Selecting a Putter

February 4, 2010

There is nothing more personal to a golfer than his or her putter is. Golfers of all levels live or die by their putting ability, and the choice of a putter is as much by personal preference of style, look and weight as it is by technology. There are, however, certain guidelines that can help you in your selection of a putter.

• Types of putters
  • Blades
  • Mallets
  • Perimeter weighted
  • Insert
  • Offset
• Choosing the right length

Types of putters

There are a number of basic types of putters.

• Blades
  • Narrow and flat
  • Best feel for the ball
  • Popular among low handicappers
  • Blades differ in where the shaft enters the head, either at the heel or center shafted, where it enters more in the middle of the blade.
• Mallets
  • Has a large, rounded head
  • The weight is usually balanced throughout the club, which provides golfers with a more consistent putting stroke
• Perimeter weighted
  • A very forgiving design where the weight is distributed around the edges
  • Provides for a larger sweet spot because the perimeter weighting stabilizes any slight mis-hits
• Insert
  • Designed with composite inserts made of a softer material
  • Provide for a better feel on the putt and a smoother role
  • The insert is in the face of the putter, therefore neatly defining each club’s sweet spot
• Offset
  • The actual putter blade is placed back from the shaft slightly
  • Allows the golfer’s eyes to be more directly on top of the ball when standing over the putt. This increases top spin for a truer roll.

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Choosing the right length

• A putter that is too short will throw off your view of the putting line, as will a putter that is too long
• Determining the proper length putter for your frame is important. To ensure the proper fit follow these steps:
  • Assume your regular putting stance
  • Let your arms hang down naturally
  • Measure to just above the top of your hand for the proper length of the putter