So, I decided to finally spend some real time with that Ping putter today, the one with the kinda weird shape, you know, the Craz-e model. Had it sitting around for a bit, figured I should give it a proper go on the practice green rather than just waggling it in the garage.
Getting Started
Grabbed my usual sleeve of balls and headed out. The practice green wasn’t too busy, which was nice. I just wanted to get a feel for this thing without too many distractions. First thing I noticed, just picking it up, it has a certain heft to it. Not super heavy, but solid. Different from the blade putter I used for years.
I started simple. Dropped three balls down about four feet from the cup. Straight putts, just to see how it felt coming off the face and how it rolled.
The Practice Session
Okay, lining it up. Those alignment lines on top are pretty obvious. I tried to just trust them, get set up, and make a smooth stroke. First putt… felt pretty good actually. The ball rolled nice and true, straight into the cup. Okay, okay, maybe there’s something to this mallet design.
Second and third ball… lipped out. Classic. Started thinking too much, probably. Tried another batch of three from the same spot. This time I focused less on the putter itself and more on the target. Sunk two out of three. Better.
Then I moved back. Tried some putts from around 10 feet, then 15 feet. This is where I usually struggle with distance control.
- Lining up still felt pretty easy with the built-in guides.
- The feel off the face was consistent. It’s not super soft, not harsh either. Kind of muted, I guess?
- Distance control… well, that still needs work. Left a few short, blew a couple past. That’s more on me than the putter, though, always has been.
I spent a good 45 minutes just stroking putts from various distances and different breaks. Really tried to pay attention to how the putter felt swinging back and through. It feels stable, that’s for sure. Less twisting on off-center hits compared to my old blade, which I guess is the whole point of these high-MOI designs.
Wrapping Up
After a while, I felt like I had a decent initial impression. It’s definitely different. The look takes some getting used to if you’re coming from a traditional putter. But the stability seems real. The alignment aids do help you get started on the right line.
Overall feeling? It’s interesting. It didn’t magically fix my putting, because let’s be honest, no putter does that. But it felt reliable. The roll was consistent. I didn’t feel like I had to make a perfect stroke every time to get a decent result, especially on the shorter ones. Going to keep practicing with it, see if it earns a permanent spot in the bag. More time needed, for sure.
