Is the putter cover a statement of what golf has become?

[Tim Martin]

I don't take care of my clubs.  Every club in the bag is over 5 years old, except I switched to a mallet-shaped putter about a year ago.  I used to have three head covers for the woods, but I lost the driver and 7-wood head covers.  The driver's graphite shaft has dings all over it, but hits the ball about the same.

I regard golf clubs as easily replaceable.  In particular, I don't think iron technology hasn't improved since the Ping Eye 2; they're all about the same.  Drivers haven't changed much either.  I like that my clubs are old and dinged up a bit, like experienced old friends.  I suppose I could take better care of them.  I might shave a quarter of a stroke off my handicap index.

John-I think we are sympatico when it comes to taking care of equipment. The best part of having a caddie is that when he is done cleaning the clubs up after the round I know that this is the best that they are going to look. As far as your claim about the Ping Eye 2`s I still have them in the bag minus the 3 and 4 which have been replaced with hybrids. They certainly are a very old friend.

[Greg Clark]

Mike,

Your Newport 2 is almost certainly made of stainless steel, as are most putters today.  They don't need a cover to protect them.  There is a significant difference in the feel of a carbon steel putter and a stainless one.  It's a preference thing.  If you have a carbon steel putter and don't use a cover, it is going to rust if it gets any moisture on it - and it will happen quickly.  As is abunduntly clear from your posts in this thread, you were not aware of this rather significant fact.  Sure many people like having a "cool" putter cover, but for many of us it serves a significant utilitarian purpose.

Personally I wouldn't drop a few hundred on a collectible putter cover, nor would I spend $600 on a marginally functional, but sweet leather golf bag.  But I sure as heck wouldn't give a flip if anyone else saw the value in such things.  

[Mike_Young]

Greg,
My post was not meant to judge whether one chooses to have a putter cover or nor.  I was emphasizing the fact that they are there in the first place.

[jeffwarne]

Greg,
My post was not meant to judge whether one chooses to have a putter cover or nor.  I was emphasizing the fact that they are there in the first place.

and justifying that one is needed because it's made of kryptonite and therefore costs $300+ only adds credence to Mike's original premise
grab one out of the bargain barrel(or better yet your garage) and go spend a couple hours on the putting green....

[Craig Sweet]

I always figured the cover was for protection of the other clubs...don't want the massive putter head banging into the $500 driver shaft.

[jeffwarne]

I always figured the cover was for protection of the other clubs...don't want the massive putter head banging into the $500 driver shaft.

or "smashing the irons to pieces"

[Jim_Kennedy]

It's a ridiculous notion to consider head covers as a statement of what golf has become, not when you consider the budgets that owners, architects (and the ratings they crave) have used to create all the $350+ golf courses they have strewn about the landscape over the past decade and a half.

Blaming the end user for being sucked into the excesses of those in the business is like blaming the poor for poverty.    

[Kalen Braley]

Putter covers are to putters...

...as hood ornaments are to luxury cars.

At best they only attempt to imply status.  "My putter is so special, it needs a head cover"   

[Andy Troeger]

My long putter requires a cover because I get tired of listening to it bang into my driver! I guess if I remembered to put the driver headcover on during the round then I could skip the putter cover though 

[Carl Johnson]

As one well-known commentator said, in part, on a recent thread: " . . . It's not the greens, it's your mind.  I truly believe that that's what seperates the great ones from the good ones from the fair ones, 'the mind'  The ability to perform under pressure. . . ." [P.M., http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49538.0.html]

So, what about the process of slowly and carefully removing the putter cover, uncovering the precious instrument, as the beginning of calming and focusing process that begins the putting ritual?  (That's only partly tongue-in-cheek.)

[Tom Walsh]

"So, what about the process of slowly and carefully removing the putter cover, uncovering the precious instrument, as the beginning of calming and focusing process that begins the putting ritual? "

Yep just like Judge Smails with his Billy Baroo

[Tom Walsh]

Oh Billy. Billy, Billy

[Frank M]

I use a putter cover, but only between rounds. I take it off at the start of a round and put it back on at the end mainly for the purposes of not dinging up my irons unnecessarily when being moved around.

Frankly, I don't care what others think. How I use my putter cover or what kind of putter cover I have is my decision and if someone doesn't like it, I guess it's too bad.

Either way, I don't think the putter cover is a statement as to what golf has become, but simply a statement on people as a whole. We over insure everything nowadays. From something as simple as an Xbox controller to our lives.

[Joe Bausch]

I find the following grabs my attention way more than loud putter covers:  pro golfers and multiple ads on their hats and shirts and are slowly approaching how a Nascar driver looks!

[Carl Johnson]

"So, what about the process of slowly and carefully removing the putter cover, uncovering the precious instrument, as the beginning of calming and focusing process that begins the putting ritual? "

Yep just like Judge Smails with his Billy Baroo

I like it.

[Mark Saltzman]

I find the following grabs my attention way more than loud putter covers:  pro golfers and multiple ads on their hats and shirts and are slowly approaching how a Nascar driver looks!

+1, especially since many of the sponsoring companies have nothing to do with golf.

[Kalen Braley]

I find the following grabs my attention way more than loud putter covers:  pro golfers and multiple ads on their hats and shirts and are slowly approaching how a Nascar driver looks!

+1, especially since many of the sponsoring companies have nothing to do with golf.

I wish I could get some of them to sponsor me when I play golf!! 

[Jud_T]

I have a long putter hand forged from a single block of titanium.  I don't have a putter cover per se, but I do have a valet who looks suspiciously like Odd Job who carries it in a velvet lined steel case handcuffed to his wrist at all times.

[paul cowley]

Putter covers are way down the list. How about a $500 million dollar golf course? The islands for this project don't exist at this time, they're all going to be created:
Here's one photo, the slide show is below.
 


http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ehkj45fmh/seafloor-walkway#content?partner=yahooca

Jim why not the moon?

[Jeff Spittel]

I thought you weren't allowed to be a member on this board unless you only walked with hickory clubs and took a crap in an outhouse after the round. That is, of course, when you have time to take the day off from being a farmer or a blacksmith. 

[Jud_T]

I thought you weren't allowed to be a member on this board unless you only walked with hickory clubs and took a crap in an outhouse after the round. That is, of course, when you have time to take the day off from being a farmer or a blacksmith. 

 

[Bill_McBride]

A great player uses a putter for 1/2 their shots. A horrible player uses it for at least 1/3.

Yeah, no idea why one would want to protect the one club used that often.

Hmmmmm.  I also don't use my driver head cover during a round.   

Wow, 2 badges of honor in one thread.  Caddies must love you.

No head cover on the driver, here.  No head cover on the long putter.  No head cover on the short putter either.  And lastly, no head cover on the 3-hybrid.  I have only one head cover - on my 4W/1iron hybrid.

Putter covers and drop zones are for pussies. 

.......but long putters are okay, even when anchored to the body.   Hmmm.

[C. Squier]

It must be so tough living the hipster lifestyle up on the north shore. Do know, it's just as obnoxious from a middle aged attorney as it is the struggling artist from Wicker Park.

A great player uses a putter for 1/2 their shots. A horrible player uses it for at least 1/3.

Yeah, no idea why one would want to protect the one club used that often.

Hmmmmm.  I also don't use my driver head cover during a round.   

Wow, 2 badges of honor in one thread.  Caddies must love you.

No head cover on the driver, here.  No head cover on the long putter.  No head cover on the short putter either.  And lastly, no head cover on the 3-hybrid.  I have only one head cover - on my 4W/1iron hybrid.

Putter covers and drop zones are for pussies. 

[Mark McKeever]

What part of the cover?  The fun part of collecting the Cameron series?

Calling Mark McKeever!

hahahahaha.  I was wondering how quickly my name would get tossed in this one!!  Im not going to post pictures of my putters/covers...

Mark

[William_G]

A great player uses a putter for 1/2 their shots. A horrible player uses it for at least 1/3.

Yeah, no idea why one would want to protect the one club used that often.

Hmmmmm.  I also don't use my driver head cover during a round.   

Wow, 2 badges of honor in one thread.  Caddies must love you.

No head cover on the driver, here.  No head cover on the long putter.  No head cover on the short putter either.  And lastly, no head cover on the 3-hybrid.  I have only one head cover - on my 4W/1iron hybrid.

Putter covers and drop zones are for pussies. 

and belly putting is for who???