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Leaving the Insert Behind

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Leaving the Insert Behind

Had the one of the first odyssey putter with the black face insert. Used it for a while and felt that putts would come off hot sometime. Spent a month going to Edwin Watts putting with all different types. Did not like any of them in till I found the Anser. I putted with my Anser 2 in the store and bought it back in 1995 or so. Been using it ever since, I just finally swapped the grip to the pp60 grip. I have been putting with that grip for three weeks and love the change. I found that the combo of the steel blade and a quality ball gives a great feel and roll. The feedback on my putter is excellent compared to what I feel is the dead insert putters. I have been trying all the new Sigma Anser and they feel dead. No matter where I hit it it feels the same to me. With the non insert putters, I think you will learn quickly the feel of a good and bad putt. I think it has helped me build a consistent stroke.


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If I must, I can only do metal inserts. Presently, and in the past also, aluminum.

I played the old Odyssey black inserts, the White Hots, TM Nubbins long ago (even tried a newer Odyssey with hinge tech 1.5 yrs ago or so).

Really liked them, stuck with them for years. But when I switched to a Rife Tour Hybrid mallet with (what I believe to be) an aluminum insert, that was it for me.

It's been solid or metal insert ever since. Just more predictable for my stroke.
 
JB said:
So I have been an insert user for close to 20 years now and all of the sudden have this craving for a non-insert putter. Im not sure where it is coming from, other than rolling that Blue Toulon putter last week at the Odyssey Experience. With that said, for those that have made this switch, what were the biggest changes/challenges you faced when making the switch after a long period of time?
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My only challenge is finding putters without inserts nowadays. I always prefer a plain metal face, doesn't even need to be milled as far as I'm concerned. But wanting no insert seems to eliminate 90% of the putters on the mass market (and I'm not looking to order some boutique model for 500 bucks).

Never have understood why inserts in putter faces even became a thing.

That said, I do putt better (at the moment, could change at any time!) with my Dick's Sporting Good cheap mallet that has an insert. But I like my 70's vintage Ping manganese bronze Ansers better in terms of the sound at impact and the visuals of the face. I'll eventually be back to putting with one of those I'm sure.
 
I've gone full circle on inserts. Ping Anser to Odyssey Rossie II to Odyssey 2 Ball Blade to Vons SS398 (milled stainless steel 303). None of the inserts were metal. They made the soft covered balls feel like marshmallows. If I played a surlyn ball, they made them feel softer like a balata ball. Been playing the Vons SS398 since 2001. The closest description is a Ping Anser 2 in stainless steel but custom and a heavy head. I like the solid feel of my Vons putter especially with the urethane balls. If you play distance balls, consider an insert. If not, then a solid putter may feel better. Try both types.
 
WMac19 said:
If I must, I can only do metal inserts. Presently, and in the past also, aluminum.

I played the old Odyssey black inserts, the White Hots, TM Nubbins long ago (even tried a newer Odyssey with hinge tech 1.5 yrs ago or so).

Really liked them, stuck with them for years. But when I switched to a Rife Tour Hybrid mallet with (what I believe to be) an aluminum insert, that was it for me.

It's been solid or metal insert ever since. Just more predictable for my stroke.
Click to expand...

If you've played a milled putter for ages, it is definitely a transition to move into inserted putters, but I do think they have a wonderful place in the game of golf. Improving on a lot of the potential errors with the ball coming off the face, the benefits are pretty significant.
 
I have always played an insert, mainly because I have always played a mallet.

I got a Toulon Atlanta earlier this spring and immediately put it head to head with the Marksman. I was so much better with lag putts with the miller Toulon. I can’t say for sure whether or not it was the face of the putter or the shape but there was a difference. I have been using the Toulon this entire year and putting it very well.
 
Thinking of putting a Toulon Atlanta in the bag and ditching the Spider X. Just not able to get lag putting down with Spider. For some reason I just have better feel with milled face putters. But let's be honest - I'll probably keep trying both from now until the end of time.
 
If it counts as an "Insert" putter, I have been going back and forth recently between my Odyssey ProType #2 (1025 Milled Carbon), and Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport (303 Stainless Body, German Stainless Steel Milled Insert). The ProType has an amazing feel with the soft steel and deep milling, but virtually no forgiveness; if I don't put a confident roll on the ball and hit the sweet spot, it tends to be short. The Scotty has a bit of a firmer roll, and seems to have a bit more forgiveness.

However, I've found that I prefer the Scotty as an "insert" much more than the Works Tank 1w and Taylormade Spider SI insert putters that I used to use. The latter two inserts had great MOI, but I felt they were virtually numb in the feel department.

-Bishop
 
I played both an Odyssey Rossie II and a 2 Ball Blade with inserts for years. But, I always had problems with softer cover balls. Zero feel. So, I switched to a custom Anser style putter about 18 yrs ago and never looked back. The urethane covers and milled stainless steel 303 putter face are a great combination. Haven't tried the metal face insert putters. That could make me change my mind.
 
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