Canadan

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Albatross 2024 Club
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How many of you have spent time with a long neck putter?

I've been battling 'the perfect fit' for ages. My Club Champion fitting determined that face balanced would be the best solution for me, but most of the time when I have an FB putter in play, it's in mallet form, and usually a slant or bended shaft design. Problem is, despite the MOI benefits, I genuinely struggle with mallets. Maybe it's more neck than anything else, but a struggle nevertheless. It made me really start to wonder whether all I needed to have true success is a longer neck on a blade shape.

Long story short, I finally found one to try without obliterating the PayPal account, the Bettinardi/Club Champion collab BB1-LN. Put it in play and instantly started making putts. Even on my aerated home course greens, I'm making a ridiculous percentage of my putts, and many outside of that 10 foot range.

What I find most beneficial is the fact that I don't seem to have to guide the head in the stroke.. I just... stroke the putter. It honestly makes me want to take all my favorite putters and get long necks put on them to make them face balanced haha. It's amazing.

So, again, how many of you have spent time with a long neck blade putter? Specifically those who are straight-back-straight-through.

This might become an 'appreciation' thread haha
 
You making a crazy amount of putts is scary. Watch out champions tour!
How long is the long neck?
 
I've never even seen a long neck blade in person but am interested in trying one just to see the results. I'm not sure it would be very beneficial to me though since the two fittings I've done told me I need toe hang. It's kind of a goofy look but it's something I could easily get over if it performs.
 
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You making a crazy amount of putts is scary. Watch out champions tour!
How long is the long neck?
Nothing crazy.

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Damn near face balanced.
 
I love a long neck putter. I get the Anser look that I LOVE, and I get the face balanced performance that my stroke needs.
 
That’s awesome that you’ve found a blade style that works.

i have an anser, might be a long neck, but no experience currently.

i need toe hang with my arc stroke so probably will not be doing this to my putters
 
If I was going FB, I’d rather just go center shaft. Long neck looks awkward to me, not a fan, personally.

And I retain that SBST is a terrible name, just like global warming. Physiologically all putting strokes have some degree of arc. Unless you want to go old school Wie tabletop which allows for the fixed point to be vertical above the putter and let the fulcrum then rotate the club truly straight back and straight through. ;)
 
I'd have to see that putter in person because photos make it look odd, but hey if it works..it works!
 
That's me exactly. I have best results face balanced but have always preferred a blade. Never tried a long neck but that could be my solution. I've never seen one in hand so I can't really comment on the looks but I'm up for trying one.
 
If I was going FB, I’d rather just go center shaft. Long neck looks awkward to me, not a fan, personally.

And I retain that SBST is a terrible name, just like global warming. Physiologically all putting strokes have some degree of arc. Unless you want to go old school Wie tabletop which allows for the fixed point to be vertical above the putter and let the fulcrum then rotate the club truly straight back and straight through. ;)
Would you prefer the name closed back, open through? I think it’s more accurate
 
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I'll have to take some more photos of the Betti I am using.

Numerous times this week I've had to tell playing partners it's a long neck before they realize it.
 
Would you prefer the name closed back, open through? I think it’s more accurate
Not sure what I would rename it, but the SBST name has always made me chuckle a bit, just like being a science teacher teaching about global warming. Haha
 
It makes a lot of sense to have a long neck blade.

Wish there were more options, but mallets dominate the face balanced putters nowadays. I really wonder how many people align a blade better than a mallet nullifying the moi benefits
 
It makes a lot of sense to have a long neck blade.

Wish there were more options, but mallets dominate the face balanced putters nowadays. I really wonder how many people align a blade better than a mallet nullifying the moi benefits
I would bet not as many as think they do.

but the mind is a wicked powerful thing
 
It makes a lot of sense to have a long neck blade.

Wish there were more options, but mallets dominate the face balanced putters nowadays. I really wonder how many people align a blade better than a mallet nullifying the moi benefits
I fall into that category. I tend to hit mallets on the heel a lot but can find the center with a blade shape. Now I am trying fatter blades, but a long neck could be a fun experiment.
 
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At the end of the day, confidence comes from a variety of things, and while there are great benefits to MOI, if you don't have confidence with a mallet in your hands, such is life. I've tried a LOT of them, and sadly, they just don't make things happen.

Maybe I'm a small percentage, but at the end of the day, what I did the last two rounds with a blade, and the repetition on center face contact proven to me by Club Champion? I'm not sure MOI is going to be needed.
 
The Toulon Columbus is a longer neck blade, but not long enough to be face balanced. I've had a lot of success with face balanced putters but have now been fit for slight toe hang twice now. The longer neck keeps the toe hang to a minimum on that one and I love it.
 
At the end of the day, confidence comes from a variety of things, and while there are great benefits to MOI, if you don't have confidence with a mallet in your hands, such is life. I've tried a LOT of them, and sadly, they just don't make things happen.

Maybe I'm a small percentage, but at the end of the day, what I did the last two rounds with a blade, and the repetition on center face contact proven to me by Club Champion? I'm not sure MOI is going to be needed.
For people with robotically repeatable strokes like yours, its not.

Its why I have always brushed off the talk of some OEM's that "everyone should be playing a mallet", everyone has different confidences and such, and in putting every one of those details matter.

Now, should Joe Hacker who plays randomly be better off with a mallet? Probably. But most of us here not named @ddec aren't Joe Hacker.
 
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The Toulon Columbus is a longer neck blade, but not long enough to be face balanced. I've had a lot of success with face balanced putters but have now been fit for slight toe hang twice now. The longer neck keeps the toe hang to a minimum on that one and I love it.
What is the toe hang on the Columbus?

That's another one of those putters where you need to be told the neck is longer to really pay attention to it, I think.
 
What is the toe hang on the Columbus?

That's another one of those putters where you need to be told the neck is longer to really pay attention to it, I think.

30* I believe. But yea, you can't really tell it's much longer...until you try to re-shaft it hahaha
 
Can someone give a few options of these blades to check out? I'm intrigued to say the least. I'm also one who has gone to wider blades to get more faced balanced.
 
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