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So I have been experimenting with 2 different styles of face balanced putters (Mallet and 2 Bar blade which is essentially a mallet - style putter). I have made numerous adjustments of the 2 Bar Blade (equal weights, toe heavy, heel heavy - although for the most part, this is still a face balanced putter).

After reading the Art of Putting by Stan Utley, he recommended using a toe hang putter. I started to pursue this route.

I practiced putting with toe hang putters for about 1.5 hours and decided to grab a blade styled putter (TM Rossa Daytona 1). I was getting a more consistent stroke, straighter putt and better feel/distance control.

Today I experimented with the TM Rossa and the 2 Bar Blade. Definitely had better touch with the Rossa Daytona 1 and holed out 6 (20 - 30 foot putts) on the practice green and had fewer 3 putts from longer distances - when compared to my face balanced putters, that is.

Why does a toe hang putter work better for an arc stroke?

Why does a face balanced putter work better for a straight back and through putt?

I don't know anything about Stan Utley's putting philosophy, but SBST is the only method that produces good results for me. In college, I played every day and putted well with an inside to square stroke. I think that not playing every day is a good reason to use the SBST method. Putting is the only aspect of my game that remains constant. I'm not a PGA-caliber putter, but I almost never 3-putt and have tons of confidence picking a line and ramming the short ones in the heart and safely lagging longer putts to 2-putt range.

I'm a SBST putter, and use a center shafted face balanced high MOI putter. Works well for me.

I was watching the Golf Channel last week and they were having this discussion about an arc stroke and the straight back stroke. I thought they said that a putter with the shaft near the face should use the straight back method and one with a shaft in the rear of the putter, this would necessarily mean a mallet style with the shaft inserted in the back, is best used with the arc method. Or is it the other way around? After looking up what a toe hang putter is, I discovered my putter is a face balanced putter. The shaft is inserted in the back of the putter but offset so that it rises at the front of the putter. So now I am totally confused as to what to do. I used the arc method Friday and it felt pretty comfortable.

I was wondering if a face balanced putter would work for an Arc swing but they are so much bigger/cumbersome.

I decided changing to the Taylor Made Rossa Daytona 1. It is a no frills traditional putter.

I have been practicing with it daily since I bought it on Saturday.

It will likely stay in the bag.

The Rife 2 Bar will likely be sold. I am going to hold onto the Yes! Marilyn.

I heard something similar on the Golf Channel, about which putters work best with which stroke. I believe it was toe hang - arc (open blade back, close coming through), face balanced - back and through, and quarter hang - either, whichever was comfortable. Actually, it was during a golf telecast this week - I think it was McCord and Faldo talking about it.

Me too. Although I do realize that even the straightest feeling stroke is still an arc. To truly keep the putter face square all the way through the stroke would involve far too much hand and arm movement to compensate, and make it very difficult to be consistent. With my stroke I try to feel like I'm making a straight stroke, regardless of the true physics and physiology of it.

SBST is actually more of a feeling than a reality for anything but a very short stroke. But you didn't hear that from me...

In my recent experiment with the arc versus straight back and through I have come to a similar conclusion. If you consciously think about the arc in the stroke you will start to over do it. The arc has to be very gentle and natural. I think it has always been there in my stroke so I did not need to change. Just have a good set up and grip and lets the club go back and through. I think a big thing is having a stroke, grip and setup that will keep the shaft quiet in your hands. In other words solid enough so there is no twisting of the clubhead or moving the club closer or further away from your body and of course no lifting the club off the ground.

Geoff Mangum is a sensible Putting Master. I first learned of him on the Golf Smarter Podcast.

Golf Smarter Podcasts - Home

I posed some questions to him on his website:
Geoff Mangum's Flatstick Forum: Confusion about putting path

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I like the Golf Better Podcast, also but it covers strictly equipment.

GolfBetter Podcast - exclusively at Edwin Watts Golf

There is a show on putters with Scotty Cameron and Frank Thomas.

Thanks. Good article. It makes a lot of sense.