Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigvivec
I'm not buying your argument...I am convinced that there is a way for every club to feel better in your hands than one that you just pick off the rack...sure you could find a putter that would do the job off the rack...but what if you could make it better? One size fits all is a myth...make it easier to shoot the free throws...
I beg to differ about putting not being like a regular shot...do you set up differently over the ball on various putting shots, or do you take a similar stance every time over the ball? If it is the latter, which would lump you with 99% of the golfing public, why wouldn't a putter that had optimal lenght, weighting, balance and lie angle help?
And what about all the natrual aptitude stuff??!?!?!? Please JP, defending an argument against being fitted by telling all those who currently struggle with the flatstick that they should just hang it up because they don't have "it"?!?!? You aren't making sense on this one...  |
So what are you telling me?
That if someone is struggling with the flagstick a fitted putter is suddenly going to turn them into Ben Crenshaw? You said it before:
"...you could probably get used to using a bent pipe to putt."
And why is that true? Because if someone "CAN" putt, then they can do so with just about anything. I play the drums. I have played in studios with absolute garbage for drums, but I can still make them sound good because I can play. Naturally, a custom set of drums built to my liking will
sound better, but the rhythm won't be any different because either you have rhythm or you don't.
As far as my setup is concerned, I generally putt from an open stance (think: Jack Nicklaus). But sometimes, depending on how a putt feels, I'll pull my right foot back to a closed position, or sometimes I'll square up altogether. Sometimes I'll strike a putt on the toe or the heel and sometimes I'll purposely decelerate.
That's what I mean by feel.
I've putted that way all of my life and I'm quite content with my overall success. As far as "off the rack" putters are concerned, there are a whole host of sizes, shapes and lengths to choose from. There are putters with offsets, or with the shaft tilted forward, or tilted backward. Some are very upright while others are set very flat.
Given all that there is to choose from I find it hard to believe that someone couldn't find a putter they'd feel good about. And yes, I occasionally add some tape to a putter because everything fits well except it feels too light, so if that constitutes "fitting" then I'm guilty. But I don't change anything else about a putter, so the idea of lead tape passing for customization is a bit of a reach.
Like I said before, for twenty bucks, go get fitted if it will make you happy. But don't expect miracles and don't expect to drop your per-round putt count to drastically decline either. Personally, I believe that if a person has what it takes to be a good putter, then they'd be successful with a Croquet mallet or a wood axe.
You eedah goss it, o' you ain't!
-JP