Has new gear ever improved you short game?

[manima1]

The Vokey D-grind 60 has been a game changer out of the bunker for me, it's automatic and has definitely saved many strokes both in bunkers and tough shots around the green.

 

My TM Spider Tour X putter is the best I've ever used, improved distance control and very forgiving - definitely gets me closer consistently than anything I've used previously.

[puttingmatt]

My results around the green have been better since placing the Cleveland 58* full face rtx in the bag. Have had  more predictable shots from various green side lies. Very satisfied with the purchase. Its extremely versatile, especially when using the bounce

 

Also have made a putter change this year to the Mizuno m craft 3. 

Very nice feel and distance control , very satisfied. Impressive putter. 

 

Both these additions have enhanced my game on the course, and I would recommend either of these clubs for anyone considering wedges or putters.

 

These additions have saved more pars by enabling me to place the ball closer to the pin, this has saved strokes in my game.

Edited October 7, 2021 by puttingmatt

[Davidv]

A new Bettinardi Queen B6 has done wonders for me on the green. I would confidently say an easy 2 strokes per round which is significant.

[chal0072]

Blade style putter. All these years wasting my time with “forgiving” mallet putters. 

[evoviiiyou]

PXG 0311 Forged with PXIO 6.0 have been just amazing in giving me similar distances to my former T20 wedges PXLZ 6.0 same loft but a bit more bounce. The flight looks like an addition of 20%+ and has helped my proximity to the whole 110yards and in this season. Lastly, the sand and turf interaction is much improved. 

[hartonjok]

This year, my putting improved tremendously after buying a putting mirror. Seriously. That baby is worth more than any of the putters I have in my garage

[Phabs]

Fresh wedge grooves… Yes

Stability putter shafts… Absolutely 

Having putter specs verified yearly…. Yes

Doing a wedge gap fitting…. Yes

 

Out of the 4 , 2 and 3 have made the biggest difference for me.   I averaged just under 30 putts per round for the first time since college. 

 

[Spongerob]

Question for you Phabs... What did the stability shaft do for you? Did it improve starting line, distance control or both?

[Phabs]

3 minutes ago, Spongerob said:

Question for you Phabs... What did the stability shaft do for you? Did it improve starting line, distance control or both?

Both for me.  
 

Putts hold their line longer and once I got accustomed to the feel my distance control has been above average.  
 

On quintic the shaft made an immediate beneficial difference in the ball characteristics.  

[clm18958]

On 10/4/2021 at 3:29 PM, RobS said:

If not for the groove rule and availability, I'd still be playing Cleveland 588 RTG's.  I currently play Callaway MD5's and think they're great but I still prefer the 588's.  I guess there's only so much that can be done with a traditional wedge designs.  My favorite putter is still a bronze Scottsdale Anser although I have been putting with a counterbalanced Odyssey Tank 7 this season to see if all of that extra stability offers any measurable advantage.  I like the putter but the jury is still out.  

 

For the OP, you won't find a lasting solution exclusively in the putter rack.  Putting is a relative strength of my game and has been for most of the 35+ years I've played.  I, however, totally lost my putting 15 or so years ago.  I read Utley's book, the Art of Putting, and decided to fully commit to it.  I got my putter fit to the stroke I was working on and just worked at it.  I'm not saying that Utley is your answer, but I believe that you need to settle on a basic technique, get a putter that fits you and the technique and just grind it out.  Many struggling putters can't break out of it long term because they just keep throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks....putters, grips, posture, stroke, etc.  You see that all the way up to the PGA Tour.  The best putters however all stick to a consistent combination of technique and equipment.  The specifics vary from player to player as there are many ways to get the ball in the hole but they all perfect their own way.

I would pay A LOT of money for a re-release of the 588 RTG or CG12 DSG. How/why they haven't yet is crazy.... Even with all the grinds out there and the 12 wedges I've tried to replicate it with nothing matches up. 

Edited October 6, 2021 by clm18958

[Milfordlefty]

Yes, Cleveland Smart Sole sand wedge. I know I am getting out of a bunker now. Plus great for a high, soft landing shot to a green over an obstruction (hill, knob, bunker, creek, etc.) from the rough.

[Jackal66]

My wife and Son bought me some MD5 Cally wedges  last Christmas.

My old  ones were Cleveland from around 2014?????

I've  never owned new wedges.

I hit several types at the pro shop.

These  MD5s felt and performed great.

When they came in my game changed a lot.

I was trying to flip at impact to make the old worn clubs stick the ball.

The new wedges made look better than I was.

  At first  there  were little white strips of ball in the grooves after I would hit.

These  improved  my game, but because my old wedges were worn.

Probably any wedge that felt  good would have helped  me.

Edited October 6, 2021 by Jackal66

[Pepperturbo]

Over all the years playing this crazy game, my wedge game has been the best part; because since the beginning, I have practiced in my office at least 3 to 5 days every week.   The best 1018 wedges that I played for fifteen years are no longer made, so I suppose I have settled for 2016 SM6 Vokey's, and make them work.

 

From the beginning had at least ten putters in play, but "1" actually improved my putting.  In 2011, I used an online putter fitting app, and learned a differently configured putter would better suite my mechanics.  Therefore, I bought a tour weighted SC Monterey Putter and since make longer putts, and more of them.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jifmoli]

For me putter weight is key. I tried a different putter for a while that came with a bag I bought off a mate who was leaving the country. Boy, was my putting bad for a few weeks (I liked the look of it so kept trying...). Moment I switched back to a heavier one it was all good. I have blade and a mallet putters - don't care what shape it is.

 

With regards to wedges - I hope so! I just ordered 3 RTX full face wedges - 52o, 54o, and 58o.... I can imagine bounce making a big difference: my 56o/12 wedge I cannot get out of the bunkers here but my 60o/8 one just fine. Just can't seem to get under it with the 56o. Wrong bounce means trouble I guess.

[vtpachyderm]

Answering the OP - absolutely yes, a new putter this year has improved my score/game tremendously. I had been playing with a #9 type head forever as I just felt comfortable with it, and had tried a few anser/blade type putters but just couldn't feel comfortable looking down on them. Worked on my stroke, alignment etc etc stubbornly, and then this year I thought what the hell - and bought an Odyssey Bird of Prey (purely for the Star Trek reference, as I was not convinced about mallets).

 

Let's just say, I'm kicking myself over why I hadn't switched to this type before. The sight line and consistent roll off the face has helped me be way more confident on the greens, and the last two rounds of the season, shot two of my lowest rounds (+6 and +8) with not a single 3 putt, and me holing out more than an average share of putts outside of 5 feet. Strokes lost on both rounds were OB off the tee, and bunker play. Basically, now once on the green, I'm confidently thinking 2 putt, or a make-able 1 putt depending on the distance. Handicap has dropped from a 10 at the start of the season to my current 7 (7.2).

 

Now seriously considering getting a second Bird of Prey as a backup 🤦🏽‍♂️if I can find one here in Norway.

 

[Righty to Lefty]

C3i and Smart Sole wedges...the thicker sole and the more bounce the merrier for me.  I wasn't expecting them to work so well but they were game changer for my style of short game.  I've had a Two Ball tank putter in the bag for years and haven't ever putted with a putter that works better for me and I will have that putter for the rest of my golfing days. Even when I'm not putting well I know it isn't "her" fault because I have made so many putts with it.  

[Bunkersarebigcups]

The DF 2.1 from @labgolf shaved around 5 strokes off my handicap this season. To be honest, it's probably more than that, as my ballstriking went down south in the mean time.

 

Truth be told, I am not sure how much is the putter and how much is the fit, as I have used my previous putter for 12 years and never got fit for it. I am a big believer in the technology though and think it plays a BIG role.

I also see a big difference in wedge shafts, I particularly do not like the KBS High Rev for full shots but love it around the greens

[bnperrone]

Doing a putter fitting was a revelation. Turns out I’m 100% suited to a face-balanced putter type. After that there has been some work in dialing in exact weight and feel, but everything face-balanced does dramatically better than anything that isn’t. 

 

The other major improvement due to equipment was realizing lie angle on my lob wedge needed adjustment. All the sole wear was towards the heel, so we flattened it and a club that was already one of my favorites became even better.

 

Buying and trying is tempting, but working with somebody to figure it out once and for all is far more productive for me. Don’t get me wrong, I had to buy and try plenty to learn that and I still need to remind myself.

[uglande]

Yes, but no so much the gear, more the characteristics of the gear.

 

I had always played Vokey wedges but never with more than about 8 degrees of bounce. I finally got accustomed to using the bounce with my chipping, and using a more traditional technique in the bunkers, and my short game this year is on fire. 

 

Vokey SM8 with 54 and 60 -- both in the D grind with 12 degrees of bounce. Game changer. 

[memberguest]

I am also a tinkerer and have bought and tinkered with many putters over the years (still looking to a buy a Toulon A7 weight if anyone has one to sell). 

 

I agree with several of the other comments here that a putter fitting can be an easy quick game changer. Also because putting stroke is unique and more based on feel and what's natural, I think a putter fitting can be quite effective even for very beginners (compared to iron or driver fitting where a newbie's swing might not be consistent enough for a fitting). Length is a big reason for a fitting - many folks playing the wrong length putter. 

 

You can definitely find a putter that fits your stroke and eye preferences best. But I also think with enough practice time, one can learn to put very well with any putter style. Seriously. It would involve changing mechanics and compensating for what might feel natural at first, but I think one can become a world class at putting with any flat stick and enough practice. 

 

Putting rules I made up 2 minutes ago: 

 

1) Go with a milled steel face putter not an insert putter. Those inserts have durability questions and the manufacturers seem to change the insert material and design every few years, so if you get used to the feeling of one insert and then need to replace it one day, you may not be able to find an insert that feels and rolls the same way.

 

2) First learn to putt straight. Then learn to aim. Then learn to control distance. Then learn to read greens. In that order. Learning to putt straight can be done at home on a putting mat. Distance and green reading requires going outside.

 

2.b) Short puts (approximately <9 feet) and lag puts are two different things entirely. Try to make both of course, but practice them as separate skills. Be prepared for your ability to putt straight to falter as you work on longer distance control and vice versa. Eventually these two things need to work together but it takes practice for one to not screw up feel in the other.

 

3) A lot of people are actually much better putters than they realize. But they putt on poorly maintained muni greens. And they are rushed in their green reading and putt setup routine by pace of play. Dont be too hard on yourself if not putting well on the course. 

 

4) Clean your balls. Mark your ball. pick it up. Clean it. Either way pick it up and put it back down so its sitting on the green properly. 

 

I have more. but this is a start

 

 

[GHIN n Juice]

I’ve made 2 changes that really improved my short game.  1) I moved away from Vokey wedges, SM5s to be exact.  These were the most unpredictable wedges I ever played.  I’ve been playing Cleveland’s since and have much more predictable spin/ roll. 2) I moved to a face balanced 350g putter from a blade style 330g.  Much easier to get the ball rolling on my intended line and my distance control vastly improved.

[iNeedMoreGolf]

Callaway pm grind 2.0... im never stuck in a bunker now... also certain wedges can help or hinder your long or short approach game...