TP Mills Putters, precursor to Scotty Cameron

TP Mills was a postman who designed and built putters in his garage starting in the 1960’s. He is responsible for many putter design innovations that are found in modern putters, and the Scotty Cameron (among others) is an obvious descendent of the TP Mills classic putters.

“Those are jewels,” said two-time Masters winner Ben Crenshaw about TP Mills putters.

Among TP Mills’ putter design innovations are: 

• He is seen as the father of the milled putter.
• He was the first to make the putter head black, thus offering a greater contrast between the ball and the putter.
• He helped design the “famous flanged bulls eye putter for the Acushnet Co.
• He was the first to mark to true “sweet spot ” with his famous trademarked “crossed dots and “oval sighting mark” on the face and top of the putter respectively.
• The first to mark his name on the face of the putter.
• The first to sweep the weight towards the toe of the putter to counter balance the hosel and help keep the sweet spot closer to the center of the face for better balance.
• The first to design the modern “slant heel” located behind the hosel.

Many of these characteristics have since become standard in the golf industry. (List is from the TP Mills site.)

Personally, I have tried at least a half dozen vintage TP Mills putters. I love the smooth feel and sleek design. They are easy to sight for me as well. I have a TP Mills as one of my main putters. 

I like the simple design of the first few models, like this TPM 4.