Battle of the inserts: which one is the best?

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

This is a topic that is subjective, and it’s not. I’ve been putting with a forged face and just lately started testing insert putters. What a difference. 

Apart from forgiveness, which is more a function of head size/shape/weight distribution, anyway, the FEEL, ROLL, CONTROL and CONSISTENCY a certain insert provides has me curious. 

Which one has the best package?

 

I liked TM‘s PureRoll in the Spider X and Ardmore 3, but have an Odyssey EXO Seven on the way, with the White Hot Microhinge insert. Ping has one, Wilson and Cleveland do, and there‘s a couple more. 
 

Curious which one works best for you, and if hotter inserts actually help with distance control or you guys like slower inserts. 

[MattM97]

I hate inserts mainly the feel as they're almost always way too soft. So gonna base my answer on performance alone and it's no question the Bobby Grace HSM Insert, it rolls the ball so well. He also has different insert feels so could probably have one that I like.

[kkennedy]

White Hot Pro

[biliscupidez]

Odyssey Prototype

Best insert for me!!

[Salliesboy13]

Terrylium insert from scotty all the way. Microhinge if that's out of the price range.

[DE-ILLINI]

I like the Odyssey micro hinge insert.

[collindm1]

scotty cameron 2018 line insert. Soft and solid, provides slightly different audio than a milled face. more of a "pop" feel, which i love. give that a shot.

[IronWolf]

I was comparing the Ardmore 3, to the two ball triple track... I thought the talyor-made felt nice and firm, it was strong competitor very nice quick roll off the face. I also tried the white hot micro hinge from 2019,  however the 2020 has the star micro hinge so that is what I ended up with two ball triple track with the star micro hinge. It is  more firm than 2019 but really seems to put the topspin on very similar to the tailor-made,  so I recommended the more firm 2020 insert. It really is firmer as claimed.

But you cannot go wrong with the Ardmore 3 almost equally as good.  I just really enjoy the triple track alignment instant alignment.   I judged the firmness and the clickiness similar between the  Taylor pure roll and the star micro hinge.

[MPAndreassi]

I’m not an insert fan anymore, but TaylorMade had an old insert called AGSI and they had it in a polymer and a steel. Put a great roll on the ball. I haven’t rolled one in years so I can’t really compare it to any of the newer tech. 

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

21 minutes ago, IronWolf said:

I also tried the white hot micro hinge from 2019,  however the 2020 has the star micro hinge so that is what I ended up with two ball triple track with the star micro hinge. It is  more firm than 2019 but really seems to put the topspin on very similar to the tailor-made,  so I recommended the more firm 2020 insert. It really is firmer as claimed.

 

Is this more a taste and feel thing, or do you see benefits in a firmer feeling insert? I‘m coming from a pretty soft milled face (Mizuno MP-T105) and do like the 2018 WH Microhinge so far- just from extensive putting green testing. 
Curious as people said the WH MH 2018 insert feels firmer than the original O-Works MH, the dark one with the round hinges. 
And finally, how does the beloved OG White Hot insert feel compared to those? It was such a huge hit (and still is) on Tour, but I get the feeling all newer inserts strive for firmer feel. 

[IronWolf]

4 minutes ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

Is this more a taste and feel thing, or do you see benefits in a firmer feeling insert? I‘m coming from a pretty soft milled face (Mizuno MP-T105) and do like the 2018 WH Microhinge so far- just from extensive putting green testing. 
Curious as people said the WH MH 2018 insert feels firmer than the original O-Works MH, the dark one with the round hinges. 
And finally, how does the beloved OG White Hot insert feel compared to those? It was such a huge hit (and still is) on Tour, but I get the feeling all newer inserts strive for firmer feel. 

That is actually covered a bit in the tabulated data in the Paul Hurion Article I linked in the first results table. 

The pros use the inserts for a few tournaments in the feedback to the designers they like the way it rolls the ball but could you please give me a little more ball speed. With a little bit firmer feel. I went out and read several of the interviews with the players that play the micro hinge they all were the ones that told Odyssey do the same thing but just slightly faster ball speed.  So yes in some ways it is taste

The robot testing shows 5.8 mph 6.0 mph, 6.25 mph solid  face versus insert faces,

[IronWolf]

18 minutes ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

Is this more a taste and feel thing, or do you see benefits in a firmer feeling insert? I‘m coming from a pretty soft milled face (Mizuno MP-T105) and do like the 2018 WH Microhinge so far- just from extensive putting green testing. 
Curious as people said the WH MH 2018 insert feels firmer than the original O-Works MH, the dark one with the round hinges. 
And finally, how does the beloved OG White Hot insert feel compared to those? It was such a huge hit (and still is) on Tour, but I get the feeling all newer inserts strive for firmer feel. 

table results robot

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

I’m concluding I could benefit from more ball speed, as I surely play slower greens than the pros. Might actually help with longer putts?

[IronWolf]

1 minute ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

I’m concluding I could benefit from more ball speed, as I surely play slower greens than the pros. Might actually help with longer putts?

From what I picked up in a couple of the interviews if they have to take longer strokes with the putter swinging back further(i.e.slower ball speed) they start to move their body change their balance,so a slightly faster ball speed means they can hit a wider range of distances without losing balance or longer strokes. But then you have to be a better putter there is a trade-off controlling your speed with a slightly shorter stroke.

[MPAndreassi]

1 minute ago, IronWolf said:

From what I picked up in a couple of the interviews if they have to take longer strokes with the putter swinging back further(i.e.slower ball speed) they start to move their body change their balance,so a slightly faster ball speed means they can hit a wider range of distances without losing balance or longer strokes. But then you have to be a better putter there is a trade-off controlling your speed with a slightly shorter stroke.

I am by no means a great putter, I putt adequately for my handicap and this is why I’ve moved to preferring a more firm feel (ball and putter). I feel like the shorter I can make my stroke the better I putt. 

[IronWolf]

4 minutes ago, MPAndreassi said:

I am by no means a great putter, I putt adequately for my handicap and this is why I’ve moved to preferring a more firm feel (ball and putter). I feel like the shorter I can make my stroke the better I putt. 

I have a Scotty Cameron squareback 2, completely milled face, the ball speed comes off really really nice,

but I can see the two ball micro hinge has slightly less skid.... gets the ball rolling slightly quicker but very close in ball speed I am actually learning to forward press slightly about 1-2 degrees with the Scotty and it is getting very similar roll, both putters feel really nice.

[MPAndreassi]

8 hours ago, IronWolf said:

I have a Scotty Cameron squareback 2, completely milled face, the ball speed comes off really really nice,

but I can see the two ball micro hinge has slightly less skid.... gets the ball rolling slightly quicker but very close in ball speed I am actually learning to forward press slightly about 1-2 degrees with the Scotty and it is getting very similar roll, both putters feel really nice.

If you like the roll technology, but want the feel of something milled, take a look at SIK putters. I’m going to be ordering one shortly for myself, just trying to finish deciding on how I want it. Their idea is more about the loft on the putter face rather than an insert. It’s the first putter that has caught my eye from a tech standpoint. They’re pricey, same as a Cameron, but you can find them used. They pop up on the BST here as well as being on eBay. 
 

https://sikgolf.com

 

[dmeeksDC]

My three favorites are the current Odyssey (microhinge star), Bobby Grace HSM2 and the TaylorMade. They all put topspin on the putt, then to keep ‘skid’ as short as possible I lower the loft. Almost always at 1 or 2 degrees loft. 

[luke1333]

None lol just give me a piece of milled steel forget all the face tech

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

1 hour ago, dmeeksDC said:

My three favorites are the current Odyssey (microhinge star), Bobby Grace HSM2 and the TaylorMade. They all put topspin on the putt, then to keep ‘skid’ as short as possible I lower the loft. Almost always at 1 or 2 degrees loft. 

Have only had the Exo Seven w/WH Microhinge for two weeks, practice green only, but I can already tell long putts need quite the hit- insert could be hotter. But I’m deadly from 5 feet right now, this used to be a problem. Very confident in my stroke, really feeling a difference. 

[dmeeksDC]

7 hours ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

Have only had the Exo Seven w/WH Microhinge for two weeks, practice green only, but I can already tell long putts need quite the hit- insert could be hotter. But I’m deadly from 5 feet right now, this used to be a problem. Very confident in my stroke, really feeling a difference. 

I get confused on which is which on the inserts. The Exo has the softer one that they firmed up for the Stroke Lab Black line, right?

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

5 hours ago, dmeeksDC said:

I get confused on which is which on the inserts. The Exo has the softer one that they firmed up for the Stroke Lab Black line, right?

Yes

[TransAmerica]

If you are not putting with the MicroHinge insert - you are not getting the best feel

[Kacy]

Probably not a popular answer but I’m loving the Odyssey Ai One insert it is firmer and louder than most inserts I’ve tried and has really helped with speed control. Glad they dropped the silver version, just not a big fan of a navy blue putter.

[tarrantian]

Pure Roll all the way... 

 

But I'm not prejudice in any way.