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"Balance" in putters

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Fri, Jan 29 2016 5:32 PM

  YankeeJim:

  Balance in a putter is what helps the putt stay on line. The more balance, the better the putter will swing and in this game that translates to the putt holding the line better.

  I could never get my head around "balance helps the putt hold the line".  Some magical quality that affects the roll after we hit it?  Like "The Force"?  Once the ball is rolling its path is determined by the slope(s), wind,  and speed of the ball. Stay with me now!

  ColumbusStorm's post might allow me to understand.  If the speed of the ball is more consistent, and bhoese's precision tests show higher balance putters have less distance variance (for dings), then it follows that the path of the ball will be more consistent all other things being equal.

  For the same putt, hit with same power on same line, a higher balance putter might have a distance variance +/- 6 inches.  The speed of the ball along its path therefore must have a similar small variance.  Therefore the path of the ball has a small variance.  It holds the envisioned line better.

   

• MBaggese 15,375 Posts

  Fri, Jan 29 2016 6:57 PM

  andyson:

  Like "The Force"? 

   

  You've disappointed me Andy...I saw you had replied and was expecting to see you'd put up a pic of Icon in his TuTu, balancing a putter on his nose.

• zagraniczniak 1,984 Posts

  Sat, Jan 30 2016 4:50 AM

  As I recall the explanation from years back, 'Precision' measures the accuracy in terms of distance (how hard you hit the putt), while 'Balance' measures the accuracy in terms of going the direction you aim (left or right). Or vice versa - I don't remember which was which.

  Whereas with other clubs, there is one measure of accuracy, which is like the size of a donut around the target where the ball is most likely to land.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Jan 30 2016 6:15 AM

  andyson:

  I could never get my head around "balance helps the putt hold the line".  Some magical quality that affects the roll after we hit it?

  I gave you this analogy years ago and it made sense to you then. We'll try again.

  Take a balsa wood putter and putt with it. Imagine what you would have to do to keep the putter arc consistent through the ball-a death grip on the putter and rigid arms to keep the lightweight putter from being deflected by the ball. Very hard to be consistent, let alone expect the ball to roll where you want it to.

  Replace that putter with a balanced piece of machined material that all you have to do is hold on as it just about swings itself through a smooth arc. The weighted head directs the ball where to go without fear of the ball deflecting the putter face. Smooth roll going where you intended. That's what balance does.

• Jimbog1964 8,378 Posts

  Sat, Jan 30 2016 6:42 AM

  Better the balance the more precisely you can weight your putt (send it off at intended speed), and especially so with deeper scales.............As basically said in other words looking quick.

• alosso 21,087 Posts

  Sat, Jan 30 2016 10:36 AM

  Try the Starter putter for long putts at STA - you'll know the difference!

  This is the only really weak point of that putter!

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Jan 30 2016 11:24 AM

  alosso:

  Try the Starter putter for long putts at STA - you'll know the difference!

  This is the only really weak point of that putter!

  Interesting you say that, alosso. I play fairly regular AS with a guy that used to have that Starter putter and he was pretty good with it. The thing is, I would watch his putts in reverse view and quite often would see his longer putts take dead aim at the cup only to wander off line towards the end and miss. 

  We had the balance conversation and I could tell he wasn't convinced so I gifted him a Rossa. The popular one that doesn't break the bank.-level 55 IIRC. I told him to see for himself and he noticed it immediately. His comment was something like "the ball rolls so much smoother."

  I could tell by the way his putts didn't wander off at the end anymore. He was using a putter with some balance.  :-)

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Sat, Jan 30 2016 11:59 AM

  YankeeJim:

  I gave you this analogy years ago and it made sense to you then. We'll try again.

  Musta been some other Andy as I don't recall that convo.  :-)  Once the ball leaves the putter face the putter has no more effect.  If it deflects it ain't starting out on the line.  And there's no magical force keeping it from wobbling off line at the end.

  But I am buying that higher balance represents more consistent power and less distance deviation as ColumbusStorm mentioned and bhoese's test show.  A low balance putter that you try to hit with 30 ft of power might only hit it 28 feet so as it slows down at the end the green slope will have more effect and cause it to break more than envisioned.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Jan 30 2016 1:00 PM

  andyson:

  Musta been some other Andy as I don't recall that convo.

  Convenient. I'll find it.

  What you're not getting is the attempt by WGT to replicate what RL putting with a crappy putter will do. The results are the same and more balance in a putter in this game represents a truer, smoother roll. I've seen and proved it to myself a number of times, most recently with the M1. No conjecture here, just experience.

  Off to find that convo...........

• alosso 21,087 Posts

  Sat, Jan 30 2016 1:03 PM

  (Starter vs. Rossa)

  YankeeJim:

  I could tell by the way his putts didn't wander off at the end anymore. He was using a putter with some balance.  :-)

  Same for me, only I wasn't benefited - had to (free) rent it myself - then I bought it!