Line On Putter vs. Non?

[V14_Heels]

Let's take these two putters for example:


Exact same putter except one has the line through the "two-ball" the other doesn't. My initial reaction is why would I ever not get the one with the line? But I'm genuinely curious for those of you that have trialed tons of putters, can the line create some optical illusion that hurts you?

I get it's preference overall, but I want a little more "meat and reasoning" other than "its preference"?

 

[baylrballa]

Let's take these two putters for example:
View attachment 9112797View attachment 9112798

Exact same putter except one has the line through the "two-ball" the other doesn't. My initial reaction is why would I ever not get the one with the line? But I'm genuinely curious for those of you that have trialed tons of putters, can the line create some optical illusion that hurts you?

I get it's preference overall, but I want a little more "meat and reasoning" other than "its preference"?

some people line up a perpendicular incorrectly due to angles and eye stuff.

and if you don't have the same line on your ball it messes up the whole 3 same balls in a row thing a bit.

 

[V14_Heels]

some people line up a perpendicular incorrectly due to angles and eye stuff.

and if you don't have the same line on your ball it messes up the whole 3 same balls in a row thing a bit.

Help me understand what you're saying there Bay?

So I use a line on my ball, and attempt to line up the line with the line I intend to put along, so I'd think the line would be better for me, but I don't even know. Maybe it's hurting me more than helping me.

 

[Parrot]

I would take the line. My putter has a flange line so a line is what I'm accustomed to and would be a little lost without one. I've tried.

 

[baylrballa]

Help me understand what you're saying there Bay?

So I use a line on my ball, and attempt to line up the line with the line I intend to put along, so I'd think the line would be better for me, but I don't even know. Maybe it's hurting me more than helping me.

probably.

personally I think it gets a bit busy with the line and would prefer looking down at the lineless.

 

[CBaker]

Just preference. Some depending on which eye dominant you are the line can actually be worse for you and cause you to line up either slightly open or closed to your target.

 

[V14_Heels]

This is such a cluster. I ordered the two ball from callaway pre-owned with no line yesterday, just because it was quite cheaper than the one with the line. Of course today everything goes on sale and now the one with the line is actually cheaper. I just don't know if it's worth returning re-ordering etc.

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

I tested an Odyssey Eleven Triple Track against a Toulon Daytona Beach with no alignment markings and found that my start line was nearly identical. I’d love to spend some time with different alignment aids and see what my eyes see.

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

This is such a cluster. I ordered the two ball from callaway pre-owned with no line yesterday, just because it was quite cheaper than the one with the line. Of course today everything goes on sale and now the one with the line is actually cheaper. I just don't know if it's worth returning re-ordering etc.

Heck yea it is to get the putter that gives you the most confidence. If I recall, the return policy is solid.

 

[Jman]

It effects natural aim bias.

 

[V14_Heels]

I tested an Odyssey Eleven Triple Track against a Toulon Daytona Beach with no alignment markings and found that my start line was nearly identical. I’d love to spend some time with different alignment aids and see what my eyes see.

Yea, it's really hard. I've found a couple articles on whether drawing a line on your ball actually helps and the overarching data suggest it doesn't do much, but I can't really find any opinion on how that translates against DIFFERENT putter alignment aids. So that's why I came here to see what you all would say.

 

[CBaker]

I tested an Odyssey Eleven Triple Track against a Toulon Daytona Beach with no alignment markings and found that my start line was nearly identical. I’d love to spend some time with different alignment aids and see what my eyes see.

I’m left eye dominant and flange lines can throw me off but I have done it so much I know how it “should” look and work around it. Right eye dominance tends to work well with flange lines while left eye dominance tends to work better with level lines or top line markings.

no marking vs marking on level makes sense being similar ultimately from my experience between those two

edit: I had to edit my comment because I was thinking of the wrong putter for the Daytona lol

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

A line on the Daytona flange would be different based on depth. The eleven it’s on level, so having a line there is better than flange for people. I’m left eye dominant and flange lines can throw me off but I have done it so much I know how it “should” look and work around it. Right eye dominance tends to work well with flange lines while left eye dominance tends to work better with level lines or top line markings.

I use the triple track chrome soft balls, so combine that with the triple track putter and I’m all set for alignment it’s a huge confidence booster for me. Oddly enough, I never got along with my old 2-Ball CS putter. That’s one alignment aid I’m not a fan of.

 

[V14_Heels]

I’m left eye dominant and flange lines can throw me off but I have done it so much I know how it “should” look and work around it. Right eye dominance tends to work well with flange lines while left eye dominance tends to work better with level lines or top line markings.

no marking vs marking on level makes sense being similar ultimately from my experience between those two

I had to go look up how to figure out what eye is dominant, interesting enough the test came out pretty even, but I'd say I'm left eye dominant. Hmm, maybe I'll just give the no line thing a try for awhile.

 

[Scooby45]

I’ve found that the line helps me take my putter back properly instead of losing it outside the line.

 

[V14_Heels]

I’ve found that the line helps me take my putter back properly instead of losing it outside the line.

Yup, I considered this as well. I've always thought the same exact thing, and I'm a straight arc guy with a face balanced putter. That is precisely my concern that'll i'll struggle with that a little more, but then here is a part of me that says, maybe your brain just understand how to do that with a two-ball? It's not like I have a line on the green to follow so....

 

[Scooby45]

Yup, I considered this as well. I've always thought the same exact thing, and I'm a straight arc guy with a face balanced putter. That is precisely my concern that'll i'll struggle with that a little more, but then here is a part of me that says, maybe your brain just understand how to do that with a two-ball? It's not like I have a line on the green to follow so....

personally two-balls mess with my head....

 

[Desmond]

Let's take these two putters for example:
View attachment 9112797View attachment 9112798

Exact same putter except one has the line through the "two-ball" the other doesn't. My initial reaction is why would I ever not get the one with the line? But I'm genuinely curious for those of you that have trialed tons of putters, can the line create some optical illusion that hurts you?

I get it's preference overall, but I want a little more "meat and reasoning" other than "its preference"?

After a decade of reading about lines and two Edel fittings, Lines tend to move your aim left. So if you naturally aim to the right, lines can help and where they are located can make a difference. Each individual is different. Fittings are important.

 

[Drumdog]

I like the lines on the putters, especially the lines on my Ghost Spider.
Some may find it weird that while I like the lines on the putter, I hate any lines on the ball.

 

[Templet0n]

I prefer a naked putter.. I have a line on my current putter but I am honestly not sure I even use it. If I do it is far from a conscious or intended effort. I don't put a line on my ball either.

 

[jt2929]

I also draw a line on my ball, so if I have the putter line and ball line making one straight line, there is a pretty good chance I’m aiming where I want to.

 

[dhartmann34]

Always a line....

 

[Carolina Dundee]

Let's take these two putters for example:
View attachment 9112797View attachment 9112798

Exact same putter except one has the line through the "two-ball" the other doesn't. My initial reaction is why would I ever not get the one with the line? But I'm genuinely curious for those of you that have trialed tons of putters, can the line create some optical illusion that hurts you?

I get it's preference overall, but I want a little more "meat and reasoning" other than "its preference"?

I’m not even sure if my putter has a line on it or not.
Probably does and I have another one that just has a dot

 

[WLG1952]

I'm not a "line" on the putter kind of guy. That said, for the life of me, I can't say for certain my gamer does, doesn't have a line. If it does, I don't use it.

I found (for me) a long time ago these sight lines on a putter didn't consistently work well for me. I did find that aligning the putter face square to my chosen line, worked much better.

I found this out when the drawing a line on the ball became a big deal. I even bought that ball spinner thingie. I did putt better using the line, but there was still room for improvement.

So I did some tests. I would align the ball line on my chosen line to the hole. With a friend's (my instructor) help, we would hold a string line from the ball line towards the hole. A lot of times ball line was right of the hole. The longer the putt, the farther right the miss. This wasn't a 10 minute test either. We devoted a few hours to it.

So knowing this, we did the same test with the line on the putter. Same results. The line on the putter was actually pointing a little to the right of the hole sometimes.

So we tried aligning the whole putter face square to the hole, and found I was much more accurate. Especially on the longer putts. (5'+). Never looked back.

The only putter alignment aid that has worked for me was on the SeeMore putters I have tried. The sights that help align the putter face square to the chosen line.

 

[Scooby45]

The whole science of how we relate to visuals for alignment, and how it is person dependent, is fascinating to me.