Geoff,

Do you have an opinion on the Macro Golf Putter and Putter Grip? I know hundreds of new putters are coming out every year (if not more) and it's impossible to keep up with every one of them, but I was wondering if you had any first hand experience with this putter. I see it listed on your website under "New putters". After reading alot of info, mostly in your forum, on center shafted vs. heel shafted putters and your comparisons of the two, I am interested in trying a center shafted putter to see what benefits (or drawbacks) to using one might be had for me.

Thanks

TonyW

Tony, enjoyed reading your post and glad you mentioned the Macro Putter. I'm always interested in new putters, especially if they have a built-in alignment system...I'm checking out their site now. About the center-shafted putters...I'm currently experimenting with a Odyssey White Hot Center-Shafted Putter with polymer insert. I've always used a heel-shafted putter, but truly like this center-shafted putter a lot. The shaft is almost directly behind the ball and I think it gives me a better view of my ball and my line of putt...I also think it gives me a straighter follow-thru since the shaft is closer to the line of putt. Thanks again.
Larry
www.theputtingedge.com

Well I've read alot of what Geoff has posted about center vs heel shafted putters, and it's all very interesting. Geoff's knowledge about how they work and how our minds work dealing with the science and art of putting (Can you separate the two?) far surpasses what I've read from anyone else.

So, I'm interested in obtaining a center shafted putter so i can give it a try and see how it benefits me (if it benefits me).

BTW, I have an opportunity to get one at a really good price, so the investment is minimal

I'll see how it goes.

Thanks again

TonyWho

TonyHoot ..!!! Don't get besotted over some expensive Rube Goldberg putter that looks like a trumpet on a stick ... it's all a sham ... believe me ...!!!

When you say "center shafted" putter do you mean a horizontally face-balanced putter (one where the face is flat horizontal when you balance the putter shaft on your finger)?

What you should be aware of is that putters can be:

- Horizontally face-balanced (equal heel-toe mass distribution)
- Vertically hanging (heavily toe-weighted as in a heel-shafted blade putter)
- Somewhere in between (because the shaft is mounted between the heel and the putterhead centerline)

... when you balance them on the shaft horizontally. Do you understand these orientations? If not go to a golf store and try balancing several putter styles on the shaft and see how the putter faces angle when balanced on your finger horizontally.

As a professional brass musician, you may be impressed with all the bells and whistles on various putter designs ... but ask yourself: "What does the ball encounter when struck by the putter?" ... The Face of the Putter .. not all that stupidity behind the face. (Technically it also "feels" the putter head Center of Mass, which may be close to or far back of the putter face .. but don't worry about that sci-stuff!)

What I recommend you work with is several putters (and none costing over $49.99 unless your fragile ego needs support and you need the status). One is a fully heel-shafted putter like a Wilson 8802 style .. and another a cavity-backed heel-toe weighted ping style putter but check it out for balance because you may prefer a partially angled putter face over the horizontal face balanced putter. Later on you may decide that a moderately designed "mallet" putter gives you an interesting "feel".

Don't bother buying an expensive brand name putter because they are loaded with marketing costs or reflect an inefficient production method. Used putters are great buys (one of my best putters is a ping zero knockoff made of soft 303SS that I found in a pawn shop for $5 and another is a $17 unlabelled prototype 8802 style putter again made in 303SS)!!! If you want a "new" putter start with the cheapos because there is no magic in the Rube Goldbergs and their promises of "high technology" is a load of ****.

Since you may be tuned to your trumpet-playing kinematics and kinetics, your putter preference may be influenced by those cross-athletics ... with your right hand and fingers being active and your left hand relatively dormant .. do I have it right??? This may set up for a different feel sensation when you hold and stroke a putter.

I am a string player ... both of my hands and arms are actively flailing and pumping ..

Correct me if I'm wrong .. Geoff .......

I am really more into simplicity. Bells and whistles don't really seduce me much. I don't really go for fancy-schmancy gizmos, but in this case I only inquired about that one particular putter because I could get it for under $20 bucks. Ok, so I'm also cheap! With my two other putters, I paid $16 bucks for one (a Mallet), and for other one I paid $2 bucks for (blade). And, both are fine. What I really need most is to improve my stoke technique, aim, feel, touch, etc.

I do understand about the various orientations and styles of putters. My trumpets are in various "styles" or pitches, and I use the one I need for the job at hand. (My A-piccolo for Baroque literature and some church music, my B-flat for my pop and jazz and r&b gigs and some brass ensemble work, my C-trumpet for my solo literature, my Flugelhorn for whatever seems to fit when I need the mellow, fat sound, etc.) So, I'm only interested in an inexpensive horizontally face balanced center shafted putter to try-- at a right price!

Thanks for your comments and your interest in preserving my pocket book

TonyWho

Greetings!

I had not heard of this putter before so I checked it out. The head choices are typical blade and mallet, and the shafting is near center and straight, and the grip is very different.

My thinkin on grips is that they should be circular in cross section instead of directionally oriented in some way - this so as not to force a contrived grip which in all likelihood is not the right grip. The golfer should decide how he is going to grip the putter, not the putter.

A straight steel shaft is good because a bent or broken (anser style) shaft vibrates on impact especially when it does not vector exactly into the center of gravity of the club head.

The straight shaft seems to vector into the head such that ball impact will not generate torque as it does with a heel shafted putter.

But the shaft seems to be out of balance toward the face of the putter, especially in the mallet models (some call this face balanced, but what it really means is that it is out of balance toward the face). The best way to test for perfect balance in a putter is to put the shaft between the palms of your hands and then move your palms back and forth so as to spin the putter to and fro - if this spinning causes a wobble then the putter is out of balance and the more the wobble the farther out of balance the putter is. A perfectly balanced putter is rare and when you find one you will know the good feeling of having an excellent putting tool.

You won't be interested in getting a Quantum Putter because they are too expensive for your budget, but you might find the website interesting because it has a lot of content on putter technology.

Best Regards
PutterGeek@QuantumPutters.com