Recommend putters to try based on feelings and stroke data

[Peak]

I’ve been using an Odyssey White Hot OG #7 Nano with a Stroke Lab shaft for about a year now and initially loved it but have recently been struggling a bit both between the ears and on the practice greens that I have access to during the off-season (indoors). The main issues currently are

 

1) The putter feels very head heavy

2) Takeaway/backswing feels wobbly as a results

3) How the putter sits on the ground doesn’t please my eye (likes to ”lean back” on the fangs) and I need to really keep it in position

4) Distance control / power on short putts make me anxious

5) Long putts need to be hit with more power than I’d like

6) I don’t feel like the idea of how hard I hit it and how fast the ball rolls match up, leading into a guessing game of speed

With all of that said, the indoor greens I have access to are quite a bit faster than what I really play on in Finland. Both issues 4) and 5) are probably even worse on the real greens and I’ve especially struggled with pace on long putts.

 

With all of that said we took a quick look at my putting stroke with my coach recently. I feel like I’m generally speaking an ok putter but there are some things to work on.

 

1) Face is open at impact

2) I hit down on the ball slightly

3) My stroke is quite slow even if the tempo is good

 

Now combine those uncertainties with the identified things to improve on and I’m wondering if there’s something in the putter department that might better suit me than my current gamer. I have an old Wilson 8881 BLK that I’ve been playing around with and feel like the blade style with a plumbers neck might not be a bad fit for me but truthfully I’m not sure if it ”fits my stroke”.
 

I’m considering a fitting that would utilize SPL but would like to educate myself a bit first regarding what could suit me, which brings me here. Is there a style of putter, neck etc. that could work for me based on everything I’ve laid out here?

 

Report from SAM Putt Lab attached.

 

Thanks for making it this far.

 

SAMPuttLab.pdf

Edited March 28 by Peak

[Jeff58]

From the SAM file, your putter appears to be too long.

[Peak]

5 hours ago, Jeff58 said:

From the SAM file, your putter appears to be too long.

Interesting. Is it the toe up position that makes you say that? I’m 6’0” with a 34 inch putter.

[Golfinfloridaafter40]

3 hours ago, Peak said:

Interesting. Is it the toe up position that makes you say that? I’m 6’0” with a 34 inch putter.

Overall height does not matter.  The place your hands naturally come to a rest when you are in a proper putting stance is what matters. 

 

Most amateurs use a putter that is too long for them.  They also stand too far away from the ball, this is why you see so many gimmicky styles of putters sold nowadays. 

[Peak]

1 hour ago, Golfinfloridaafter40 said:

Overall height does not matter.  The place your hands naturally come to a rest when you are in a proper putting stance is what matters. 

 

Most amateurs use a putter that is too long for them.  They also stand too far away from the ball, this is why you see so many gimmicky styles of putters sold nowadays. 

Wrist to floor measure is about 35” if I remember correctly.

 

I’m probably quilty of standing too far from the ball but I feel like it’s at least partially a result of the putter I’m playing and adjusting to it. Or then it’s my hand placement / shaft length. 
 

I’m probably at least subconsciously done with the current stick.

[Itsjustagame]

If there is someone who can tell you what putter will work for you Scottie Scheffler would love to meet them.

 

[Golfinfloridaafter40]

12 minutes ago, Peak said:

Wrist to floor measure is about 35” if I remember correctly.

 

I’m probably quilty of standing too far from the ball but I feel like it’s at least partially a result of the putter I’m playing and adjusting to it. Or then it’s my hand placement / shaft length. 
 

I’m probably at least subconsciously done with the current stick.

Try putting your eyes directly over the ball. Will take a bit of time to adjust but the more you do it, the better your putting will become.  The big issue then becomes getting the right weight in the head versus your new hand position.  Meaning the shorter you grip down or shorter the putter becomes in total length, the heavier the head needs to be in order to feel natural. 

 

Another thing some but not all people notice is that once you are in a more natural stance and hand position, you will likely need less toe hang than before because the putter is square or flat to the ground.  It's something you may want to experiment with as well

 

 

Edited:  Also may want to remeasure where your hands fall to the floor once your eyes are over the ball.  It should change

Edited March 30 by Golfinfloridaafter40

[Jeff58]

8 hours ago, Peak said:

Interesting. Is it the toe up position that makes you say that? I’m 6’0” with a 34 inch putter.

There is wrist to floor plus your personal position relative to the ball plus your stroke mechanics. The “perfect” stroke would have no angular movement at all; effectively just a circular rotation perpendicular to the ground with no wrist flex. The base of the putter would stay parallel to the ground.

 

The above is obviously very much in line with SBST. When you start deviating from their, you create angles that must be compensated for. Putters with toe hang essentially expect these deviations to happen and are attempting to assist you.

 

Your stroke has excessive angle content. Either the putter is too long or you’re standing too far from the ball, as noted by others. The greater these angles, the more difficult it is to create a repeatable contact, and the less consistent you will be. You will go down the rabbit hole of infinite putter purchase, as each new one will provide enough additional feel information to work “better” for some amount of time.