SeeMore Mini Giant DF Putter Review
I need to get my hands on one and try these! Look great and the RST is of peak interest.
First Impressions and Unboxing (Link)
So, I'd like to do a little on the technology of the @seemoreputters Mini Giant DF. I am relatively new to putters and their technologies. So, I did a little research to understand what some of these terms mean and what they actually do to help/hurt the person using the putter. The information listed below is solely based on my research and could be subject to some amounts of human error. I'm not @xThor in terms of a man who loves his putters.
First, let's dig into the Rifle Scope Technology. I wanted to start here, because @seemoreputters indicates this is in many instances the framework for putting success. Here is a RST Video (Link) RST SeeMore Website (Link) that explains how the technology works. My biggest takeaway is this. You only get one chance every swing to set-up to the ball and do so correctly and consistently. This holds true for all clubs in the bag. What happens when we don't set-up correctly? This usually leads to some sort of an induced swing flaw, or misalignment towards target line. After practicing for 10 minutes on proper set-up of the putter with utilizing the RST, I noticed a fundamental shift in my stance which helped correct a swing flaw. This had to due with eye dominance, dominant handiness and position of the putter in my stance (@Jman can probably relate from his Off Course comments). I am now VERY centered over the ball & putter and have much better alignment. I feel it's very important that you understand the RST and how to set-up before trying to make a bunch of putts, otherwise you're trying to hide a dot, but not understand it's significance in improving your putting. As a result I have a more consistent impact location on the putter face. I will say that I putt heads up, so seeing that the dot stays hidden during the stroke is not something I can/will comment on a lot. What I can tell you from just making practice strokes and not actually impacting the ball, that if your shoulders, elbows and wrists aren't in proper alignment the red dot will show itself. I remedied this, by shortening my stroke and used very gently acceleration through the putt along with the mass of the putter head to do the work for me. Next, I'll talk about how the Garsen grip actually improved my stability of holding the putter and made my stroke easier.
I am sure there are 1000's of different ways somebody can produce a putting stroke and no two ways are the exact same. What works for some, may not work for others. As, I am learning more about the flatstick I've noticed that there is a significance of importance in the interaction between the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands and putter. The putter head really needs to be an extension of the shoulders and arms. All movement is to be very pendulum like with little to no rotational twist of the body. That is a lot of variables to try and control and when I was using my original flatstick I was fit with, I noticed at times some of these things just weren't quite in sync. Most notably was my wrists. To remove the wrist problem on my original flatstick, I would forward press the putter a little bit and that seemed to fix the problem, but it did cause alignment issues.
My grip and hands probably aren't as stable as many THPers due to nerve damage, so I need all of the help I can get. When I researched the SeeMore offerings for Putter Grips (Link), I was immediately intrigued by several of the OEM offerings, particularly the Garsen Quad Tour Pistol Non Tapered (Link) especially since it had claims that it took "the hands out of putting". After a quick back and forth with the SeeMore team, we both agreed that the Garsen Quad Tour Pistol Non Tapered would be an excellent choice for me. Kudos to these guys for rapid response during the build process. What customer service! I will say that the grip has definitely lived up to its claim. I would notice if I spent a long time practicing putting, that my shoulders would be come tired, or my form became a little sloppy. The Quad Tour Pistol Grip has really made this become a non-issue. I did immediately notice that once I gripped the putter, it turned my elbows in a bit and set my shoulders back. Using the parallelogram design to my advantage really allowed for me to lock in my wrists and very easily made the putter an extension of my arms. As a result of this, just holding the putter off the ground in my set-up position has become very stable and I have significantly less movement in my body. This may not be the grip for everybody, but I can say that I will no longer sleep on the importance of having a proper grip for my putter.
I will say, by doing research of the other grips available that SeeMore recognizes this importance the grip plays in putter function. They have plenty of options that I would consider to be premium putter grips that will definitely suit nearly everybody's taste and needs.
So, now that we have a well aligned stable club in hand what about the stroke? Can we add some forgiveness to the club to help with mishits, etc? The short answer is yes you can. It's call Moment of Inertia (MOI) and and being face balanced at impact. When we putt there are two things that we are trying to accomplish besides get the ball in the hole. First, we want to have an appropriate amount of energy transfer from the putter head to the ball. This is what gives us our ball speed/velocity which ultimately means distance. The further we are away from the sweet spot of the putter, the less the energy is transferred to the ball and our distance ultimately suffers. Along with this transfer of energy, we are also worried about the direction that it goes. If we have an off center hit, the putter will naturally want to twist in our hands. The result will be less force applied to the ball (shorter distance) and it goes the wrong way. To counteract this twist we provide a higher MOI putter head. Higher MOI leads to resisting the twist from off center strikes.
So, if we need forgiveness how do we create a higher MOI putter? Well, that is something that we want to leave to the putter OEMs, but generically speaking you can attack it several ways. I really like SeeMore's approach to MOI and providing balance. The putter head itself is made from a light weight aluminum. They then were able to use heavy plugs of copper along the perimeter of the putter to actually increase the MOI. Effectively they moved the mass around in the putter head to increase the MOI and resist the twist. There is a very fine balance that needs to be had though, if we have our weighting to far on the the extremes even though the club will resist the twist, it will be difficult to stroke with consistency because of how it naturally wants to move. Kudos to the SeeMore team because I believe the Mini Giant DF has accomplished a more forgiving putter which resists the twist, has a larger sweet spot and is easy to stroke.
To bring it all together SeeMore Mini Giant DF has face balance. It's not just face balanced, it's face balanced at impact. I didn't 100% understand what that meant at first when I started my research. What I come to understand and now believe, it's how does the putter naturally want to align itself at impact at it's intended lie angle. I did happen to find this video which explains it more Myth of Face Balanced Putters (Link). So, what can this face balanced at impact mean for you? It can further ensure that your ball stays closer to its intended target line and distance doesn't continue to suffer. If you suffer from leaving your face open or closed at impact, there could be some great benefit to you by having a face balanced at impact putter. Not to mention you reap the full benefits of the higher MOI putter, because now you have more of the putter face to work with.
My final thoughts on the technology portion of the SeeMore Mini Giant DF is this... SeeMore put a lot of effort into this putter line to help reduce as many variables in putting for the average golfer. It's designed to help you get aligned, on plane and stay on plane all while being forgiving. If you follow the set-up process you will become more consistent very quickly. I can't really ask for much more to be honest. Is this the club for you, I can not say as a true fitting in my opinion is still very important. What I can say is this, that in the future I will definitely have the SeeMore Putter line in the back of my head as a solid go to regarding it's technology and look. I can't wait for your questions or comments on this along with what the other testers have to say.
So, I'd like to do a little on the technology of the @seemoreputters Mini Giant DF. I am relatively new to putters and their technologies. So, I did a little research to understand what some of these terms mean and what they actually do to help/hurt the person using the putter. The information listed below is solely based on my research and could be subject to some amounts of human error. I'm not @xThor in terms of a man who loves his putters.
First, let's dig into the Rifle Scope Technology. I wanted to start here, because @seemoreputters indicates this is in many instances the framework for putting success. Here is a RST Video (Link) RST SeeMore Website (Link) that explains how the technology works. My biggest takeaway is this. You only get one chance every swing to set-up to the ball and do so correctly and consistently. This holds true for all clubs in the bag. What happens when we don't set-up correctly? This usually leads to some sort of an induced swing flaw, or misalignment towards target line. After practicing for 10 minutes on proper set-up of the putter with utilizing the RST, I noticed a fundamental shift in my stance which helped correct a swing flaw. This had to due with eye dominance, dominant handiness and position of the putter in my stance (@Jman can probably relate from his Off Course comments). I am now VERY centered over the ball & putter and have much better alignment. I feel it's very important that you understand the RST and how to set-up before trying to make a bunch of putts, otherwise you're trying to hide a dot, but not understand it's significance in improving your putting. As a result I have a more consistent impact location on the putter face. I will say that I putt heads up, so seeing that the dot stays hidden during the stroke is not something I can/will comment on a lot. What I can tell you from just making practice strokes and not actually impacting the ball, that if your shoulders, elbows and wrists aren't in proper alignment the red dot will show itself. I remedied this, by shortening my stroke and used very gently acceleration through the putt along with the mass of the putter head to do the work for me. Next, I'll talk about how the Garsen grip actually improved my stability of holding the putter and made my stroke easier.
I am sure there are 1000's of different ways somebody can produce a putting stroke and no two ways are the exact same. What works for some, may not work for others. As, I am learning more about the flatstick I've noticed that there is a significance of importance in the interaction between the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands and putter. The putter head really needs to be an extension of the shoulders and arms. All movement is to be very pendulum like with little to no rotational twist of the body. That is a lot of variables to try and control and when I was using my original flatstick I was fit with, I noticed at times some of these things just weren't quite in sync. Most notably was my wrists. To remove the wrist problem on my original flatstick, I would forward press the putter a little bit and that seemed to fix the problem, but it did cause alignment issues.
My grip and hands probably aren't as stable as many THPers due to nerve damage, so I need all of the help I can get. When I researched the SeeMore offerings for Putter Grips (Link), I was immediately intrigued by several of the OEM offerings, particularly the Garsen Quad Tour Pistol Non Tapered (Link) especially since it had claims that it took "the hands out of putting". After a quick back and forth with the SeeMore team, we both agreed that the Garsen Quad Tour Pistol Non Tapered would be an excellent choice for me. Kudos to these guys for rapid response during the build process. What customer service! I will say that the grip has definitely lived up to its claim. I would notice if I spent a long time practicing putting, that my shoulders would be come tired, or my form became a little sloppy. The Quad Tour Pistol Grip has really made this become a non-issue. I did immediately notice that once I gripped the putter, it turned my elbows in a bit and set my shoulders back. Using the parallelogram design to my advantage really allowed for me to lock in my wrists and very easily made the putter an extension of my arms. As a result of this, just holding the putter off the ground in my set-up position has become very stable and I have significantly less movement in my body. This may not be the grip for everybody, but I can say that I will no longer sleep on the importance of having a proper grip for my putter.
I will say, by doing research of the other grips available that SeeMore recognizes this importance the grip plays in putter function. They have plenty of options that I would consider to be premium putter grips that will definitely suit nearly everybody's taste and needs.
So, now that we have a well aligned stable club in hand what about the stroke? Can we add some forgiveness to the club to help with mishits, etc? The short answer is yes you can. It's call Moment of Inertia (MOI) and and being face balanced at impact. When we putt there are two things that we are trying to accomplish besides get the ball in the hole. First, we want to have an appropriate amount of energy transfer from the putter head to the ball. This is what gives us our ball speed/velocity which ultimately means distance. The further we are away from the sweet spot of the putter, the less the energy is transferred to the ball and our distance ultimately suffers. Along with this transfer of energy, we are also worried about the direction that it goes. If we have an off center hit, the putter will naturally want to twist in our hands. The result will be less force applied to the ball (shorter distance) and it goes the wrong way. To counteract this twist we provide a higher MOI putter head. Higher MOI leads to resisting the twist from off center strikes.
So, if we need forgiveness how do we create a higher MOI putter? Well, that is something that we want to leave to the putter OEMs, but generically speaking you can attack it several ways. I really like SeeMore's approach to MOI and providing balance. The putter head itself is made from a light weight aluminum. They then were able to use heavy plugs of copper along the perimeter of the putter to actually increase the MOI. Effectively they moved the mass around in the putter head to increase the MOI and resist the twist. There is a very fine balance that needs to be had though, if we have our weighting to far on the the extremes even though the club will resist the twist, it will be difficult to stroke with consistency because of how it naturally wants to move. Kudos to the SeeMore team because I believe the Mini Giant DF has accomplished a more forgiving putter which resists the twist, has a larger sweet spot and is easy to stroke.
To bring it all together SeeMore Mini Giant DF has face balance. It's not just face balanced, it's face balanced at impact. I didn't 100% understand what that meant at first when I started my research. What I come to understand and now believe, it's how does the putter naturally want to align itself at impact at it's intended lie angle. I did happen to find this video which explains it more Myth of Face Balanced Putters (Link). So, what can this face balanced at impact mean for you? It can further ensure that your ball stays closer to its intended target line and distance doesn't continue to suffer. If you suffer from leaving your face open or closed at impact, there could be some great benefit to you by having a face balanced at impact putter. Not to mention you reap the full benefits of the higher MOI putter, because now you have more of the putter face to work with.
My final thoughts on the technology portion of the SeeMore Mini Giant DF is this... SeeMore put a lot of effort into this putter line to help reduce as many variables in putting for the average golfer. It's designed to help you get aligned, on plane and stay on plane all while being forgiving. If you follow the set-up process you will become more consistent very quickly. I can't really ask for much more to be honest. Is this the club for you, I can not say as a true fitting in my opinion is still very important. What I can say is this, that in the future I will definitely have the SeeMore Putter line in the back of my head as a solid go to regarding it's technology and look. I can't wait for your questions or comments on this along with what the other testers have to say.
Attachments
SeeMore Mini Giant DF Putter Review - An Introduction
Hello THP! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Taylor, and I am a self-proclaimed bad putter. When THP opened up a testing opportunity for Seemore, I figured it was time for me to give them another chance.
I had previously rolled a Seemore FGP a LONG time ago, and it seems like since I started playing golf seriously, about 10 years ago, I have constantly been on the hunt for a putter that I could "gel" with.
One of the things that intrigues me so much about Seemore is their philosophy around RST and how they try and make putting, and more specifically, alignment simple. I am sure everyone is aware, but if you aren't:
"SeeMore Putters offers golfers the #1 alignment putting system in golf. SeeMore’s patented RifleScope Technology (RST), known by a visible gun sight on the top line, allows the golfer to set up the putter perfectly each and every time in relation to the intended target line."
As someone who struggles with alignment often, it seems a no-brainer to get back to using RST again.
Luckily, this morning, a beautiful white box showed up on my front porch, and the contents inside made me smile.
I went with a 34" Seemore Mini Giant DF Putter which comes in a stunning black finish.
I took a handful of pictures that hopefully showcase the beautiful craftsmanship, specifically the face milling. Make no doubt about it, the craftsmanship in this putter is incredible.
I am going to keep my initial feedback short, as I didn't have much time to roll this today, but plan on getting on my practice green quite a bit this week.
I am going to put it up head-to-head with my Odyssey #10 Triple Track. They have two totally different philosophies on alignment, so I look forward to seeing which one works best for me.
First Impressions:
Looks: I think the pictures speak for themselves. This putter is absolutely stunning. From the milling to the copper weights, to the RST, it is first-class all the way.
Customer Service: I debated commenting on this since we are testers, but Seemore customer service was A+++ and they made us feel very important. The speed in which they got this putter to me was also incredible.
Headcover: I decided not to request a specific headcover, and I will say this one isn't my favorite. I am not a fan of velcro closures, but it appears to be made of high-quality materials.
As always, PLEASE let me know if you have any questions I can answer for you, I look forward to what I hope to be a long happy relationship with the Mini Giant DF.
Expect some more pictures and feedback tomorrow evening!
- Taylor
Hello THP! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Taylor, and I am a self-proclaimed bad putter. When THP opened up a testing opportunity for Seemore, I figured it was time for me to give them another chance.
I had previously rolled a Seemore FGP a LONG time ago, and it seems like since I started playing golf seriously, about 10 years ago, I have constantly been on the hunt for a putter that I could "gel" with.
One of the things that intrigues me so much about Seemore is their philosophy around RST and how they try and make putting, and more specifically, alignment simple. I am sure everyone is aware, but if you aren't:
"SeeMore Putters offers golfers the #1 alignment putting system in golf. SeeMore’s patented RifleScope Technology (RST), known by a visible gun sight on the top line, allows the golfer to set up the putter perfectly each and every time in relation to the intended target line."
As someone who struggles with alignment often, it seems a no-brainer to get back to using RST again.
Luckily, this morning, a beautiful white box showed up on my front porch, and the contents inside made me smile.
I went with a 34" Seemore Mini Giant DF Putter which comes in a stunning black finish.
I took a handful of pictures that hopefully showcase the beautiful craftsmanship, specifically the face milling. Make no doubt about it, the craftsmanship in this putter is incredible.
I am going to keep my initial feedback short, as I didn't have much time to roll this today, but plan on getting on my practice green quite a bit this week.
I am going to put it up head-to-head with my Odyssey #10 Triple Track. They have two totally different philosophies on alignment, so I look forward to seeing which one works best for me.
First Impressions:
Looks: I think the pictures speak for themselves. This putter is absolutely stunning. From the milling to the copper weights, to the RST, it is first-class all the way.
Customer Service: I debated commenting on this since we are testers, but Seemore customer service was A+++ and they made us feel very important. The speed in which they got this putter to me was also incredible.
Headcover: I decided not to request a specific headcover, and I will say this one isn't my favorite. I am not a fan of velcro closures, but it appears to be made of high-quality materials.
As always, PLEASE let me know if you have any questions I can answer for you, I look forward to what I hope to be a long happy relationship with the Mini Giant DF.
Expect some more pictures and feedback tomorrow evening!
- Taylor
Can't wait to read more about your journey with the SeeMore Mini Giant! I'm definitely not an ace with the flatstick either, but this putter is defintely helping!
- Admin
- #207
I wasn't going to ask but I noticed that about the headcover in some of the photos as well. I know this is a minor detail but Is a headcover a deal breaker for a putter purchase? I realize this was nota purchase but do you expect better quality for at the price point?
It is a good question, for me personally, it is not a deal breaker.
The quality is solid, I just don't like velcro.
I have tons of other covers I can use, so not a big deal, and doesn't detract from the much "fuller" package.
@jdtox they have many other options available for your putter that you can specify during the ordering process. So, no definitely not a concern!
MiniGiant Blade Series (RH & LH) - Head Covers - Accessories
Seemore Putter Company
store.seemore.com
I enjoyed reading through some especially thoughtful posts today. Well done guys. This is such an interesting and good looking putter.
@seemoreputters showed a great picture comparing a few different SeeMore putters. I didn't take a lot of - OK, I didn't take ANY - time to set up a decent setting, but this photo compares the Mini Giant DF at left and the Giant M1t at right to something in the middle that we should all be able to relate to.
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I've got you on this once FedEx swings through
You guys are doing a great job so far, very well written and thought out reviews. There's a lot of gimmickry and marketing bluster in the golf industry, but SeeMore got it right with the RST - so simple, yet so effective!
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
- Messages
- 74,750
- Reaction score
- 88,277
- Location
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
- Handicap
- 11.9
great thoughts @hadi05 & @TexasHacker34
Yours will be coming soon!
I've had both Velcro and magnetic clasps from SeeMore. I had an earlier Velcro version with the Giant M1t and their latest Velcro version with the Mini Giant DF. I think there is a lot less to go wrong with a magnetic clasp mechanism over time, but the latest Velcro version is hardly a slouch. For one thing, there is a LOT more Velcro. That alone means it's gonna stick around for a while (as it were.)
After two days of the straightedge drill, I'm averaging 50% with the Mini Giant DF vs 24% with my baseline putter. What's more, I noticed that all but two of my misses fell off in the last six inches of the straightedge. As I suspected, practice is improving my numbers with the Giant M1t, but the Mini Giant is outperforming and my misses are smaller.
Here's a quick video of face balance at impact. My stroke could be better, but I am only using 1 hand while shooting the video and I'm actually not even looking at the putter when I take my putting stroke. Still made the 9 footer with a little right to left break! You can see with proper alignment that the Red dot stays hidden during the whole stroke. Pretty awesome little putter!
View attachment 20220125_141007 (1).mov
View attachment 20220125_141007 (1).mov
My Mini Giant DF has arrived! My first initial thought when grabbing this while unboxing is wow this has got some head weight! When i took the cover off i was taken back a bit on how big the mini Giant is. I knew it was bigger than a blade but i did not expect it to be as big as it is. This putter is beautiful! I picked a great grip as the 75 gram Seemore is just right for me. Very comfortable and the mini giant feels very natural to swing.
The RST is so easy to get into position. I rolled 3 putts to try it out from 4 feet and dropped each one. It is immediate if you are not set up square for the putt.
I am going to post the unboxing pics and some pics next to my other putters for reference. In the pic is a Odyssey Tuttle- Toulon Las Vegas- Odyssey Tour lined Ten-Cameron Phantom X5. I am heading out the door to go to course putting green before i lose daylight. There is no way i am not going to go practice with this today! I will post more initial thoughts when i get back.
The RST is so easy to get into position. I rolled 3 putts to try it out from 4 feet and dropped each one. It is immediate if you are not set up square for the putt.
I am going to post the unboxing pics and some pics next to my other putters for reference. In the pic is a Odyssey Tuttle- Toulon Las Vegas- Odyssey Tour lined Ten-Cameron Phantom X5. I am heading out the door to go to course putting green before i lose daylight. There is no way i am not going to go practice with this today! I will post more initial thoughts when i get back.
And another one! Great unboxing @Doubleb21! Can't wait to hear your thoughts as you get more time with the putter!