Gift putter suggestion

Hey all, here's an odd query.

My dad is about to buy clubs for the first time in at least 35 years. He hasn't played since I was very small. He's still a large, powerful guy at a shade over 60, and is pretty excited to be looking at clubs again. No hybrids - he's dead set on finding a 2 iron like he used to have. :confused2:

Anyway, I owe him more than I can possibly ever repay. I'm thinking about helping him to get started. I know that he'll be very into his driver, and probably his irons. Putters I don't think he'll give a second thought. SWMBO and I were talking, and I'm thinking about buying him a putter. Pretty much any of them (with one exception) would be from a national mail-order house with a local shop that he could return it for credit if he did not like it.

Scotty Cameron, probably a Studio Select Newport 2. The most expensive option, but the upside is that he'd be able to get most of the value out of it even if he uses it for a bit but decides its not for him. The downside is that I think there may be better choices out there.

Mizuno/Bettinardi C or BC series. In my opinion, the C-03 is the best feeling OTR putter out there now. It'd be easy for me to just buy him a C-03 like mine, and know that he's getting a good one. Downside is that resale wouldn't be like the Scotty, and no snob appeal on the course. The BC series is also very nice, and the new BC-6 (Anser) style would be a good basic choice.

Ping Redwood Anser. The old standard, but made as well as anything out there now. I've putted with these a bit, and don't care for them in the black finish, but my dad may like one. I think they feel better to me than the SC's, but not quite as nice as the MizuNardi's.

Sunset Beach Custom. SWMBO has a LUX custom that I've putted with quite a bit. It's appealing to me on the level that I've got some ideas for what I'd have done for stampings. However, the downer is that we don't know for sure what type of putter he'd want, and once customized it's his. With an OTR putter, if he doesn't like it he can always exchange it for a different putter, or put the cash towards a different part of his bag.

So what do y'all think? I'm still waffling primarily between the Cameron and the Mizuno. All the while knowing he'd probably be happy with a Cleveland Classic or even an old Bullseye.

Thoughts?

I like the custom idea because of the stamping options that you can add. It gives a personal touch that no other putter gift can offer.

i love the new Cleveland Classics. and Im just guessing here, but I would think he would prefer one of the traditional looking putters like a Cleveland Classic, and they are darn good putters too...but then again, you mentioned that he prolly wont really care about the putter...so i dunno, lol

You cant go wrong with the Scotty, but I think you should go the custom route. It would probably be something special to him, unless your Dad isnt very sentimental.

have you considered getting your father a fitting / lesson package and then have a putter made or at least picking up something that would fit into his fitting profile?

DDBowdoin said:

have you considered getting your father a fitting / lesson package and then have a putter made or at least picking up something that would fit into his fitting profile?

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I've considered that, but I don't think I could get him to a lesson. My dad's the type of naturally coordinated person who is normally competent with anything they try to do. Plus he's thickheaded enough not to ask for help and put in the effort to figure it out himself. About all I can do is try to get him started down the right path (or what I think is the right path) and let him go. With one notable exception, he's the type to believe that poor performance is always due to the operator, not the equipment.

I guess it's important to me to get him a "no excuses" putter. The part that appeals to me about an OTR is that if I make a choice he can't live with, he's at least got the option of returning it and either choosing what he wants, or using the refund on the putter to put something else in his bag. But that's not custom or sentimental, I know.

Hmmm.

92Esquire said:

I've considered that, but I don't think I could get him to a lesson. My dad's the type of naturally coordinated person who is normally competent with anything they try to do. Plus he's thickheaded enough not to ask for help and put in the effort to figure it out himself. About all I can do is try to get him started down the right path (or what I think is the right path) and let him go. With one notable exception, he's the type to believe that poor performance is always due to the operator, not the equipment.

I guess it's important to me to get him a "no excuses" putter. The part that appeals to me about an OTR is that if I make a choice he can't live with, he's at least got the option of returning it and either choosing what he wants, or using the refund on the putter to put something else in his bag. But that's not custom or sentimental, I know.

Hmmm.

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Why not head to a Golf Galaxy or something similar and watch him play around the putting area. Try your best to get a feel for what he likes or is drawn to and then with that info you can go the custom route.

myndcraft said:

Why not head to a Golf Galaxy or something similar and watch him play around the putting area. Try your best to get a feel for what he likes or is drawn to and then with that info you can go the custom route.

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that is what I was about to suggest... resale values on OTR putters is incredibly low

Thanks all. I've got a quote request out to SSB now. What I forgot to mention is that my dad is 1000 miles away, and I'm not going to see him for a few months. I can't watch him putt, and I really don't think he's willing to put the effort in to do more than grab one off the rack. I'm the putter *****.

You will be very happy with SSB.

So what did you decide to do?

JB said:

So what did you decide to do?

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Dad's getting a SSB Southport Shore in a 35" length, with a black IOmic midsize grip and some stamping to remind him of my brother and I as kids. 20 minutes after I requested a quote, the phone rang and Chris @SSB wanted to talk options and what was available. Turns out even the metals in the putter may have some meaning to my dad if he stops to think about it.

Chris asked me if I had any other questions and I said "Yeah, how do I get someone else to buy ME one of your putters?"

Glad it worked for you. Chris is great and I can tell you that we love our THP putter we bought.