Dear Tim, Just a quick follow up on my progress with the putter. Remember I wrote you earlier with the conflict over the Heavy Putter? Now, I can say this thing should be illegal. I have really worked with the putter and it is truly great. If you are not overwhelmed by orders, you should be.
Still the traditionalists just can't get over the weight and look of the putter. Some of those traditionalists are good putters; they just can't get over me beating them in our little putting contests.
I can tell you I had a bad case of "buyer's remorse" when I first got the putter. Especially when I went out and putted terribly with it. Actually that went on for more than a few weeks. But now I watch that think like a hawk when I am out with it. When I am in a game and someone makes some remark - I just laugh and think to myself, now I am really going to get you - especially on the greens.
Thanks again for this truly amazing putter.
Now you have me excited about the driver. Go ahead and put me on the list for one of those guys. I don't have any doubt about its greatness too.
Herb
(from Texas)
Tim, I sunk a bunch of 6 to 10 footers Saturday which is not my norm with other putters. I notice that if I keep my right hand really loose I am more accurate and the putt goes further-also better for distance control which is improving. I am set up the way you recommended slightly turned to the left. The way the putter sets up makes me believe that I can sink any putt. Part of that I think is that the putter is so upright-just makes you feel more at one with the putter. By the way the guys I play with can't figure out the Torpedo and were giving me grief a couple of weeks ago now they are starting to ask me about it. I think they figured out that my putting hasn't improved that much just by luck alone--funny!
Cheers! Ryan
(from NC)
Dear Tim, Went to the putting green at Pukalani golf club at sunset. Finally found the groove with the 35" Stradavari, and started making putts from all over, with all kinds of break, downhill and uphill. Played my buddy $1 a stroke, and when I slammed dunked a 50ft uphill he was done. Wow! Amazing! I am taking my trusty Scotty Cameron out of my bag and putting a Torpedo in.
"Asian Senior Tour member"
Hi Tim, I can't tell you how much I love my Guarneri Del Gesu. My long-distance putting has been very good, and my short putts have been hit right where I want them (too bad that that's not always the place to really hit them!! LOL). A good friend of mine (my sponsor into the Palmetto Club--where Hogan, Snead, Nelson, Jones, et. al. used to play calcuttas as a tune-up to the Masters) has a jewelry store and I brought the putter into his store (it has a lot of puttable carpet) where he tried the putter. His first 3 putts of about 25 feet gently rolled into each other and the balls were all within 2 to 3 inches of each other. He repeated this a couple of times. He was impressed. Rest assured, when I get back to teaching in the Spring, this putter will be seen (and I let the students try my equipment e.g. 64 degree wedge, etc.). Now the putter will pique the interest of our students--I can almost guarantee it.
Charles
(A respected short game instructor)
The Direct Hit Putting Trainer is hands-down the most effective golf instructional device that I've ever used!
Mike E.
(Oregon, U.S.A.)
The putting finals were a hoot! The first finalist (who happened to be my scramble partner) makes the putt. I go second, and also sink the 25 footer. No luck for the third finalist. My final putt did not go in, but was the closest, 2 inches left, center of the cup high. I was humble in the victory (it was hard, though). I don't know if this is Torpedo's first victory, but it was for me! Talk about a confidence builder, wow!
Read complete testimonial ...
Thank you so much for the tips on stance and weight distrubution you gave me by telephone.
Today (Oct. 7th) was the second opportunity I have had to use my Torpedo Stradivari. I thought the first round last week was great with 13 putts on the front nine and 14 on the back nine, with no 3 putts!
Well, today I was in a Florida Scramble golf outing which included a putting contest (25 ft. putt). Prior to the outing, I became one of the 3 finalists to compete in the post tourney finals. My partner and I did fairly well in the scramble, and while doing so, I kept track of our putt count; eleven on the front nine, eleven on the back nine, and no three putts. Even though it did not go in, I believe my best stroke of the day was my use of the Stradivari on a 45 footer in which the first 20 feet was through the fringe. It stopped 8 inches past the cup on the right side. Yes, we made the tap in.
The putting finals were a hoot! The first finalist (who happened to be my scramble partner) makes the putt. I go second, and also sink the 25 footer. No luck for the third finalist. My final putt did not go in, but was the closest, 2 inches left, center of the cup high. I was humble in the victory (it was hard , though).
I don't know if this is Torpedo's first victory, but it was for me! Talk about a confidence builder, wow! Now, Tim, if only you can help me with rest of the sticks in my bag.
Respectfully,
Glen Heppner
Fishers, IN (U.S.A.)
Thank you, the Torpedo putter arrived completely intact on Friday. I already love it. The first three balls I hit in my practice area (Persian rug in front of the T.V.) rolled straight and "true". The difference was quite noticeable. I putted in that same spot for about an hour every day during the winter, so I am familiar with it. With my (now obsolete) Rife putter, I could stop the ball at the edge of a guitar pick about 8' away, but, the ball would arc slightly across the rug. I had assumed that the pile in the rug was causing the arc. The first 3 Torpedo balls went dead straight (and banged into each other at the 8' mark). Wow!
Read complete testimonial ...
The training aid became "boring" quickly! It was clear that I could not do as well with the Rife as I could with the Torpedo. I did hit some good non-curving putts with the Rife, but the frequency of such putts was lower than with the Torpedo. And, with the Rife, none of the longer putts went straight. With the Torpedo, I got bored using the training aid, since the results were fairly repeatable (straight, or just a slight rotation of the ball). It is much more satisfying to hit real balls with the Torpedo and to feel the strike in my hands. I suspect, though, that I will use the training aid for a while each day, just to check that nothing ugly has crept in, before putting real balls. I should think of some "games" or "goals" to use with the training aid - that might get me to use it longer. We'll see what I dream up during this winter...
Q: What is the poker chip for? I remember earlier videos where you appeared to be hitting something that looked like a fat poker chip. I tried hitting this poker and chip and missed (above) every time.
I played a round very badly on Saturday for various reasons (e.g. no warm-up time, no breakfast, a tough unfamiliar course and a head full of new swing thoughts). I used the Torpedo. My putting wasn't very good, since I wasn't used to the new putter. Everyone complained that the greens were tough to adjust to (recent torrential rains left some of the greens slow and some fast). My touch started to adjust later in the round.
Nevertheless, I had 3 1-putts, which matches my best performance with the Rife.
I certainly received some questions from my playing partners! They all commented on how heavy the putter felt and then asked if this was related to the "Heavy Putter" being advertised on the Golf Channel. At least one person commented that $500 for a putter is a tough sell (that same person wrote down the GolfSmarter website, to enter the contest). You, obviously, knew that you were aiming at a narrow niche when you made your pricing decisions, so that comment is not a surprise.
I need to get used to the Torpedo before commenting further. I also need to play with it on a course that I'm more familiar with.
Thank you, again.
(Customer from Canada)
ps. You're interview with Fred Greene on GolfSmarter was very compelling. I note, also, that there is at least one question on Mangum's puttingzone.com about the Torpedo due to the interview.
Dear Tim, The Torpedo Putter has reinvigorated my 92-year-old mother's golf game. She rarely practiced putting before and frequently three putted. She now loves one and two-putting with her beautiful Stradivari putter! As she reports, "That putter really works nicely!"
(from the daughter of a senior lady player)
Hi Tim, I received your Direct Hit Putting Trainer last week and it is awesome! This will be great to use over the winter. I usually am able to get it to follow a decent path, but it spins too much! I noticed when I use a lot less right arm and don't hold on too much with my right hand that the ball/puck spins much, much less which is a good thing. I haven't quite figured out how to gauge the actual distance I am putting, but I'll get that with practice.
Good stuff and thanks again,
Paul
(from Illinois)
Hi Tim, Well I received the 2 x Amati Putters yesterday on arriving home after our conversation. I must say that the Amati is my personal favorite. If you have a look at my website, I have included Torpedo Putters under ‘Aktuelle News’ and ‘Links’ .It will be interesting to see what reaction will take place!. I would be very interested and willing to be included under ‘Testimonials’ Swiss PuttingZone Academy in Gams and that we use Torpedo Putters in the Academy as a great way to learn how to Gravity Putt and educate the hands to keep out of the Putt Swing, for example!
Simon Hilton
Swiss PGA Professional
Certified Puttingzone Coach
Swiss National Puttingzone Academy
www.golfacademygams.ch - www.golfgams.ch - www.puttingzone.com
Hi Tim, This arrived on Friday as promised. My wife said you called over the weekend to check. Thanks for shipping this and for following up. The remnants of hurricane Ike hit Indiana over the weekend so I haven't yet been able to use it on a green but I did use it in the house on a putting trainer that I have. So far, I think that it is the best feeling and performing putter that I've ever seen. It is also very well engineered ... it looks like a work of art. I'd say that the long (and frustrating) wait has been worth it. I'll give you additional feedback once I get it out on the course. Thanks again.
Steven S.
(Indiana, U.S.A.)
I saw your video and decided to put your theory to the test by putting one-handed. I know it sounds crazy, but I am better with the Torpedo one-handed than with my old putter two-handed! You are a genius! If most golfers are skeptical like me, they won't believe it until they see it, feel it and putt it, so the sooner you get your putter out there, the better! Many thanks for the preview.
Kevin Bice
(Business Owner)
I just sunk 15 10 footers in a row. Your putter should be illegal! My playing partners will no doubt become "green" with envy on the greens! Many thanks for letting me sample your prototypes.
Scott Sevenson
(Computer Consultant)
I must admit that I was skeptical about the Torpedo. To me, it seemed like just another gimmick in an ever increasing line of golf gimmicks. How wrong I was! Your putter and methods for using it are nothing short of revolutionary. When I heard Padraig Harrington refer to it as just that, "revolutionary," on television, I thought he was just doing a mini infomercial; now I know he must have meant it!
Brandon Mason
(Business Manager)
I was so impressed by your Torpedo Putter! I am the world's worst putter and I really feel the weighted system will work for me on feel for distance. It was also very refreshing to meet somebody who is genuine and not trying to simply extract large amounts of cash from people. Many thanks. I will keep you informed on my progress with your putter.
Mick Maguire
(Peugeot Auto Specialist, UK)
