Edel EAS 4.0 putter fitting 'review'

[Tupperwolf]

I recently had a birthday and knew I wanted to use the opportunity to get fitted for a meaningful new club.  At first I wanted to get fit for a new 3 wood, but then I impulse purchased a Mizuno ST-Z with Ventus shaft after posting a WTB ad here.  I decided I should go ahead and get fit for a putter for the first time, despite feeling very confident with my Ping 2021 Tyne 4 putter.  I knew I wanted to do an Edel fitting despite reading some feedback about the feel of the putters; after watching numerous Youtube videos and reading a review elsewhere my mind was made up.

 

I visited a local Club Champion and the person there could not have cared less about helping me.  He was in the middle of a driver fitting for someone else, so I understand that, but when I mentioned that I was interested in an Edel putter fitting his response was "Oh, yeah, we don't do a lot of those.  They aren't very popular."  That put me off and I knew I had to go to someone who cared and who would do their best job to give me the best fitting.

 

After some research I decided to go back up to Seattle to the secondary Edel fitting studio, since I could easily fly there and back in a day for super cheap, and get the flight on points.  I booked a fitting with Ryan Cook for Sept. 4 in the morning.

 

Unfortunately he called me back a week or so before that date and said he had to rebook due to going out of town on business.  I explained that I had booked a flight specifically for this fitting, and he was very apologetic.  I ended up booking a tee time at Chambers Bay so my trip wouldn't be wasted.  Yay!  Then - he called me back and said he would be able to accomodate me after all.  Now I had a problem - I had a tee time booked, and not enough time to drive up to the studio and back to the golf course in time for my round!  He cleared his schedule to fit me in, and planned to meet me at his dad's apartment - Tim Cook is also an Edel fitter, doing traveling fittings at country clubs up and down the west coast.  Tim set up the remote fitting studio on the roof, with gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier!

 

Tim ended up doing my fitting and I couldn't be much happier.  He is a lively guy and I had a really great time geeking out about putting and golf with him.  I don't get to nerd out about this stuff with too many people in real life, so it was a lot of fun.  He measured my upper vs. lower arms, wingspan vs. height, and asked about the putter I've been playing, a Ping 2021 Tyne 4.  I was open to any style that would get me aimed correctly, but we started with the EAS 4.0, a fanged style mallet similar to the Tyne.

 

He set up the putter with a half shaft offset, 34", and no lines on the adjustable faceplate.  He didn't tell me that he was starting with the putter set 2* flat, and quickly changed it out to be 2* upright - most players go flatter rather than standard or upright.  After that we checked the aim with a laser and he quickly found that I aimed the putter very well as-is, without any alignment aids.  He tried a couple of different lines, but they didn't change anything for me and I found them distracting, so we stayed "naked".  I tried the two blade heads, the 1.0 and 2.0 along with a couple of different shaft offsets, but quickly knew that they just felt too long in the blade length and the different shafts didn't set up right for me.  I prefer the shorter face length of the mallet and felt most comfortable with the 4.0 we started with.

 

After getting the aim dialed in we started playing with weights.  Tim had me roll balls to a hole, and it took me some time to get used to the idea of not trying to hole it, just roll the ball the right distance.  He watched my stroke while I rolled balls, and started adding weight to the head, the butt of the grip, then down into the handle.  I'd roll 3 balls, and he'd quickly make an adjustment, and I'd roll 3 more.  After trying numerous different combinations to get the right feel I stroked 3 balls perfectly into the hole and he told me we were done!

 

I received the putter today (just under 2 weeks from the order) and I couldn't be happier.  The putter is beautifully made, comes with a great headcover, and fully feels worth the price.  The feel is much different than I'm used to; a slightly hollow 'ping' due to the way the putter is milled out underneath to provide a toe-up balance which is closer to "torque balance", but with a nice softness when you hit the sweet spot.  I'm already used to an Edel standard round grip, so it's very easy to transition into.  The way the putter is weighted feels perfect for me.  Just the right backweighting and head weighting.  It swings smoothly and the roll of the ball is perfect with no skidding.  I can feel off-center strikes, but they roll well.

 

I'm playing in a Ryder Cup style tournament this weekend and I can't wait to get my new gamer out on the course!

 

More pics to follow - need to take some of the real deal!

[MattM97]

Sounds like an awesome experience and I always say these Edel fittings are definitely eye opening for how you aim a putter. Hope the putter treats you well and that feel they give it isn't a big deal when you're draining putts or leaving tap ins from long lag putts. 

[dmeeksDC]

Amazing how much attention is paid to alignment lines on putters and yet so many players aim better without them. 

[Tupperwolf]

38 minutes ago, dmeeksDC said:

Amazing how much attention is paid to alignment lines on putters and yet so many players aim better without them. 

It's funny, I have never liked straight alignment lines, I've never seen one that looked square to my eyes.  The longer the alignment line (like on a big mallet) the more crooked it looks to the face.  If I line up the face the line looks way right, if I line up the line the face looks way left.  I blacked out the line on my Tyne with a sharpie.  I think I have moved into mallets because the shape of the back isn't straight, so it forces me to look at the blade and line it square. I aimed both of the blade model Edel putters right of the cup which jives with what he's found in years of fitting.  For this style of putter I like the fangs because even though they are perpendicular to the face they don't look crooked to me like a line does.  I can set the face, then glance at the fangs to get a sense of motion in the correct direction.  It's so mental!

[dmeeksDC]

1 minute ago, Tupperwolf said:

It's funny, I have never liked straight alignment lines, I've never seen one that looked square to my eyes.  The longer the alignment line (like on a big mallet) the more crooked it looks to the face.  If I line up the face the line looks way right, if I line up the line the face looks way left.  I blacked out the line on my Tyne with a sharpie.  I think I have moved into mallets because the shape of the back isn't straight, so it forces me to look at the blade and line it square. I aimed both of the blade model Edel putters right of the cup which jives with what he's found in years of fitting.  For this style of putter I like the fangs because even though they are perpendicular to the face they don't look crooked to me like a line does.  I can set the face, then glance at the fangs to get a sense of motion in the correct direction.  It's so mental!

Could not agree more. I have a sight dot only, no line. A solo line is often aimed incorrectly because it depends so much on eye position. Can be very tricky. Your eyes can make that line look left, right or on target. 

 

I cannot tell if it is aimed where I think unless I have 3 lines on the flange so I can see a pattern, but even then I aim just as well with no lines. 

 

[Pmookie]

Nice!!! My current EAS 1.0 has zero alignment aids as well. 

[J13]

Awesome to hear.  Edel fitting is a whole other level and I hear they are doing some really cool stuff in the near future.

[Precis1on]

Echoing somewhat that the Club Champions I've been to have also not necessarily pushed the Edel fitting system either. I was fit for mine when Edel first came out and was also disappointed with the pixel insert at the time. 

 

Hope yours stays in your bag for some time! Enjoy!

[Tupperwolf]

Here are some more pics of the finished product.

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Tupperwolf

[J13]

Very nice flat stick !  Super clean

[jomatty]

Those are great looking putters.  I’ve seen a number of edel’s where the tech was interesting but the aesthetics of the putter were hard to get past.  You definitely won’t have that problem with that!  Really good looking.

[dmeeksDC]

How does the Edel EAS 4.0 feel? It looks really good without lines. 

[Tupperwolf]

It feels unique for sure, I can see why there I have read some complaints about the feel but I think that's just what you get with the torque balanced milling requirements. It provides a lot of feedback for a mallet, with a nice feeling sweet spot and a slight jarring feel when you miss it.  It certainly feels firmer overall than my Ping with the insert which had a soft 'thock' sort of feel.  The Edel funnily enough makes a 'ping' noise which I didn't expect, I don't think the fitting head made a similar noise, and since sound contributes to feel.. If you get a chance roll one, I think the alignment and swing weighting benefits of getting fit outweigh the feel not being exactly what I am used to so we'll see how it goes long term.

[lincolnduff]

Is there a fee for the fitting or is that baked into the cost of the putter?

[Tupperwolf]

I ended up buying the weight kit for my putter because after a few rounds of golf I wasn't 100% sure that the head weight was correct; it felt just a little too light.  I'm coming from a 365g head weight putter, which is the heaviest head I've ever used, and I was having the best results and confidence with it over any putter I've ever used.  My understanding is that the 4.0 head is 340g and the weight kit includes weights from 5g up to 25g in 5g increments, a nice branded wrench, and a neon string in a nice zippered pouch.  My putter was fit with a 10g weight for a head weight of 350g.  The idea is that you drop the string on the green and roll a few putts to it and change the weight of the head depending on if you come up short/long.  I doubt that I will change head weight based on green speed like that but I wanted to give myself the best chance of making the putter "perfect" after going through the fitting process.  I took the putter to the practice green and tried a few different weights and ended up settling on the 15g weight.  The 20g weight felt good, nice and heavy, but inconsistent results.  The 15g weight felt absolutely perfect in my hands for both lag and short putts.  So, it goes to show that the fitting process isn't perfect, and a little adjustment and $$$ might be required, but the $75 weight kit is a good deal considering what you get (and I used a discount code that was provided after purchasing the putter so it wasn't even that much).

 

@lincolnduff, there is a $100 fitting fee on top of the price of the putter.  Going all in on an Edel putter isn't cheap, but when you're a head case on the greens like me I think it can be worth it!

[Rapidcat]

Interesting story, thanks for sharing.

 

Someone needs some news shoes, though.

[Tupperwolf]

Nothing better than a pair of well-worn and well-loved Quoddys.  http://www.quoddy.com

 

They've taken me all over the world and been resoled twice.

[monkeyboy]

Congrats!  great that it all worked out for you.  Pretty cool fitting experience.  

 

I got fitted for my Edel last year and could not be happier with it.  A good fitting is really eye opening as Edel seems to focus on elements other brands-fitters ignore, I love that almost everything can be customized to you - seems super simple, yet not many do this.

 

My putter ended up very similar in specs to my previous putter of @15 years, biggest changes were hosel config (no offset), top marks, backweighting shoved deeper down into the shaft vs my previous putter, and the round grip.

 

I feel so comfortable with mine - from day 1, and it has gotten better.  Stats show that I am saving roughly 3 strokes per round with the Edel putter.  I have had more numerous low # of putts per round with this putter too...had my career best last week of 25 putts in a round.

 

 

 

[mantan]

OP, not to put you on the spot, but do you still play this putter.  I was researching Edel fitting and found this thread. But didn't see the putter in your WITB signature.

 

I'm thinking about treating myself to an Edel fitting for a milestone birthday. Putting is the weakest part of my game and I've never been fit. But I'm pretty frugal and am wary of dropping $$$ for a putter unless I am confident it'll be in the bag for years....

 

 

[Jim53]

I am also interested if these are still in play,  interesting fitting system and local to me only Golftec does it so no real idea if they are up to the task.

[GBGolfingtons]

17 hours ago, Jim53 said:

I am also interested if these are still in play,  interesting fitting system and local to me only Golftec does it so no real idea if they are up to the task.

If it helps I still game mine. Such it gets dropped occasionally but to me 100% worth it. 
 

Other than learning aimpoint I’d say it the best ‘golf money’ I’ve ever spent. 
 

although I’d still prefer a 009.. 😎

[Jim53]

Thanks, 

I don't have the patience to learn aim point and frankly I think it looks silly for a hack like me to be doing such things. For a pro I guess it makes sense but even watching them or their caddies doing it looks silly to me.  I have missed putts with all the big brand putters and will most likely continue to miss them but I do want to see if I am fit correctly as an excuse to buy another putter.

 

I have a friend that does it and it is incredibly irritating to watch and wait for him to miss the putt anyway. 

 

The Edel method seems to make a lot of sense and for $95 not crazy expensive to learn something. I was willing to do the SIK fitting for $150 but those chumps don't need the Business evidently.

[Trouble_shooter]

On 9/16/2021 at 5:19 PM, Tupperwolf said:

Here are some more pics of the finished product.

 

 

 

Man, I got the 1.0 with 1 sight line up top, but that clean look with no lines looks so sweet. Nice stick bud.

[JungleJimbo]

On 4/26/2022 at 1:27 AM, mantan said:

OP, not to put you on the spot, but do you still play this putter.  I was researching Edel fitting and found this thread. But didn't see the putter in your WITB signature.

 

I'm thinking about treating myself to an Edel fitting for a milestone birthday. Putting is the weakest part of my game and I've never been fit. But I'm pretty frugal and am wary of dropping $$$ for a putter unless I am confident it'll be in the bag for years....

 

 

Also curious whether OP @Tupperwolf still plays this Edel putter ... or whether there's potentially a spring-cleaning good deal on that clean Edel 4.0 'fang' putter! 🤞😬🚫🤬

[Tupperwolf]

I still do have this putter in the bag!  I haven't been playing much golf since having a baby 7 months ago (and for the months before that when my wife was pregnant..) but nothing has kicked it out yet.  I have tried a couple of LABs, a few vintage Teardrops and Ansers, but I've gone back to the Edel every time as it lines up perfectly and just seems to work well - as one would hope as it was custom fit for me.

Edited April 9, 2023 by Tupperwolf

[J13]

On 4/9/2023 at 10:59 AM, Tupperwolf said:

I still do have this putter in the bag!  I haven't been playing much golf since having a baby 7 months ago (and for the months before that when my wife was pregnant..) but nothing has kicked it out yet.  I have tried a couple of LABs, a few vintage Teardrops and Ansers, but I've gone back to the Edel every time as it lines up perfectly and just seems to work well - as one would hope as it was custom fit for me.

Glad to hear it's still working well for you.  I also play the 4.0 and it's been the most consistent putter I've ever owned.  Not because its magic but because it was so customizable to my specific stroke.  

[5hort5tuff]

Always respected Edel for their focus on fittings. They pretty much offer anything you can imagine...except LH clubs 😢. 

 

 

[J13]

On 4/11/2023 at 7:03 PM, 5hort5tuff said:

Always respected Edel for their focus on fittings. They pretty much offer anything you can imagine...except LH clubs 😢. 

 

 

Yeah Id love to offer the new lines in lefty like the previous but it's tough at the size we are to justify right now. That's the truth no fluff.  In time we will add lefty options, just not sure when.

[5hort5tuff]

Appreciate the honesty. Us leftys already know the drill.