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.
I got this book last week which bills itself as the manual of golf games and side bets.
According to the press release there are 240 games in the book. I didn’t count them but let’s just say, there are a lot.
For instance, practically every person who has ever played the golf has heard of “greenies” Just in case your father in law never layed that one on you, it goes like this;
Basically you decide the value of a greenie ($1 in my case) and the player who hits the green and is closest to the hole wins the greenie.
Then there is the more obscure.
Try, Polee
….what?
Yeah, that’s right, pole-E. A polee is a shot that lands within a flagsticks distance of the hole. Value of the pole is determined before the round.
Option one: played as an ongoing bet throughout the round. Anyone who makes a pole from an agreed upon distance (125-150 yards) gets a point.
Option 2: The first player to get the pole wins the hole
Option 3: A pole putt can be made by anyone who sinks a putt longer that the length of the flagstick.
Personally I’m not much into these side games. What I found more interesting was the numerous tournament games. Red, white and blue, perhaps a dozen different scramble formats, beat the pro and alternate shot, to name a few.
The book is spiral bound and sized to fit in your golf bag. If you’re a betting junkie this book will make a nice “pocket” reference. If you’re the guy who got “stuck” running this years company tournament, this book is absolutely indispensable.
Shot Talk - Golf Forum
