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"Hand Made"! Do You Have The Talent?

Nippon Shafts
If you can't read the line doesn't matter what putter you have in your hand to me , as when I quit playing I did not wear glasses and putted pretty decent because I felt I read greens well , now that I wear Tri-focal glasses & playing again I am struggling with the read , as I usually hit on my intended line but its a wrong read on my part . I know a $500 putter would not benefit my putting right now even though I would LOVE me a NEAD :D
 
I know I am getting off topic here again and I'll try to get back on track after these points. While getting me to ever agree that a handmade putter is better than a OTR could be a tough sell. I do agree that there is a certain attraction to a handmade putter because of the amount of work and talent needed to make one, but whether it performs better is and always will be open to debate.
I'm sort of the Arnold Palmer type when it comes to putters. Once I was fit a few years ago and knew which Anser in my group worked the best for me, I paid close attention to things like toe hang, weight, loft, lie, length etc and made adjustments to 10/15 other MgBn Anser's I owned to get them all in the same spec range. Once I knew what worked best for me, I just made sure any putter I bought after that to game could be adjusted to perform the same.
Not everyone has the skill (and mine is limited) to make adjustments to clubs and I agree that this is where a guy like Gene can come into play and help someone. The questions is how do you convince someone that spending big bucks versus OTR will make them a better player? I have always wondered how and I'm amazed that a guy like Scotty Cameron could convince several thousand players that a $3000 009 (Anser copy) is better than the various makes of the Anser which sell for much much less? Marketing at its best I guess.
A close friend of mine has a 009 and I have putted many times with it and while I will agree it is a nice putter and is not to my specs, it just does not seem any better to me for the amount of money spent and my friend agrees, but he does have the "wow" factor which is worth something to him I guess. I think I get just as many compliments for my use of something old and classic (and I spent about $2970 less to get it).
 
Here is my custom "Hammer" putter. The shaft is on the fly adjustable, this putter is toe weighted and can be used LH, RH, or as a Hammer Putter!. It's made of brass, and makes a "Ping/resonating" sound when you strike a putt. I never intended it to be a putter until one day I was in the garage and found this old brass hammer head that I made, and on the same trip to the garage found an old Adams Graphite shaft. :). It happened by chance that it happened to be the same type size as a ping 1/2 craz-E. I'm gona break 80 with this bad boy next year!.. Hammer style!.

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i think that JB's point (for a better lack or terms) is being lost. i understand the question he's asking, but can't really chime in. i won't b/c i have zero experience with putters besides what one can buy in a store. i respect the talent and hard work that it takes to create a truly hand made putter, just as i respect the vision/designs/looks of putters that come from a kia ma or a bob bettinardi or out of the odyssey camp. i prefer to putt w/an insert b/c it's what i've come to know, even if it does consist of "cheap plastic". people who are into/collect/buy/commission/own/want a one off, hand made, custom putter i would expect to tout their finished product. it's part of their vision to. to me, it's more about being uniquely different and enjoying the artistic side to the equipment game. nothing more, nothing less. i can't see how something hand made can be "better" on the putting green. in the end, it's still a putter.
 
It seems the direction of this thread has been diverted to a degree, but expounding on all the options out there is still the focal point of THP, at least to me. I think everyone made some good points, although I don't think JB will get his question answered unless Gene sends him a 100% hand made to test for himself :D

The point of this thread was simply to show a very unique putter builder who stepped out of the box by creating something in a completely different manner than is standard in this day of cnc equipment. I posted pictures, from Gene Nead, of the actual hands on process and I for one applaud the fact that he not only attempted this, but succeeded in building some beautiful works of art. Are they for everyone, no. Did everyone learn something about the process, I hope so.

Each of these putters are hand made one at a time out of an ugly old block of metal, how cool is that?

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i agree duey! the man's talent is exceptional. i'm glad that so many of you enjoy this sort of process and enjoy adding these to either your collection or your stable of gamers, that's what is truly special. i wish putters did something for me, but they just don't. they're just like a wedge or a driver or an iron to me, it's just a stick that helps execute my goal: to get the little round ball in that round hole in as few as strokes as possible.
 
thedue said:
It seems the direction of this thread has been diverted to a degree, but expounding on all the options out there is still the focal point of THP, at least to me. I think everyone made some good points, although I don't think JB will get his question answered unless Gene sends him a 100% hand made to test for himself :D

The point of this thread was simply to show a very unique putter builder who stepped out of the box by creating something in a completely different manner than is standard in this day of cnc equipment. I posted pictures, from Gene Nead, of the actual hands on process and I for one applaud the fact that he not only attempted this, but succeeded in building some beautiful works of art. Are they for everyone, no. Did everyone learn something about the process, I hope so.

Each of these putters are hand made one at a time out of an ugly old block of metal, how cool is that?
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I think its incredibly cool. I also think that with the term hand made and the talk about what it is, it is a natural evolution to a conversation to discuss why its important or if its important. If its important because of the art factor, that works for me. Art is different for everybody and what one finds beautiful, others dislike. That is what makes art so personal and so wonderful.

Im just trying to find out the differences of Gene's hand made vs Gene's customs. Both made by him and both look great. Im not looking for hand outs or to try one persay, just talking to others that have enjoyed his work like myself. Getting my education on the subject from both the creator and the consumer is how I have always looked at getting smarter in this field. If there is a difference (better or worse or just different), I am all for it. If there isn't outside of "its handmade and you know how few people can do this", I am all for that too. Just trying to figure out what that is.
 
I think for the actual putter it cant possibly add something better, because 'better' is different to everyone
 
HoosierGolfer said:
No. I don't believe that for a second. I've gamed old Ping Anser's for thirty years and never paid more than $40 for any of them new. Are you saying I would make more putts with a $3000 dollar Cameron 009? I'm not buying it.
A high dollar putter will not make you a better player. Only hard work can do that, along with being properly fit for your equipment.
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TC said:
i agree duey! the man's talent is exceptional. i'm glad that so many of you enjoy this sort of process and enjoy adding these to either your collection or your stable of gamers, that's what is truly special. i wish putters did something for me, but they just don't. they're just like a wedge or a driver or an iron to me, it's just a stick that helps execute my goal: to get the little round ball in that round hole in as few as strokes as possible.
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Nothing wrong with that TC. I get just as excited about a new shaft or driver to try, but this putter building just caught my attention. It could be from my welding roots or something, I just find it a cool process. I do find it funny that some people won't spend $90 on a putter, yet turn around and spend $500 or more for a driver that will be used 12 to 15 times a round. But, the score at the end of the day is what really matters in the end. If it works, why spend the money?
 
I don't know how I copied Hoosier's post in this, that was an accident. I started to copy him earlier, but changed my mind, lol.
 
Well Gene struck gold this time, but it's not actually gold at all. This putter was 100% Hand Made in the USA and then hand torched. Gene, You truly are a Master Craftsman!

Hand Made #7

#6 is in the works and will be posted soon, however #7 is finished and once again has hit a new high. I simply had to post some pictures for everyone.

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The owner of this putter always has 7 lucky shamrocks on his putters and Gene simply did not want to stamp on this, so he made the brass ferule and stamped that. I like the touch.
 
I think so too Sean. I'm sure Gene appreciates hearing you like it.
 
The man's a real artist. I wonder how the ball feels coming off one of those works of art?
 
Man I wish I knew, lol. Gene say's these non-milled putters are very soft.

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I wish I could find a putter that feels the way the old Balata's felt coming off the putter. :)
 
that is a beautiful piece of art.
 
jefffann said:
that is a beautiful piece of art.
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Isn't it though. It amazes me that this has a torched finish. On my laptop it looks plated with a gold type finish.
 
whatever it is it sure looks great
 
jefffann said:
whatever it is it sure looks great
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Thank you, I'm sure Gene appreciates it. I think he simply torched it. It has such a classy look to it that I think it fit's Nead's statement:

"It's not a want, but a Nead!" It's about something very special, IMHO.
 
Sean said:
I wish I could find a putter that feels the way the old Balata's felt coming off the putter. :)
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You might try a carbon putter with a Callaway Diablo ball, softest feeling combo ever, for me.
 
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Here is one from Mills I have always wondered about. Hand forged? Clever marketing? Any thoughts?

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Mills has some fantastic putters, one of the true masters of the past for sure. Not sure if I'm a sound slot fan or not, but you can't go wrong with a Mills putter if fit for you.
 
Duey...how do you find out all of the info on these putters along with the life story of why it was made that way and all that jaz...just curious!
 
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