It's Witchcraft!

[Slingblade61]

The following is a rewrite of an earlier post for the front page....


You never forget your first Cameron.
I remember well my first encounter with a Cameron putter. I was playing with a friend some years back and he's one of these guy's that loves the latest and greatest.... Titleist irons of some sort, a collection of head covers that reminded me of the top of my daughters bed and his 'Scotty'.

What he pulled out was a Cameron Futura. What impressed me at the time was how ugly it was. It looked more like a garden tool than a putter. Nevertheless, I quickly forgot about it and only gradually became aware of the Cameron hype. This took many years to be fully realized by me. I guess I'm slow that way.

I never bought into the the hype. I thought they were pretty and all but hideously overpriced. I still think that.

Fast forward to the beginning of the golf season, which for me was early April of this year. I walk into the pro shop and casually glance at the new swag for this year when lo and behold, I spy 3 of those famous Cameron head covers lined up on the floor all by themselves. Totally opposite of the other more 'common' putters lest they become contaminated.

I picked one up and peeled pack the cover. The written word cannot convey the feeling that passed my mind for that first, brief instant. I want to say it's similar to losing my virginity but thinking about it rationally, the Cameron encounter wasn't THAT good.

I admired it's heft as well as it's beauty but was able to resist it's subtle charms and put it back.

The next week, there were only 2. Once again I picked it up and admired it's sleek lines and stout feel. Once again, I was able to resist this wily block of milled steel and I put it back with nary a thought.

By the third week there was only one left. I repeated my ritual and once again, put it back. The price was $279, no small matter for a family guy.
Well after I put it back I went out to the putting green and began to use my old TM Rossa Modena. When finished I was about to get into the cart and head to the 1st tee when I suddenly told my partner to wait for me.
I bolted to the pro shop and quickly negotiated 'terms' for my first Cameron and stuck it in the bag. I was now the proud owner of a Studio Select Newport. There is no logical explanation for my behavior. It HAS GOT to be witchcraft! A spell has been cast and I am the unwitting victim.

Oh, the guilty pleasure! There will be some major rationalizing to come over the course of the round but I have to say it felt great!

I've had this in the bag for a few weeks now and I still love it. Is it the cure all for bad putting? Surely spending nearly $300 on a putter has to do SOMETHING! Well, no it isn't. That's not why I bought it anyway. It just "spoke" to me in a way no other piece of golf gear ever had and I had to have it, simple as that. And as one of the wise guy's around here said, I'll still be 3 putting but I'll look damn good doing it.

[VtDivot]

I'll never forget any of my Camerons. I've had two, and another is my son

I would have kept one of the Camerons but I love my Slighter, and I couldn't justify keeping $200 on the bench.

[JEFF4i]

I really like my Cameron, does it make a lick of difference?

No. But I still really like it.

[mddubya]

I love mine as well. Can I putt any better with it? No, but damn I look good missing those putts now,

[Strider]

maybe its just me but i put a hell of alot better with a cameron. i tried to stray away from it this year and couldn't post a decent score. finally i said the hell with it and ordered a new studio select. subbed on the local 9 hole league and shot 3 under. made my birdie putts and some nice par savers. putting is everything scoring wise and the cameron works for me.

[JEFF4i]

Originally Posted by Strider

maybe its just me but i put a hell of alot better with a cameron. i tried to stray away from it this year and couldn't post a decent score. finally i said the hell with it and ordered a new studio select. subbed on the local 9 hole league and shot 3 under. made my birdie putts and some nice par savers. putting is everything scoring wise and the cameron works for me.

It is just you.

Sometimes they just work for people, or some have confidence which reflects itself in their stroke, but for all intents and purposes, Camerons are no better or improved putters as opposed to anything else.

Much like a draw or fade bias, if one putter works better, its just covering up your own flaws.

[BigJim13]

Originally Posted by JEFF4i

It is just you.

Sometimes they just work for people, or some have confidence which reflects itself in their stroke, but for all intents and purposes, Camerons are no better or improved putters as opposed to anything else.

Much like a draw or fade bias, if one putter works better, its just covering up your own flaws.

This is very true. I had much the same experience as Sling. I admired them over the internet, the studio select's, and was able to resist their charm. Then my buddy bought the Newport version and seeing it in person was to much to handle. A week later I had one inbound...and I love it.

[usa1950]

I've owned mine for all of three weeks, and I went old school used (but did get a 9 out of 10 condition) and paid a HELL of a lot less than the $275+ for the new models.

I had a Ping Anser 2 in my bag for 20 years and wanted a Cameron for 10 years. Ironically, after I found shot talk, and another Cameron Collectors message board, the "witchcraft" began on me as well. The photos, the propaganda, the hacks who continuously denounced the brand and the "hype."

Love the feel of mine, love the smaller sweet spot, which forces me to refine my stroke, really concentrate and hit the sweet spot. It's a gorgeous golf club, simple as that.

No way I wanted a Newport style head that has been his most popular putters in every line for nearly 10 years. I had that in the Anser 2.

So I went with a Studio Design #2.

#2 Desk.jpg

I was unsure about the alignment line running perpendicular to the target line, but I pulled the trigger on this thiniking I would like it... and I love it more than any feature of any putter I have ever rolled. I feel like I am aligning the ENTIRE face of the putter to the target, not just one line behind the ball, or another similar feature (like a two ball) lining up with the target line.

I feel more locked in with this putter, and the heel shafted-ness without a traditional Anser or Newport offset suits my stroke well.

As a homage to the original post..........I remember Teresa well, and Jennifer has and always will have the biggest part of my heart as long as I shall live, but Studio Design #2 is not far behind, despite her less than sexy name. She does have the curves to make up for it, clearly.

[warbirdlover]

I don't know. I've picked them up, putted with them on the store mat. Looked at the price. And put them back. That's like paying $400 for a Tour Burner when I could buy a G10 for $300 and do as well or better with it...

Loving my Spider putter too btw...

[JEFF4i]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

I don't know. I've picked them up, putted with them on the store mat. Looked at the price. And put them back. That's like paying $400 for a Tour Burner when I could buy a G10 for $300 and do as well or better with it...

Loving my Spider putter too btw...

There's where you are wrong.

If you need a putter to putt better, you're already down the wrong path.

[Sandpiper3]

I can putt great with anything, but theres something about my SC that I just putt better with it than I do with any other putter.

Call it witchcraft, call it confidence, call it preference, I dont care cuz I have the best tool for the job in my hands on the green.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by JEFF4i

There's where you are wrong.

If you need a putter to putt better, you're already down the wrong path.

Sweet spot. MOI. Weight. These things matter. Sure, you can LEARN to putt with anything. You can learn to putt with a 5-iron if you're so inclined.

But the technology exists to make the process easier, and more importantly, to make it more enjoyable. Why dismiss the importance of it?

[Wi-Golfer]

Very purty putters & I am almost ashamed to admit I do like them. Have farted around in Nevada Bobs & Golf Galaxy with them....well only used ones in GG since they keep the new ones locked up & the balls do seem to roll nicely. I can see myself snagging one eventually if nothing else just for the poser value

[limpalong]

This game is 90% mental. The other 10% is all in your head!

It's a game of confidence. We can call it "witchcraft". We can call it "buying a better game". We can call it "playin' what the pros play". We can call it "fitted and spined and weighted and tweaked to the enth degree". It's all about what makes us confident we can get the ball into the hole with the least number of strokes. And, my Scotty accomplishes that.

My Scotty has sentimental value. My Scotty is a collector's putter. (He only stamped the "MB" (Mid Bend) on the sole for one year. So, it's a single year's production model.) But, it works!!

The misses are "coffee" misses! A little too much caffine kicks in and I roll it too far past the hole. When the speed is there... when I've settled for a single cup that morning rather than 3 or 4... this Scotty is downright dangerous in my hands. There was no honeymoon... no time of getting used to each other. We began our relationship, together, as "Bud's" and continue building on our friendship each and every round we enjoy together.

Hype?? Maybe. Overpriced?? I found my Scotty on a used rack... in pristine condition... for under $100. I've paid far more than that for Odessy's or Pings! Mine's a keeper, as long as Sling's "witchcraft talk" doesn't put the voodoo on it!!!

[ManchesterGolfer]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

I don't know. I've picked them up, putted with them on the store mat. Looked at the price. And put them back. That's like paying $400 for a Tour Burner when I could buy a G10 for $300 and do as well or better with it...

Loving my Spider putter too btw...

Apart from the Burner will be worth a fraction of the price you pay for it in less than 6 months! Scotty's hold there value as they are quality products and don't get updated every two minutes.

(G10's are very good can't argue with you on that score)