Should You Consider a Putter Fitting?

[Desmond]

When people ask about a putter fitting, I also ask if they are happy with their address and ball position, tempo, and stroke. If not, get a putting lesson to make sure you like your setup and then get the putter fit to a reliable, technically sound setup. I say this because I remember seeing early Edel fittings and saw unsightly sightlines, double offset putters, and weird lie angles, etc. which fit that golfer because his address, hands, stroke were not quite textbook. Not even close.

 

[Desmond]

I think it would help putter fittings if the fitter typed out a summary of what the machine saw on the data sheet in plain English, what action they took to correct the data flaws, and what the golfer can do to help that stroke.

 

[jdtox]

I think it would help putter fittings if the fitter typed out a summary of what the machine saw on the data sheet in plain English, what action they took to correct the data flaws, and what the golfer can do to help that stroke.

I would agree with this. Its a lot of data and its not explained clearly.

 

[MWard]

Out of curiosity, why would the break change your stroke? Alignment would change of course. I am WAY on the other side of this one as the elimination of any variables should be the way to go.

For me, I guess figuring out if it’s an actual putter issue is just as important as figuring out if you just have a terrible putting stroke. Kinda like in full swing fitting, it’s nice to know if you’re just bandaiding a bad motion or if it’s consistent enough, but the equipment is indeed the culprit.

 

[Desmond]

For me, I guess figuring out if it’s an actual putter issue is just as important as figuring out if you just have a terrible putting stroke. Kinda like in full swing fitting, it’s nice to know if you’re just bandaiding a bad motion or if it’s consistent enough, but the equipment is indeed the culprit.

See post #26.

 

[JB]

For me, I guess figuring out if it’s an actual putter issue is just as important as figuring out if you just have a terrible putting stroke. Kinda like in full swing fitting, it’s nice to know if you’re just bandaiding a bad motion or if it’s consistent enough, but the equipment is indeed the culprit.

I guess those are two different things though. If one is constantly tweaking their swing, stroke, motion or setup, a fitting will dynamically change. No different than full swing. The delivery shouldn't change if a putt breaks or not though.

 

[Jman]

I can't really understand how a putter fitting would be anything less than HIGHLY educational, especially on something like SAM.

You see exactly how you stroke.
You see what dynamic loft your putter has.
You see what the face is doing at setup.
You see what the face is doing at impact.
You see how the ball leaves the head.
You see where you make contact on the face.

All of these things can be model (and even alignment aid) specific. All of these things can support steering in the direction of shape, toe hang, alignment option, weight, and length to put you into the best possible head for success.

What I think people tend to do, is look at a putter fitting more like a putting lesson. If you get into a situation where your fitter is tweaking you more than the putter, you would do well to stop them and let them know your stroke isn't changing, the putter needs to.

That last section is truth. A fitting and a lesson are two different things, people lose sight of that.

 

[Nappy]

I absolutely need a putter fitting and honestly I've been trying to find a way to get to Club Champion yet this year. Unfortunately part is I have to drive almost 2 hours to get to one. Great write up James. You've got me thinking about some things.

 

[#troy]

Changed my game, seem to make more putts these days.

Club Champion last year, fit in to a Scotty Phantom, ordered and love it.
Awesome to have a putter fit your stroke. Would highly recommend a fitting.

 

[Doubleb21]

I enjoyed my putter fitting and the result was good. I roll the ball so much better with a putter that is setup properly for me. The information was pretty cool to see also and now I have it for any new putter is considering. I think it is Money well spent if you are struggling with the flat stick.

 

[Jman]

I would agree with this. Its a lot of data and its not explained clearly.

Again, like anything there are good fitters and not good ones.

 

[mikeg_74]

The best thing I did for my short game was a putter fitting. It explained so much and really helped me visualize what I am doing through my putting stroke and more importantly the type of putter I should be playing.

 

[Jman]

I absolutely need a putter fitting and honestly I've been trying to find a way to get to Club Champion yet this year. Unfortunately part is I have to drive almost 2 hours to get to one. Great write up James. You've got me thinking about some things.

That was the goal my man, thank you for reading!

 

[Canadan]

For me, I guess figuring out if it’s an actual putter issue is just as important as figuring out if you just have a terrible putting stroke. Kinda like in full swing fitting, it’s nice to know if you’re just bandaiding a bad motion or if it’s consistent enough, but the equipment is indeed the culprit.

Setting proper expectations... It's not like you're going to go to a driver fitting with an aggressive outside/in move and get fit into something that hits tight draws that start right and turn over. There has to be some level of consistency and realistic expectation in play to achieve the best possible results.

 

[MWard]

I guess those are two different things though. If one is constantly tweaking their swing, stroke, motion or setup, a fitting will dynamically change. No different than full swing. The delivery shouldn't change if a putt breaks or not though.

Setting proper expectations... It's not like you're going to go to a driver fitting with an aggressive outside/in move and get fit into something that hits tight draws that start right and turn over. There has to be some level of consistency and realistic expectation in play to achieve the best possible results.

Admittedly, I may be blending a putting fitting into putting demo’ing. I’m not sure they didn’t blend them when I had them done to begin with, which does make it more confusing.

 

[Sox_Fan]

Great article James.. I went through one at CC a little over a year ago. The amount and quality of information I received from the fitting was certainly of significant value to me. My biggest takeaway was that I had too much face rotation in my stroke which I have worked hard to correct with various putters, grips, gripping styles, etc. Now that I believe that I have made some nice improvements in this area, I think going through another fitting would definitely be beneficial to help fine tune some of the actual putter specifications.

 

[Bernoulli]

I absolutely need a putter fitting and honestly I've been trying to find a way to get to Club Champion yet this year. Unfortunately part is I have to drive almost 2 hours to get to one. Great write up James. You've got me thinking about some things.

In the same boat. Same distance issues for me regarding CC.

 

[Canadan]

Admittedly, I may be blending a putting fitting into putting demo’ing. I’m not sure they didn’t blend them when I had them done to begin with, which does make it more confusing.

How many putters were used?

In my fitting, we used two putters. The first one was my gamer, which isolated some of the common errors based on my stroke + that style of putter. We then switched to another one that was more supportive of my stroke, and saw many of the variables tighten because of it.

Each page on SAM has excellent information to isolate to a putter. Path (determining arc vs SBST), face rotation, face at address/impact etc (see; alignment style changes), basic speed consistencies (see; weighting), launch characteristics (see; loft changing), and then plenty of other things that could lead into better education elements.

If you went through SAM and didn't learn everything you need to know about your stroke, and how to combat it with a putter shape, you had a bad fitter.

 

[Jman]

In the same boat. Same distance issues for me regarding CC.

I honestly think distance and location is the biggest barrier to a ton of people ever getting any fittings. As a rural guy, I totally get it, it’s a bummer.

 

[Canadan]

I honestly think distance and location is the biggest barrier to a ton of people ever getting any fittings. As a rural guy, I totally get it, it’s a bummer.

I think the other part of it might be intimidation.. People see SAM data and get WAY overwhelmed and lost in it.

There's enough data out there (and on this forum) to have golfers go into a SAM fitting educated on what the numbers mean, at least to the point where they can talk WITH the fitter about the data rather than getting overwhelmed.

 

[Jman]

I think the other part of it might be intimidation.. People see SAM data and get WAY overwhelmed and lost in it.

There's enough data out there (and on this forum) to have golfers go into a SAM fitting educated on what the numbers mean, at least to the point where they can talk WITH the fitter about the data rather than getting overwhelmed.

This is true, and with putter fittings in particular there’s just the general barrier of not grasping the impact a degree here or there can make when it comes to lie and loft and their impact on going from a streaky putter to a consistent one.

Also, a fitting won’t make a sh***y green reader a better one. People don’t grasp that.

 

[Bernoulli]

I honestly think distance and location is the biggest barrier to a ton of people ever getting any fittings. As a rural guy, I totally get it, it’s a bummer.

I’m not rural but there isn’t a location close to where I am here in Albany. My choices for CC would be:

Hartford CY
White Plains NY
Hackensack NJ
Rochester NY

 

[Canadan]

This is true, and with putter fittings in particular there’s just the general barrier of not grasping the impact a degree here or there can make when it comes to lie and loft and their impact on going from a streaky putter to a consistent one.

Also, a fitting won’t make a sh***y green reader a better one. People don’t grasp that.

You mean like when your buddy comes to town with his barely-any-loft putter and you love the way it jumps off the face?

Ugh.

 

[HarlettoScara]

This is something that I am very much considering. Mind you, I've been saying that for a couple of years now and just never got round to it - this year might well be the year!

 

[Jman]

You mean like when your buddy comes to town with his barely-any-loft putter and you love the way it jumps off the face?

Ugh.

Hahahaha! 0.5* to be exact!