Friend got fit, needs a cheaper option

[Myherobobhope]

My friend got fit, and they put him in a Scotty Phantom X 5. He doesn’t have $420 to drop on a putter immediately, but wants something in the interim… 

 

what should he look at?

 

specs were 36 inches long, 3 degrees of loft and 72 lie. Sam data attached.

 

thanks!

Mendonca, Ken_001_compare players.pdf

[ckay]

What’s the budget?  You can find an older 5 for around $300. Or any of Odyssey’s 7 models for essentially any price range. 

[Myherobobhope]

23 minutes ago, ckay said:

What’s the budget?  You can find an older 5 for around $300. Or any of Odyssey’s 7 models for essentially any price range. 

$150 ish… yeah, I should find him an old 7, i think.

[roundersmitty]

Gotta invest in a putter that fits....an investment that could be many years of enjoyment.  I would sell a few pints of blood if i had too (or other stuff lying around the house that im not using)

[Abh159]

Why pay for a fitting if you know you can't afford the suggested results? By the time he saves up enough to buy the putter there is a chance it might not even be the best one for him anymore.

 

Doesn't make any sense to me...

 

He could always buy a fake X 5 from Asia if he really wanted to go that route.

[Nixhex524]

I have never been fit for a putter before so I can't speak as an expert but I do not see anywhere on the data where it states anything about weight.  I would think that this is a huge piece of the puzzle.  IDK, if this particular putter could be a game changer, I might spring for it.  It's one of those clubs that will/could last a lifetime and unless he steps in sh*t buying something else, it's likely to be a failed experiment.  I am a believer in total weight and swing weight being pretty crucial, especially with putters.  I would have him check with the fitter on any of that info before going another route at the very least.  Unless I am missing something.

[Phabs]

If the recommended a face balanced mallet there’s plenty of them available.  I’d be looking at Cleveland 11’s in that price range.  

[PixlPutterman]

Odyssey 7 - There is a Cleveland in that shape - Ping Tyne also

[jomatty]

1 hour ago, Abh159 said:

Why pay for a fitting if you know you can't afford the suggested results? By the time he saves up enough to buy the putter there is a chance it might not even be the best one for him anymore.

 

Doesn't make any sense to me...

 

He could always buy a fake X 5 from Asia if he really wanted to go that route.

Why would the putter not fit him later?  Some things may change but the basics of ones stroke should not.  If someone thinks that their stroke may change that much it wouldn’t make sense to ever get fit.

[Mustard_Tiger]

1 hour ago, Abh159 said:

Why pay for a fitting if you know you can't afford the suggested results? By the time he saves up enough to buy the putter there is a chance it might not even be the best one for him anymore.

 

 

 

No one needs a $420 putter. As demonstrated by this thread, there are many options that have the characteristics of this overpriced Scotty Cameron.

[Fairway14]

24 minutes ago, Nixhex524 said:

I have never been fit for a putter before so I can't speak as an expert but I do not see anywhere on the data where it states anything about weight.  I would think that this is a huge piece of the puzzle.

Major OEM putter makers currently only produce heavy head (average 350 grams) putters, so fitting shops are limited to that inventory. It may be possible to use 5 gram weights and get some of the current Cameron heads down to 330 grams (which is still a relatively heavy head putter).

An honest fitting should include putter heads of 300, 310, 320 grams, but those head weights are no longer produced.

[MattM97]

Report says your friend was using a X5.5 not a X5 unless that was an error? 

 

Regardless of that I'd probably suggest the Cleveland Elvado putter. The Frontline is closer to the Phantom and just dicking around at golf stores I always preferred this over the Phantom putters, if he wants softer there is the Premier line and it's cheaper. But the Frontline ones can be had for under $200, there is one on eBay for $150 for tax plus shipping but it's 36" and just bend it at a shop. He may be in it $200 but still saving $220+tax. 

[darkhelmet]

This is probably the closest fit in that price range -- any off-the-rack putter will have to be extended and bent a couple degrees upright to get to 36" and 72^o.

 

https://www.clevelandgolf.com/en/putters-/huntington-beach-soft-premier-11-putter/MHBSP11.html

[Abh159]

16 minutes ago, jomatty said:

Why would the putter not fit him later?  Some things may change but the basics of ones stroke should not.  If someone thinks that their stroke may change that much it wouldn’t make sense to ever get fit.

 

Depends on how long it is between the time he is fit and the time he can buy the putter. If it's 2 months then no big deal, but if its a year then yes his stroke could definitely change. Maybe during that time he realizes he putts better crosshanded or by using a claw grip, and that changes his mechanics.

 

I'm just saying it doesn't really make sense to me to do a club fitting knowing that you won't be utilizing the results from that fitting for a period of time. 

 

That being said I do understand and admit that it's less likely for someone to have an issue with waiting following a putter fitting compared to a driver or iron fitting.

[shart6]

41 minutes ago, jomatty said:

Why would the putter not fit him later?  Some things may change but the basics of ones stroke should not.  If someone thinks that their stroke may change that much it wouldn’t make sense to ever get fit.

 

I had a great putter fitting at Hot Stix a few years back. For my setup up to that time. A setup change in my swing about a month ago meant doing the same thing with my hips and legs for all shots including putting. I will get another fitting to match the setp but bending from hip more suddenly made one of the crticisms of my stoke make sense and explain why I had to work so hard in the past to not hit putts slightly thin.

[Myherobobhope]

1 hour ago, MattM97 said:

Report says your friend was using a X5.5 not a X5 unless that was an error? 

 

Regardless of that I'd probably suggest the Cleveland Elvado putter. The Frontline is closer to the Phantom and just dicking around at golf stores I always preferred this over the Phantom putters, if he wants softer there is the Premier line and it's cheaper. But the Frontline ones can be had for under $200, there is one on eBay for $150 for tax plus shipping but it's 36" and just bend it at a shop. He may be in it $200 but still saving $220+tax. 

Weird... The fitting "sheet" he showed me (I didn't share it because it was basically just the info I posted) had Phantom X 5... I'll tell him to check out the Elvado, though... thanks!

[MattM97]

2 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

Weird... The fitting "sheet" he showed me (I didn't share it because it was basically just the info I posted) had Phantom X 5... I'll tell him to check out the Elvado, though... thanks!

 

Just double checking that, but the Elvado has a double bend and a slant neck option if he's RH so just buy the same one. It's the closest shape except for the inside of the fangs, Scotty kinda has a unique shape but shouldn't be that big of a difference in the end. 

[roundersmitty]

2 hours ago, Mustard_Tiger said:

 

No one needs a $420 putter.

Here we don’t  need “a” $420 putter…..some of us require several putters worth more that $420 to be content….

[MattM97]

8 minutes ago, roundersmitty said:

Here we don’t  need “a” $420 putter…..some of us require several putters worth more that $420 to be content….

 

My collection determines that's the truth

 

[scott406]

Check out Sub 70

 

[Myherobobhope]

3 hours ago, scott406 said:

Check out Sub 70

 

I think it's not face balanced... that was our first stop... Either that or they are out of the double bend shaft... I don't remember the exact issue.

[ckay]

6 hours ago, MattM97 said:

 

My collection determines that's the truth

 

🍻 

[TiScape]

12 hours ago, Mustard_Tiger said:

 

No one needs a $420 putter. As demonstrated by this thread, there are many options that have the characteristics of this overpriced Scotty Cameron.

Says the guy that owns the putter below! 🤣

[tacticalpanda]

Some values in that SAM report are much better than his gamer, but others would have me thinking twice about spending a bunch of money on a new putter - especially if he doesn't feel like he can afford it today.

 

Impact location and face control are two of the most important fitting parameters in putting, if I were him I'd keep looking before dropping that much coin.

[MattM97]

8 hours ago, TiScape said:

Says the guy that owns the putter below! 🤣

 

[Dpavs]

A budget option might be the Tommy Armour Impact No. 3 Align Putter... it has the same basic shape and spec wise it appears to match the Scotty at 35", 70* lie and 3* of loft. New cost = $129.00 but goes on sale at times at $99.

[Mustard_Tiger]

2 hours ago, MattM97 said:

 

 

 

Bought tour Scotty Cameron for $1,700--have gamed it for 4 years. Could sell it now for $5,000. So yes, I'm satisfied with my purchase.

 

It's overpriced but I'm gaining more equity in my putter than any conventional investment I have.

 

By the way, I said no one needs a $420 putter. That's true. I putt just as well with my Never Compromise Royal that I purchased used for $125.

[MattM97]

6 minutes ago, Mustard_Tiger said:

 

 

Bought tour Scotty Cameron for $1,700--have gamed it for 4 years. Could sell it now for $5,000. So yes, I'm satisfied with my purchase.

 

It's overpriced but I'm gaining more equity in my putter than any conventional investment I have.

 

By the way, I said no one needs a $420 putter. That's true. I putt just as well with my Never Compromise Royal that I purchased used for $125.

 

It's just a joke, don't need to defend yourself.

[Mustard_Tiger]

41 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

 

It's just a joke, don't need to defend yourself.

 

 

I did wonder if someone would connect the dots. They did!  🙂

Edited December 7, 2021 by Mustard_Tiger

[m_w]

I'll never understand how people can go for fittings and not discuss their budget ahead of time. I could never play golf with something that I know is not what I ideally would be playing.