Golf made easier: SeeMore and learn more from your putter

The Precision Tour Milled Platinum putter from SeeMore is making the club more visually interesting. (Mike Bailey/TravelGolf)


It's the putter made famous by the late Payne Stewart, and if used properly, it teaches the player who uses it. Today, another major winner, Zach Johnson, is the most famous player to wield the SeeMore Putter, which is not only gaining resurgence after disappearing for a few years but gaining momentum.

The unique aspect of the SeeMore Putter is the red oval on top of the head. The idea is to hide the red dot with the black part of the shaft throughout the stroke, ensuring proper path and plane. It's really self-evident for anyone who uses one, but now SeeMore is taking it a step further, having created the SeeMore Putting Institute.

The Institute employs certified instructors who help players learn to maximize the benefits of their putters. It goes beyond the basic concept, of course, teaching other attributes of good putting, including pace, rhythm and distance control.
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The original SeeMore Putter, invented by southern California teaching pro Jim Weeks, was introduced in 1997. But it wasn't until Payne Stewart won the U.S. Open in 1999 that the putter won what seemed like overnight notoriety.

Still, it seemed more a curiosity than the next big thing in putting. But the pros sure knew its value. While many of them were bound by contracts with big-name equipment companies, many also had a SeeMore Putter with which to train. Still, SeeMore practically disappeared for a while until Zach Johnson won the 1997 Masters with the SeeMore.

By this time, former Odyssey executive Jim Grundberg had bought the company along with Jason Pouliot. Grundberg knew he had something special but also knew that SeeMore would have to expand its line into other styles and make the putters more visually appealing.

Today, there are dozens of models, with one the newest being the Precision Tour Milled series, an affordable (most are $175 retail) putter with a stainless steel precision cast head and milled face, sole, bore hole and RST lines. There are also lesser expensive models as well as the premium Z-Series, which will run about $345 retail.

Still the underlying beauty in these putters is the hide-the-red-dot technology -- or Rifle Scope, as it's known -- and learning how to use it to make a great stroke.
SeeMore Putter Institute

The newest endeavor for SeeMore is the SeeMore Putter Institute. The Nashville-based company has been busy in the last year certifying teaching professionals to teach the SeeMore system and teachings of Pat O'Brien, instructor to Zach Johnson, Vaughn Taylor and other PGA Tour players.

So not only can you get a putter that practically teaches you, but you can also pick up more tips and learn from instructors who truly understand the system and beyond. Many of these instructors are working in the college ranks as well as clubs around North America.

"If you've got the will, we've got the way," Grundberg said. "We're 100 percent focused on putting. We're the little guy who really does care."

To learn more about SeeMore Putters or the SeeMore Putting Institute or find a certified instructor, visit www.SeeMore.com.
SeeMore Putters: The verdict

I've followed the SeeMore story since the beginning and have always been intrigued by the simplicity of the method. It really is almost like cheating. My only knock early on was that the SeeMore Putters weren't anything to look at, but they certainly did work.

Now, with the line expanded to visually appealing and great feeling putters, there's no reason not to give them a try. It really does just take a few minutes to get the hang of the concept. And if you use the putter enough, hiding the red dot becomes second nature.

Of course, the most important aspect of putting is distance control. But as Grundberg said, if you never have to worry about the quality of your stroke, distance control becomes much easier.