Lean Lock Putters - Forum Member Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

Testers Announced! Lean Lock Putters!

Straight from Lean Lock: 

"Switching to the LEAN LOCK putter and putting system eliminates variables and increases your consistency and confidence; especially on those nervy short putts.

What’s the secret???

The LEAN LOCK Putter's forward shaft lean technology combined with a ground-breaking new gripping method.

By anchoring the shaft to the target side (outside) of the leading arm LEAN LOCK stabilizes the putter, eliminates wrist movement, and minimizes clubface rotation.

The connection to the lead arm is so secure you can grip the putter with LESS TENSION, yet still have SUPERIOR CONTROL."

With 2 different mallets and blade putters Lean Lock Putters have a style to suit your eye. It may be unconventional, but there are a lot of reviews of golfers who have had lots of success with these putters. 

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@EasyPutter

@Girldad18

@CLenahan

@warrenator8

[EasyPutter]

Lean Lock Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by Derek Henshaw/EasyPutter

Intro-

My name is Derek Henshaw and I am a Veteran of the US Army and served in the Guard and Reserves for 30 years before the Mandatory Retirement Date with 28 years commissioned service was reached.  The last third of the career was the most demanding starting with a year long combat zone tour wearing 60 lbs of gear, weaponry and protective ballistic body armor making my body strong but also producing excessive wear on joints, muscles, and blast shockwaves only added to the physical insult of war.  I mention this because my golf interest began in the last year of that service at Fort Leavenworth where I was a curriculum author for military problem solving and staff skills for US Army officer education courses.  

  

Golf started as a challenge with reduced ability to twist and I have never carried a golf bag on a course, I have always had a pull cart, soon replaced with a push cart that better loads the spine and I prefer to walk for the exercise and delaying the “use it or lose it” reality of getting older.  Golf is my peaceful place and the activity apart from everything that went before that was stress inducing or anxiety producing.  And it all came together when I attended my first PGA HOPE program in 2018.  Now I am a persistent volunteer for the program and introduced as a graduate mentor.  I find great value in making the effort to connect with other Veterans in the Western New York footprint of the WNY PGA Headquarters that spans from Erie PA to Rochester NY west to east and northwestern PA to Lake Ontario south to north.  My emphasis is building that community of Veterans we lost when we separated service and golf is a perfect activity as a reason to get together.  The PGA and VA actually have a Memorandum Of Agreement for the HOPE Program as an adaptive golf therapy for Veterans receiving health care through the Veterans Healthcare Administration.

  

This year the PGA of America extended an opportunity for Veterans who graduated from the PGA HOPE program in WNY to volunteer to support the PGA Championship held in May at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester NY.  Many of us were accepted to serve on the Standard Bearers Committee carrying the score signs with each PGA Tour Pro playing group as they competed, inside the ropes and in close proximity with the Tour Pros and their caddies, a humbling and perhaps once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I for one will never forget.  Topped off with being nominated by fellow HOPE graduates to participate in the PGA HOPE Secretary's Cup at Penfield CC the weekend before the Championship, the second full week of May was indeed an epic time in my life and stark contrast to the austerity of my deployment experience.

  

MyGolfSpouse is my greatest supporter for my golf obsession and she and my grown children give me endless hours of encouragement and positivity listening to stories and doing what they can to help me be as involved with golf that is a good influence in my life.  My daughter played varsity golf through high school “because you asked me to Dad” and my son will play with me when there are fewer things vying for his time and attention.  My wife wants to know when and where I am going to golf and who I am going to be playing with - I think it is so she knows she doesn’t need to keep tabs on me for those hours and that is just fine.  She has completely supported the two MGS meetup trips I have taken to Queenstown Harbor MD in 2022 and Pinehurst NC in 2023 (can't locate the whole group shot but can edit if it is received from anyone who has it).

 

I started as a MGSpy in 2019 and the next year was selected to test the BirdieBall PuttUp Mat.  This test of the Lean Lock Putter marks my fifth test and the second putter test with being chosen to test the L.A.B. DF2.1 in 2022.  The putting mat is included as part of the testing surfaces for the putter in testing for indoors while practice greens at Glen Oak and Niagara Frontier have played host to outdoor testing.  Other tests include Inesis Decathlon waterproof golf shoes and Red Rooster golf gloves.

  Next Putter is the => Lean Lock Mallet-PN 

I began with a Pinemeadow Z-ON M1 putter as my first club I owned while stationed at Fort Dix in 2006 until 2010.  Putting became my strength because I studied mostly my own movements and then learned as much as I could to be the best I could be.  I minimized the putting stroke to eliminate all movement unnecessary to move the ball and preserve only that energy required to move the ball to where it needs to go.  My refined putting stroke is the body as a tripod, shoulders and arms to clubhead work as a solid pendulum and my head is part of the pendulum with no neck movement.  Movement is shoulders pivot at the spine and eyes remain stationary looking at the clubhead alignment line.  The ball is a blur at impact with the putter face contact.  Backswing distance determines the amount of energy imparted to the ball for speed and distance control and direction is completely determined during setup.  Once set the swing is one quiet uninterrupted motion.  

Did you read all that?  If not the bottom line is, I putt good.
 

First Impressions- (19 out of 20)

I unboxed my Lean Lock Putter-PN at Niagara Frontier Golf Club by the chipping and putting practice green with PGA Pro Chuck Antonuccio who happened to park next to me.  The box had 9 squares of butcher block paper crumpled up protecting the putter and the only part wrapped was the mallet head cover.

  

It was unblemished but one of the OEM Logo transfers on the shaft was applied with a wrinkle in it.  A novel putter in its own design made to the builders specifications in my estimation would have such appliques done carefully to promote the impression that great care was taken in its assembly and this as its only flaw would not be egregious if my tactile senses were not as acute as they are and that plastic wrap wrinkle does end up under my fingertips a lot.

  

Immediately obvious is the long grip with its flattened edge canted to the face of the putter mallet head.  The entire shaft leans forward at about an estimated 20 degree angle. 

  

As soon as I grasped the grip I noticed it naturally fell into position on the outside of my forearm and I quickly got this as the “feel” of the club.  That feel was what I soon realized as the tell-tale that I was holding it in my lead arm correctly when walking with the club, when sighting the putt and moving to address the ball.

  

The club feels heavy only when pulling it out of the bag and carrying it to the ball position.  I found as soon as I was getting into my stance with both hands in position and eyes looking vertically down at the alignment line on the mallet head, the club suddenly felt light.  Not just overall light but practice swing light as in it had very little mass to move.  As a physics educator, I know this was an apparent sensation and I attribute it to a great deal of mass being located in the long and large grip.  What I was not ready for was the ease that a putt could be made to roll long.

  

I took a swing at the ball with what I would equate to the swing necessary for the L.A.B. DF2.1 that has been in my bag since testing in 2022.  The result was a ball roll that nearly doubled the distance the ball would have rolled from the L.A.B. putter.  I found I was able to use very little perceived energy to get the ball to move shorter distances and I am referring to putts between 10 to 15 feet.  The comparative energy for a 10 foot putt with the PN would be what I would impart for a 5 foot putt using the DF2.1.

  

Brian is right about taking time to learn about his putter and what works fundamentally for the stroke to make the ball move as intended.  He has supplied emails and videos to assist users of the Lean Lock Putter to adapt to a style that will work with the putter.  He also acknowledges the differences that all golfers will have with any club when it comes to swing but irrefutable is the fact that the ball when struck with the club face is what moves the golf ball on its journey to the cup.  Spending a little time learning how to make my putting style work with Brian’s guidance and coaching (taking video this week for his coaching tips) should prove to make this putter as effective on the green as any putter can be.

I am impressed so far with the OEM Lean Lock and founder Brian Tennyson. Received an email on Friday day after all testers had committed to the test, responded and had a phone call with Brian on Saturday morning for a lively chat during which he said they were looking to ship the putter Monday.  

The putter was delivered on Thursday in time to take it to the PGA HOPE session at the same golf club where I unboxed my previous putter tested for MyGolfSpy.  Continue reading with the Grading section of the review with First Impressions for more about the new experience.

Testers were provided access to Vimeo app Master Class Series videos that provided information on how to use the Lean Lock Putter.  These are some of the subjects and you can see the depth of instruction provided as part of the purchase of the Lean Lock Putter.

Posture - awareness of position, relaxed, bend at waist so eyes are directly over putter alignment line, be mindful of balance!  And practice it to get comfortable and “assume the position” whenever going to putt.

Grip position - lead arm thumb pressure, can lift fingers off grip and move them like keys on a musical instrument, hover the club head before beginning the swing allows for down and back on the backswing to follow the surface.

Open Shoulder - path of the putter is pretty straight for 6” behind the ball, trail side low gives 2 degree up at ball contact.

Moment of Impact - speed should be greatest at moment of impact not before or after - longer backswing, maybe a tap.

Basics of Putting - focus on what makes the ball go where you want it to go, speed and clubface direction at last 6” before impact.  Shoulders open, feet angled to path line, dominant arm lined up with path of putt, shift hips forward to angle shoulders - helps putter to pull away low and come back up to ball

Jack Nicholas effect - forward press shaft, arms bent tucking putter back under vertical line from eyes to ball. Slow backswing and start to forward swing.

Dominant Hand - Brian invented a putter and stroke that incorporates facing the hole and rolling the putt using the dominant hand, which is what all teachers teach but then all the other teachers have the student stand facing perpendicular to the putt and use the major muscles and not the dominant hand, exactly opposite what was first said.
 

Grading (already started with First Impressions: my thoughts)
We were encouraged to be fair but firm with our grading, to be objective and honest with the review, and my choice is to avoid negative tones as even something that is unexpected as some might perceive it to be negative is in fact a positive if given a proper thoughtful consideration.  I think that is the case with my Lean Lock Putter experience and what follows is my perspective.  Note: Grading was applied after the testing was done and when I wrote the sentences that preceded this one I was skeptical that I would be able to write a positive review, hence my focus to make it positive - as it turned out the putter wrote the review for me.
 

Aesthetics- (9 out of 10) 

The Lean Lock Putter I selected is the PN model, it is mallet head design which I have found works well with my eyes while putting and the longer line of the alignment mark and structure helps me to see that everything is going in the right direction during the swing and moment of impact with the ball.  The hosel is square and gives a well machined appearance of strength and function with form.  The graphics are not over the top ostentatious or garish with thoughtful and creative elements for letters and the symbol of a lock.  Colors are basic black white and red which work well to make the statement but then let the putter work for itself to prove its worth.

It looks odd because of the angle of the forward press of the shaft.  It also has a long grip easily 1/3rd of the length of the shaft and there is a transparent logo graphic on the steel shaft next to the grip.  The alignment line is as long as the lower flange behind the mallet face and the mallet longitudinal extensions that are separated by about a ball width making it possible to lift a ball without stooping to pick the ball up off the ground, something I did not try nor will I as I need to bend low for the exercise and should I miss catching said ball it would make it necessary to chase said ball with a detrimental effect for anyone’s appreciation who might see such a spectacle.

The putter is not flashy but it is strikingly different, and mine did attract attention.  When I explained what I was doing it generated significant interest.  I do think that the long grip might be some duffer’s answer to what distance of ball would constitute being “inside the leather.”

The putter feels substantial in the hands, like a solid club ready to do its job.  While doing its job the sound was a pronounced click leaving no doubt when the ball was struck.  This video is from the first set of videos submitted for Brian’s review and they have the sound for you to hear.

 

The feel at impact is negligible and there is more sound than feel.  I am pretty good at doing center of face contact but some variability happens and when it does there is still a good roll that should make a good lag putt if it does not in fact drop into the cup.

What I found was the performance was all directly related to what I did with the club.  As it is a new putting style with its own must dos and must not dos, it was very easy to let the practice get away from me and leave putts long, short or off to the sides, but refocus and doing what is prescribed would return to very good to excellent putts immediately.  I found the sound to be pleasant.
 

The Numbers- (9 out of 10)

The putter was tried out on several putting greens and was gamed once or twice to try different surfaces.  Critical to all these practices was clearing the mind and setting up according to routine. Specifically speaking,  

Accuracy – I was able to consistently put the ball on target when my focus was on putting letting go of distractions.  

Distance Control – As usual on a putting green the roll and lie is everything and conditions present variables that come into play.  The putter rolls true to the golfer’s inputs for increased distance and playing slope.  It is possible to roll long putts easily with the Lean Lock putter.  Distance was easy to gauge.

Stability of Stroke – The stroke promoted is low and follows the ground when drawing the backswing low and returning the clubhead back to the address in an upward sweeping motion.  It takes practice but it does start the ball effectively towards the cup.

Forgiveness – off center putts don’t suffer much from intended direction and distance as the putter held quietly and firmly in the hands resists twist of off center impacts. 

Playability – The putter is a fine tool that sits in the hands comfortably with it’s center of mass about the point where it is held.  Once in the stance it feels weightless and what happens with the club is all induced by the hands.

On-Course- (20 out of 20)

I had the putter on the course after a quick and through review of the book supplied with the putter and all the videos that were provided via emails from Lean Lock and Brian Tennyson, which are well done and cover concepts in easy to manage parts but must be viewed and internalized with each one watched as there is a lot of information for how to putt with the Lean Lock Putter.  That first foray was good but the greens had been freshly aerated so while it was not a good rendition of Plinko putting, the ball was affected in its roll by the variability of the surface from the green being punched then backfilled with sand.

I decided to take it out of the bag for gaming and it went to the practice green for more work on fundamentals of setup and swing.  This video like the one before was taken during the first practice session that were shared with Brian for his review and comments. 

Armed with Brian’s encouragement to try to keep my leading arm elbow tucked in tight  with a motion “like pulling a lawnmower cord” I returned to the practice green for another practice session that calmed the lower body and again worked at using the Lean Lock position that apparently I was not demonstrating.

 

 

 

 

 

Between the practice sessions I worked at muscle memory following the illustrations in the book, re-reading Brian’s unambiguous directions on what I should focus on to use the Lean Lock position and I came to a conclusion that my late to the game, body used to the extreme and “put away wet” to borrow a term that captures what 10 months collecting hazardous duty pay in a combat zone does to the human body when wearing 60 lbs of gear (including body armor, electronic gear and ammunition) while carrying weapons from morning until night in all seasons in a desert from summer 125F heat to winter single F digits including 3 months of monsoon rains.  That doesn’t include torn knee cartilage and spine compression (the helmet weighed 8 lbs and don’t forget the rest of the worn gear that took a coordinated lift to get it off the floor to on the body in one movement every time leaving a secure location).  

  (used the bomb logo on the side of our trucks, one for each bomb that got us)

As a Veteran involved in the PGA HOPE program, I have seen the PGA Pros trained in adaptive golf techniques instruct my fellow Veterans who have physical limitations such as missing limbs, fused vertebrae, muscular and bone structures maimed in service, some learning to golf in a sitting position.  The concept of modifying an accepted golf movement is as natural for me as every kind of adaptation I was trained to employ from earliest days of Army training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri as the Drill Instructors turned me into a Combat Engineer.  

What I was comfortable with and what works for me might not be what works for others, but I got rid of the kinks on Monday gaming the Lean Lock Putter - PN model.  What you will see in this video is the growth from taking the practice green practice to the golf course green.  It was a wet day, I arrived at the course at 3:40pm and the Starter said I was the 5th golfer all day and I could play wherever I wanted because I had the golf course to myself.  I opted for the back 9.  Another golfer (#6 it would seem) arrived and I think he went to the front 9 but it caused me to keep looking back to the tee box for the first 3 holes to make sure nobody else had arrived I would have to consider with the testing round in progress.  It was also raining on and off so it was the 13th green before the tripod and phone camera came out to capture the putts.  All the cups were topped off with water, as my regular partener would say, they increased the number of ball washers by 18 that day.

Putts on holes 10, 11, and 12 were 2-putts and a 3-putt.  Not lots of consistency to begin the round but loss of focus until I was settled in the round had its effect.  

13th green was on and 2-putt with a good lag and a tap-in (the first segment).  

14th green has 2 segments dropping 2 balls for a total of 3 that really look like a practice in dispersion patterns, I used where they lay as practice into the cup for 2 and the 3rd was less than a ball width from dropping in, hole done.  

15th hole was the best hit onto that green all year.  I fixed the ball mark and stuck the PitchFix into the green to know where to drop a 2nd ball, sighted the putt and drained it for 1-putt birdie.

16th green was the longest putt estimated about 40 feet, again PitchFix tool stuck into the green for where to drop a 2nd ball, sighted the putt and drained it for 1-putt bogie.  In the video I say using the PitchFix is key to rolling a 1-putt.  This was also when the rifle range across Buffalo Creek started serenading me with a one note symphony.

17th green I was now working 3 balls onto the green with a nice variety of direction, slope and distance.  Set up the tripod and camera and was pleased with how well I drained all 3 putts as 1-putts with a variety of left and right break, downhill and level, and where after the previous 2 holes I decided this Lean Lock PN might just supplant my fitted L.A.B. DF2.1 as my gamer putter.

18th green my approach shot landed about 60 feet from the cup.  I decided to roll 3 balls from that location, slightly uphill then downhill with increasing right to left break (in the video I said left to right and with nobody to correct me, it is what it is) and plenty of rainwater still standing in places including where I was starting from and in the last 10 feet near the cup.  It was a good opportunity to power the ball which is very easy to do with the Lean Lock yet there was sufficient water to make even that kind of significant impact insufficient for the ball to make the distance.

 

 

The next day was drier, cups only half filled with water so still pulled freshly cleaned balls from the bottom of each cup.  Regular playing partner Jim was with me and helped with video, good because in drying everything from Monday the tripod was securely left in the garage at home.  Tuesday was much busier on the course and we were cognizant of a foursome following us on the front 9.  Video started on the 3rd hole with another 1-putt but wasn’t suitable for inclusion.  

4th green was a one-putt for par.  

5th green lag and tap-in for bogie in the video, then 6th and 7th videos were not good.  

8th green is a difficult to read green before Plinko, I mean aeration punching as it looks like it has lots of slope but it is optical illusion which was our discussion topic for our nemesis green that laughs at us as we try to 1-putt even from in close.

9th green the approach shot landed and rolled off the back into the 2nd cut rough.  I decided it was a good opportunity to try hitting from the rough onto the green and nearly holed it for a no-putt.  Adjustment for speed control was easy and direction for me is intuitive after sighting the shot.  You can see how close I was for the 1-putt bogie to end the round.

 

 

I have everything I need for this review and accuracy, distance, forgiveness, stability, forgiveness, and playability have all been experienced on practice greens and course greens.  I had a variety of pressure putts with side slope, uphill and downhill reads, dry and wet conditions, and differences in grass cut length and surface conditions between neatly groomed and “Plinko” aerated putting greens.

I like the feel of the putter in the hands how it has a substantial feel to it while carrying it until it goes into the grip and (my) Lean Lock position when it seems to go weightless as the fulcrum of the long moment arm is right in the hands.  Remembering the club has momentum, it was that element that gets the ball rolling with speed and direction and that is the golfer management piece of using the Lean Lock putter to its designed purpose of doing just that without the hands/wrists getting involved for anything more than making the Lean Lock putter work as it is intended.

In my experience, the Lean Lock Putter performs exactly the way it is designed to work.  It produces putting strokes that minimize number of putts and my putts per hole using the putter went down from 1.8 with the L.A.B. putter to 1.6 with the Lean Lock putter.  I am pleased to say the product confirmed my impression with the OEM as promoting a putter that will do exactly what it is claimed to do, there is no exaggeration in the advertising.  

The model itself is purpose designed and executed, changing anything about it would not improve it in my estimation, however, being a gadgets kind of guy what I would like to see is some kind of sleeve scabbard for sliding it into that clips to the outside of the golf bag as it is as long as a driver and being able to put it alongside the bag would make it easier to carry/transport and keep it readily available as some of the 14 individual club slots in my golf bag are too narrow for the cross-sectional size of the Lean Lock putter grip.  A few extra Logo stickers would be good to throw into the box as those things appear on visible surfaces like vehicle windows, gear bags, push carts, and the like.

What I really like is the grip, its shape and its length and the way the flattened edge is angled.  I like how the grip feels on the forearm between wrist and elbow when setting up and putting.  I like the graphics that are iconic and just right and the shaft and mallet head should be continued in future models even if a wider array of club head styles are added to the line.

 

The Good, the bad, the in.between- (20 out of 20)

The Good - excellent customer support and personal interest from the inventor/promoter/OEM himself Brian Tennyson who deserves recognition for creating not just a club but an entire process and curriculum to improve putting that I believe should work for anyone who wants to try this putter.  It does well to try to apply everything as specified even if ending up with unavoidable modifications (included at your own risk for less than ideal results I will add).

The Bad - one sticker slightly puckered on application (already took a point off for it, no double jeopardy in my scoring).  Yep that’s about it from me, oh and for those people with an easily bruised feeling, might be more than one, get ready to suck it up cupcake because Brian does not hold back when it comes to emphasizing what you are doing right and what you are not doing right in his review of your videos (I almost feel like that should be part of The Good).

The In.between - I’ve got nothing. 
 

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20)

Keeping this putter in the bag and here’s the thing:  I feel confident using this putter.  I put the ball down, get a read on where I think the ball will go, set up into my stance and relax for the putt and trust that it is going to go where it is supposed to go without feeling like I need to watch it go and I don’t, though I have done with every other putter I have used.  I’m not that visually complacent that I can not watch it drop into the cup but I am in no hurry to lift my head to look to see where it is going.  The real trick would be to put it into a big tournament or money game when the pressure is really on.  I think this putter helps me to play my best and now I have a dilemma.  How do I tell my playing partner that he is not going to get my L.A.B. putter just because the Lean Lock is going to displace it from my gaming bag.

The asking price in my estimation is a fair price for the product when considering its place in the market.  It is well made and durable, shows no wear from weeks of use going everywhere my vehicle has gone (put in just in case I had time to practice) and into the house most nights.  Even the club head cover is well made and durable not showing any wear and it cleans up easily when it gets muddy splatters on it.

Based on my experience, I think this putter can work for any golfer and would be best for a golfer with two arms, but that said I would not put it past a golfer with one arm that it would not work for them as it is balanced at the point of the grip where the hands are located for the putt.  

Conclusion

My reviews are always long, here is the bottom line:

The Lean Lock Putter and the Lean Lock Putting Method is a bonafide revolutionary putting system that when properly studied and applied as designed will, in my experience, improve putting and result in fewer putts per round.  The book should be read like an authoritative how-to, because it is, and the videos should be watched with putter in hand as trying what is being presented is a must to begin building the all important muscle memory to teach a new method assigned directly to the unique design of the Lean Lock Putter.  It is possible to not watch the ball after contact and listen for the ball to drop into the cup instead of watching it, I did it regularly on the practice green, it works.  If you are frustrated with your current putter as it is no different than all the others you have used, this putter is totally different. (Just going to drop the mic here.)
 

Final Score- (97 out of 100)

I know, I was expecting it to be much lower but then I gamed it and...  want to play for ?

Edited October 19, 2023 by EasyPutter
Update

[Girldad18]

My name is Matt Dura.  My wife and I have been happily married for 18 years and we have three girls, ages 16, 14, and 12.  Prayers are appreciated as my wife and I navigate teenage years with a house full of girls.  We reside in Northwest Arkansas, home of the Razorbacks!

Golf has been a part of my life since I was 7 years old.  I was a multi-sport kid back in those days with soccer being my passion but that all changed in 8th grade and I started devoting all my spare time to golf.  I played in high school and was fortunate enough to play in college at Francis Marion University where we won the 2003 Division II National Championship at Crosswater Club at Sunriver Resort.  My other four teammates were all internationals, so it was an awesome experience.  I wanted to play professionally after college, but man those guys are good!  Maybe the senior tour?? That would be a dream come true!  Currently I carry a 0.4 handicap. 

Talking to Brian – this is a different way of putting then what I have been taught.  It is quite like how the Golden Bear is set up and putts.  My initial thought in all of this and point Brian was sure to impress is I have to make sure I am doing the process correctly.  This is not a pull it out of the box and start.  Some studying is involved for the putter to be successful.  Currently my putter is 34”, so I like my arms to hang to create a pendulum stroke.  This is not that!  A definite learning curve for sure with the Lean Lock, but one I am excited to try just playing around with what I have seen it on the videos and literature Brian has sent.  It is as much of a test of a putting method as it is an actual new equipment piece, in my opinion.

I want to test the Lean Lock on distance control (a good portion of the greens I play are slower), thoughts of mechanics during the stroke or lack thereof, overall consistency of the roll – I use a line on my ball so that will be an instant tell if the roll is end over end or not. 

I have a 10’ putting mat that I will set up and use to get the mechanics down.  Once I feel I have the stroke down well enough, I will try it on course.  I have a scramble coming up and will play a bit next week, so I plan to have it out there for that. 

My expectation is, based off the reading and tinkering so far, that the stroke will actually be easier to put an end over end roll on the ball.  My miss is a slight pull.  I think this method will fix that. I am concerned about how it will play into distance control being the greens I typically play on do tend to be on the slower side, so more on long putts.  I think my consistency will go up, but it is not just putts made, but am I hitting the line I want to start the ball on? If the distance control is better than I anticipate, then this could be a gamer after the testing, which I honestly hope it works that way.

Stay tuned...unboxing to come...putter is supposed to arrive tomorrow, 8/30/23

Edited August 29, 2023 by Girldad18
Placeholder edit to introduction

[CLenahan]

Introduction:

Good Morning Fellow Spies!  I am incredibly excited to be selected for testing for LeanLock, mostly because it's new and, frankly, a little weird.  I love weird and alternate solutions to a problem most of us have; namely, rolling putts pure and square.

As for myself, my name is Curtis, 35, out of Saint Charles, MO.  I live here with my wife and cat, no kids yet.  I am part owner and Vice President of a small company, and proudly represent the 4th generation of family ownership as I am purchasing the company from my Father-in-Law.  I bounced around several years in college, attending UMSL and Lindenwood University before deciding that I did not want to go into debt to complete a degree.  I have since worked in sales of several varieties, as I took classes here and there to round out my education.

My Game:

You could say I found golf after coming from other, slightly more... intense activities.  I have a history in swimming, scuba diving, backpacking, competitive dance, various other watersports, etc.  After multiple injuries, including three Kevlar anchors in my left shoulder and 2/3 of the cartilage being removed from my left knee, I decided I needed to pursue something challenging that wouldn't tear me up quite so much.  My father-in-law convinced me to get back into golf, and I was hooked.  I not only started playing again, we made the decision to join a private club near my work so that I could play and practice regularly.  I am currently playing at a 23-22 index down from 32 after my most recent injury last year.  My goal is to be down to a 20 by the beginning of next season.  Putting is something holding me back in that goal, while my speed and direction are usually good, my reading needs work and I have a tendency to get inconsistent when frustrated, tired, or my left shoulder gets sore.

How I Plan to Test:

You could say the testing for this putter has started already.  There is a multitude of information on the LeanLock website to review, including how to set up with this new concept of putting, putting concepts, and common issues.  Brian Tennyson, the creator of this method, wants you to succeed whether it is with his putter or not.

I will be starting with working on setup, following Brian's instruction, at home.  Followed by extensive testing on the practice greens at my club.  Finally, I will be playing several rounds with the Leanlock as my primary putter over the next several weeks.

At home and in the practice areas, I will be comparing it to my current gamer, an Odyssey Strokelabs One.  Especially from the 1-3 and 3-6 foot ranges, where I commonly get myself into trouble on the course.

Expectations:

Brian Tennyson makes a lot of claims about his LeanLock putter and concept, and has been adamant in conversations that if you do your part to follow his instructions, your putting will improve.  From a physiological standpoint, it makes sense, and I expect to see a consistent performance in keeping the putter face square and in a consistent path.  It is my hope that this method will relieve tension on my left (lead) arm and eliminate my dreaded "scuff" miss.  I think Brian would agree that this won't help me read greens any better though!  I am going in with high expectations on the method.  If this can bring my average 3-putts down from 6 to about 4, it would earn a spot in my bag.

I ordered the PN blade version of this, as I prefer an Anser style putter.  I will be honest, the website pictures are not great, and I am hoping the end product looks and feels like the quality expected from a $250-300 putter from bigger brands.  I understand that products often don't photograph particularly well (I see it a lot in my business), so I am holding out on any final determinations on that front.  Ordering went smoothly, and I spoke with Brian Monday morning, and he built and shipped the putter withing 2 hours of speaking with him.

Unboxing and Initial Impressions Update Here:

 

Practice Session Posts:

 

Edited September 14, 2023 by CLenahan

[warrenator8]

Hello all,

My name is David Warren, and I am excited to be testing the Lean Lock Putting System through MyGolfSpy. I am currently living near Raleigh, North Carolina, and work as a teacher and soccer coach at a local middle school. I am very much a recreational golfer, playing off and on since I was around 13, playing most weekends, and keeping to around a 17 handicap. I did score my first (hopefully of many) hole-in-one in July 2022.

 

My golf game would be best described as inconsistent. For the most part, I drive the ball well but tend to favor the right side of the course more often than I should. My irons and short game are hit or miss; but, when they are on, I can compete with almost anyone. My putting is the weakest part of my game. I am very “streaky” with the putter and usually tend to cycle through putters often, usually between an Odyssey Two-Ball, an old Titleist putter I found at a garage sale, and a Yes! Marilyn C. 

Over the course of the next six weeks, I will want to see an improvement in both my putting (particularly speed control) and how much more (on average) I drain shorter putts. I plan to put the putter to the test on multiple courses, some with faster greens (where I usually struggle), so that I can get a better gauge of how well the putter performs when playing the different greens. While getting used to the putter, I will be using a putting mat at home to ensure that I am getting the new fundamentals down. If I can get the fundamentals down and play consistently well with it, it will definitely be an option to stay in the bag.

 

I will be testing Lean Lock’s Blade Putter - APA Model for this review, which you can see in the photograph below. I am very excited to try this product, mostly because, prior to the “testers wanted” ad, I had never heard of this brand before. I love trying new brands that I have never used before to see if they will fit my game better than perhaps more well-known brands. I am also hopeful that this will help to make me more consistent with the flatstick, causing me to have fewer blowup holes on the course.

I look to this series of “experiments” to be an interesting and educational addition to my game. I definitely am willing and anxious to work at making the necessary adjustments and am looking forward to seeing what this putter brings to my game.

Future Posts:

Unboxing and First Impressions: 

Edited September 7, 2023 by warrenator8
Posting for review

[GolfSpy_APH]

Testers selected! Excited for this group and they have a few surprises for us already as they got a bit of a head start on this test over the weekend. Stay tuned for some exciting updates and a unique putting method to see how it really works!

[sirchunksalot]

Congratulations testers! I'm looking forward to seeing how this unique putter works for y'all. This should be a fun and interesting test. Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Lean Lock for for the testing opportunity.

[Josh Parker]

Congrats testers!  

[xOldBenKenobiX]

@EasyPutter

@Girldad18

@CLenahan

@warrenator8

Congrats testers.

[ole gray]

Congrats folks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Shapotomous]

Congrats Folks!!  I am really interested to see the reviews & impact of a different putting grip / stroke / putter !!

[Preeway]

Congrats gents. This should make for a really interesting test. 

[BallsLeon]

Congrats everyone! I am really curious to hear how easy it is to pickup the new mechanics. 

[MattF]

Congratulations all!

[BKervin]

Congratulations to everyone!  Best of luck. This going to be interesting 

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Lean wit it, Rock wit it, lean wit it, rock wit it. 
 

Putt well fellow ball rollers

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Congrats to the testers! 
 

Now the fun begins!

[GolfSpy_APH]

I'll let the testers get into it, but over the weekend and yesterday they had calls with Brian to discuss the method, be virtually fit and find what works best for them.

I don't know their results, but know they found it very informative. 

I'm excited for them to expand on experience and whole process!

[Cfhandyman]

Congratulations to the testers. This should be interesting to see if they find any significant differences with respect to consistency, distance control as well as any improvements in short (<5’), mid range (10-15’) and long putts (20-30’). Good luck. 

[Sherlock]

Congrats! Interested to see your thoughts!

[Leonvdwesthuizen]

Congrats guys, very interesting opportunity you have here so make us proud!

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Congrats, testers!! 

[rkj427]

Congrats. to this group of testers.

Really looking forward to their comments and reviews, especially know some have played LAB putters.

Very interested in how these may or may not compare. 

[jbern]

Just started arm lock putting, so I’m interested to see his new approach to arm lock! Congrats testers. 

[RohanVster]

Good luck guys, would like to see how you guys find these putters

 

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[Gary DeMarchi]

Congratulations all.

[CLenahan]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I'll let the testers get into it, but over the weekend and yesterday they had calls with Brian to discuss the method, be virtually fit and find what works best for them.

I don't know their results, but know they found it very informative. 

I'm excited for them to expand on experience and whole process!

Had a great conversation with Brian yesterday morning!  He really wants people to succeed and you can tell he wholeheartedly believes in his product.  Really looking forward to trying this out!

[GolfSpy_APH]

14 minutes ago, CLenahan said:

Had a great conversation with Brian yesterday morning!  He really wants people to succeed and you can tell he wholeheartedly believes in his product.  Really looking forward to trying this out!

I think this is something that is really cool and unique about many of the various tests we have managed to get this season. Because as forum staff we have been more involved directly with the OEM we have been able to setup things like this and have the oems more involved in the test with the testers which I think has provided a very unique perspective for them. 

At least as a reader it has made the reading a lot more interesting. 

[tdroma98]

Congratulations Testers!! Looking forward to hearing about the Lean Lock Putters. Very interesting! 

[Shrek74]

7 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@EasyPutter

@Girldad18

@CLenahan

@warrenator8

Congrats to the testers for Lean Lock!! I'm excited to see how these work for you and your feedback on the change.