Help me with this putter!

PingPoncho · April 25, 2006

:ok: I have an old putter that I found in a golf bag. It is a black blade with a cavity, a single dot and a white line across the top, with a cross made up of a series of dots on the face of the blade. On the face of the blade it says T.P.M. 12. Spalding is written on the bottom of the blade and the words Designed by T.P. Mills and Precision Ground. The handle is black with the words Spalding. On the top of the handle is says Spalding Professional and it is a Golf Pride Grip.

Is this a putter worth keeping or restoring. Any advice for be appreciated. :)

golfluvzme · April 25, 2006

You have one of the old Spalding TP Mills putters that are a blast to restore. Not sure exactly what the model 12 looks like, but I know that I have seen one before. They aren't rare, really, but still fun putters. The putter probably has a pencil thin shaft and no ferrule, correct? These shafts are proprietary to only the TP Mills putters, from True Temper, still today.

Is there any light rusting on the putter head? Sounds like an odd question, but it has a reason. If there is at least a hint of rust, then it probably has enough carbon content to strip and refinish in a gun blue. If not, you can still strip the black, but would have to have the next finish put on by someone else, I would bet.

If you have a camera, throw some pics up, if you get a chance.

I put some pics in this response of a TP Mills #6 that I had fun with recently.

Enjoy your project and don't forget the pics.

LaMont in AZ

glenwayputters · April 25, 2006

The #12 is a putter that is very unique looking. a high toe and a curved neck. very cool looking putter and one of my favorites.

there is one on ebay right now that is a HANDMADE by T.P. himself.

David just made the same putter for Ian Poulter.

jay

PingPoncho · April 25, 2006

Here are some pictures.

Is it worthwhile to get refinished?

By whom?

What cost?

Any idea for the weight of the putter head is?

One more picture!

golfluvzme · April 25, 2006

Very cool flatstick! If it were me looking to get it refinished, I would choose one of 3 guys in the game. Either David Mills, he is the one with easily the most knowledge of this putter and would surely do an awesome job.

Tom Slighter is a superbe refinish/ customizer and is great at bringing new life into an old putter.

Byron Morgan is very good at his craft and may be interested in this little gem.

Price? I would be out of line to give even a rough guess on either of the 3's cost. My suggestion would be:

Do you love the look of this putter? If so, drop all three an email with current pics and see what they think. Any one of the three will do an awesome job and you will have a one of a kind, so to speak.

Cost effective? You probably won't be able to sell the putter for what it will cost you to get it refinished, but if you love it, that won't even be a factor.

Keep us posted on what you decide and who gets the job. It is projects like this that make the old Spalding's such a wonderful putter.

LaMont in AZ

PingPoncho · April 25, 2006

Can anyone tell me the style of this putter?

What is the type of neck it has?

What is the weight?

What material is the head made of? Steel, Carbon etc.

glenwayputters · April 26, 2006

Can anyone tell me the style of this putter?

What is the type of neck it has?

What is the weight?

What material is the head made of? Steel, Carbon etc.

Style???

I don't know if this answers your question, but all of T.P.'s putters were numbered 1, 2 and so on.

if I am not mistaken, those heads were cast and then the excess metal was ground off of the heads. Pretty sure it is very low carbon steel.

jay

slicer365 · April 26, 2006

A buddy of mine has a SPALDING TOURING PRO MODEL #6. With the initals TPM #6 on the face and sole. This would be a TP MILLS putter, correct??? Nowhere on the putter does it say T.P. MILLS. However, it does have the crosshair in the center and looks exactly like Golfluvzme's putter.

Can anybody help me???

glenwayputters · April 26, 2006

A buddy of mine has a SPALDING TOURING PRO MODEL #6. With the initals TPM #6 on the face and sole. This would be a TP MILLS putter, correct??? Nowhere on the putter does it say T.P. MILLS. However, it does have the crosshair in the center and looks exactly like Golfluvzme's putter.

Can anybody help me???

yes, it is a T.P. Mills putter

jay

axeman310 · April 27, 2006

golfluvzme, how did you go about refinishing yours?

I'm thinking about picking up a #12 off ebay real cheap and would lovw some info. Thanks

PingPoncho · September 23, 2007

The black color on this putter seems to wearing away. Does anyone know if the entire putter is steel and this is just some type of black material put on the putter? Is there any easy way to remove the black color and just show the stainless steel? Will Coke work? I like the putter but I do not want to sent it away.

opus_mh · September 23, 2007

it is stainless with a baked on finish.

here are some that i re worked awhile back

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/index.php?sh...ies+but+goodies

Rambler · September 26, 2007

i finished two of these putter over the summer. i used a blowtorch and progressively used finer and finer grit sandpaper at first to get the finish off. this takes a while but it well worth it. another odd/dumb thing i did was use mineral spirits and lit it on fire w/ the torch. i don't know why it worked so well but it did. eventually i moved on to a hand tool called a dremel then I bought a kit of birchwood-casey gun blue and filled in the paint with testors