This video is an absolute gold mine. I doubt most people will recognize the value in this video because it's so short and simple -- but let me assure you this advice is priceless.
What you should take away from this is that putting is a deceptively simple part of the game. Reading a put is easy for the most part. The putt might go uphill right to left. Once you have that it's time to trust your instincts. Let your brain figure out how hard to hit the ball based on how far your eyes perceive the hole to be.
Once you start believing how simple the concept is you'll realize the different between a good putter and a great putter is practice. Tiger Woods has an amazing work ethic and he spends the appropriate amount of time working on his short game. That amount of time should be over 50%. I know it's boring to take hundreds of puts instead of blasting drivers. But the truth is that at most you'll be hitting the driver 14 times during a round. At the least, you'll be taking 18 putts. Think about it.
Blade Putters
Blade putters are considered to be the most traditional putter form. Taking their visual cues from irons, the blade putter is actually a derivative of blade irons. When the game of golf was young, greens were no where near as smooth as they are today. When golfers got close to the hole they looked for a club that would keep the ball as close to the ground as possible. The blade putter was ideal because it had a short shaft, which provided the golfer with increased control. It also had very little loft which kept the ball close to the ground and got it rolling quickly. The blade putter is the ideal putter for traditionalists who want the most feel from their putting game.
Peripheral Weighted Putters
Peripheral Weighted Putters categorize some of the most popular putters on the market today. The idea behind the peripheral weighting is to expand the sweet spot of the putter so that golfers can have more consistent results despite hitting the ball in a different part of the club. This is good for professionals but even more so for amateur golfers because their club stroke is more inconsistent. The major putters included in the peripheral weighting category are the Ping Anser and the Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport. I personally play with a putter in this category and chose to because it has my preferred combination of feel and forgiveness.
Mallet Putters
Mallet Putters are designed to bring the weight of the putter behind the ball which provides the golfer with a smooth stroke. An added benefit of the weighting system is great distance control. These putters are often lacking in the feel department but usually the golfers who choose to play them don't really mind. As a general rule of thumb, I like to use these putters as a default for all sorts of putting conditions. They work great on slow and fast greens alike. The Callaway Odyssey 2-Ball putter is perhaps the most recognizable mallet putter on the market today. There are countless others as well.
Putter Faces
Besides the design of the putter head, putters come with different inserts in the faces which change the feel upon impact. Putter designers experimented for years with different materials to change the weighting of the putter. The weighting effects the putter stroke and the overall feel of the putter. Around 1995, Odyssey was the first to successfully convince the golfing world of the benefits of putting an insert into the club face. The insert can be a different material than the rest of the putter. So while your putter is mostly comprised of a very hard material, the putter face is soft and it feels nice to put with. The most well known putter insert is the white golf pall cover on the Callaway White Hot putter series. There are also rolled face putters from Teardrop that work really well to get the ball rolling quickly. I have used those putters and I would recommend them without hesitation.
This video discusses a number good point about how to choose a golf putter.
It's important to remember that finding a putter is about finding something that works with your putting stroke. There is a lot of debate about what comes first -- the putter or the stroke -- but we think it's the stroke. That being said, you want to first find a putter that looks good to your eye. There are a bunch of different putter styles so the best thing to do is go with your instinct. What looks nice? What inspires confidence?
Once you've selected a style, take the putter outside onto the putting green. You're looking for a good fit. Remember that a putter can be customized to fit your body and swing type. You should now be looking to see if the lie is flat on the ground. If the putter is too upright for your stance, the heel will be in the air. If the putter is too flat, the toe will be in the air. You want the putter to lie flat on the ground -- otherwise you'll have a tendency to push or pull your putts.
Next you want to consider the length of the putter. Taking your normal stance, does the putter sit on the green or is it short? If you're finding yourself gripping down on the putter or if you feel like your stretching to hit the green, you're going to want to get this changed. A new putter shaft is a very simple process for a local pro shop. You'll also want to find a grip that suites your preferences.
The Callaway iTrax putter is a highly rated mallet putter and the first putter ever to include alignment aids that can be swapped out by the golfer. Over the years, golf club designers have shifted their focus in putter design from putter feel, to putter weight, to putter alignment. These three factors combine to create a unique putting experience. Our goal as golfers is to find a combination of these three factors that creates the most natural putting experience for our golf stroke -- when you figure out these factors your putting game is bound to improve.
The Callway iTrax places a significant level of importance on the alignment issue. You'll notice immediately that the putter has interchangeable "vision strips" that allow the golfer to select the type of alignment aid they prefer most. According to the rules of golf, you have to pick a vision strip before starting your round and stick with it. But let's be honest, the majority of golfers are just out there to have fun. No one is going to call you on changing you alignment strip. It's a far cry from certain putters on the market that have LCD strips on the top.
The iTrax is made of milled aluminum and includes a sound strip located behind the club face. The sound strip is designed to give the golfer a method of feedback through sound changes. You obviously want to train yourself to learn when you're hitting the sweet spot and when you aren't. With the increased forgiveness of the iTrax, you will have an easier time hearing when you make a mistake.
The iTrax continues to be more and more customizable with weight screws that can be adjusted by the golfer. The triangulated screws are positioned at the heel and the toe of the club to better the heel-toe weighting schema. They additionally lower the center of gravity and increase MOI (moment of inertia). It's a solid putter and I'd recommend it.
The Callaway Two Ball putter is the world's best selling putter. It has an innovative design featuring two round white circles directly behind where the ball should be aligned. This produces an interesting effect during the putting stroke -- effectively your eye sees a line with trailing white balls -- this allows you to concentrate more on keeping your head down and you can actually see the line your putter head is traveling.
Released in 2001, the 2-Ball shocked the golfing world with it's revolutionary club face which was anything but traditional. Having already perfected the feel of the putter face with the white ball insert, the 2-Ball design places an emphasis on weight distribution. It is a derivative of traditional mallet putters because of the overall shape of the club. However, one will notice immediately the striking visual cues of the two ball system at address. The two white discs are designed to assist in lining up puts and it's quite effective. The weighting produces a smooth stroke which in turn improves ball roll.
The 2-Ball series comes in just about ever variety Callaway has released since 2001. You can find it in the Black Series, The White Hot Series, The Crimson Series, and the Divine Line.
The Two Ball putter is one of the best putters for people interested in improving their putting game and developing a long smooth stroke. Some of the best golfers I know use this putter and swear by it. Distance control and accuracy and among the best in class.
The Callaway Tour Blades are an authentic X-Prototype iron set produced by Callaway for some of the best PGA tour professionals. These clubs are produced in limited run by Callaway and if you're lucky enough to get you're hands on a set you can rest assure that these were authentically produced from actual PGA tour professionals. It is certainly a rare occurrence that this sort of situation presents itself. Usually tour model clubs are really production model clubs marketed to the public. In this case, however, it's the REAL DEAL.
The Tour Blades are forged muscle back irons designed by legendary clubmaker Roger Cleveland. That name should be familiar because it is the same one from Cleveland Golf. The muscle back design is preferred amongst touring pros for consistent trajectory and maximum playability. Similar to the Mizuno and Titleist clubs, the Callaway Tour Blades are for elite players who what a soft and responsive feel in their irons.
Today you can watch two of the best players in golf use these irons to blow away the rest of the field. Both Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els have reportedly played with these irons. If you continue to read reviews on these clubs, you'll do anything you can to get your hands on them!
The Callaway White Hot putter series is one of the most popular putters in the golf world today. Released in 2000, the putter is known for the white insert in the club face. The insert is made from the same material as a popular golf ball which gives it a soft but crisp feel. If you've ever hit two golf balls against each other you know what the feeling of this putter is like. The idea stems from insert technology which was pioneered by Odyssey before being purchased by Callaway in 1997.
The Callaway White Hot comes in many different putter types. The line has grown to include models such as the White Hot 2-Ball. Released in 2001, the 2-Ball shocked the golfing world with it's revolutionary club face which was anything but traditional. Having already perfected the feel of the putter face with the white ball insert, the 2-Ball design places an emphasis on weight distribution. It is a derivative of traditional mallet putters because of the overall shape of the club. However, one will notice immediately the striking visual cues of the two ball system at address. The two white discs are designed to assist in lining up puts and it's quite effective. The weighting produces a smooth stroke which in turn improves ball roll.
The White Hot series also includes tour models such as the Tour Rossie, Tour #1, Tour #2, Tour #2CS, Tour #5CS, Tour #7H, and Tour #9 putter which is famously used by long time tour professional and traditional blade putter enthusiast Phil Mickelson who is sponsored by Callaway.
Callaway Golf putters rank among the most popular putters on the professional tour. There is good reason for their popularity. With innovative designs and a commitment to improving their game, Callaway has emerged as an industry leader in putters.
Before 1997, Callaway made a name for themselves by introducing the oversized driver to the golf market. The Big Bertha became a smash hit amongst touring pros and amateurs with amazing forgiveness, increased distance, and shocking club head size. It's amazing to look back ten years later and remember how large the original Big Bertha club heads appeared to be.
Despite their success with drivers and subsequently irons, Callaway was seriously lacking in the putting department. It was a fitting analogy for the way many amateurs spend their time on the golf course. In 1997, Callaway bought the famous putting design and manufacturing company Odyssey Sports. It made ripples through golf world and catapulted Callaway into an industry leading position with a complete product line of woods, irons, and now putters.
The Callway Putter line is based around the White Hot insert which is comprised of a elastomer combination of urethane. The insert is designed to give the putter a solid yet soft feel which is ideal for the majority of putting conditions. Today, the Callway Putter line has grown to include a number of products such as the White Hot Tour, White Hot Rossie, White Hot XG 2-Ball, White Hot XG 2-Ball Blade, White Hot XG Marxman Mini Putter, and a whole lot more.
I'd always recommend the Callaway Odyssey putter because, like they say, it's the number one putter in golf.
The Titleist Bullseye is the oldest and most iconic putter produced by Titleist and it's the only putter without the Scotty Cameron design that people still like. The Bullseye putter is simple, classic, and time proven. It's made of soft yellow brass -- weighted and shaped to a uniquely delicate balance. The Bullseye design is the inspiration for almost every putter you see at the putt-putt golf course.
It has a very basic mark of the top of the putter to help you align the golf ball. And the unique shoe design allows the player to setup precisely every time. All Bullseye putters have an 8" sold radius to minimize drag and 5 degrees of loft for a consistent roll.
The Bullseye putters are classic and a great starting point for anyone who is in search of a new putter. Putter technology has come a long way since 1970, the first year this putter was introduced to the market. But the fact that it still remains a popular and perfectly adequate putter speaks volumes about the nature of putter technology and golf in general. Everyone has a different golf stroke and in that way people have different preferences for what works. Putting is mostly about what feels right and what works for you. And this basic design works for so many people. There's really no need for improvement.
The Titliest Red X putter by Scotty Cameron is one of the most beautiful mallet putters ever designed. It comes in both the Red X3 and the Red X5 with glare-resistent charcoal Mist finish. Both models are milled from a solid block of 303 stainless steel and finished with a black anodized aluminum soleplate with stunning red graphics. The soleplate hides the precise internal weighting schema.
The Red X3 comes with a single bent shaft with a 1/4 diameter and offset for the ideal toe-flow through the stroke. It has a similar set up to more traditional putter designs like the Newport or Anser. The X3 is a refinement of the mallet putter concept with increased design appeal. It's perfect for players wanting a solid feel, great distance control, and more conservative design.
The Red X5 differs from the X3 with a plumbing neck shaft which is offset to achieve a clean and contemporary aesthetic. It's not much different than the X3 in terms of overall playability. The choice between the two putters is a matter of preference. You should spend some time with both putters at your local pro shop and see which one feels more natural.
Blade Putters
Peripheral Weighted Putters
Mallet Putters
Putter Faces/rating_on.png "1 Star")
The Callaway iTrax putter is a highly rated mallet putter and the first putter ever to include alignment aids that can be swapped out by the golfer. Over the years, golf club designers have shifted their focus in putter design from putter feel, to putter weight, to putter alignment. These three factors combine to create a unique putting experience. Our goal as golfers is to find a combination of these three factors that creates the most natural putting experience for our golf stroke -- when you figure out these factors your putting game is bound to improve.
US $28.26
The Callaway Two Ball putter is the world's best selling putter. It has an innovative design featuring two round white circles directly behind where the ball should be aligned. This produces an interesting effect during the putting stroke -- effectively your eye sees a line with trailing white balls -- this allows you to concentrate more on keeping your head down and you can actually see the line your putter head is traveling.
The Callaway Tour Blades are an authentic X-Prototype iron set produced by Callaway for some of the best PGA tour professionals. These clubs are produced in limited run by Callaway and if you're lucky enough to get you're hands on a set you can rest assure that these were authentically produced from actual PGA tour professionals. It is certainly a rare occurrence that this sort of situation presents itself. Usually tour model clubs are really production model clubs marketed to the public. In this case, however, it's the REAL DEAL.
/rating_off.png "1 Star")
The Callaway White Hot putter series is one of the most popular putters in the golf world today. Released in 2000, the putter is known for the white insert in the club face. The insert is made from the same material as a popular golf ball which gives it a soft but crisp feel. If you've ever hit two golf balls against each other you know what the feeling of this putter is like. The idea stems from insert technology which was pioneered by Odyssey before being purchased by Callaway in 1997.
Callaway Golf putters rank among the most popular putters on the professional tour. There is good reason for their popularity. With innovative designs and a commitment to improving their game, Callaway has emerged as an industry leader in putters.
The Titleist Bullseye is the oldest and most iconic putter produced by Titleist and it's the only putter without the Scotty Cameron design that people still like. The Bullseye putter is simple, classic, and time proven. It's made of soft yellow brass -- weighted and shaped to a uniquely delicate balance. The Bullseye design is the inspiration for almost every putter you see at the putt-putt golf course.
The Titliest Red X putter by Scotty Cameron is one of the most beautiful mallet putters ever designed. It comes in both the Red X3 and the Red X5 with glare-resistent charcoal Mist finish. Both models are milled from a solid block of 303 stainless steel and finished with a black anodized aluminum soleplate with stunning red graphics. The soleplate hides the precise internal weighting schema.
