The thing about putters...

Hi all,

I have this putting mat in my office and several putters lying around (Scottys, Zens, Rife, YES, Hiro, PING). Whenever I feel bored or need to take a break, I just do some putting. The thing is over time, as I "collected" the putters, I realised I can putt with all of them! It usually just take 2-3 putts to figure out the different weights and address positions, and then the putts will be quite ok. It is not like I can get it in with every putt, but the putters actually felt alright, despite me cycling through them during these sessions. The only reason I am sticking with my YES is the visual comfort but that's a design thing, not technical (e.g. weight, swing weight, length, lie etc).

So, the point is if I keep to the constants - my putting grip and stroke, how does all these other putters made any difference?

Do you have similar flashes as well? Love to hear your experiences. Cheers.

Damn! I so envy you....!!

I took out my zen-i and fitted it to my putter and 'rolled' a ball in office a few months back. My Ang mo director came and saw and then asked me, 'Are you off work already??'

hey bro, may I suggest tht you give me the Scotty and the Zen and the Ping.....and leave yourself with the Yes ..only.

Then you can do the User testing to see any diff.

How ..idea? I call it the elimination approach...

I find the Zen and Yes! putters to be quite similar in terms of feel but I get more confidence from the Zen now. I couldn't putt with my Scotty (no standard... me, not the Scotty).

So, I don't quite agree. I think that different putters would give different feels. I'd like to believe that all the putters (assuming that they are of the same type, i.e. blade/mallet, length, weight etc) would putt the same but I don't think that's the case.

Perhaps the difference may be negligible for some putters but could be very apparent for others. It all boils down to the putter in your hand.

That said, if you have a consistent putting stroke and putting confidence, I think you would be less affected by the changes in the putter.

There could also be times when a golfer is smokin' hot on the greens and can putt with anything, including an elongated toothbrush if needed (or at least would seem to be able to).

Duval_S wrote:

hey bro, may I suggest tht you give me the Scotty and the Zen and the Ping.....and leave yourself with the Yes ..only.

Then you can do the User testing to see any diff.

How ..idea? I call it the elimination approach...

Give you??? Maybe you need a coffee.

Technospaz wrote:

That said, if you have a consistent putting stroke and putting confidence, I think you would be less affected by the changes in the putter.

This is true. Actually it is probably equally true also to lousy puttees too, which I am. Perhaps this is why I don't feel the difference so much. Just have to continue to focus on my techniques I guess...

Quote :

samT wrote:

Duval_S wrote:

hey bro, may I suggest tht you give me the Scotty and the Zen and the Ping.....and leave yourself with the Yes ..only.

Then you can do the User testing to see any diff.

How ..idea? I call it the elimination approach...

Give you??? Maybe you need a coffee.

OH OH !!!! My bad......stupid-est idea. Fm what I heard about the things I heard about you the brudder......I should at all cost avoid having kopi with you .....hahahah...

samT wrote:

Technospaz wrote:

That said, if you have a consistent putting stroke and putting confidence, I think you would be less affected by the changes in the putter.

This is true. Actually it is probably equally true also to lousy puttees too, which I am. Perhaps this is why I don't feel the difference so much. Just have to continue to focus on my techniques I guess...

Aiyoh... bro SamT. From what I've heard, you are more in the smokin' hot category'lah

I think he has a big game coming up, all this is pre-big-game talk...

its called the subtle art of asking strokes

Ahhh.... understood.

No lah, dun believe in hearsay. Actually I hardly bet (which makes it quite boring to play with me). Golf is for me to spend time with wifey and frens.

But the issue about putters intrigues me because I keep changing and yet not improving. So, it seems that it is the techniques that I have yet learnt, which will make a more significant difference to me than the putter itself (read: practice, practice, practice).

dun quote me on that, i am just messing.

But being a relatively new disciple of the game, i believe feel is subjective and varies from person to person. I have used 3 putters in my 1+yr of golf, Mizuno Bettinardi BC4, Scotty Cameron Studio Select 2.6 and Zen ZAC. I probably couldn't tell the different between putting with a BC4 and the SS 2.6 with my eyes closed, but the feel off the Zen putter's face is very distinctly different to the other two. And that is something i could differentiate. The BC4 and SS 2.6 are quite similar in the amt of roll distance with the same putting stroke, strength and hence its relatively smooth for me to transition between the two putters. The zen due to the truer roll and softer feeling off the face, feels like i need to adjust a little to get the distance control down.

Now that I am using the Zen putter exclusively in all my games and have retired the other 2 putter to storage, its very apparent when i put with some other brand putter vs Zen. I dont think it will suit everyone, but I am sure as hell happy with it. My endorsement of the brand won't mean much as I am still a high handicapper, but putters are very personal, i think when you found one that suits your eye and you can put with confidence. Dont mess with that, don't fix what's not broken. Bro Sam likes how the Yes! setups and looks, i feel he should stick with it.

samT wrote:

No lah, dun believe in hearsay. Actually I hardly bet (which makes it quite boring to play with me). Golf is for me to spend time with wifey and frens.

But the issue about putters intrigues me because I keep changing and yet not improving. So, it seems that it is the techniques that I have yet learnt, which will make a more significant difference to me than the putter itself (read: practice, practice, practice).

Hear Hear! (on the "practice, practice, practice" mantra)

samT wrote:

Technospaz wrote:

That said, if you have a consistent putting stroke and putting confidence, I think you would be less affected by the changes in the putter.

This is true. Actually it is probably equally true also to lousy puttees too, which I am. Perhaps this is why I don't feel the difference so much. Just have to continue to focus on my techniques I guess...

Hi, Sam..
What is your putt per round average?

Hi Taskie,

I never count but I usually try to stay within 2 putts per hole, possibly on average I would incur 3 to 4 holes where I 3-putted per round.

Recently, my 2nd putts have been better when I try not to look up. Also, I take a much shorter back swing. These techniques have helped to bring more confidence in executing the 2nd putt and lower the 3-putts. Just 2 pointers a fella asked me to do which proved very useful. I am now trying to have a slightly open stance when I stand over the ball. Seems to help stroke through easier because I tend to let my right hand comes in. But this is still work in progress.

Any advice on the above or tips, technique-wise? Tks.

good read

I was at the Den the other day when I tested the Zen. It really felt good and it was super tempted fen though my gf bought me my Scotty so it'd be hard for me to change it. Haha.

Then I saw another customer who probably also tested it and liked it and he said to me "feels good right? But does it mean we'll putt better or read the greens better?" haha. That stuck with me.

Cornball wrote:

I was at the Den the other day when I tested the Zen. It really felt good and it was super tempted fen though my gf bought me my Scotty so it'd be hard for me to change it. Haha.

Then I saw another customer who probably also tested it and liked it and he said to me "feels good right? But does it mean we'll putt better or read the greens better?" haha. That stuck with me.

Face it.....

You have been poisoned!!!!

Cornball wrote:

I was at the Den the other day when I tested the Zen. It really felt good and it was super tempted fen though my gf bought me my Scotty so it'd be hard for me to change it. Haha.

Then I saw another customer who probably also tested it and liked it and he said to me "feels good right? But does it mean we'll putt better or read the greens better?" haha. That stuck with me.

Every little bit helps. With putting, I believe that you should carry a putter which gives you confidence and a solid feel. I'm a Zen convert for those very reasons. But then again, different strokes for different folks.

I have more than 20 putters lying around at home. But I still putt like crap! So I think the stroke/technique is more important; but buying new and different putters is more fun!

The odd this is that occasionally if I don't think about my stroke/technique and just picture rolling the ball in the hole, I can play an ok game and break 100

Cornball wrote:

I was at the Den the other day when I tested the Zen. It really felt good and it was super tempted fen though my gf bought me my Scotty so it'd be hard for me to change it. Haha.

Then I saw another customer who probably also tested it and liked it and he said to me "feels good right? But does it mean we'll putt better or read the greens better?" haha. That stuck with me.

Come to the dark side......tum tum tum ta tum.....

Ssquirrel wrote:

I have more than 20 putters lying around at home. But I still putt like crap! So I think the stroke/technique is more important; but buying new and different putters is more fun!

The odd this is that occasionally if I don't think about my stroke/technique and just picture rolling the ball in the hole, I can play an ok game and break 100

After 27 holes, is it?

[quote]

Ssquirrel wrote:

I have more than 20 putters lying around at home. But I still putt like crap! So I think the stroke/technique is more important; but buying new and different putters is more fun!

The odd this is that occasionally if I don't think about my stroke/technique and just picture rolling the ball in the hole, I can play an ok game and break 100 [/quote

I too like you, if I don think much about technique (well, I don have any to start with ), I can play a good game and break 120....

I don't know about others but for me, I need to focus to putt well.

I do have few putters at home but now I stick to only 2 kind of putter now. One with the bigger head and alignment aid which help me when I have no feel or lack of confident. One with a smaller head with better feel for good control of distance when I feel great and confident.

Sam, I am not so particular about different putter design, when I putt, I focus move on the ball path and strength control than the head design.

Ssquirrel wrote:

I have more than 20 putters lying around at home. But I still putt like crap! So I think the stroke/technique is more important; but buying new and different putters is more fun!

The odd this is that occasionally if I don't think about my stroke/technique and just picture rolling the ball in the hole, I can play an ok game and break 100

Err.. my maths is no good.. i think its 100 minus 27....