Okay, so I’ve been messing around with golf clubs lately, specifically putters. I’ve always used those fancy, modern-looking ones, you know, with all the bells and whistles. But then I stumbled upon this “persimmon putter” thing and got curious. Apparently, it’s like a throwback to the old days of golf, using wood instead of metal.
My Little Experiment
First things first, I had to actually find one. I hit up some online stores and finally snagged a used one. It looked…well, it looked old. The head was this solid block of wood, a persimmon wood, I guess. It felt different, kinda hefty in a good way.
Next up, the range. I took my usual putter and this wooden fella to compare. I set up some balls, took my stance, and…whoosh. The first putt with the persimmon putter felt weird. No fancy alignment aids, no soft insert, just…wood hitting ball.
- The Feel: The contact feels firm, you definitely feel the ball. It’s a good, solid sound.
- The Roll: It did not seem like the ball rolled as much as I am used to, but I think that’s cause the loft is differnet.
- The Look: It looks pretty cool, I’ll admit, very classic.
I spent a good hour just tapping balls around. Honestly, it was frustrating at first. My distance control was all over the place. I was so used to the tech in my modern putter doing some of the work for me.
But then, something kinda clicked. I started focusing more on my stroke, on the feel of the putt, rather than just aiming and hitting. I started to get a better sense of how hard to hit the ball, relying more on my own judgment.
I’m not suddenly a putting genius, not by a long shot. I still shanked a few, short a bunch. But there’s something about using this persimmon putter that felt…pure. It’s like stripping away all the fancy stuff and getting back to the basics of the game. I’m not sure if it made me a better putter, but it for sure made me think about putting differently.
I’m not gonna lie, I’m still mostly using my “new” putter. But I’m keeping the persimmon one in my bag. It’s a good reminder to not always rely on technology, and to appreciate the skill and feel of the game. Maybe, just maybe, with enough practice, I’ll actually get good with it. Who knows! It’s fun to try, at least.
