How to putt with Jailbird Cruiser (Fowler/Clark/Bradley)

[adamc92]

Walked into the pro shop today, and the guy behind the desk was overjoyed! 

 

We got a lefty! 

 

I had no idea what he was talking about, and honestly did not even want the thing. But, it was the first time I had ever seen a left handed jailbird in real life, so I panic bought it on the spot. 

 

Now I am at home and am trying to figure out what to do with the thing. 

 

First time I have ever had a putter at 38 inches, longer grip, and counter balanced. 

 

Any advice on how to get comfortable with it stroke and set up wise compared to my normal Newport 2.5+? 

[RogerLodge]

Practice with it.  And get comfortable with it.  

[5hort5tuff]

It's essentially nothing like the Newport...in any way at all.  Might be the least similar putter you could buy OTR 

 

It is heavier...face balanced...longer...likely a fatter grip. It will feel completely different. 

 

I would use it for 5-10 sessions before kicking it to the curb. Give it a shot!

[adamc92]

1 hour ago, 5hort5tuff said:

It's essentially nothing like the Newport...in any way at all.  Might be the least similar putter you could buy OTR 

 

It is heavier...face balanced...longer...likely a fatter grip. It will feel completely different. 

 

I would use it for 5-10 sessions before kicking it to the curb. Give it a shot!

Thats what I am getting at. 
 

It’s the complete opposite. Just looking for tips on what to change set up wise or think about differently between the two. 

[5hort5tuff]

practice with it. 

[iputts_28]

I found I had to be a bit more patient with the stoke, and let the putter "swing" more than I would with my traditional putters. I'm also normally a handsy putter with more of a hit than swing (with a traditional putter), but so far the Jailbird has been fun to use. Also experiment with putting your hands high on the grip (like a Wyndham Clark) or where you'd normally put them etc.  Took me a practice session but I found I placing my hands a little bit higher than where I'd place them on my normal 35" putter shaft worked best for me.  I didn't change much else setup-wise, and still use a small forward press to start the stroke.

 

Good luck and enjoy your new purchase. 

[dmecca2]

I found 2 ways to use it that were both successful in the basement. The first was gripping it down where I would normally grip it and let the putter sole sit flat on the ground. The other was to do it how Fowler and Clark used it, which is gripping it higher, standing more straight up, toe in the air, and eyes way inside the ball. Mess around and see what feels best.

[North Butte]

Do you the have the yips? 

 

Or do you just want to learn to putt with an entirely different stroke, just because? 

[GolfinDave]

I have this putter as a lefty, the thing it helped me the most with was releasing the putter by just letting the mass swing. You would grip it like you would any other putter. I messed around with arm locking it a bit but ended up going traditional. I can't do right-hand low effectively. I've really liked using the putter, but you do have to practice for a bit on how you actually want to hold it to get the most consistent swing results. I'd also just look at videos of those guys holding/using the putter. 

[KMeloney]

2nd time on a green with mine, a buddy said "you should try left hand low with that." And so I did. And I can't believe it, but I love it (the combo of LHL and this putter).

 

To be clear, attempting LHL in the past on my various other standard putters felt horrible, and I never tried more than 2 practice putts at any time before reminding myself that I don't putt that way for a reason. Well, this putter just seems built for LHL. I can't believe it, but I'm heading into this season dedicated to going LHL, because my control (line and distance) has been amazing -- and pretty much instantly.

 

Now, since both the putter and the placement of my hands on it are completely new to me, I feel like I might not yet know exactly where my hands are going to end up settling on the grip. But, I'm gripping it on the lower side (as opposed to high, like Fowler), and it's been money for me.

 

So, yeah, consider thinking way outside the box with it, since it's already so different than what you've been using. Experiment, as others have said. You just might stumble upon a set-up that you'd never considered before but that is a total game-changer for you.

[Urb]

Played with one in the shop.  Grip it same as your putter.  Let the extra grip up top be the counterbalance.

 

Since it's face balanced, you're not getting help from toe hang to move the putter open/closed.  Just grip it kinda loose and let it swing.

[Elkhair]

bradley doesnt use a jailbird cruiser

[KMeloney]

6 hours ago, Elkhair said:

bradley doesnt use a jailbird cruiser

 

What's this?

 

https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/equipment-report/2023/03/20/the-9-year-old-putter-that-helped-keegan-bradley-transform-his-putting

 

It's not a "cruiser," but it's a Jailbird. I think that's the focus of this thread.

Edited April 8 by KMeloney

[moostache]

I grip down about 2", which keeps me more upright, and I also moved the ball forward in my stance. Otherwise, same stroke I've been doing. This thing is lights out (standard AI-one cruiser model). I'm not that tall, but realized that I'm actually quite comfortable with a longer putter. I can grip this thing at the top and still feel more comfy than with my 35" odyssey one backup. I definitely prefer the white hot ai face to the microhinge though, but probably because I'm so used to it.

[njmack]

On 4/3/2024 at 4:14 PM, KMeloney said:

2nd time on a green with mine, a buddy said "you should try left hand low with that." And so I did. And I can't believe it, but I love it (the combo of LHL and this putter).

 

To be clear, attempting LHL in the past on my various other standard putters felt horrible, and I never tried more than 2 practice putts at any time before reminding myself that I don't putt that way for a reason. Well, this putter just seems built for LHL. I can't believe it, but I'm heading into this season dedicated to going LHL, because my control (line and distance) has been amazing -- and pretty much instantly.

 

Now, since both the putter and the placement of my hands on it are completely new to me, I feel like I might not yet know exactly where my hands are going to end up settling on the grip. But, I'm gripping it on the lower side (as opposed to high, like Fowler), and it's been money for me.

 

So, yeah, consider thinking way outside the box with it, since it's already so different than what you've been using. Experiment, as others have said. You just might stumble upon a set-up that you'd never considered before but that is a total game-changer for you.

 

I've also been playing around with LHL. Tried it on std putters before, but never could get comfortable with it, but you're right: there's something about the length and probably the weight of this thing that makes LHL feel better this time around. I cut mine to 37" and slapped the same SS claw grip that Wyndham is using. It feels even heavier & I grip down about 0.5". 

 

Still have yet to take it out on an actual green, but rolling 6-7 footers on my putting mat is incredibly stable. Even when I hit one off the heel, it doesn't move much off-line & the ball really doesn't wobble at all, you'd have to try hard to hit a bad putt with this thing...

[Wardonation]

On 4/3/2024 at 5:48 AM, dmecca2 said:

I found 2 ways to use it that were both successful in the basement. The first was gripping it down where I would normally grip it and let the putter sole sit flat on the ground. The other was to do it how Fowler and Clark used it, which is gripping it higher, standing more straight up, toe in the air, and eyes way inside the ball. Mess around and see what feels best.

I would second this. I seem to go back and forth with these two styles round after round. I think the key is to find the grip position that allows you to see your the line the best. Once you do that I would make a "sharpie mark" on the grip for where you start you top hand on the club, this will allow you to repeat it. I play a SC but it at 37.5" and I recently went with the GarsenQuad 17" grip. For me it is much better and so oversized.

[gs1184]

Played a few rounds with this putter in addition to a few sessions on the practice green. I have been through many putters. This is by far the best one I have used. I grip down to a level I feel comfortable and do my normal grip. Most stable feeling putter. 

Edited April 19 by gs1184

[Elkhair]

On 4/8/2024 at 4:04 PM, KMeloney said:

 

What's this?

 

https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/equipment-report/2023/03/20/the-9-year-old-putter-that-helped-keegan-bradley-transform-his-putting

 

It's not a "cruiser," but it's a Jailbird. I think that's the focus of this thread.

cruiser is specifically the long shafted version with the longer grip.

[MerryTex]

I will echo many of the comments here - it comes down to patience and committing to adapting and feeling comfortable. I know I felt like I was more in control of my stroke with the Spide Tour CB I used for a bit. I might pick another CB putter to add to the stable but the Jailbird or 7. The same principle applies to how you position your grip and allow the putter to do the work for you. Take it back, let it go. 

 

 

[nsxguy]

21 minutes ago, Elkhair said:

cruiser is specifically the long shafted version with the longer grip.

 

What's in a name ?

 

Keegan's older version simply wasn't called "cruiser", but it was a 38+ inch counter-weighted putter, grip length notwithstanding.

[nsxguy]

Anywho, I've been working with the cruiser in the store for a while now and have had, seemingly, a better-than-average result.

 

One appeared on the used club rack for only $225 in mint condition EXCEPT the previous owner had cut it down from 38 to 36. So I tried it for a couple of sessions, choking down to 34" (my preferred length).

 

So I bought it. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal to extend it a couple of inches to its original length if need be.

 

Played with it yesterday for the first time and, as I expected, I struggled a little bit with speed control but overall it worked reasonably well. The heavier overall feeling, and especially the heavier head, as I expected, will take a little getting used to.

 

Only issue really was the Flatso grip on it. Never like the flat part of the top of the grip. I'll change it today & see what happens.

[KMeloney]

2 hours ago, Elkhair said:

cruiser is specifically the long shafted version with the longer grip.

 

What's your point? My pre-Cruiser Jailbird is 39" with the longer grip. It's not a "Cruiser," but it's still a Jailbird with the same overall proportions. The OP just wants to know how everyone is putting with theirs. Keegan's is still a Jailbird, too -- and if he felt like he needed to cut his down and put a shorter grip on it, well, so be it.

[LeftyCanuck11]

On 4/2/2024 at 7:29 PM, adamc92 said:

Walked into the pro shop today, and the guy behind the desk was overjoyed! 

 

We got a lefty! 

 

I had no idea what he was talking about, and honestly did not even want the thing. But, it was the first time I had ever seen a left handed jailbird in real life, so I panic bought it on the spot. 

 

Now I am at home and am trying to figure out what to do with the thing. 

 

First time I have ever had a putter at 38 inches, longer grip, and counter balanced. 

 

Any advice on how to get comfortable with it stroke and set up wise compared to my normal Newport 2.5+? 

How is your experience with the jailbird cruiser going?  Bring a lefty as well… I’m more than curious.  I’m debating whether to buy one. 

[KMeloney]

I sold two buddies in one week on getting Jailbirds. Each was having putting problems, and each ordered one within hours of trying mine.

 

As I said before, I go left-hand-low on mine, and pretty low down the grip. With a slight forward press, I lock my top hand/wrist onto the grip with my wrist completely bent back (I lock that angle in). I feel like I power the stroke with that top hand (as opposed to feeling like I "drag" the stroke forward with my lower hand), and use my lower hand to guide the head and keep the stroke on-line. Ultimately, the stroke feels like a good blend of input from both hands.

Edited Monday at 01:59 PM by KMeloney

[nsxguy]

1 hour ago, KMeloney said:

I go-hand-low

 

Sorry ?

[KMeloney]

4 minutes ago, nsxguy said:

 

Sorry ?

 

Whooops. Left-hand-low. I'll go edit that now.

[nsxguy]

6 minutes ago, KMeloney said:

 

Whooops. Left-hand-low. I'll go edit that now.

 

Thought so but wasn't sure. 👍

 

Fwiw, I'd been putting pretty well with the Cruiser in the store and was thinking of getting one.

 

A used one in great condition showed up in the store at a very good price (199) BUT it'd been cut down to 36". Tried it anyway and (still) liked it a lot. And since I normally putt with a 33-34" putter I was choking down on it a bit anyway so I bought it.

 

Despite having 5 (ouch) 3-putts the first round, albeit on very fast and slopey greens, I putted pretty well with it the rest of the holes - but hated the grip (Flatso).

 

Put a new SS grip on it and it worked out very well the 2nd time.

 

So I'll putt with it the way it is for now and if I get more like the 1st round I'll extend it a couple of inches and give it another try @ its intended length.