Putter Fitting?

[mtnbiker5]

I went through a putter fitting at Club Champion few years ago.  After the session in a nutshell was told I should be playing a Blade style putter rather than my current Mallet.  I've customized my Mallet over the years, still like it a lot but man, everytime I miss putts its always been in the back of my mind since the fitting that maybe I should change over to a Blade style putter.  Plays with my mind.    lol.  Recently demo'd some Bettinardi putters and was wow'd by the look and more importantly feel over my currently Scotty.   My question(s) are this.  Have any of you gone through an actual putter fitting like through CC or other places, made a change over from Mallet to Blade or vice versa, because of what they told you in the fitting,  came out of the whole thing and said yeah, it made a significant difference?  For the life of me, I simply cannot figure out which style putter I really should be playing and am curious to know, although maybe a dumb question, how the heck do you really know?  How many more times does the ball go into the hole for you I guess.  Thanks.  

Edited January 9, 2022 by mtnbiker5

[Hawkeye77]

You paid for a fitting, got recommendations and then ignored them . . . for years?  Haha, I've done that.  Don't do that.

 

No fitting involved, but I got caught up in the LAB putter hype when it first came out and went through two iterations of it.  I liked them a lot, but eventually found that issues with longer putts and speed, for me, were an issue.  Picked up a used Callaway "fang" style mallet in a golf shop and loved it and used it for a few years, but when I picked up a couple of the blade putters I had at home last winter I realized I needed a little more "hit" in my stroke and went to the extreme of having LaMont make me another putter which is a blade style and has turned out to be the best putter I've ever had (it was the first putter he made for me I was stupid to abandon in the first place, and it is still great).  Golfers are fickle.

 

So for me, yes, it made a significant difference and I don't see going away from a blade style ever again. 

 

Blade style fits the way I want to putt better than a mallet.  I don't think putter fitting is rocket science in terms of length and lie angle, at least I think it is easy to see in a mirror when I set up properly whether those are correct.  Now, head weight and shaft are different kettles of fish, or so I believe now. I experimented with a slightly "livelier" shaft and a slightly lighter head weight and love the change, but maybe I've talked myself into that, lol. But, the first shaft LaMont sent with my putter to try wasn't right for me and I could feel it and I sent it back and he knew just what I needed based on the feedback and within a few days he had a different shaft installed and back to me, and it was perfect.  He knows his stuff. Listening to someone say yesterday that Faxon and Utley like a little "pop" or "hit" in the stroke (not literally meaning a pop stroke) had me agreeing!  With my mallet it seemed like the ball was just along for the ride during the stroke, or at least I got to that point, and wasn't working and I was having issues on short putts, 3-5 feet, and the change has really helped with those, but also with speed control on long putts.  Still miss my share, lol, but do okay for someone who despises practicing putting.

 

Sorry for the long post, maybe something resonates, maybe not, but I think style of putter can make a big difference.  

 

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by Hawkeye77

[mtnbiker5]

Lol. That actually was quite good thanks.  The putter fitting was all bundled into everything I was doing w them at the time.  This is probably a really stupid question though but in all seriousness, other than a putter fitting, how can u tell if u should be playing a blade style or mallet style when demoing putters?   It’s crazy.  You can goto golf galaxy or pga superstore, try demo all the latest and greatest they have out.  This feels good, this looks good, oh look at these, they’re locked up in a glass cabinet so they must REALLY be good!   When I hit them they all look and feel somewhat good.   It’s mind blowing when you think about it.  Before I spend serious coin on a new putter I’m trying to see if I’m missing something here.  Do u guys just test and demo and just narrow down to how many balls are you putting in the cup in a store over the other?   🤔

Edited January 9, 2022 by mtnbiker5

[Forged5]

Lucky for me the guys at TXG are 20 minutes away. Had a putter fitting with both my current at the time and a new QB. 

First thing they said was the putters both "fit me". Gather that means for my natural set up and stroke these two putters suit me and don't flow against me. 

But they did give me a couple of suggestions as to my stroke technique and then adjusted my new putter for lie, length, loft.

 

Have never putted better. Had it in the bag for two seasons now. Nuff said. HCP has gone down at 60!

Example. Dropped a 30 foot snake for birdie on 18 for my first ever sub 70 (69) round last year. 🙂

 

The good fitters are experts and their advice should be adhered to until proven otherwise. IMO.

FORE!

Edited January 9, 2022 by Forged5

[MattM97]

I got sucked into the "if you can't putt you should use a mallet" so I got one and got worse. Then decided to do a putter fitting but specifically an Edel fitting because of how unique they are and figured if they can't build a putter I can putt with I need some serious help.

 

I go through the initial fitting and fitter starts with the blade and said we'll adjust as we go on and in like 3 or 4 adjustments he goes "Ok a blade works best for you." I go with "Not a mallet? Why a blade?" then he explains I can't aim a mallet or my mallet well so no matter how forgiving and technology is in that putter if I can't aim it I can't get the ball into the hole. Proceeds to show me again and a spotlight basically goes off above my head.

 

Since then I've used blades, I've tried some mallets and they just don't work because I can't seem to aim them well.

[LoopySwing13]

I have always used a blade and got fit for one, then recently went to a mallet for the last 6 months and it has been great. I suppose I am in the lucky/rare breed where going against conventional wisdom worked, but I just re-added a blade to the stable, so see how it goes once it warms up again.

 

I worked as a club fitter for 5+ years and as much as I 1000% value a good fitting (especially putter), at the end of the day there is a bit more mental to it. If you don’t like what you see when you look down, it will weigh on you. Find what works and what you feel comfortable with and stick to it. After my fit, I found just making a repeatable stroke with a putter I loved trumped all. 

[bsuwara]

Question:

 

isn’t the most important thing to determine is whether you need a face balanced putter vs toe hang?

 

Once you determine that would the mallet vs blade then come down to visual preference, feel, etc?

[Gohigh]

I wish my putting was consistent enough to take advantage of a fitting...

 

It feels like I would need about 4 fitting sessions throughout the year, so that with each phase of my putting, I have a putter which would fit me for that phase. My putter choice philosophy has been 'ride it while its hot' so I typically have about 2-4 putters in rotation at any given moment. Couple mallets, one heel shafted, and one blade. Still came out cheaper than 4x putter fitting sessions since I took advantage of BST!

 

And the course! I play such wide range of courses that I couldnt possibly use my 12 stimp home course putter when I go play other courses which is half as fast.

 

 

[mtnbiker5]

Thanks guys.  Helpful.  Gotta love this game.  👍🏻

[jak77]

On 1/9/2022 at 9:09 AM, Hawkeye77 said:

You paid for a fitting, got recommendations and then ignored them . . . for years?  Haha, I've done that.  Don't do that.

 

 

This made me laugh because that's exactly what I was thinking.

 

I recently went through a putter fitting that kind of blew my mind.  Blade player for the last 6 years and I told the fitter at the beginning he would have to explicitly show me a mallet would be better for my game for me to switch.  Every time previous to that when I picked up a mallet or rolled one at GG I just hated them.  Pretty quickly in the fitting he said I need face balanced and then did a really good job of showing me why (also used Quintic).  Anyway, I was blown away.  Immediately purchased the putter we settled on and then had my best putting round in a very long time.  We'll see if it holds up but I've been impressed so far.  

[rlb4]

On 1/9/2022 at 12:04 PM, MattM97 said:

I got sucked into the "if you can't putt you should use a mallet" so I got one and got worse. Then decided to do a putter fitting but specifically an Edel fitting because of how unique they are and figured if they can't build a putter I can putt with I need some serious help.

 

I go through the initial fitting and fitter starts with the blade and said we'll adjust as we go on and in like 3 or 4 adjustments he goes "Ok a blade works best for you." I go with "Not a mallet? Why a blade?" then he explains I can't aim a mallet or my mallet well so no matter how forgiving and technology is in that putter if I can't aim it I can't get the ball into the hole. Proceeds to show me again and a spotlight basically goes off above my head.

 

Since then I've used blades, I've tried some mallets and they just don't work because I can't seem to aim them well.

So did you get the Edel putter you were fit for? Are you still using it? I'm very interested in their fitting philosophy as it just seems to make sense.

[MattM97]

50 minutes ago, rlb4 said:

So did you get the Edel putter you were fit for? Are you still using it? I'm very interested in their fitting philosophy as it just seems to make sense.

 

I did buy the putter, I used it for about a season and a half but moved onto other putters. I still have just were a few things that were off to me but that was part putter and part user. 

 

Basically I felt like there was too much weight in the handle and after a refitting that was true and we removed some weight in the handle. That helped but then I wasn't too fond of the feel and just wanted to try something else. I actually picked it up and rolled like 50 putts this weekend with it and kinda enjoyed it. My putting has improved so the consistent stroke is leading to better feel, still feel too much weight in the handle so going to remove the internal weight and put on a 80-120g grip to keep that counter balance but not as heavy as the 150g in the handle now. 

 

The fitting is definitely interesting, it's simple to see for the person being fit the difference. You probably won't find a putter you aim better but they do lack in feel at least the previous model did the new EAS looks better. I believe @Tupperwolf has one of the new ones and can chime in feel wise on the new Edels. 

[dlow206]

On 1/9/2022 at 9:04 AM, MattM97 said:

I got sucked into the "if you can't putt you should use a mallet" so I got one and got worse. Then decided to do a putter fitting but specifically an Edel fitting because of how unique they are and figured if they can't build a putter I can putt with I need some serious help.

 

I go through the initial fitting and fitter starts with the blade and said we'll adjust as we go on and in like 3 or 4 adjustments he goes "Ok a blade works best for you." I go with "Not a mallet? Why a blade?" then he explains I can't aim a mallet or my mallet well so no matter how forgiving and technology is in that putter if I can't aim it I can't get the ball into the hole. Proceeds to show me again and a spotlight basically goes off above my head.

 

Since then I've used blades, I've tried some mallets and they just don't work because I can't seem to aim them well.

 

I got caught up in the use a mallet if you are a high handicapper or you can't putt. And to add on to that, i thought i needed a face balanced putter. I do have a White Hot OG blade though that I have recently been messing around with.

 

Went to a Club Champion fitting last week and the SAM spit out that i can use a blade or mallet and that i should use a face balanced putter even though i have a very strong arc. The fitter explained why theoretically that might work (i.e. why SAM spit that out) but said that may not actually be the case. During the fitting, we found that putters with some toe hang work best, at least 30 degrees to 45 degrees. The SAM had said face balanced because the face was open to path, but the fitter thought that was happening because of the grip that i was using (P2 grip which is very thick from front to back). He thought that if i had used a more standard grip, that the face wouldn't have been as open and the SAM would have then recommended some toe hang.

 

To conclude, we found that with some minor adjustments, the White Hot OG blade was a very good fit, and a Bettinardi QB 11 (or other Bettinardi putters of similar shapes) with a crescent neck worked well. The QB 11 is a smaller, mid mallet style putter, not the gigantic high MOI style mallet. 

 

 

 

 

 

[rlb4]

51 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

 

I did buy the putter, I used it for about a season and a half but moved onto other putters. I still have just were a few things that were off to me but that was part putter and part user. 

 

Basically I felt like there was too much weight in the handle and after a refitting that was true and we removed some weight in the handle. That helped but then I wasn't too fond of the feel and just wanted to try something else. I actually picked it up and rolled like 50 putts this weekend with it and kinda enjoyed it. My putting has improved so the consistent stroke is leading to better feel, still feel too much weight in the handle so going to remove the internal weight and put on a 80-120g grip to keep that counter balance but not as heavy as the 150g in the handle now. 

 

The fitting is definitely interesting, it's simple to see for the person being fit the difference. You probably won't find a putter you aim better but they do lack in feel at least the previous model did the new EAS looks better. I believe @Tupperwolf has one of the new ones and can chime in feel wise on the new Edels. 

Thanks. I like Edel because aiming is the worst part of my putting. I have tried Axis 1 putters and love the feel of a toe balanced putter. The face just stays so square during the swing. I am a little concerned that I never read about people continue to use their Edel putter for a long period of time. But then again this is golfwrx 🙂.

[Tupperwolf]

8 hours ago, rlb4 said:

Thanks. I like Edel because aiming is the worst part of my putting. I have tried Axis 1 putters and love the feel of a toe balanced putter. The face just stays so square during the swing. I am a little concerned that I never read about people continue to use their Edel putter for a long period of time. But then again this is golfwrx 🙂.

I do still have the Edel putter in the bag after getting fit in September, I did buy a lab B2 during the Black Friday sale because I couldn't really help it, but I just putt better with the Edel, especially short ones. I'm trying to stay committed to it long term because it's the first putter I was fit for and I know I aim it perfectly. Like Matt's, mine also has quite a bit of weight in the handle (not even sure how much, I would have to send an email and request the build specs) but I quite like it. I bought the weight kit and moving up and down 5g in the head makes a very noticeable difference. I was fit for the 10g weight but settled on the 15g weight for now, going to the 20g weight really makes it feel head heavy. So that's something to consider if you aren't totally happy with the weight after receiving the final putter, I'm glad I spent the extra for the kit. 

The feel of the putter definitely could be improved. The LAB feels way more solid on sweet spot strikes. The Edel just has a less than solid feel, I'm sure because of how much weight is removed from the toe. Mishits are a little tingy. Solid strikes do feel better so you know where you struck it; but overall the feel is this putter's weak spot. I stick with it because it makes putts for me and at the end of the day that's what matters. 

[MattM97]

8 hours ago, rlb4 said:

Thanks. I like Edel because aiming is the worst part of my putting. I have tried Axis 1 putters and love the feel of a toe balanced putter. The face just stays so square during the swing. I am a little concerned that I never read about people continue to use their Edel putter for a long period of time. But then again this is golfwrx 🙂.

 

I think it's because of the feel honestly, if you look at the bottom of the older Torque Balanced models mainly the E-1, E-2 and E-3 you'll see that there is a massive amount of weight removed from the bottom to get that torque balanced. Then they came out with the E-4 and E-5 which had less weight removed and felt much better which they carried into the new EAS models but they still lack overall feel which is part of their tech. But then again you'll probably be online more often even with a bad strike vs other putters so yeah they don't feel as good but if you're left with a 6" tap in why complain? 

 

 

[rlb4]

Has anyone taken their Edel putter and had it evaluated on a SAM Putt lab? Also, what about getting an Edel fitting and using the fitting specs(head shape, line config., neck type, weighting) on a  traditional putter that may feel better? Kind of combine the aiming science from Edel with SAM putt lab science. Maybe the best of both worlds?

[Maroon_19]

Fitting:  Yes - John @ Artisan

Mallet to blade:  Yes - Original Rossa Monza Spider to Artisan blade

 

I had putted with a TM Rossa Monza Spider since that putter became available in 2008.  As the years went by, I noticed I was dragging the heel of the putter more and more although my friends said my stroke really hadn't changed   I was just missing a lot more putts. 

I had a fitting with John Hatfield at Artisan golf in Fort Worth in Feb, 2021.  Think 3 hour putting lesson with one of the guys who built clubs for Tiger back in Tiger's Nike days.  During the fitting, John was evaluating my putting stroke and was building a putter in his mind for me.  We tried every head type that Artisan creates on the putting green and ended up with an 0920 blade (similar to a Newport 2 style blade head) with a long plumbers neck to produce a face balanced blade.  Very flat lie (66.5 degrees).  John also felt that all of the alignment aids on the spider were getting me to line up incorrectly.  He put me in a putter with no flange alignment line, just a center dot (star) on the topline.

I picked up the putter at the end of March, 2021.  Having never putted with a blade before I expected a learning curve in using the putter.  Immediately I noticed no more heel drag.  It took no time to get used to lining up the putter, but it did take some time learning to put the right "weight" into the putter stroke.  I've probably never putted better than the last 5 months of 2021.  Lag putts were great.  Not uncommon to sink a few 10-20 footers.  Very consistent 10 feet and in.  Went from averaging 36-37 putts per round to 30-31 putts per round with a low putt count of 24 in that time period.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Maroon_19

[Viper4225]

34 minutes ago, Maroon_19 said:

Fitting:  Yes - John @ Artisan

Mallet to blade:  Yes - Original Rossa Monza Spider to Artisan blade

 

I had putted with a TM Rossa Monza Spider since that putter became available in 2008.  As the years went by, I noticed I was dragging the heel of the putter more and more although my friends said my stroke really hadn't changed   I was just missing a lot more putts. 

I had a fitting with John Hatfield at Artisan golf in Fort Worth in Feb, 2021.  Think 3 hour putting lesson with one of the guys who built clubs for Tiger back in Tiger's Nike days.  During the fitting, John was evaluating my putting stroke and was building a putter in his mind for me.  We tried every head type that Artisan creates on the putting green and ended up with an 0920 blade (similar to a Newport 2 style blade head) with a long plumbers neck to produce a face balanced blade.  Very flat lie (66.5 degrees).  John also felt that all of the alignment aids on the spider were getting me to line up incorrectly.  He put me in a putter with no flange alignment line, just a center dot (star) on the topline.

I picked up the putter at the end of March, 2021.  Having never putted with a blade before I expected a learning curve in using the putter.  Immediately I noticed no more heel drag.  It took no time to get used to lining up the putter, but it did take some time learning to put the right "weight" into the putter stroke.  I've probably never putted better than the last 5 months of 2021.  Lag putts were great.  Not uncommon to sink a few 10-20 footers.  Very consistent 10 feet and in.  Went from averaging 36-37 putts per round to 30-31 putts per round with a low putt count of 24 in that time period.

 

MORE PICS OF THIS BEAUTY!!!! Wish I could go get fit there! 

 

Did John use any tech/measuring devices, or was it just you, him and the green for 3 hours? 

 

 

[Maroon_19]

1 hour ago, Viper4225 said:

 

MORE PICS OF THIS BEAUTY!!!! Wish I could go get fit there! 

 

Did John use any tech/measuring devices, or was it just you, him and the green for 3 hours? 

 

 

John and I on the green for about 2.5 hours, then in the shop for about half an hour specking out my build.  The only measuring device he used was a lie tool in the shop to get the right angle based on my setup and stroke.  It really is a game changer to have a putter that is built to fit you and your specific stroke.

Get on the calendar for a fitting them plan a trip to Fort Worth for good food, good golf, and some new clubs.

[fightthenoise]

I had Club Champion fit me for a putter this past summer and went from a mallet to and ER2 which is a midblade if that counts. I wasn't in love at all with my mallet though, so that's where we differ. I certainly putt better because of it. It was largely due to the toe hang change. You might can sort out what toe hang you need and have your putter modified somehow to match it. Maybe the neck or counterweights in the grip.