I recently had the opportunity to experience a Ping PLD Custom Putter Fitting and I discovered that what I thought I knew about my putting stroke (and the putters I use) is nothing like the actual reality of it. I am now hoping that the knowledge I’ve gained - combined with a premium putter which has been custom built to match my stroke - can be a game changer for me.
It was a truly fascinating afternoon I spent at the Ping Performance Research Centre in Loughborough as I was treated to the same kind of extensive, analytical treatment usually reserved for Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and the rest of Ping’s Tour Professionals.
Not only do you get the Tour Pro treatment, but it’s very much an exclusive experience as there are only two fittings available per week. While two thousand pounds does sound steep for a putter fitting, you are paying for some of the top expertise and technology available. Look at it this way; a putting lesson with Phil Kenyon is not going to cost the same as one with your local club pro.
Speaking of lessons, one of the first things I was told by Paul Rymer (my expert fitter and a man who has worked on Ping’s Tour Truck and has a wealth of experience in the field) was that this wasn’t going to be a putting lesson. It makes sense, as I could make a change based on his advice only to later revert back to my old method, leaving me with a putter that essentially cost me two grand but is no longer optimised for my stroke.
So that’s a key point. If you are having putting lessons, have them before you have a fitting otherwise you are wasting your time and money.
The PLD Custom Fitting is an in depth process over two and a half hours that forensically looks at every aspect of your putting stroke and then identifies a putter to suit what you do. This will be mostly determined by data but if you don’t feel comfortable with the putter that delivers the best numbers you don’t have to choose it. The purpose of the fitting is to find you a putter that satisfies all of your requirements. Feel, performance, looks, how it suits your eye… everything.
The process begins with data collection from your own ‘gamer’ which can then be compared with the putters on offer from Ping. I don’t have one ‘go to’ putter as when I have a bad day on the greens I’ll often lose confidence and switch putters. The only constant is that I tend to stick with mallet style putters rather than a blade. So I showed up with three of my own; a TaylorMade Spider Tour, a Wilson Staff Model MT22 and the new Odyssey AI-One Rossie S.
After analysis of my stroke with all three putters the Wilson was the clear winner, which was surprising as I have always believed that a more forgiving putter like the Spider suited me best. This was useful information that I would not have had without this fitting.
I then tried a few Ping putters from the rack. One of those - the PLD Oslo 4 - had a similar head shape and shaft bend to the Wilson, while I also tried the PLD Prime Tyne 4 (which is a fang shaped head) as well as the traditional PLD Anser blade.
The information is gathered via an iPod Touch which is attached to the shaft of the putter (see above photo) as you hit a series of putts. The PLD app records that data from each shot and relays it to the big screen for analysis. Further data is collected from an overhead camera which records different aspects of the putt.
It was fascinating to see the results on the screen after each test. Sometimes I’d hit one a little off centre, or I’d feel myself decelerate into the putt. Only ever so slightly, but the data reflected this every time.
After just a couple of practice strokes with the Oslo putter I knew that I really liked it. I loved how it sat at address, it felt well balanced on the take away and it really suited my eye. It felt nice and soft off the face and I was not surprised when it scored considerably higher than any of the other putters. Yep, this was the one.
Perhaps just as important as finding the right putter was the analysis of my stroke and the confidence it has now given me. I’ve always seen myself as a poor putter and I have the scorecards to prove it. However, the data collected in this fitting actually showed that I was technically sound and that my stroke is very repeatable. In other words, I am not a bad putter and most of my problems are in my head, not in my actual stroke. Who knew!
In terms of any adjustments needed to the putter itself, my stroke is quite conventional and I’m fairly average height, so standard length and lie was fine for me. However, the launch angle data showed that I was adding an extra degree of loft to the putter due to my hands always being slightly behind the ball at impact. Many golfers have their hands ahead of the ball, which de-lofts the putter, but mine are behind which causes the ball to jump a fraction and impacts how it rolls. To compensate, one degree of loft was taken off my custom fitted Oslo putter. Again, I would never have known this without the data.
Once you have chosen the putter then it’s time for the customisations. You can choose from three different finishes on the heads and there are a variety of shafts available, plus numerous alignment marking options. I like a single, full length alignment line to initially line up my putt, but when it comes to ensuring my ball matches up with the centre of the putter I prefer a single dot, so I went for a combination of both. You can also choose from a variety of grips of varying thickness and shapes.
Color customisations are available on the lettering while you have the option of adding some personalised engraving on the sole of the putter, which I think is really cool. My new customised putter will go by the name of ‘El Pistolero’ and I’m now working hard on the ‘Shooter McGavin finger guns' celebration so I can unleash them on my unsuspecting playing partners.
I’m delighted with what Ping came up with for me and while it might not guarantee that I putt well, having had this fitting at least now I know that I have a solid putting stroke and a putter that matches it.
This experience has given me clarity and confidence, meaning the next time I have a bad time on the greens I won’t resort to changing my stroke or the putter. Now I can’t wait until the spring comes and the greens are running smoothly so I can get out there and see what ‘El Pistolero’ can do.
You can book your PLD Custom Putter Fitting via Ping’s European website. Fittings are available only on Wednesdays. A non-refundable £200 deposit is required to book your slot which can be either morning or afternoon. You will need to travel to the Ping Performance Research Centre, based at Loughborough University's Sports Technology Institute, to complete your PLD Custom Fitting.
Virtual and in person fittings are also available in the US at Ping’s Arizona facility and can be booked here.
