Can The Custom Shop Really Restore Your Beat-Up Cameron Putter?

Today, I am checking something off my putter collector bucket list. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to send a beat-up old putter to the Scotty Cameron Custom Shop for a full restoration.

I can’t count the number of times I have created theoretical Custom Shop putters using Scotty Cameron’s online tool. Often, I would work out restoration schemes for putters I didn’t even own.

I suppose I wanted to know what was possible with a given putter should I ever run across a model of Cameron in a golf shop’s used bin.

Today, my restorative reverie becomes a reality. 

A few weeks back, I picked up a used Scotty Cameron putter at my local golf shop, figured out my restoration recipe and sent the putter to the Scotty Cameron Custom Shop for a full restoration.

Finally, I’ll see if the Custom Shop can restore an old Cameron to showroom perfection.

Let’s first take a look at the gently abused test subject, check my recipe and, finally, see what the Cameron craftsmen were able to accomplish with my old putter.

Perhaps I’ll even add in a bit of exclusive Inside the Custom Shop content as well.

The restoration subject: Scotty Cameron Special Select Squareback 2

As soon as I saw this putter, I knew it would be a great subject for restoration. This Special Select Squareback 2 has dings all over it. Some of them are quite significant. It’s not trashed but someone forgot to put it in the head cover more than once.

The top line was a mess of chatter. Both the neck and flange looked like they were gnawed upon by some rodent. The sole was fairly clean but the face had a number of significant dings.

The mark above the Scotty Cameron logo on the face is especially deep, making it a solid bellwether for how a repair process could impact the milling pattern.

The grip and shaft band were trashed. Additionally, some animal was starting to build a nest in the cavity.

(It was probably the same rat that chewed on the neck.)

I’m sure this Squareback 2 is not the worst-looking putter to hit the Custom Shop inbox but the various levels of damage should allow us to gauge what is possible in a restoration.

Hopefully, the Custom Shop can restore this 2020 MyGolfSpy’s Most Wanted Blade putter back to its former glory.

Dave’s Cameron Custom Shop restoration recipe

As expected, it took me quite a while to come up with my final restoration plan for the Squareback 2. It wasn’t because of issues with the interface. The Custom Shop interface is very easy to use.

What slowed my decision down was the number of options available. 

The multiple combinations of colors, stamps, shaft bands, head covers and grips kept me busy. I would build the putter, tweak one thing and then head down a totally different aesthetic rabbit hole.

In the end, I worked backward from the available accessories.

At the time I was designing my putter, the Scotty Cameron Custom Shop unveiled two new head cover options. Though the whimsical Grease Grinder made me smile, I ultimately took my design inspiration from the neon green Dirty Rat.

Once I locked in the Dirty Rat head cover and matching shaft band, the rest of the putter build was a breeze. For flavor, I added splashes of translucent green here and there and a big golden Dirty Rat stamp on the face.

A Psychedelic Matador tie-dye grip completed the build and the Squareback 2 shipped off to Southern California.

The yellow box arrives

After about a month or so, there was a box on my porch.

Did you know Scotty Cameron putters are shipped in bright yellow boxes? This may not seem newsworthy to some but I knew what was in that yellow box and seeing it significantly kicked up my pulse rate and excitement level.

I couldn’t wait to see what the Cameron Custom Shop had done with my putter.

What I found inside was jawdropping.

It was appropriate that the first thing I got to see with the putter was the accessories. The Dirty Rat head cover and shaft band were way cooler in person than on the website. I took this as a sign that I had followed the correct design path.

The Psychedelic Matador tie-dye grip was a bit of a gamble for me. I had never seen the grip in person, but I liked the tie dye look more than the more mundane green version. Like with the head cover, once I held the grip in hand, I knew I had made the right decision.

Then I removed the head cover and completely lost my mind.

Magnificent manipulation of metal

I’ve heard it said that the Custom Shop has been accused of returning a new putter to the customer rather than actually restoring the old one.

The logistics of that kind of operation make that accusation ridiculous but once I saw how showroom fresh my putter was, I could see why conspiracy theorists might think something shady was going on.

The Squareback 2 that was returned to me was pristine. The more I scoured its surface for blemishes, the more I came to realize they just weren’t there.

The ding on the back edge was gone as were those on the neck. The top edge was blemish-free and there was no trace of any damage on the face.

All of the scratches and dings in the before photos were gone. This putter was pristine.

The Scotty Cameron Custom Shop restored the Squareback 2 to mint condition. Perhaps even better than mint since this putter also had my chosen paint scheme and a big golden Dirty Rat stamp on the toe.

But what did the restoration cost?

The full restoration package starts at $325. That includes the refinishing, the selection of a silver or black finish, all of the paint and a handful of no-upcharge grips, shaft bands and head covers. My choosing the Dirty Rat stamp added $30 and the Dirty Rat head cover added another $45.

Out of curiosity, I also added the $95 authentication option. Adding a Certificate of Authenticity to your restoration order is a great way to add value to your treasured putter.

Perhaps it is not necessary for a restored stock putter but if your putter is a limited edition or, better yet, a tour edition, a COA from Cameron is a great way to show that your putter is authentic and perhaps increase its value. I think of it like getting a sports card graded.

Having spent hours perusing the putters in the Cameron Authentication Registry, I liked the idea that one of my putters is now in that database as well.

What happens at the Custom Shop …

Most of the time, the restoration process involves making your build selections, sending the putter off to Scotty Cameron, waiting while they work and then marveling at what was inside the yellow box.

Are you curious about what happens while your putter is at the Custom Shop? I was, too.

As such, I asked really nicely if they would be willing to snap some photos of the restoration process. Not only did the kind folk in the Scotty Cameron Custom Shop send me some snaps but they also sent me a video showing how my putter went from busted to beautiful.

No, this definitely doesn’t mean you should also ask for photos and videos when you send in your putter for restoration. That was a For Golfspy Dave Only kind of thing.

Still, how cool it is to see some of the process? I don’t know if those gloved hands are Scotty Cameron’s or not but whoever did the work knew what they were doing.

Yellow box opened, bucket list box checked

I fantasized about getting a putter restored at the Scotty Cameron Custom Shop for at least a decade. It’s a little surreal to think it finally happened.

The thing is that getting your putter restored is not the stuff of fantasy. It is an easy process that all starts with selecting your model in the design interface. From there, you are a few clicks away from refreshing your old faithful flatstick.

Considering the price of putters these days, the $325 for a full restoration is, arguably, quite reasonable. If you have a beloved old Cameron that you want to rejuvenate or run across a bargain used Scotty, the price for restoration could end up less than the price of a new putter.

Keep in mind that what is going to show up in that yellow box at your house is essentially a new putter. All the damage is gone. The face is freshly milled and it has the paint and rat stamps where you said that they should go.

That rat stamp is a big stamp. The Custom Shop restoration team demonstrated their skills by stamping the rat so cleanly in the face. It is my favorite part of the putter.

Let’s put the rumors to rest. The Scotty Cameron Custom Shop is not replacing your putter with a new one. However, the work their talented staff does is amazing enough to make you think that they could have.

Find out more about the Scotty Cameron Custom Shop options and start your restoration at ScottyCameron.com