SAM PuttLab monitor: a key element of putter fitting
My first putter fitting session gave me a trunkload of helpful information in less than an hour. Better yet, it wasn’t confusing or too complicated. It befuddles me why I waited so long to undergo the process, which is becoming increasingly popular with competitive and everyday players. But hey, I’m a slow learner.
“People tend to forget the putter is the most important club in your bag,” said Jake Hamilton, manager and master-club fitter at Club Champion in Grand Rapids, Mich. “It’s how you get the ball into the hole.”
With putter fittings lagging way behind driver fittings, it’s the same old story of how length off of the tee captivates most golfers’ fondest wish. To paraphrase, hicks love the long ball, often at the expense of lowering their scores. C’Mon, man, 40% of one’s scorecard involves putting.
My session began with me putting balls to a target some 10′-12′ away while under the electronic gaze of a SAM PuttLab monitor, a state-of-the-art putting analysis and training system. My putts were recorded, providing various data points to Hamilton. Fortunately, I putted well, mindful of the tips espoused by Mike Boogaard, my patient coach and savvy PGA instructor. “Maintain the angle of my left hand through the stroke,” and “keep the putter face square through and past impact,” I said to myself.
After analyzing the data from the SAM PuttLab on his desktop computer, Hamilton wasn’t surprised to learn that I’m one of Boogaard’s students. “You’re a straight back, straight through putter like most golfers who go to him. And that’s why a face-balanced putter is right for you,” said Hamilton, who opened the Club Champion store five years ago and has gained a loyal following.
On that note, Hamilton reinforced a thought and a visual cue on my putter. I have two alignment lines on my putter: one aiming at the target and another perpendicular to that target.
“Many golfers focus too much on the target line and neglect the importance of the perpendicular one. Ideally, both should work together and complement one another.”
The target line and the perpendicular line must be complementary
Hamilton then used an alignment stick extending straight from the ball and perfectly square to the target line. He placed the putter face square to the alignment stick and slowly moved it behind the ball. Viola! It’s square and aligned to the target. This pre-putt routine is often seen on the PGA Tour. “If you do it correctly, the putter’s face is square and properly aimed at the target,” said Hamilton.
I tried out several mallet putters, including some of the most popular on the PGA Tour, including several Scottie Cameron and Odyssey models, and some from L.A.B. Golf, which is gaining many followers. By the way, the putter brands that won the most times on the PGA Tour in ’24, according to Golf Digest, were Odyssey and TaylorMade, each tied with 16 wins. Of course, TaylorMade was boosted by user Scottie Scheffler’s seven wins.
Hamilton guided me in identifying some putters that worked well for me: “I want players to find a putter that suits them and their style. To help their game, putters must suit them, not vice versa.” Two putters most suited to me and my eye: the Scotty Cameron Fastback, single bend, and the Odyssey Rossie Double Bend. (It should be noted that a normal fitting process would recommend other customized elements such as a putter’s length, loft, lie, head shape, and grip.)
When asked if he and other fitters also give putting advice and instruction, Hamilton shed more light on the fitting process. “I don’t refer to what we do as a putting lesson; rather, we’re giving a perspective, a certain understanding about putters and one’s stroke given the data we’ve picked up. If anything, we want our customers to go into a lesson with the right utensil.”
Utensil? I love that word. Yes, a putter is a utensil, a tool you hold to get the ball into the hole. Finding the right putter starts with a fitting and then maybe a lesson with a PGA pro.
Club Champion charges $125 for a one-hour putter fitting, offering a complete selection of new putters with various specifications. Currently, there’s a $50 special in Grand Rapids for those making a putter purchase. For more information, visit www.clubchampion.com
Top image courtesy of SAM PuttLab
