Tag Archives: putter

Return of the Peanut Putter?

24 Mar

You would think that with the new TaylorMade Spider Mini putter, I would have superhero Spidey powers, and putting would be easy-peasy, right? After all the inconsistencies I faced with the Peanut and Scotty putters? Nope, the three-putt horror has returned!

After several games where it felt so good putting and only an occasional three-putt recorded, the streak has snapped. During the Tuesday game, it was the first where I three-putted four holes. Four holes! Unbelievable. The Spider Mini is the same as the Peanut Putter and Scotty Cameron in performance! So, in conclusion, it’s either the putter or the person. Pick one. Hrmph.

Then again, could it be a case of too much golf? Or perhaps, not enough sleep? Maybe a reset and reverting to the Peanut Putter again because Scotty is on loan to hubby? Hmm, we shall see.

My Longest Par Putt

14 Feb

My second golf outing was so much better. The distances were back, and at times, the tee-off was phenomenal. Slowly but surely, I think the muscle memory is coming back. Yay! And that morning, the weather was perfect, cloudy, not hot, and good company too.

I am slowly getting used to the TaylorMade Spider Mini putter. But I have to admit the wedge work was accurate most times and made putting so much easier.

As a social golfer, there is always that one highlight of the game that overshadows all others. The highlight of this game was my long putt.

It was a Par 5, and the tee-off was good. But the second shot with the 3-wood was a horrible hook and ended up not where I wanted it. Sigh.

I approached my ball to assess the situation. Luckily, the angle towards the green was decent. And it was at a distance where I could land the ball on the green with my 7-iron, and I did.

As I drove towards the green, the ball looked very close to the blue flag. Phew. But as I got closer, it wasn’t the case! Hah, distance illusion sometimes can trick you.

From my ball toward the hole, I took 27 strides, akin to almost 30 feet or thereabouts in length. I was very positive and felt that making par was achievable; if not, a bogey was just as good, given my horrible hook approach disaster.

The Spider Mini was remarkable in its speed and strength as my ball went straight into the hole! Woohoo! A par on the Par 5. I was in disbelief but elated.

After that, the perfect weather gave in, and the sun came out. It was hot all over, and I fluffed the last three holes. Oh well. It doesn’t matter. That one phenomenal putt is enough to savor and remember until my next game.

Red Putters and Me, Part 2

7 Feb

Every day I was on the prowl looking for the TaylorMade Spider Mini putter. I was determined to get it, come what may. Perhaps it can bring better fortune and lesser or no three putts?

Thankfully, my search did not last too long. I stumbled upon the Spider Mini on a Singapore buying/selling site instead of a location further, thus saving time and shipping costs. The condition of the pre-loved putter is almost mint. Wow, what a godsend find!

My new baby! πŸ₯°

I enlisted my cousin to close the deal on my behalf, and bless her; we lucked out with an additional 20 percent discount off the listed price. Yay! Every dollar counts because the Singapore dollar is much stronger than the Malaysian Ringgit.

And my dear cousin brought it along when she flew in to visit during the Lunar New Year festive holiday break. So now I have another beautiful red putter to add to my collection. The best part of this latest acquisition, it’s a 32-inch putter, just like my Peanut Putter. I love it!

It’s been a month now since I last played golf. I am sure my muscle memory is all gone for the game. Oh well, better be healthy than risk any further problems.

When I am fully recovered and able to play golf again, this latest red Spider Mini putter will be in the bag instead of the Peanut or Scotty putters. I can’t wait.

Red Putters and Me, Part 1

3 Feb

I seem to have a thing for red putters. They are not only eye-catching, but they are also gorgeous, in my opinion. My Peanut Putter has a red two-way putter head and grip, while my Scotty Cameron has its iconic three red dots and a red plus symbol on the top of the blade head. It used to have a red grip, but I have since changed that.

My two red putters

Recently, before my medical problem, I had the itch to acquire another putter. Yes, a red putter but a mallet style for variation from what I already have. The Peanut and Scotty putters have been demoralizing, with many three-putt performances when I alternated them to get the putting mojo right. So a change would be good.

Sometimes it is not the equipment but the user that the problem exists; however, we choose to ignore this. Hahaha. Nevertheless, a change would be nice, and I have my eye set on the 2018 TaylorMade Spider Mini. It doesn’t matter that it is not the latest model, it is a beautiful and cute red putter!

And so my search began.

Resting the Peanut Putter

4 Oct

Recently, I read that when one does well in golf, be it the overall score or putting – you should not be too happy about it. The repercussions are terrible, and the more you talk positively about it, the worst you will experience soon after! I did not think this would happen to me, but it did.

After that round of phenomenal putting, the next two games, as far as putting was concerned, were terrible and so demoralizing! So I have decided to give my Peanut Putter a break.

Today, the Scotty Cameron putter is finally seeing some action after being rested for so long. Let’s hope it can perform well for this morning’s game. Fingers crossed.

A Third Force

2 Aug

Lately, my putters have not been very good in their performances. Both the Scotty and Peanut Putter have been very frustrating when it comes to short distances. I was so peeved with the unnecessary additional strokes incurred. Ugh!

So, I have decided to change to a third putter! This latest third putter is not a new putter. It is from hubby’s collection of putters, and I am borrowing it for the time being.

My latest putter!

During my first game with it last week, it felt comfortable and converted several one-putts, much to my delight. It is giving my other two putters a run for its worth. Well, I will be using it again for the next few games.

Golf Getaway, Part 3

19 Jul

The afternoon Interclub game was a blessing because we did not have to wake up so early as the day before. After breakfast and checking out, the entourage was on the way to Ipoh. Again, the journey was pleasant, and we arrived early at Royal Perak Golf Club. We were warmly welcomed and soon ushered in for lunch.

Fishing farms dotting the waters along the Second Penang Bridge

The weather was hot, so the air-conditioned dining area was nice. But one must not get used to it because, after lunch, we tee off at 1.00 pm under the hot sun! Dang, the weather was hot.

Luckily, it was buggy on the course like the previous game, so this helped with managing the heat factor for the game. As this was an Interclub game, playing well was important. How did I fare this time around?

I played better. The greens here felt better, and putting was not a letdown. The course was very long, especially for the Red tee boxes. Many a time, I had to pull out the wood or utility clubs for the Par 3s.

Before we knew it, the game ended. The cold shower was refreshing to cool down the body, and the after-game dinner spread was sumptuous. There were some controversies, and the outcome was not what we expected; I will not elaborate on this to mar the positives of the trip.

It has been a fun outing and the Club’s first away trip after two and a half years of living with the pandemic and the restrictions. We will host our opponents at our Club for the return match soon.

We left Ipoh and arrived on schedule at our Club. All too soon, the short golf getaway is another chapter to store away in the memory. I look forward to participating in another Interclub match, home or away.

Golf Getaway, Part 2

18 Jul

It’s a mixed-feeling golf trip. Sometimes one can’t have it all.

Although it was nice to play at outstation clubs for a change, waking up early for the trip was not. We had to wake up at 4.30 am and then did a Covid test before leaving the house. The test was to assure everyone was safe to travel together on a bus.

The bus departed at 6.00 am, and the journey was pleasant enough without any traffic woes along the highway, and we arrived in good time. After a simple lunch at the clubhouse, we teed off for a round of social golf among ourselves at Penang Golf Club.

The course is very undulating, and buggies were allowed on the fairway, which was nice. How did I fair for this first game? It’s an unfamiliar course, and there were mistakes or mis-hits here and there. And for this trip, I opted to use my Scotty Cameron putter. Alas, putting was my biggest bane again. Sigh.

Penang Golf Club

After the game, the bus left for the hotel. Soon after checking in, we met with hubby’s sister (and husband) for dinner. It’s nice to catch up with family again after two and a half years of lockdown and not see each other. There was a lot to talk about over a delicious dinner.

Not local Penang food but Dallas BBQ duck!

They brought us to see another side of Penang. Typically, we would be around the town center or Tanjung Bungah area. But as we were in Bukit Jambul, we saw a different side of the island. All too soon, it was time to say goodbye. We parted ways, and sleep beckons after such a long and tiring day. We depart for Ipoh for the Interclub match the next day.

SPICE Arena Penang
View from our hotel room

A Big Change

3 Jun

Last weekend, after the Texas scramble golf tournament, I decided to do something about my Scotty Cameron putter. I changed the grip!

Now, I have had this putter for years, but it is only recently that I am having consistency issues. And alternating my putter use of the Scotty with the Peanut Putter is not resolving my putting woes.

My Scotty Cameron has a Flat Cat grip now!

The Peanut Putter has a fatter grip than the Scotty’s grip. After weighing all the pros and cons, I decided to upsize the Scotty’s grip to have the same size as the Peanut Putter. Although both putters weigh differently, having the grip size to be similar should eliminate problems.

So during my next game, I used my Scotty putter with the new grip. Initially, I was not used to it, and there were many two-putts, several three-putts, and even a four-putt. I was so irked to the core! I almost hated the new grip change.

When we crossed over to the back nine, I told myself to reset my approach. So I tweaked how I held the putter for a better feel. And it worked!

Instantly, the putting feel was better, and I made par for four holes in a row comfortably, something I have never done before. The adjustment was so simple! All in all, I made five pars in nine holes alone! So yea, I am more than pleased with the change in fortune.

I hope this positive streak will continue tomorrow when I play the Monthly Medal tournament at my Club tomorrow morning.

Phenomenal Putting, Part 2

5 Apr

The phenomenal putting streak has ended. When the going is good, it’s too good to be true for it to last. When I thought my Scotty Cameron putter was stable and doing wonders for my confidence and game, it let me down last week.

I had just recovered from my food poisoning and opted to play the prearranged game. But I think, psychologically, my mental strength was not quite sharp. I was more tuned to my tummy than my putting. Call it a distraction or an excuse – the putting performance was erratic and inconsistent. There were flashes of one-putt brilliance, but it wasn’t enough.

For the record, there were five holes that I three-putted! I am appalled at my sudden unbelievable inability to putt, achieving this horrendous statistic after such a good run with Scotty. To add salt to the wound, I also had one four-putt at the Par 5. The putting warrior in me was so bruised and battered.

After the game, when I got home, I removed Scotty immediately from the bag, and the Peanut Putter went into the bag. Let’s hope the putting fortune will turn around for the better for future games.