few years back. None of the guys I want be competitive with again do much other than regrip OTR putters.

What about labgolf up in the northwest?

[shart6]

15 minutes ago, Humble said:

What about labgolf up in the northwest?

 

I had to look them up. I'd have noticed any of those.