Putter fitting in Sacramento?

[McaseyM]

Howdy all,

Oven the last few years, I've gotten fit for my irons and driver, but been off the rack for my putter. As the only club I use every hole, I realize that this is where one should probably start, but lik most golfers, I didn't.

Anywho, I'm looking at getting fit and if it makes a significant difference, taking the plunge and ordering a customized putter.

I live in Sacramento, and we have Haggin Oaks/Morton Golf Shop, Golf Galaxy ( has an Edel certified fitter), as well as iFit golf and GolfTec, and about 50 courses with pros.

I got fit for my irons at GolfTec and have loved them, and they did a quickie putter fitting for lie and length, but I want to check stroke and loft and alignment aid needs as well.

 

The thing is I Loooooooobe the design and shape of Low Tide putters, but i know Edel make some awesome stuff too.

The Edel fitting is very comprehensive, but they only do it at GG if you're ordering an Edel putter ( at least that's what they told me when I called)

I'm willing to spend the money, probably get this as my only birthday gift next summer, so there's no rush.

Any suggestions????

[jaskanski]

Here's my opinion:

If you're willing to spend the money, then why is it necessary to stay in Sacramento? It looks like you already have the nous to get yourself custom fitted for clubs, so finding a putter to meet your requirements should be pretty straightforward. To be honest, putter fitting isn't exactly rocket science (even though there are plenty of boutiques that would like you to think it is) - you simply have to fit one to your eye, your feel, your stroke (in that order). 

It's really that simple. But - if you want to limit your fitting experience to one brand or the confines of your home town (the cheap and lazy option) then perhaps you need to have a rethink about your needs compared to your effort.

[McaseyM]

aftet Re-reading your post, I realized I was mid-interpreting your response.

i am limited to Sacramento because that's where I live, I have 3 very young kids and can't really travel and $250-400 is enough of an investment for me.

Your point for fitting for eye, feel then stroke does seem a little backwards to me, wouldn't it be best to get fit for stroke first since that's the way you move the putter and would ideally be the constant variable? I think I'm a straight back-forward, but that may be more of thentypemof putter I currently game, but not sure, so getting a trained eye/camera feedback on it would likely get me the best answer.

If I go to the local course golf shop which literally has 100s of putters, it can get overwhelming and I don't always know where to start.

When I was last putter shopping, I saw this funky 2-ball design with the shaft in the back, grabbed it saying to a buddy " this thing looks funny" but it ended up working (i see how this goes to your point of "eye first" but didn't really try it at first out of liking the look, more of just a lucky grab to try something that looked weird).

 

Since I like the looks and design of certain putter companies, would it be worth getting a fitting that just gives me specific numbers stroke type, lift, lie and length and then apply that to the styles I like? ( I may have answered my own question). And where's the best place for this?

[deejaid]

I'd try narrowing down the field by first zeroing in on the style or brand you like, then, search those out near you. I know there isn't anything for custom putter fitting here in Solano Co., need to go to either to the Bay Area (really the Peninsula down to Half Moon Bay is where most of the custom builders are located or Keplers in Walnut Creek) or up to Sacramento.

 

I'd think with all the options you have in Sac you should be able to find something local. Putters are so personal, maybe some place that has a big selection might have something off the rack that you'll love.

 

It's tough to by a putter sight unseen. I really loved the looks of Slighter putters and my wife bought me one as a gift. It was a nice putter but I kept using my 1950's HB putter and sold the Slighter. The $5 putter beat the $400 custom, go figure.

[hckymeyer]

I can't help you out with where to go specifically, but I can relate my experience and see if anywhere around you offers anything like that.

 

The place I went to did carry Edel and used their fitting methodology, but was more than happy to fit you into any brand they carried or if it made sense to tweak something you currently own into a fitted putter.

 

They start by putting a small mirror onto the face of your putter.  Then you go through your normal putting routine and line up a roughly 10' putt towards a 4" disc with a laser pointing at your putter.  They take the ball away and the laser hits the mirror on the face of the putter and you find out if where you're actually aiming is where you thought you were aiming.  That pretty much sums up the main point of an Edel fitting.  If you can't aim where you think you're aiming how can you hit what you want to hit.  Once you have the head/sightline combo that lets you aim properly its all about tweaking the feel and stroke to something you're comfortable with.  

 

When I did my fitting I got the best results with a putter I already owned, so they adjusted the loft/lie/length and counterweighting until I got the best results.

[hckymeyer]

Just did a quick google search of those places, Hagen Oaks looks pretty nice and they use a SAM Putt Lab which is pretty much the best in the biz for putter fitting.  Granted it still takes a qualified and competent fitter to interpret those results, but that's my first vote after a 5 minute search.  Only $60 for a putter fitting on a SAM doesn't seem too bad either.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Not much in the area really.

The SAM lab at Haggin will tell you some things about your stroke, then you can use that info to order something from Low Tide.

 

Not sure who is doing the Edel fittings at GG. They had a fitter at Granite Bay CC too but he's not with them.

 

In another direction, the Blast Motion sensor will give you a ton of info about your stroke, but it won't help much with the  physical nature of the putter. Haggin also has one of the old school PING fitting putters where you can adjust length and lie. Trial and error is not the best with that, but it's somethign.

[evershady]

Today is my birthday and my wife got me an Edel putter and fitting. It was great we started with the SAM then moved to the Edel laser check. We went though about 20 different head, neck, combos. I highly recommend it I will be doing a write up with all my result here in the next few days. They had an Edle on the shelf similar to the one I was fit for and ordered and went back to the SAM and just about every category saw improvement.

[McaseyM]

Thanks for the info! I look forward to your write up.

[PlaidJacket]

Same here. I'm seriously thinking about gifting myself an Edel putter for Christmas. I have a friend at the course that has an Edel I just love the looks of. He loves it too and claims his putting has improved. He's a no BS guy and a good player to boot. I'll be traveling to Austin for Christmas so I'm thinking about swinging through Liberty Hill for a fitting.

I await your write-up Ever.

[KCLeo12]

If you live in Sacramento Haggin Oaks should be your go to place. That being said Haggin Oaks uses the SAM Lab for putter fitting and it costs $60. I think the SAM lab is the best way to get fit for a putter.

[McaseyM]

i was thinking of that too, and using the info to order a Low Tide ( damn they are sweet looking and I'm sure feeling), but also the fitting from Edel is so thorough. 

[GolfSpy Dave]

i was thinking of that too, and using the info to order a Low Tide ( damn they are sweet looking and I'm sure feeling), but also the fitting from Edel is so thorough. 

If you do go to GG for the Edel fitting, be sure Shanon Hoyt is your fitter. He's a solid guy who I'd trust to get it right.