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dakers
USA
6 Posts |
 Posted - July 26 2008 : 10:42:06 PM
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My new Symple Putter arrived today. First impression: very nice! The putter has a lot of heft to it and a real solid feel.
I don't tend to like putters with inserts, so I was originally disappointed that this putter had one. But this insert has a very good feel to it. The ball pops off it quite well.
I got the original Symple Putting downloadable videos quite some time ago. Even though I could see some promise in the method, I never could get it to work reliably for me. I had trouble with any distance consistency, and I felt like none of my putters were well matched to it. But this putter is truly made for it.
I watched the DVD first and it is definitely an improvement on the original videos. The grip instruction is much better in my opinion.
I tried out the new putter in my den - first with 4' putts. I putted with 3 balls and decided I'd have to make 6 in a row before moving on. I made the first 6 I tried. I moved the cup back to 5' - again I made my first 6 in a row. Moving to 6' I made 2 then missed - barely - then made the next 6. On to 7' - made a couple, missed one, made a couple, missed one, then ran my 6. Similar results at 8'. Emboldened, I moved to 10' - and missed the first one. Then, I hit the next 6 in a row. Wow!
That's as long a putt as I can set up in my crowded den, so longer putts will have to wait until I can make it out to the course.
The feeling of the ball coming off the putter is excellent and I felt like I finally had good distance control with this method.
I think that if you use Symple Putting, you will really like this putter. It does seem to be truly made for it.
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kfarkle
USA
248 Posts |
 Posted - July 28 2008 : 7:10:14 PM
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I wholeheartedly agree with your review, dakers. I could never quite get comfortable with SP before and was so streaky I had given it up. I first saw one of the prototypes that Seattle Bob had at the clinic and it caught my eye, even though I was back to conventional by then. Way more shaft angle than anything I had tried.
Just received it today, watched the instruction and played with it on the carpet for a good while. Very impressed with the whole package, got up and rolling right away. The putter fits and feels very good and I was able to make a repeatable stroke right away. Played with some tempo drills, made a few adjustments with my grip position and started making a lot of putts with good speed on the misses. I've got about 10' feet now in the living room that makes for decent practice.
Déjà Vu all over again?...guess time will tell, but I think I have the right tool for the job that was lacking before. My putting could use a jolt and I am looking forward to taking the "Scoring Machine" to the course, she's a real beauty.
Best,
Kurt |
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kfarkle
USA
248 Posts |
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jclenden
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - July 28 2008 : 10:22:19 PM
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| Ok, now something has changed. I've got an old Symple Putting video and the club rotates open and closed, never leaving the ground. As I watch Kurt's video the clubhead lifts off the ground, much like a standard pendulum putting stroke. Has the Symple Putting method changed? Is there more than one version of the stroke? |
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kfarkle
USA
248 Posts |
Posted - July 28 2008 : 11:09:21 PM
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Hi Jeff,
I can't seem to find the original video, but I think you're right. It seemed to me that one coach had an arc and the other was pendulum like I prefer/attempt and Mike seems to demonstrate so effortlessly on the new video. Tic-toc.
The new putter I have is face balanced, which is fine by me. It does have what appear to be removable weight ports on the rear flange that maybe allow for adjustment.
That's an interesting question you have as I don't recall any mention of an arc in the last two putting videos. Could the new putter be toe-weighted to accommodate that style?
Best,
Kurt
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kfarkle
USA
248 Posts |
Posted - July 31 2008 : 5:46:02 PM
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Got out for a test drive with the new putter today, played 9 holes here at Springwater and had 15 putts with no 3 putts. Dropped one downhill slider from 25'+ on #6 and had a couple of lip outs as well. A nice improvement from my last round.
Having a couple of days to practice really helped, had an idea of how the routine would go, and once the nerves settled the stroke started to flow and speed was pretty good.
I really tried to get setup as Mike demonstrates with everything in line...ball, toe, shaft, knee and grip. I want to consistently try to get anchored in the same place with the same grip. I look down with one eye closed to check it.
Then I just tried to relax and hover the club a bit, loosen the hinge with a couple of short little waggles and focus hard on the spot on the ball I want to hit. Then it's just tempo...speed...tic-toc.
Didn't always read it right, but I don't think I missed my line on any of them. I do believe Mike is right, get your setup down and you don't need to think about that...just speed and tempo.
I am very happy with the feel of this putter, it is certainly an improved fit with what I'd tried before using this system. Practice went well to begin with. I felt a little doubt today, some nerves...maybe based on past experience. But once I started trusting it I wanted to get it in my hands and have another go. Glad I have one and hope to get settled in with it this time.
Best,
Kurt
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dakers
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - August 02 2008 : 2:21:23 PM
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Further results with the Symple Putter:
I've had a chance to play 2 rounds of golf with my new Symple Putter and I'm quite pleased. I had 2 three-putts. I was able to two-putt from distances of 27', 29', 33', and 38' along with numerous shorter distances. I had 7 one-putts and I lipped out 2 birdie tries. When I was faced with a 2½' or 3' par saver I felt like it was a given. And they were! The feeling of confidence is euphoric.
But, I was happiest about the long lags. Getting them into tap-in range was something I couldn't do when I tried Symple Putting before, using one of my old putters. I had no feel for distance.
Actually I'm somewhat surprised that this putter (along with the different pivot point approach) has made such a difference - but it has.
I feel that the difference in this putter can be traced to 3 reasons: lie, weight and grip.
1) My old putters were all too upright. At 66° the Symple Putter has a much better lie angle for the Symple Putting stroke.
2) My old putters were all too light. This new Symple Putter is heavy and really promotes a smoother stroke.
3) My old putters had grips with flat fronts on them. The Symple Putter has a round grip. While working out a grip to use with it, I realized that with the round grip I could move my hands around until things felt the best. A putter grip with a flat front (or sides) wouldn't let me grip it like I wanted.
The final part of the equation isn't the putter itself, but in the instruction. The difference in the pivot-point anchoring is critical in my opinion. To me it feels incredibly more natural. I never felt comfortable with the old anchor point.
Again, I reiterate, if you use Symple Putting, you'll really like this new putter.
If, like me, you tried Symple Putting and abandoned it, you might want to consider trying it again with the proper tool. It's made a world of difference for me.
To Joe and Mike and anyone else involved with the design and construction of the putter I say Congratulations! for a job well done. It's a winner guys - you produced an excellent product.
Oh, and thanks. Thank you very much! 
Don |
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jclenden
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - August 02 2008 : 5:35:28 PM
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Don,
You say that the pivot point moved. It used to be on the thigh, a little above the knee. Where is the new pivot point?
Jeff |
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dakers
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - August 02 2008 : 6:06:13 PM
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Jeff,
It isn't in the "where", but the "how". I'm reluctant to say more about it on a public forum. If Joe or Mike want to explain that further then that's their business. But, after all, it is a business. Symple Putting instruction is one of the products they sell. They certainly give away a lot of info for free here, so maybe they'll expound upon this too. But I think it needs to come from them.
What I'm refering to was changed from the original downloadable videos and apparently was introduced when they produced the Symple Putting DVD. I never bought that DVD - I thought it was just a repackage of the same material. But there's one little bit that's different - and it's made a big difference to me. It might not be of any significance to anyone else.
The Symple Putting DVD is included with the putter - and I'm sure glad I watched it first.
As I said above though, it was just "the final part of the equation". The biggest change is the Symple Putter itself.
Don
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kfarkle
USA
248 Posts |
Posted - August 03 2008 : 6:14:57 PM
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Upon further review, I do believe the instructional DVD bundled with the new putter is the one originally offered last October or thereabouts along with the first Playing Lesson. At least the one I have is, it just has an updated label.
Mike demonstrates the putting system with the older prototype and a paddle grip. This would maybe be my only mark against the new package, a very minor one. It would be kind of nice to see coach rolling this new putter...but it's still a wonderful system.
That being said, if you hadn't seen the putting DVD before now, it's a huge improvement over the original download. Now I think I understand some of the confusion about that. The instruction released last year gave me hope again, but I still didn't have the tool for it.
I was under the impression for some reason that another new lesson was shot for the new putter pre-release. So I went and looked at the earlier edition and took notes to check it against the new one. Same intro, chapters, red shirt and blue shoes...oh, and that ugly putter. 
The good news...I took notes! I've got room for about a 3 ball drill here in the living room and I could close my eyes and make 'em. Great googley moogley I can't wait to get out tomorrow!! Thanks for all the fun, coach!
Best,
Kurt |
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SATTHMNS
121 Posts |
Posted - August 04 2008 : 09:58:56 AM
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| I love the new putter. i like the weight and everything about it. I am still struggling with the SS putting method though. I am not sure why. This new putter is great. My putting still needs work. |
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kfarkle
USA
248 Posts |
Posted - August 04 2008 : 7:05:44 PM
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Hang in there, Satthmns, you're gonna get it. Once you get your pre-shot routine, trust your line (my problem), then it's just speed of stroke and tempo.
Felt good today, but the swing was loose. I tried, but couldn't break 90 with the lost balls and poor short game...didn't give my putter much help.
And I didn't reach my goal of 30 putts. I really hoped to play better than this, just couldn't seem to stop the bleeding and struggled with direction in all phases. Well, just have to wait till the next round. It was still a heck of a lot of fun, made a few pars and hit a few nice shots, have to come back and get 'em next time.
Really, the only bright spot was the putting. Two 3 putts and four 1 putts for a total of 34 putts. Had a couple of lip outs and really left myself with long putts all day. I didn't have the best line/aim, but the speed was good. Think I just might of had 30 if the short game was on.
Last Monday the swing was on, but I couldn't put it in the cup. That's the day the putter showed up and I haven't quit playing with it since. I really trust this putting system, it kept me hanging in there today. Get the swing tightened back up a bit and make it a little easier on the mallet and I'll be right back in it. Time for some practice!
Best,
Kurt
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dakers
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - August 08 2008 : 6:30:23 PM
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Today I played a round using my Symple Putter at a course I've never played before - so I had no knowledge of the greens.
I started off 1-putting the 1st green by holing an 8 footer. I rolled in almost all of my 3, 4, & 5 footers thru the round. Then on the 17th green I saved a par by sinking a 40 footer - the longest putt I've made with Symple Putting, and the longest putt I've made using ANY method in many years.
I am one happy camper!  And if you try to get my Symple Putter away from me, you better be ready for some kickin' and bitin'!
Don |
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dakers
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - August 14 2008 : 6:06:59 PM
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Here's a bit more on my practice of 10' putts in my den with my Symple Putter.
These aren't straight putts. My den started its life as a carport and they apparently weren't as concerned about making sure the concrete pad was particularly level there. So I'm putting with a right to left break. Obviously I know the line to hit the putts on quite well. But, if I hit the putt too firmly it will go thru the break and miss to the right. If hit too softly, it will break too much and miss left. So, I'm grooving my touch for my "core" 10' putt.
In my last session, I made 11 in a row, missed 1, then made 22 before missing again - overall that's 33 out of 35. The 22 consecutive putts beat out my previous high of 20. Every putt was dead on the line I wanted - eventually I just hit one a bit too softly and it curled off left.
The line is a given - the touch is the variable. Even 'though I can't practice anything longer than 10 footers at home, I think my practice is paying off. I seem to be a little better with the touch for distance each time I go to the course.
Further update: That session was done yesterday and I wrote it up last night but I didn't get around to posting it.
I thought 22 in a row and 33 out of 35 was pretty good - well I just blew that away. I just finished a run of 88 consecutive putts. Once I topped 30 in a row I felt like I couldn't miss. Around 70 I had a couple that just made it, so I tried to make sure I gave it a bit more oomph after that. A bit too much oomph on the 89th putt caused it to miss (just barely) on the high side. I was astonished when it missed - at that point I didn't think I could miss!
I think I'm getting that "core" 10' putt grooved pretty well.
They've named this putter the Scoring Machine. It certainly seemed very machine-like throughout that run.
Don |
Edited by - dakers on August 14 2008 6:08:19 PM |
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mikeoleary
535 Posts |
Posted - August 20 2008 : 2:37:11 PM
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Don
WOW!!!!!! I don't care if you are puttng in a funnel - 88 in a row is awesome/ call me when you get a chance/ i want to set up a somekind of world record for symple putting - and right now you have the record!
i will figure out what the prize is ?? any suggestions?? lets make this fun and interesting
call me or at least send me your number and i will call you
take care and way to go
mike
407 340 9420
mike@simplegolf.com |
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dakers
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - August 20 2008 : 10:18:21 PM
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Mike,
I certainly didn't expect a response like you posted! Thanks for the kind words. I'll get an email off to you shortly.
Don
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mikeoleary
535 Posts |
Posted - October 04 2008 : 11:26:14 AM
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To all Symple Putter
we are going to be debuting new putter web site very shortly and have Putting World Records being established using the Symple Putter. so get ready/ 1st prize will be badge to pga show here in orlando in january plus other great prizes.
I will be sending email notice to all plus posting here on forum with new web site. be ready to record your world record attempts on video for proof of.
this is going to be fun - plus i get to attempt for record also so all you 'accompished putter' there is competition.. lol!!
have a great day and 'see you soon'
Mike O |
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The New Symple Putter
