Out with the Old In with the New

In December, I bought, correction: my parents bought, a new putter for me the first time in seven years. I had my 2017 model of a Ping Anser from December 2017 to December 2024. It was bought at a PGA Superstore in Myrtle Beach, SC. My new putter is the 2024 model of a Ping Anser bought in the same PGA Superstore in Myrtle Beach, SC.

I think it is always so funny to watch players make a really big deal out of getting a new putter, and now after doing it, I get it. Your putter is something you use on every single hole (despite the occasional chip in or hole out), so getting a new one is a big deal. It is a big change, but sometimes it is a necessary change.

Photo Credit: Brian Brakebill

For me it was a necessary change. It’s funny though, the thought of a new putter didn’t even dawn on me until Sammie was putting with my old putter in our golf room at BG a couple weeks ago. She said that it felt super light and the ball came off very dull off the face. I never noticed that, probably because I literally never putted with anything else, even other teammate’s putters for fun at practice, in 7 years. I used her putter and noticed how hot it came off the face.

Then last week we were in the PGA Superstore because what other store are two college golfers interested in wasting time in, and just out of curiosity I wanted to see if they had a newer model of my current putter. I really wasn’t looking at replacing it until I found the newer model and started putting with it. I noticed an immediate difference in how the ball came off the face and found it easier to control my speed on lag putts, something I have ALWAYS struggled with.

I putted with it for about 15 minutes and liked it. Sammie suggested to come back the next day and try it again, so we did.

I liked it the next day as well, and $200 later I had a new putter.

I guess the point of this is to say that change is a good thing, even small things such as a putter change. I am still getting used to it on longer putts, but I noticed a difference in my comfort level setting up to the ball as this putter is an inch longer, and I can feel the ball coming off the putter face better than my old one. I am more comfortable and confident in how it will feel coming off of the face, therefore increasing trust between myself and my putter.

This might seem silly to write about, but I think I made an important step in improving my putting this month. Small changes = big results.