Putter - blade vs mallet

[TMAzng01f3R]

*Ugh*, this game and its many intricacies... So a while back (yrs ago), I had an Odyssey mallet backstryke putter but changed it because apparently, since I have a 'slight arc' in my putting stroke, I'm supposed to go with a blade putter instead. It also recommended 34" in length due to my height (I'm about 6 ft tall).

As a result, bought a Scotty Cameron blade putter and have been using it for the last maybe 5+ seasons of golf. For whatever reason though and still, putting is not my forte - maybe either a combination of misreading greens, having putting yips, pushing or pulling putts, not hitting the centre of the putter face, etc.

In general, I try to keep it at 36 putts and under so that anything over means I simply had an off-day in putting, reading greens or probably faced tough greens in general. But that said, even despite putting in a Superstroke grip on my putter last yr, I feel I was missing really easy ones for whatever reason and YET overall, my rounds were at least still in the 36 and under range for putts so technically, I shouldn't really complain...

But the reason I do (complain) is because I've missed close putts for pars and the odd birdie with my current putter that according to a Golf Town employee, I have the wrong length (at 34") and that I should actually go with a 35" because I'm not at the right eye level for putts with a 34" which is the reason I'm not putting that accurately. But then my LAST round a few days ago, I had a pretty good putting game using my fiancee's mallet putter on a whim. Seems even if I didn't hit the centre, maybe it was more forgiving cuz I was sinking putts okay still...

I have no idea what height her mallet putter is but it basically came from a full set I bought her from Canadian Tire a few yrs ago (by Powerbilt) - I'm now debating if I should possibly look into buying a new mallet putter (I don't even know if I have a straight back and through putting stroke or one with an arc - lol) or just stick to my Scotty Cameron blade one and try to get better! *Ugh*... This game, I tell ya! LOL. (/end slight, mini rant).

[ondadl]

I feel you. I am 6'4. My best putting game of the last three years came when I left my putter at home and pulled my wife's 33" putter out of her bag in the trunk (although both blade style).

[Pingeye2_fan]

*Ugh*, this game and its many intricacies... So a while back (yrs ago), I had an Odyssey mallet backstryke putter but changed it because apparently, since I have a 'slight arc' in my putting stroke, I'm supposed to go with a blade putter instead. It also recommended 34" in length due to my height (I'm about 6 ft tall).

As a result, bought a Scotty Cameron blade putter and have been using it for the last maybe 5+ seasons of golf. For whatever reason though and still, putting is not my forte - maybe either a combination of misreading greens, having putting yips, pushing or pulling putts, not hitting the centre of the putter face, etc.

In general, I try to keep it at 36 putts and under so that anything over means I simply had an off-day in putting, reading greens or probably faced tough greens in general. But that said, even despite putting in a Superstroke grip on my putter last yr, I feel I was missing really easy ones for whatever reason and YET overall, my rounds were at least still in the 36 and under range for putts so technically, I shouldn't really complain...

But the reason I do (complain) is because I've missed close putts for pars and the odd birdie with my current putter that according to a Golf Town employee, I have the wrong length (at 34") and that I should actually go with a 35" because I'm not at the right eye level for putts with a 34" which is the reason I'm not putting that accurately. But then my LAST round a few days ago, I had a pretty good putting game using my fiancee's mallet putter on a whim. Seems even if I didn't hit the centre, maybe it was more forgiving cuz I was sinking putts okay still...

I have no idea what height her mallet putter is but it basically came from a full set I bought her from Canadian Tire a few yrs ago (by Powerbilt) - I'm now debating if I should possibly look into buying a new mallet putter (I don't even know if I have a straight back and through putting stroke or one with an arc - lol) or just stick to my Scotty Cameron blade one and try to get better! *Ugh*... This game, I tell ya! LOL. (/end slight, mini rant).

You should be able to find a mallet with some toe hang which would work for your slight arc, I think every stroke has some arc to it and there really is no such thing as straight back and through.

I would get fitted, I remember having an Odyssey #9 and a fitter bent it a little flatter for me, difference was amazing how much easier it was to start putts on line.

[Ignatius Reilly]

If you're really hitting your fiance's putter well, just buy her a new one.

You've had lots of different technical advice, and you've stumbled onto a cheap putter that works better. Some guys are club hos and want to keep experimenting. Why not just use what works?

If you practice 500 putts with hers it will probably get even better with familiarity and confidence.

[rulie]

If you practice 500 putts with hers it will probably get even better
^^^^^^
Imo, thinking that 36 putts is acceptable is a mistake. Start thinking that anything over 30-31 is poor putting. Work on the short game - both chipping and putting. Chipping it closer makes the putts easier.
And don't worry about the technical details (putter type vs stroke type vs length vs toe hang vs face balanced - find a putter that you like the look of and feel of and practice with it relentlessly. A repeating stroke is the real answer.)
Just my $0.02

[Mr22putt]

OP
You're over thinking things.....I can pretty well guarantee you that after 3 or 5 rds you'll give up on your fiance's CT putter and return to your Scotty.....putting well for only one rd generally is not a good indicator.
Seems like you don't know what to work on.....you have not isolated what are your real putting misses or weaknesses are.
It's pretty simple to determine the length of the CT putter...simply put it up against your 34" Scotty.

Do you have friend who is a good putter who can give you a few tips.
Unfortunately I can't recommend anyone who is a good putting instructor in Van City.....I'd want an instructor to demonstrate to me on a putting green if they are a good putter before I hired them....proof is in the pudding,

Ya...at 6' maybe you're crouching too much at 34"....post a vid of your putting and maybe others here can give you a few tips.

[Jasonp]

Two things.

1) total putts per round is a useless measure of putting skill without other stats.

A) if you hit all 18 greens in reg and are 30 to 40ft from the pin every time 36 putts is great.

B) if you miss a bunch of greens in reg and chip it no closer then 12ft but still make 34 to 36 putts per round thats not indicative of putting being bad but instead chipping being bad.

If you want to track your putting skill all you need to track is 3 putts or more and total putts but you need to know your first putt distance.

if all of your first putts are under 10ft and youre always 2 putting thats no good. But if youre constantly 30ft away and still 2 putting thats great.

2) your stroke being a slight arc doesnt mean blade vs mallet. SBST vs Slight arc vs Strong arc and putter selection moreso has to do with toe hang.

yes typically blades have more toe hang and mallets are face balanced. But nowadays its very easy to get a mallet with hang and blades face balanced.

Go try an odyssey 7s (slant neck) TM spider or Spider X.

The best solution is to get fit at TXG or Modern Golf for a putter. They will get the length loft and lie fit to you perfectly. Ive never putted better or second guessed it since.

[Weirfan]

Putting is 80% mental, 20 % practice and 10% the equipment. ( thats too many percents I know but you get it)

one evening in Hilton Head, I was messing around with my kids on the green adjacent to our house. I took some putts with one of their junior putters that I had built, it was something like 22/24 inches long. I putted amazingly. Next day went out and used that putter, and same. That lasted maybe a dozen rounds , then the magic ( confidence) left.

one year with the boyz in Sedona, the practice green was just off our backyard, house had some old clubs out in the yard including an old beat up Ram Zebra mallet . Might have been the Margaritas and Limoncello, but I was deadly with that in our after dinner putting contests .....came home and ordered one of ebay for $20.....again putted great with it for 10 or so rounds, then bye bye.

want to lower your # of putts , practice your chipping/pitching so that you get up and down 5-6x a round and eliminate 3 putts. Both will have a significant impact

[Forged5]

Call Ping Canada and get fit. No purchase required. Well worth it.
They have all kinds of putters to try but first they'll find the proper length.

Then you can try face balanced, vs arc vs slight arc.
Btw, these days mallets have arcs as well as face balanced.

[Mr22putt]

Two things.

1) total putts per round is a useless measure of putting skill without other stats.

A) if you hit all 18 greens in reg and are 30 to 40ft from the pin every time 36 putts is great.

B) if you miss a bunch of greens in reg and chip it no closer then 12ft but still make 34 to 36 putts per round thats not indicative of putting being bad but instead chipping being bad.

If you want to track your putting skill all you need to track is 3 putts or more and total putts but you need to know your first putt distance.

if all of your first putts are under 10ft and youre always 2 putting thats no good. But if youre constantly 30ft away and still 2 putting thats great.

2) your stroke being a slight arc doesnt mean blade vs mallet. SBST vs Slight arc vs Strong arc and putter selection moreso has to do with toe hang.

yes typically blades have more toe hang and mallets are face balanced. But nowadays its very easy to get a mallet with hang and blades face balanced.

Go try an odyssey 7s (slant neck) TM spider or Spider X.

The best solution is to get fit at TXG or Modern Golf for a putter. They will get the length loft and lie fit to you perfectly. Ive never putted better or second guessed it since.

This.....

[Mr22putt]

Putting is 80% mental, 20 % practice and 10% the equipment. ( thats too many percents I know but you get it)

one evening in Hilton Head, I was messing around with my kids on the green adjacent to our house. I took some putts with one of their junior putters that I had built, it was something like 22/24 inches long. I putted amazingly. Next day went out and used that putter, and same. That lasted maybe a dozen rounds , then the magic ( confidence) left.

one year with the boyz in Sedona, the practice green was just off our backyard, house had some old clubs out in the yard including an old beat up Ram Zebra mallet . Might have been the Margaritas and Limoncello, but I was deadly with that in our after dinner putting contests .....came home and ordered one of ebay for $20.....again putted great with it for 10 or so rounds, then bye bye.

want to lower your # of putts , practice your chipping/pitching so that you get up and down 5-6x a round and eliminate 3 putts. Both will have a significant impact

Yes....golf is basically a mental game....the ball doesn't move until one decides to do something to make it move....and because I'm a mental midget...my game s*cks.

Exactly....in my previous post....I mentioned that just because the OP had 1 good rd with a CT putter...it means jacksh*t

[Jasonp]

I always thought i was a bad putter when i used ti track stats with traditional methods. Such as any of the given apps.

Id always have 32 to 36 putts per round.

I then swapped to using Shotbyshot and or golfmetrics both are strokes gained based. I learned by putting was better then scratch at about a +2 to 4hcp. But my chipping was around a 20hcp lol.

I worked on my chipping and now im regularly under 30 putts per round.

Only time i go much higher then that 30 to 31 is if im having a decent ballstriking round and hitting over 12GIR. Im not a wizard with my irons or wedges. Anywhere on the dancefloor is usually good for me.

But if im chipping or pitching i want to be within 8ft ideally if not less. Once i got better at that boom putts per round dropped.

[CanadaCal]

I’ve always preferred a blade, but recently like how a mallet style sets up behind the ball.

I rolled the Spider s last week and was immediately in love. I also like the spider X and the ER7 I was messing with.

headed to TXG for a fit next week. We’ll see what works best with data, but I’m pretty sure I’m moving on from a blade. Mental change more then anything. And, well..... new toy