Why did I sell these putters?

25 January 2023|Golfing with gratitude

I guess we are all guilty of seller's remorse now and again, but I really wish I had not sold these two putters. When I started working with Bruce Rearick of Burnt Edges Consulting back in 2016, he recommend I move out of the face-balanced mallet putter I was using (Odyssey White Hot Pro #7 from memory) and into a heel-shafted blade putter with more toe hang. So partly because it was on special offer at the time, and partly because it fitted the bill perfectly, I bought an Odyssey White Hot Pro #3. I'm sure it was on sale at the time and was only £99 - a total bargain.

It was pretty much perfect. By working through the information from Bruce and using this putter, I started to see an improvement in my putting performance. But, as I had bought this as an "experiment" and it had been a bit of a bargain, I never really committed to it. My eye was drawn away to fancy milled face alternatives, so I sold it! I have to be honest here though and say I do much prefer the feel of a milled face over an insert face. Maybe if the greens were faster I would prefer an insert? However, it was still a stupid decision for three reasons. First and most importantly, that putter bloody worked! Second, it's taken me 5 years and multiple other putters to get comfortable with the one I use now. Third, it's worth a lot more now than when I sold it thanks to the success of Patrick Reed and Tommy Fleetwood using the same model.

The second one I wish I had never sold turns out to have been a real unicorn. It was a Nike Method 001 "Oven" model with a flow neck. I have never seen another one since and I'm sure whoever bought this one from me (for something like £120) can't believe their luck and my stupidity. The 001 model was only ever sold at retail with a plumbers neck and not with a flow neck. I loved the look of the head and I did put well with it too, but again, I just didn't like the feel of the face insert.

I've always been the same with clubs. When I've bought something new I'm quick to sell the item it replaced. However, there's great truth in the saying "act in haste, repent at leisure"!

The next post will detail some of my other brief putter relationships.