The latest issue of GolfWorld includes a telling tale of Kenny Perry and his PING G2i Craz-E putter.
Now, you may recall that PutterZone.com turned the spotlight on Perry's putter last year. A member at Perry's club in Vero Beach gave the putter to him, and Perry credited the gesture for reviving his putting game: "I've putted beautifully ever since he gave me this putter," Perry said.
Now comes news that the tip of the shaft on Perry's beloved putter broke at the recent SBS Championship after rusting from the inside out. Perry promptly put a backup Craz-E putter into play, but, he said, "That putter didn't look or feel the same."
The broken club was overnighted from the tournament in Hawaii to PING's headquarters in Phoenix for an emergency repair. Perry went so far as to request a replica of the shaft band bearing the original owner's name and address so that the putter will look exactly as it did before the shaft replacement.
We find this story quite instructive, as it is yet another vivid demonstration of how the putter is the most personal stick in the bag.
Kenny Perry is among a handful of the most elite golfers in the world, yet the slightest change in his putter causes him great concern. Shouldn't a guy that talented be able to pick up any old stick and roll the rock with consistent authority? Apparently not.
There is a lesson in here for the average recreational golfer, and for those who dismiss the importance of developing a personal relationship with your putter.
Simply put, you should love your putter. You should love every aspect of how it feels, looks and, of course, performs.
Some folks will say, well, it really doesn't matter that much, putting performance is more about the golfer than the putter.
Well, then, how do you explain the numerous PGA Tour professionals who come undone when their trusty putter gets lost or broken? How do you explain Kenny Perry, Payne Stewart and other elite golfers who, upon switching to a new putter, immediately elevated their games?
Which brings us to the related discussion about putter pricing, What is a reasonable amount for someone to spend on a putter? People ask us this question quite frequently.
The answer is: Pay what you can afford for a putter that you can love. That could mean $89 for one of the beautiful new Cleveland BRZ putters, or $325 for one of the gorgeous new SeeMore DB4 putters, or $179 for the hot new Slotline 600 Series putters, or $299 for the exquisite TaylorMade Kia Ma Monaco putter (pictured above), to name a few.
Does that mean that one putter offers $100 or $200 more in actual performance than another? Hard to say, isn't it? You can't put a price on love. And loving your putter is a huge factor in long-term performance.
If you love your putter, you will be inspired to practice more. You will look forward to using your putter. You will keep it for a long time, enabling you to enjoy consistency and familiarity, both of which can raise your game. How do you quantify such things?
So find a putter you love. Whether it starts off as a cheap date or an expensive date, the most important thing is that your putter should be marriage material.
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