Play It or Practice

[Motoboss]

Hell All, new to the forum and had a question I thought I would get opinions on;

 

You purchase a new putter, do you put it directly in the bag and start playing rounds with it

or

Do you take it out to the putting green and practice for several hours/days before putting it in play? 
 

I have played an Odyssey Tri+Hot #3 for the past several years and recently bought a Ping Arana mallet, adjustable putter. They both have the same toe hang (60*), are the same length with the Ping being a bit heavier and I do like the look of it.

I had about an hour of practice with the Ping and have adjusted to the roll and lag very well so I put it in play and feel it was a less than desirable outing, several 3 putts and poor short distance accuracy. It’s close but juuuuuust not there yet.

 

Stay with it or spend more practice time before making it my gamer?

[vbb]

Put it into play.  Maybe get to the course early enough before your next round to spend 15 minutes on the practice green getting a feel, but I'd see what I can do with it under the pressure of a real round rather than grind away for hours upon hours before I hit the course.  This especially would be my decision if you have another putter that you intend to use for rounds in between practicing with the new one.

[golfpramparo]

I'd put it directly to play... 

(Unless I'm playing an important tournament/event, which I'm not doing these days...)

 

I get more feedback from real situations on the course than in the putting green. I found that I don't know how to "practice with purpose" in the putting green, so going straight to the golf course is the best way of knowing... But hey, that's me!

[Motoboss]

3 minutes ago, vbb said:

Put it into play.  Maybe get to the course early enough before your next round to spend 15 minutes on the practice green getting a feel, but I'd see what I can do with it under the pressure of a real round rather than grind away for hours upon hours before I hit the course.  This especially would be my decision if you have another putter that you intend to use for rounds in between practicing with the new one.

Yeah I was considering using my old faithful, the Odyssey but I want to make a “one or the other” decision. I don’t feel going back and forth is optimal.

Thanks

[Motoboss]

9 minutes ago, golfpramparo said:

I'd put it directly to play... 

(Unless I'm playing an important tournament/event, which I'm not doing these days...)

 

I get more feedback from real situations on the course than in the putting green. I found that I don't know how to "practice with purpose" in the putting green, so going straight to the golf course is the best way of knowing... But hey, that's me!

I agree with the practice with a purpose idea. I tend to end up kinda mindlessly hitting to the hole after a while which is no good.

 I usually arrive early enough to chip and putt but may need more time on the “putt” portion.

 I do like the idea of arriving early enough before a round to practice putting before playing to ingrain the “feel”, direction and speed.

Thanks

Edited October 24, 2021 by Motoboss

[golfpramparo]

2 minutes ago, Motoboss said:

I agree with the practice with a purpose idea. I tend to end up kinda mindlessly hitting to the hole after a while which is no good.

 I usually arrive early enough to chip and putt but may need more time on the “putt” portion.

 I do like the idea of arriving early enough before a round to practice putting before playing to ingrain the “feel”, direction and speed.

Thanks

 

One day a putter coach (who teaches professionals and aspiring professionals in Argentina) told me a good way to practice putters is to 'imagine real situations' in the putting green.

 

For example:

Hole 1 - Par 4 - 3rd shot in the green after a bunker shot, downhill 3 feet for par.

Hole 2 - Par 3 - 1st shot in the green, 10 feet for birdie.

Hole 3 - Par 5 - 2nd shot in the fringe, 15 feet for eagle

Hole 4 - etc etc

 

In the end you're playing 18 holes and looking at your final score.

Of course he created this situations for his players who then executed the shots.

 

It's a good way to practice with purpose... I hope it helps!

[uitar9]

Once I buy a club, I start using it. I've gone through all my buying paralysis shenanigans. It may leave my bag, but it usually stays quite a while.

[uitar9]

Putting practice...nothing over 9 feet.  (the pros make maybe 50%) A tee in the ground. 8 to ten strokes from NSE and W. Get a feel for speed and line that day. Then go play.

[NJBigFish22]

I would arrive at the course earlier than normal and practice with it.  If I was comfortable with the new putter, would put into play.  If I didn’t feel right I would put old putter in bag and then practice a bit more.  I don’t think the results from the first round should be the key in making the decision, other factors could be in play.

[SylvesterLundgren]

3 hours ago, uitar9 said:

Putting practice...nothing over 9 feet.  (the pros make maybe 50%) A tee in the ground. 8 to ten strokes from NSE and W. Get a feel for speed and line that day. Then go play.

To add to that

 

once you get a good figure of that routine 

another is to putt uphill and downhill. 
usually I’ll pick a hole that is situated where I can do both. 
When it’s been a while and I’m off with my speed or have misses. I’ll play the ones farthest from the hole and move to the ones closer to the hole. 
For me this is my way of keeping a realistic practice element. Because if I was faced with the predicament of “I gave a poor stroke” now, I have to work on getting the hole finished in “two strokes” 

this usually keeps my skills together, and I even do this to my chipping game. If I left some out then I’ll putt those first then the closest ones

[jdl]

Unless you're playing in some big money game, club championship, etc not sure why you wouldn't just start using it.

[Ghostwedge]

Put it in the bag and roll it.

Hell, I bought one at the turn once and used it.

[Motoboss]

So I see the trend and it makes sense. Put it in the bag, show up a bit early and roll some quality putts, go play.

 

I just always have anxiety about playing new equipment without preparation but hey, it’s possibly just a few added strokes.

I can live with that.

Edited October 25, 2021 by Motoboss

[bobfoster]

Hey - welcome to WRX! You certainly belong here. I don't know how many people played a round of golf in America today, but I'd bet 90% to 95% of them would have no clue what "toe hang" even means, or "arc to straight" vs. "arc to arc" hahahaha. This is the place for people that do know what it means.

 

As to your question - I think it depends. I've played an Anser-style for decades, and tend to keep putters for much longer than anything in my bag. But changing from a Newport 2 to a new edition of a Newport 2 only changes things in very subtle ways.

 

You, however, appear to be going from an Anser to a kind of mallet, so I imagine it may take a bit longer to get used to it. Whether you do that on a course or on a practice green probably depends largely on how long it takes you to make the adjustment.

 

There are basically two kinds of putter philosophies - with the extreme ends of the line being Tiger and Arnie. 

 

Tiger famously used the same Scotty for well over a decade - not just the same model, the same freaking putter for goodness sake. (Even when he signed the gigantic contract with Nike, it was with the understanding that he could keep playing his Scotty.)

 

Arnie is at the other end ... used something like a couple of thousand of putters during his career. In fact, he often switched putters in the middle of a single tournament. 

 

If you're on the Tiger  end of the spectrum, it would likely take a while to get used to a new putter. If you're an Arnie, you could probably pick up anything and be gaming it with all of a half hour practice on a putting green.

Edited October 25, 2021 by bobfoster

[Medson]

9 hours ago, jdl said:

Unless you're playing in some big money game, club championship, etc not sure why you wouldn't just start using it.

My thought exactly. 

[Motoboss]

Thanks bobfoster for the welcome and the analogy is dead on!
I have used an Anser style putter (actually a mid 70s Anser) for years and the Tri-Hot for the past 8 or so and dabbled with a mallet style occasionally, SeeMore, Zebra and now the Arana. I like the extra weight and higher moi but have never stayed with one long enough to become comfortable and confident, always going back to the Tri-Hot or Anser when I happen to three putt more than twice a round. I tend to stick with what works, my Ping irons are Eye2 1977 models and the only full set I have ever owned and currently waiting on a new set of G425 which will be the last set I own, so the new putter change is a big deal for me.

 

 I think I’ll lean more towards the Tiger route with a grip on Arni………..

[golfinbrad]

I usually sell my previous putter when I get a new one so no turning back.  Not sure that is good or bad, but don't like having too many putters in the rotation.  

[Pepperturbo]

A new putter is no different from new irons or wedges, put them in play immediately.  However, there's a qualifier for me; I'd never put any new equipment in the bag if I am about to play in a tournament or a game where $$$ is at stake. 

[Motoboss]

Well playing today I had an unprecedented round, 6 three putts! I don’t mean just run of the mill three putts but lags short by 15 feet, run past the hole 8 feet and several missed 3 and 4 foot par putts and turned birdie attempts into bogey. I was ready to toss the new putter in the lake on 17 but managed a 12 foot birdie on 18 so brought it home.

 

I came home and put the old Tri-Hot back in the bag but now have been reconsidering. I’m just lost………….. I’m trashing rounds like a bad habit, which I’m becoming afraid of. Putting has always been one of my strong suits but with the new putter it’s become worse than my chipping!

[bobfoster]

11 minutes ago, Motoboss said:

Well playing today I had an unprecedented round, 6 three putts! I don’t mean just run of the mill three putts but lags short by 15 feet, run past the hole 8 feet and several missed 3 and 4 foot par putts and turned birdie attempts into bogey. I was ready to toss the new putter in the lake on 17 but managed a 12 foot birdie on 18 so brought it home.

 

I came home and put the old Tri-Hot back in the bag but now have been reconsidering. I’m just lost………….. I’m trashing rounds like a bad habit, which I’m becoming afraid of. Putting has always been one of my strong suits but with the new putter it’s become worse than my chipping!

I tried going from an Anser to a mallet for a little while. Same thing happened. Got better after a lot of practice, but I never got that puppy completely under control. After awhile I was just like, why am I putting so much flipping effort into trying to get as good with a mallet as I already was with an Anser? I do try all sorts of equipment, just to see if it will improve my scores, but busting my butt just to break even doesn't make much sense. 

[Motoboss]

36 minutes ago, bobfoster said:

I tried going from an Anser to a mallet for a little while. Same thing happened. Got better after a lot of practice, but I never got that puppy completely under control. After awhile I was just like, why am I putting so much flipping effort into trying to get as good with a mallet as I already was with an Anser? I do try all sorts of equipment, just to see if it will improve my scores, but busting my butt just to break even doesn't make much sense. 

I totally agree! I used my old Anser when the Tri-Hot goes cold and a few others in and out of the bag every now and then. But today, wheew!!!
I thought why am I torturing myself?! 

 

We only, possibly, have a few more rounds left the year before it gets too cold so I think I’m shelving the new Arana and sticking with what works.

Practice over the winter and reassess this Spring.

 

Or live in misery the rest of the year 😉

[nitram]

Why were you buying a new putter in the first place??

 

In most instances it's because the previous one was not providing you with the desired or expected results. So if you've done due diligence in selecting the replacement, take it to the practice green for a half hour or so for a real life introduction and then put it in the bag and go play.

[philly2kuk]

Play it. My t22 has been in since purchase bar a few rounds where I tried the spider x. It wasn’t out long. You can practice all you want but nothing beats trying it when the pressures on.

[jomatty]

Put it in play.  And if it misbehaves, buy another and put it into play.  Rinse and repeat ad nauseam.  Eventually there will be putters all over your house and you can grab one of them occasionally to keep from having to buy another new one.

[beaney]

15 hours ago, jomatty said:

Put it in play.  And if it misbehaves, buy another and put it into play.  Rinse and repeat ad nauseam.  Eventually there will be putters all over your house and you can grab one of them occasionally to keep from having to buy another new one.

Agree with this. I think you can get comfortable with anything on a practice green, but it’s only on the course that you’ll truly know if it’s right. 
 

I’ll normally know after one round whether I like a putter or not (often it’s after a few holes) - if it’s not working, sell it and start again!

[shart6]

In general a putter goes straight in the bag with a similar pre round routine. But I generally use a 8802 style blade or an Anser style so little difference in general appearance.

[k__e_n]

On 10/28/2021 at 11:30 AM, nitram said:

Why were you buying a new putter in the first place??

 

In most instances it's because the previous one was not providing you with the desired or expected results. So if you've done due diligence in selecting the replacement, take it to the practice green for a half hour or so for a real life introduction and then put it in the bag and go play.

 

My thought exactly. New equipment is usually an attempt to correct an issue (at least a perceived issue) with current equipment.

[Motoboss]

21 hours ago, k__e_n said:

 

My thought exactly. New equipment is usually an attempt to correct an issue (at least a perceived issue) with current equipment.

 

I bought the new putter trying to improve. I have played the same irons for 30 years and just recently was fitted for new G425”s. Should I have not?
 

I’m a decent enough putter but wanted to try a mallet style, plain and simple. Are you telling me you’re never bought any new golf equipment?

 

Buying new golf equipment needs no justification, just check the billions of dollar impact in the industry.

Edited October 30, 2021 by Motoboss

[k__e_n]

On 10/30/2021 at 9:40 AM, Motoboss said:

 

I bought the new putter trying to improve. I have played the same irons for 30 years and just recently was fitted for new G425”s. Should I have not?
 

I’m a decent enough putter but wanted to try a mallet style, plain and simple. Are you telling me you’re never bought any new golf equipment?

 

Buying new golf equipment needs no justification, just check the billions of dollar impact in the industry.

 

My intent was to say that if I buy something it goes in the bag immediately. I don't have some weird golf club purgatory for new equipment.

[Motoboss]

Well I’ve determined it’s “more practice/store it/sell it) with the new putter!

It’s not so much the mallet design thats killing me, it’s the insert. The Ping Sigma Series putters have a “dual insert” supposedly giving a soft feel on short puts and a firmer backing insert for longer putts. My Arana doesn’t know the difference!

Some 8 foot putts roll 5 feet and some 15. I normally have a very good feel and distance control when putting with my Tri-Hot #3 and I believe it’s due to consistent firmness of the insert.

 

After 3 putting on 8 greens the last round with the Arana it was the final straw. I played a current round yesterday and had 1 three putt, mainly due to a poor strike on an uphill green with the Odyssey, otherwise it was all two putts or better.

 

 

Test Concluded………….