Nike 003 WTH ? Not Stu

[BIG STU]

We had a thread the other day about milled and insert putters and I had my say so and as usual I was old school. Well this MAY have changed since yesterday. Now some of you folks are gonna cringe when I tell this story but here goes.

I was over at my club yesterday messing around hitting balls and putting. Went inside the pro shop and our gang was there including the pro. We got to messing with putters and shooting the breeze. Now our pro is a young guy good player good fellow but has a bad temper cant putt a lick. I have been with him in a few matches and he has been known to toss a putter. He is a Nike staffer been putting with an 003. Well the talk came around about his newest escapade he had thrown that 003 down a cartpath (again) and it bent. I looked at it and said it sits good. someone cracked it would for you. Rolled a couple of balls on the carpet darn thing rolled good! With it being bent it opened up the face for me. Took it on the putting green and wow started dunking putts with it. Now the sole is gouged and I mean gouged but the face and milling is ok. The pro looked at me said put that damn thing in your bag it is yours free. Up my alley beat up has character and you guys know me well enough to know I am not gonna carry a putter that I have to use a cover on. Don't know if it will replace the infamous Zing yet. Playing in a company scramble today and may game it if we don't do any side bets. If we do some side bets the Zinger will be in the bag

I think I am already attached to this 003 because I have named it Old Joe because the pro's name is Joe. My wife when I got home saw it and said what the hell are you doing with a milled putter?? she thought I had been smoking dope or something. We will see but I think this old dog has learned a new trick. BTW Joe the pro has got him some sort of Scotty I may have a slightly damaged Scotty in the bag in the future

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Who says throwing clubs never leads to anything good?  Great story Stu - hope that bad boy helps you find the bottom of the hole.  

 

4 inches straight down at the end!

[JBones]

Stu, that just adds character. At this point, I don't care how ugly something is, if I can make putts with it, it's going in the bag.

[fozcycle]

Way to go Stu.......take something that you thought you didn't like and turn it around in your favor!

[BIG STU]

Well it does go with my redneck Rebel persona. Actually I filed the gouges down and fine wet sanded them looks all right now but still beat up. Played in a scramble yesterday and used it. made 3 putts on trecerous wind dried crusty fast greens. I had cleaned it up some before that but you know how some of these guys are. One guy said that it was hideous. I just laughed. One of my playing partners was shocked he has been playing with me about 8 years now and said it was the first time he had ever seen me on a golf course period without some kind of Ping putter in the bag! It is heavier than any Ping I have even the ones lead taped up and I am getting used to it weight wise and feel wise with that milled face. I do like the way it rolls the ball though

[fozcycle]

We need pics.....bent shaft and all.

 

and now you get to cover it with a shoe from Ace of Clubs Golf!

[BIG STU]

Working on the pic capable thing It takes me some time to pick up technical things. As far as the 003 being bent It is twisted a little in the neck and you cant really see it all that well unless you compare it to a new one beside it. Most of those putters sit closed like an Odyssey to my eye but this one sits open. I did some extensive cosmetic work on it Friday night with a file and some real fine grit sandpaper> The guys at the club saw it yesterday afternoon and could not believe it was the same putter. I did have to pencil flame one spot on the leading edge and tap it down with a jewlers hammer you cant tell that spot was ever there. Gamed it Saturday in a scramble and did make 3 8 footers. I am still working on the long putts because it is heavier than even my lead taped Zing and the ball rolls a little different with that milled face but that thing is money from 8 foot in so far

[Jmikecpa]

Could be dumb question, but would the putter still be consider conforming with a bent shaft?  I know that if it happens during the round it would have to be taken out of play, but never thought about it if you started the round with it that way.

 

Mind you this is just a hypothetical question since I can't actually say that in my entire life I have ever called anyone I have played with on non-conforming clubs.

[Kenny B]

A friend of mine still plays with a wedge that has a slight bend in the shaft at the hosel; calls it ol' bendy.

[BIG STU]

There is a little rules criteria. I don't have my rule book handy. I do know on the definitions that they have to have a certain loft to be classified as a "putter" but there is nothing in the rules saying you cant putt with any club in the bag. There are several definitions having to do with the bend of the shaft and I know one that says that the putter from the face to the end cannot be longer than the face. Honestly I have not checked the loft on that putter glad you brought it up though I am going to check the loft

[BIG STU]

Fozzy The shaft did not get bent at all just the hosel but it bent it where it sets the face more open or more or less twisted would be the correct word. It gave it the character that fits my eye.  WOW doing two things I don't normally do putting with a milled face putter and now I am honored to have a cover for it. The stars must have lined up right