Putter Thoughts

The long game continues to improve.  I've become quite fond of it and look forward to more improvement.

I mentioned that I might steer this towards putting a bit.  It's a topic that hasn't interested me over the years, but now with more holes being fairway then green then putts, I need to spend some time on this topic to keep my game improving.

I've been lusting for an Evnroll putter for a while.  I play golf with Sonny, who changes equipment like I change socks.  He bought an Evnroll after I talked it up.  Then he traded it for a different model or Evnroll.

Sonny was in love for a few rounds but then put it away and went back to a Scotty Cameron that he's had for a while. 

I asked him why he switched back and he said that he wanted to see a deeper putter. 

The model he has is called ER1 and has the classic look of a Ping Anser putter.  It's not very deep and not too long.  By deep I'm referring to the amount of material that extends backwards from the ball impact position.

Sonny is quite generous as lending out his equipment and sells his unwanted gear to his playing partners.  I asked to borrow and I've had it for a week or so.

I played with the ER1 for three rounds.  I've also come to the same conclusion that Sonny did and that I like to have more visual mass behind the ball.

If the putter is "deeper' then I tend to drag the head into the ball and don't twist it at all.  With the Anser shape there is a tendency to shut the face at impact.

I'll be returning it to Sonny soon.

Of course Evnroll has mallet type putters too, so I'm not necessarily saving any money yet!

There is some technology in the putters by Evnroll.  The face has asymetric grooves that provide more contact the further from the "sweet" spot you hit the ball.  Thus the grooves are weakest at the sweet spot and there really isn't one happy spot.   Guerin Rife, the designer, has found that amateurs and professionals don't hit putts in the sweet spot much.

Now for the grooves to really be a factor, you have to do a lot of things right.  Your path and face angle and speed have to be reasonable.  Putts hit off the sweet spot with a putter without the grooves will be sprayed to the sides and be shorter.  The grooves tend to funnel the ball back on line and have them go the full distance.

I like the contact feeling with the putters.  It does feel a bit thin, but the ball rolls well and seems happy.

I made some putts with the ER1.  I think I made about 5 putts of long length on Friday.  There were a couple of saves and 3 birdies.  It wasn't too bad.  But I think I would have done better with a mallet.

The main problems with making more putts was due to speed issues.  On occasion the guy who selects the pin placements can put them in some devilish locations.  Then if you get above the pin, you are in trouble.  That happened a couple of times on Friday.

Otherwise, all is going well in golf and in life.  Though I've still not found a pickleball player...