If you’re a golfer looking to elevate your game, you know the thrill of owning custom gear. But what about getting a putter tailored to your stroke in every possible detail?
Recently, I had the chance to experience a £2,000 custom putter fitting at the PING Performance Research Centre in Loughborough. And yes, it's a serious investment, but here's what it’s like and whether the experience – and the putter – is worth it.
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The Setup: A High-Tech Fitting Studio
Walking into the fitting studio at PING’s UK headquarters, it’s immediately clear that this isn’t your standard golf shop. The facility is equipped with advanced technology for putter fittings, including the Zen Green Stage – a sophisticated, customizable indoor putting green. This tool allows fitters to replicate various putting surfaces and slopes, letting you test putters on everything from uphill to downhill and side-breaking putts.
The fitting studio also houses the Quintic Ball Roll System, an elite motion-capture and ball tracking system for putts. Similar to a launch monitor used for drivers and irons, it tracks a wealth of data on your putting stroke and ball interaction, including speed, launch angle, and skid rate. Combined, these tools create a highly analytical experience, offering insight into aspects of your game you may never have considered.
Initial Assessment: Finding Your Putting Profile
To kick off the session, I met with my fitter, Paul, who has extensive experience in custom fitting and explained each step in detail. Before I even picked up a putter, PING had me fill out a pre-session questionnaire on my putting tendencies, strengths, and common misses. This data helped Paul understand my goals and preferences.
We started with the iPing app, a tool PING uses to analyse putting strokes. It’s strapped to your putter and measures key metrics: closing angle, loft, lie angle, tempo, and stroke arc. Hitting five straightforward putts helped the system analyse my putter face alignment, loft, and impact angle, establishing a benchmark for my putting ‘handicap.’ Surprisingly, my putting stats weren’t bad, but there was room for improvement.
Selecting the Putter Head: PLD Range Heaven
The PLD (Putting Lab Design) putter lineup is truly a putter paradise. Each one is crafted with varying shapes, materials, and alignment aids, letting me test a variety of styles from traditional to modern. I gravitated towards the classic Anser model, particularly one with a “patina” finish – a beautiful rust-like look that only becomes more appealing over time.
While exploring, Paul and I discussed the different milling patterns on the putter face. The shallower grooves produced a louder ‘click’ sound on impact, while deeper grooves offered a muted response. Since I prefer a softer sound and feel, I leaned toward a model with deeper milling.
The Science of Perfect Customisation
Once I found a model I liked, we dove into the details. Using the Zen Green Stage, we ran tests across various putt lengths and breaks. Paul also analysed my setup and delivery, checking how different neck styles and alignment aids might influence my aim and accuracy. We switched from a plumber’s neck to a flow neck but found it didn’t significantly affect my putting stats, so we focused on other areas of customization.
After settling on the Anser model, we adjusted the weight distribution. By adding tungsten weights to the heel and toe, we added a touch more heft to the putter head, which gave me a more confident feel through the stroke.
Personalization: Make It Yours
Perhaps the most exciting part of the process was personalizing the putter. PING allows for a range of custom touches, from engraving initials to selecting colors and grip types.
I opted for subtle details – a burnished orange “Anser” label on the neck and a classic Ping Man grip, reminiscent of the putters Tiger Woods used early in his career. The patina finish, combined with a minimal sightline, created a sleek, timeless aesthetic.
The Wait: Anticipation Builds
PING doesn’t simply hand over your putter; they craft it in their Phoenix, Arizona workshop to precise specifications. This process took about four months, which felt like forever but was part of the experience. When the putter finally arrived, it came packaged in an elegant black box with a certificate of authenticity, a PING hat, and even a practice putting cup.
Putting Performance Test: A Reality Check
Finally, the moment of truth – testing the putter on the green. I went through several putting drills to see if the custom design would outperform my current putter, a TaylorMade Spider GT. I hit dozens of putts from various distances and breaks, and to put it bluntly, my new PING putter didn’t magically make me a better putter. My stroke felt smoother and more consistent, but I wasn’t sinking noticeably more putts than with my old putter.
To put the putter through its paces, I ran a six-foot triangle drill with three putts at various angles. Each session yielded similar results with both the PING and TaylorMade, showing that while the custom PING had amazing feel, I couldn’t expect it to fix my putting inconsistencies.
Verdict: Is a £2,000 PING PLD Putter Fitting Worth It?
So, is it worth it? It depends on what you value in a putter and in the experience. This £2,000 putter fitting isn’t a quick route to lower scores or fewer three-putts. Instead, it’s a unique experience that blends top-tier fitting technology with meticulous personalization and exclusive craftsmanship.
For dedicated golfers and collectors: The £2,000 is an investment in a truly unique piece of golf equipment, a putter custom-designed to your exact specifications. The experience and the stunning one-of-a-kind design will have a place in your bag – and likely in your trophy cabinet – for years to come.
For golfers chasing lower scores: While custom fitting may improve some elements of your stroke, the cost might be hard to justify solely for a marginal performance increase. For most golfers, a less extravagant fitting would still yield great benefits.
Ultimately, a £2,000 PING PLD putter fitting isn’t about transforming your game overnight. It’s about indulging in the experience of having a world-class putter designed to your preferences. This fitting, and the putter it produces, are an investment in your love for the game, and it will surely bring a smile every time you step onto the green.
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