The price of putters

[Esox]

I have never understood why one would care what another person pays for their putter, or any clubs for that matter. Golf is a hobby, and I spend what I can afford on whatever I feel like. I have both cheap and expensive putters because that's how I choose to spend my money. Over the course of a couple golf seasons, that extra $100 for a Scotty or an equivalent gets pretty blurred. Putting is so mental in nature, that spending a $1,000 on putter wouldn't seem crazy to me if I though I could make two or three more putts per round.

Some people like to spend $60,000 on a car. I would never do that, but I'm not going to knock the person that does it because it makes them happier. Think of other hobbies people spend money on such as guns, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and boats. My God, boats are ridiculous, and they never freakin' work. I know a lot of serious fishermen, and there's always something wrong with their damn boats, and these are guys that take great care with their equipment.

How about what people spend on wine, liquor, and cigars? My B-I-L owns a cigar bar. No one bats an eye at spending $8.00 to $15.00 on a cigar. Maybe more. A pack of cigarettes is at least $7.00.

Think about what some people spend on clothes. At one point I had a number of silk Tommy Bahama golf shirts. Beautiful shirts, I loved them. I was slimmer then. They were $155 bucks a piece, I think, and that was a while back. Did they really perform that much better than my Casual Male XL shirts I now where? Not really, but they made me feel good when wearing them.

Some things need to put in perspective. Over a golf season you may; play golf 30 to 50 times @ $20.00 to $100.00 a pop or more, go through dozens of golf balls, wear $15.00 golf gloves that last six or eight rounds, wear $30.00 to $100.00+ golf shirts/clothes that get snagged by tree branches or stained by that plop of mustard out of the hot dog, tip the cart girl and pay $5.00 for a can of beer. Spikes are $12.00 a pack and I go through two or three a year. A good rain suit is $200.00. Hell, you can't drive to a golf course in a lot of cases for less than $10.00.

An extra $100.00 for a putter is nothing in the overall golf scheme of things, especially if it improves your mental outlook.

Kevin

 

[JB]

Extremely well said Kevin. Here in lies the question for you. Does marketing of said putters have an impact on buying for you? If there are 6 models that are exactly the same style (anser), do you gravitate to a certain one?

 

[v3.0]

I have never understood why one would care what another person pays for their putter, or any clubs for that matter.

Indeed, how much another person spends on their putter is not all that interesting. In contrast, I am highly interested in how much I spend on mine.

 

[Esox]

Extremely well said Kevin. Here in lies the question for you. Does marketing of said putters have an impact on buying for you? If there are 6 models that are exactly the same style (anser), do you gravitate to a certain one?

That's kind of hard for me to say because I've never been comfortable with that type of putter. I like to keep an eye out for something a little different. My Squareback I think of as part mallet part blade, and that's why I bought it, not so much because it was a Scotty, though I did want one.

To answer your question directly and honestly, however, yes, marketing does affect me in some cases. If I was in the market for that type of blade, I would probably gravitate to Scotty of Ping. I like to sometimes have something a little flashy, something with a reputation. I'm attracted to shiny things as much as the next barracuda. I don't feel I spend a ton of money on clubs, probably slightly above average. New irons every three or four years, an off year or used driver every year or two, nothing full price for the last number of years. I change wedges every couple years and have probably 15 putters I could line up if I found them all, and I've been playing for 36 years.

Being a lefty limits that a little, but I'll admit to buying clubs because of the way they look, the way they're marketed, or because I think it would be cool to keep up with pros or the Joneses. Sometimes being a lefty has left me no option other than going off marketing, because when you order a club, you buy it.

Am I an ad agency's dream? I would say no, but they suck me in once is while. I'm sure I'm part of a demographic they don't hate. There are certain companies that are getting a return on their ad budget investments when it comes to me, and I have no problem admitting it. I'm partial to Titleist and TM, and have come around to Cally a bit due to their service and how pleased I have been with their Pre-owned site. Nike rubs me the wrong way, back to Air Jordan before they even got into golf.

Kevin

 

[JB]

Esox,
You and I are similar with the equipment. I had to have a Scotty and had the Newport 2. It did little for me and I found others that I felt worked a little better for my game. But the marketing and fandom drew me in. I felt the same way about Vokeys. I read the reviews from other sites (not realizing they were getting paid by Titleist) and just had to have them. Gamed them for a couple of seasons and they are fine wedges, but others worked better for my game as well. That led me to explore what else is out there.

I am far from brand loyal on any piece of equipment, but certainly most about putters. I gamed the Nickent Tour Proto because I loved the way it rolled the ball. I loved the weight of the GEL when I was using it and have since gone back to my Seemore because of the RST and the feel I get from their gear.

I feel there can be a direct comparison between Scotty putters and Apple Computers. People for some reason feel so strongly about them one way or the other.

 

[Esox]

Esox,
You and I are similar with the equipment. I had to have a Scotty and had the Newport 2. It did little for me and I found others that I felt worked a little better for my game. But the marketing and fandom drew me in. I felt the same way about Vokeys. I read the reviews from other sites (not realizing they were getting paid by Titleist) and just had to have them. Gamed them for a couple of seasons and they are fine wedges, but others worked better for my game as well. That led me to explore what else is out there.

I am far from brand loyal on any piece of equipment, but certainly most about putters. I gamed the Nickent Tour Proto because I loved the way it rolled the ball. I loved the weight of the GEL when I was using it and have since gone back to my Seemore because of the RST and the feel I get from their gear.

I feel there can be a direct comparison between Scotty putters and Apple Computers. People for some reason feel so strongly about them one way or the other.

I'll be honest and say my five or six year old Two Ball is just as good a putter as the Scotty, and I switch them out on occasion, but mostly last year I played the Scotty because I like the way it looks. I don't wave it around and say look I have a Scotty, but I think it's fun to have one. I payed a little more for it because it is a Scotty, and that's fine by me.

After many years playing Vokeys, I'll admit to being being intrigued by those beautiful Cleveland wedges in the picture of your bag.

Kevin

 

[JB]

I'll be honest and say my five or six year old Two Ball is just as good a putter as the Scotty, and I switch them out on occasion, but mostly last year I played the Scotty because I like the way it looks. I don't wave it around and say look I have a Scotty, but I think it's fun to have one. I payed a little more for it because it is a Scotty, and that's fine by me.

After many years playing Vokeys, I'll admit to being being intrigued by those beautiful Cleveland wedges in the picture of your bag.

Kevin

I too love the look of the Scotty's quite a bit and paid a hefty premium for mine because of it. That goes back to the original poster and the question, can feel or performance be dictated by price. And I guess in some ways the answer is yes if it works for the individual.

 

[Esox]

That goes back to the original poster and the question, can feel or performance be dictated by price. And I guess in some ways the answer is yes if it works for the individual.

And some of that comes from marketing/reputation. If you believe a Scotty will feel better because of the marketing and buzz, maybe it will. If that gives you confidence, that extra $100.00 may be well spent.

Kevin

 

[Fourputt]

I don't think so, no such thing as a magic club. From what I see & experience myself the club has little to do with making putts. It's reading the green correctly to obtain the correct line & getting the speed correct. If you can do those 2 things you will make putts no matter what you use.

Unfortunately people like to blame their equipment for their lack of golf prowess, & everyone knows the more you pay for something the better performs:bulgy-eyes:

What dictates better feel?That's hard to describe as you might imagine.It's subjective to say the least.What I think has better feel might not be the same for you.For me it's the way I can sense the speed of my stroke and the line the putter head head is following.It's also how the ball feels when stuck and how it starts rolling after contact.If you could play a lot of putters which you have an opportunity to do I'm sure you could find that kind of feel without having to spend a lot of money.Money spent doesn't necessarily mean anything.There's got to be a lot of hidden gems out there that poscess that intrinsic something.

It's feel. Define that however you like, but putting all comes down to feel. A couple of nights ago Golf Channel had several programs with Jack Nicklaus celebrating his 70th birthday (including a Wonderful World of Golf episode with Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson playing at Pebble ). I'm not sure which show it was but Jack said the same thing... putting is not mechanics, its feel. It's trusting your stroke, trusting your read, and "feeling" the power needed to make the ball roll on the planned path. Part of that feel is confidence in your putter. One player can get that feel from a $30 putter, while the next guy can't get it for less than $300. Since "feel" is a very mental aspect of the game, for some the high price tag is necessary for them believe that they have bought a tool that is good enough to enhance their feel.

The tool needs to do two things: it has to fit one's stroke, and and it has to fit one's idea of what the tool should be.... meaning that it should look right at address. For some the tactical feel is more important than the mental imagery, while for others if it doesn't look right, then nothing else matters. There are guys for whom you could give them a $50 putter that is set up and balanced and strokes EXACTLY like a SC Newport, but if it doesn't look like the Scotty, and they know that it isn't a Scotty, they will be unable to ever hit a decent putt with it. That's just how it is with putting.

I'm just as bad, except that mine isn't a Scotty. Anybody can build my putter from Golfsmith components for around $60, but I'm just as hooked on it as any Scotty owner is on his. It works for me, it suits my stroke, and it gives me the confidence that I can hole any putt I hit with it. That is what is needed in a putter, and anyone who doesn't explore everything available hasn't given himself the chance to find the best putter for himself at the best price.

 

[provisional]

.To be a good putter, the golfer needs to know how to use in combination with each other, the read of the green, the speed of the green, and the use of a fitted putter that allows them to hit a straight putt to predetermined target (the read at the right speed) that may or may not be the hole. The price of the putter is of no consequence, if the golfer can't roll a straight putt with it.

Another factor of being a better putter is the golfer's approach game. No one consistently makes longer putts. The golfer who's approach game leaves them the shorter first putts, in the long run, is going count fewer putts on their score card. I just finished playing in a 4 day tournament, where I putted poorly...for me. After it was all over, the red flag was I had an average of 15' for my first putts. Looking back my putting was fine. It was my approach game that sucked.

We see these pro tour players make great putts all the time. They curve those breaking putts into the holes it seems with ease. A straight 15 footer is money for them. The occasional 30 footer made is nothing short of awesome. However what we tend to forget is that these pros have pages of written info on the greens from all the courses they play on, year after year. They can tell you what the contours of a green is, a 1000 miles away. They all have the best approach games in the world. They know how, and where to leave an approach shot on a green to give them the best chance of making that first putt. This is why we amateurs putt better on our home course greens, than greens we are not as familiar with.

 

[Dirt_Guy]

Re: The price of putters

I believe that the marketing hype leads the opinions of most golfers and that is what decides the price of each putter. People won't try the entire selection in a store if they walk in with blinders on and only try what they know. I am as guilty of this as the next golfer, but as long as I am happy and feel confident with it the putter will still have a home in my bag. The problem that people don't realize sometimes is that the feel of the putter is more of a marriage between the putter and the ball. If you don't test a putter with the ball you normally play, you'll never get the same course results.

 

[thedue]

Great subject line. After agonizing over what new putter to get last year, I found that there can be a significant difference "gained" in spending the extra money for a high technology putter, if you use that technology.

Putting has always been the best part of my game. Or at least ever since I bought my Slotline Tour back in the early 90's. However, after the big layoff from golf and the move to Nebraska I was missing putts. Everything felt great, I simply couldn't get the speed dialed in. Every putt was long and I finally went shopping for something softer.

I'm about as conservative as it gets when it comes to golf equipment, or about anything else for that matter, but in a different way than many. I'll test, test and test some more in most cases, read everything I can get my hands on and end up buying what I think is the best for me regardless of the price, then keep it for ever. I tried everything I could get my hands on and simply made more putts with an Odyssey White Hot XG Teron. (possibly the ugliest putter ever made, IMHO).

What I found with a lot of the higher dollar putters was either they didn't fit my swing and feel, (based on speed with amount of stroke and vibration to my hands), or they did good, but not enough difference from the Odyssey to spend the extra. When I putt I try to find my distances based on the inches of movement back and thru the putt. I add or subtract based on slope. All these different faces and weighting made for very different rolls.

Bottom line: The Odyssey worked pretty darn good for most of the year, other than I had to take so much grief from the buddies about it's looks. Then around the first of September I found myself missing short, lol. I knew at that point it was nothing more than my stroke all along. But, lengthening my stroke caused more problems than helped, so I broke out the old Slotline again and it was like magic. The last five times out were the best putting days I have ever had in golf. I don't think all the money in the world could change things here. I can't seem to dial down my stroke for faster green's, or up for slower, so I'll learn to match the greens to my putter. I may try another Slotline with the new inserts for that softer feel, but not sure it's worth it.

The marketing hype get's my attention, but won't make the sell. On the other hand a $69 putter won't get much of a look from me, lol.

 

[provisional]

Good point about the ball/putter combination. :clapp:

I believe that the marketing hype leads the opinions of most golfers and that is what decides the price of each putter. People won't try the entire selection in a store if they walk in with blinders on and only try what they know. I am as guilty of this as the next golfer, but as long as I am happy and feel confident with it the putter will still have a home in my bag. The problem that people don't realize sometimes is that the feel of the putter is more of a marriage between the putter and the ball. If you don't test a putter with the ball you normally play, you'll never get the same course results.

 

[rsprymtym]

And some of that comes from marketing/reputation. If you believe a Scotty will feel better because of the marketing and buzz, maybe it will. If that gives you confidence, that extra $100.00 may be well spent.

Kevin

That is spot on...pretty tough to sum it up in simpler terms than that.

 

[jefffann]

It's feel. Define that however you like, but putting all comes down to feel.

It's trusting your stroke, trusting your read, and "feeling" the power needed to make the ball roll on the planned path. Part of that feel is confidence in your putter. One player can get that feel from a $30 putter, while the next guy can't get it for less than $300. Since "feel" is a very mental aspect of the game, for some the high price tag is necessary for them believe that they have bought a tool that is good enough to enhance their feel.

The tool needs to do two things: it has to fit one's stroke, and and it has to fit one's idea of what the tool should be.... meaning that it should look right at address. For some the tactile feel is more important than the mental imagery, while for others if it doesn't look right, then nothing else matters. There are guys for whom you could give them a $50 putter that is set up and balanced and strokes EXACTLY like a SC Newport, but if it doesn't look like the Scotty, and they know that it isn't a Scotty, they will be unable to ever hit a decent putt with it. That's just how it is with putting.

I'm just as bad, except that mine isn't a Scotty. Anybody can build my putter from Golfsmith components for around $60, but I'm just as hooked on it as any Scotty owner is on his. It works for me, it suits my stroke, and it gives me the confidence that I can hole any putt I hit with it. That is what is needed in a putter, and anyone who doesn't explore everything available hasn't given himself the chance to find the best putter for himself at the best price.

Very well said ..I think you hit the nail on the head.

 

[thedue]

This may be sort of off topic, but there's some great info on how to choose the best putter for you over at:

PutterZone.com - Best Putter Reviews

This is a great site with ton's of info on putters and wedges, along with tips. Also, Sean over there talks very highly of THP, to the point of having an artical on there about the upcoming THP magazine.

I hope it was ok to post this JB!

 

[JB]

This may be sort of off topic, but there's some great info on how to choose the best putter for you over at:

PutterZone.com - Best Putter Reviews

This is a great site with ton's of info on putters and wedges, along with tips. Also, Sean over there talks very highly of THP, to the point of having an artical on there about the upcoming THP magazine.

I hope it was ok to post this JB!

Sean is a great guy and a good friend of THP. His site is filled with great information. You cannot go wrong there.

 

[davo777]

In my opinion, feel & performance can be incorrectly determined by price. You will be super confident with your $350 scotty putter & you could think it feels and performs better than it actually does (Certainly not implying that the scotty is not a great putter) On the flipside, you almost expect your cheap putter to perform cheaply.

It is funny how if we put badly with a $20 putter, we blame the putter. If we put badly with a $350 putter we blame our stroke.

Marketing is an extremely powerful tool, especially in golf.

Personally, I like trying all the different clubs (especially drivers) & if it means I pay a premium for a club that brings me confidence & peforms well, I am happy to spend the cash.

Once I find a putter that works for me though, I tend to stick with it for a while.

 

[thedue]

Very well put Davo!

 

[derelict]

Personally, I get tons of satisfaction :banana: knowing that I spent $18 (brand new) for my Heavy Putter F3-DF... and it made me much more consistent 5 feet in because I had fidgety wrists...

 

[Harry Longshanks]

I feel there can be a direct comparison between Scotty putters and Apple Computers.

Exactly. They both just work.

Spoiler

Except when they don't.

 

[jefffann]

In my opinion, feel & performance can be incorrectly determined by price. You will be super confident with your $350 scotty putter & you could think it feels and performs better than it actually does (Certainly not implying that the scotty is not a great putter) On the flipside, you almost expect your cheap putter to perform cheaply.

It is funny how if we put badly with a $20 putter, we blame the putter. If we put badly with a $350 putter we blame our stroke.

Marketing is an extremely powerful tool, especially in golf.

Personally, I like trying all the different clubs (especially drivers) & if it means I pay a premium for a club that brings me confidence & peforms well, I am happy to spend the cash.

Once I find a putter that works for me though, I tend to stick with it for a while.

Very well put Davo!

I like that explanation too

 

[GenErr]

In the 45+ years of playing golf I've gone through a BUNCH of putters from all the major manufacturers, including an SC or two. I'm now playing a 1980's napa style putter and am stroking the ball better than ever.

So I guess the trick is finding the right combination that works for each of us. We can find it scientifically with customized putter fittings, or we can spend years going through different putters until we find one that works for us.

But I find it interesting that many golfers are constantly on the lookout for their next putter purchase, no matter how good a putter they may happen to be.

 

[mtramfan]

Dave Pelz talks about making sure your putter fits your setup, and not changing your setup to fit your putter. I think this could be part of feeling good or comfortable with a putter. This does make me curious about finding a good putter fitting.

 

[idriveahonda]

I will put in my input about this topic.

The basis for MOST mallet and MOST blade style putters are this:
- Face-balanced mallet for straight back and through stroke
- Toe-weighted blade for inside, down-the-line, inside stroke

Any combination (toe-weighted mallet/face-balanced blade) otherwise is purely based on look, feel, and individual putter benefits.

You choose the putter that suits your putting stroke TENDENCIES. Your stroke changes often, just like your swing day to day. Being able to match the style of putter (and it's tendencies in the stroke) to your personal stroke pattern, is the just of it.

I have one of each:
YES! Tracy II (mostly face-balanced blade)
Odyssey Black Series 1 (toe-weighted blade)
Itsy Bitsy Spider (face-balanced mallet)

When it comes to PRICE (and PRICE ONLY) it can come down to factors such as company overhead, superior craftsmanship/quality, and/or brand recognition. When there is similar craftsmanship (and proven/beneficial R&A to the craftsmanship), prices are typically similar.

Just my input. I cannot STAND Scotty Cameron putters. Why? They do not match up with my stroke.