Leaving the Insert Behind

JB

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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?
 
Feel is the biggest adjustment to me with any putter honestly
 
I made the switch after getting into an insert I didn't like. Once I rolled a milled face putter that felt as enticing, it made the idea of going away from inserts more than a casual passing whim. If the mesh hadn't delaminated from my second Odyssey Works putter, I'd probably still be using it.
 
Distance control was much harder for me on short putts. I was a die putter and without an insert that went away.

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i have always bounced back and forth, the main thing i keep coming back to is distance control, especially on longer putts. with a non insert face i felt i could control distances better, but the new face on the StokeLab is the closest insert face i've played that has the same feel/performance as a milled putter.
 
I just went in the opposite direction. I've never played an insert, but made the switch to an Odyssey a couple weeks ago. I'm really liking the roll it puts on the ball and the insert lets weight to be distributed for MOI purposes, which is what I was really after. I didn't find any changes necessary to keep the same speed on putts. I am finding all my off center hits seem to be a little more forgiving than my milled putters.
 
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?

The sound change can be big for some, but companies who rock the deep mill, or Toulon who has their own method for audible feedback make it a hell of a lot easier.

I'm actually doing the opposite right now. messing with an insert putter for the first time in a while, and I'd say my biggest issue is distance control... which has long been one of my biggest assets.
 
There just doesn't seem to be as much feel on the Toulon I just got, but it gets the ball rolling so much better faster and smoother it is amazing.
 
I went the opposite way this year and I struggled with the distance control in the beginning. Otherwise it shouldn't be much of a change (knowing you aren't a sound guy).
 
i have always bounced back and forth, the main thing i keep coming back to is distance control, especially on longer putts. with a non insert face i felt i could control distances better, but the new face on the StokeLab is the closest insert face i've played that has the same feel/performance as a milled putter.

The thing holding me back is a recent study I watched (and was tested for) that spoke to how often we miss the sweet spot. Were an insert can help with that quite a bit (variable thickness), I am not sure how well the milled does in relation.
 
The thing holding me back is a recent study I watched (and was tested for) that spoke to how often we miss the sweet spot. Were an insert can help with that quite a bit (variable thickness), I am not sure how well the milled does in relation.

I think we have seen some advancements in that area in the past few years, Ping and evnroll come to mind, but for the most part I'd agree with you.
 
For me, I jump back and forth throughout the season. When I was a softer feel, I go insert. It's not a massive change for me to overcome.
 
I made the switch after getting into an insert I didn't like. Once I rolled a milled face putter that felt as enticing, it made the idea of going away from inserts more than a casual passing whim. If the mesh hadn't delaminated from my second Odyssey Works putter, I'd probably still be using it.

Hah, this was my exact situation! I loved my Works Versa 2 Ball Fang putter, until the SS mesh started coming off the face of the insert. Odyssey replaced the insert with one of their newer Micro-Hinge inserts, at no charge (on a putter well beyond the warranty period :thumb:), but I never got along with it (felt vague, and I couldn't control distance very well with it). I've since gone to a Cleveland Huntington Beach SOFT #11, and getting used to the milled face took no time at all. I actually think the Odyssey with the metal mesh over the firm insert had a similar feel to a milled face putter, which might explain why making the change went so easy for me. My distance control has come back with the milled face putter, and I'm sinking more 4-5 footers than ever. I still really like the look, balance, and alignment of the 2-ball Fang, but the Cleveland is staying in the bag.
 
Paging REALLY REALLY loudly @dazeedmonds to this thread. That is all lol


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i have always bounced back and forth, the main thing i keep coming back to is distance control, especially on longer putts. with a non insert face i felt i could control distances better, but the new face on the StokeLab is the closest insert face i've played that has the same feel/performance as a milled putter.

This is the reason I went to milled. For the longer/lag putts. I sometimes want to carry a Spider Tour putter for everything within 6 feet and the Toulon for everything 6 feet and more
 
I was a long time insert guy and switched to milled not long after joining THP. It was an easy transition for me, I liked the feel and consistency of metal. I think the transition varies a little bit depending on what you are coming from and going to - I’ve learned that milling does affect feel and sound. I like milled putters so much now that I had sworn off inserts forever until receiving a Stroke Lab Odyssey at the Grandaddy.
 
The thing holding me back is a recent study I watched (and was tested for) that spoke to how often we miss the sweet spot. Were an insert can help with that quite a bit (variable thickness), I am not sure how well the milled does in relation.

I think you’re on to something here with not hitting the sweet spot as much as we think. It’s something we don’t think about and the Odyssey guys explained to us a lot about how often we don’t hit the center and how the insert and putter head combo can help with the forgiveness when not struck center of the face. This is something most milled putters don’t offer
 
Have always gravitated to non-insert putters. better feel and more consistent. That said, I keep looking hard at these stroke lab putters.
 
The thing holding me back is a recent study I watched (and was tested for) that spoke to how often we miss the sweet spot. Were an insert can help with that quite a bit (variable thickness), I am not sure how well the milled does in relation.

This is what Cleveland says their variable milled face addresses. Not sure about a miss way off center, but my normal misses (a bit towards the toe) seem to roll better than I would normally expect.
 
I played an insert for a very long time and last year made the switch back to milled. The biggest difference was distance control, the ball seemed to hop off the face quicker and I was blowing the ball past the hole. I was able to adjust and get it under control with that putter but the benefit was I saw a huge improvement my short putting.

When I went back to the Stroke Lab insert my distance control was awesome but struggled with short putts. The switch to the Toulon is still a work in progress because it puts such a quick and consistent roll on the ball that my distance control is kind of a mess. However I'm again seeing better results on short putts.

After playing my Toulon for a few rounds I actually want to play my next round with the Stroke Lab One to see how it compares in both of those areas again.
 
I think we have seen some advancements in that area in the past few years, Ping and evnroll come to mind, but for the most part I'd agree with you.

Plus Cleveland, Toulon and a host of others. I tried the EVNROLL and just did not care for it at all. It reminded me too much of an old Chicago Classic clone I had.

Have always gravitated to non-insert putters. better feel and more consistent. That said, I keep looking hard at these stroke lab putters.

Feel can be so much more manipulated with an insert than a milled face though.
 
Hah, this was my exact situation! I loved my Works Versa 2 Ball Fang putter, until the SS mesh started coming off the face of the insert. Odyssey replaced the insert with one of their newer Micro-Hinge inserts, at no charge (on a putter well beyond the warranty period :thumb:), but I never got along with it (felt vague, and I couldn't control distance very well with it). I've since gone to a Cleveland Huntington Beach SOFT #11, and getting used to the milled face took no time at all. I actually think the Odyssey with the metal mesh over the firm insert had a similar feel to a milled face putter, which might explain why making the change went so easy for me. My distance control has come back with the milled face putter, and I'm sinking more 4-5 footers than ever. I still really like the look, balance, and alignment of the 2-ball Fang, but the Cleveland is staying in the bag.

It took me a little bit, but I'm putting as well as I ever did with my #7 Tank.
 
I haven't made the switch yet, but I'm sure if I tested a Toulon for any period of time it would be really tempting...
 
I went the other way this year. Never used an insert or mallet putter and when I had the chance at the Tour Spider I jumped at it. I was using a face milled Cleveland HB1 before that. I feel much more consistent with the Spider. The feel was something I had to get used to and also the sound, but overall I like the switch.
 
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