Zero in on the Perfect Putter
By Sean Weir
Founder, Putter Zone
If you hang around the putter section of your local golf retailer, you will see a lot of recreational golfers who are just looking for something that catches their eye, with little regard to how the different putters might fit their individual game.The result is typically an impulse purchase, rather than an informed purchase. Needless to say, the results of such an approach are often disappointing. But you can easily avoid this pitfall by having a plan for buying your next putter. Below are three key factors in finding a putter that fits your game.
- Face Your Weakness
For starters, give your putting game an honest assessment. Most likely, you need to improve in one or two critical areas. For example, if alignment is a persistent issue, then focus on putters known for their alignment features. Or if you have trouble consistently hitting the sweet spot of the putter, consider a "high MOI" (Moment of Inertia) putter that will offer more forgiveness on mis-hits. By focusing on your critical needs, you will gain a sense of purpose when shopping for a putter.
- Strike A Balance
You will also want to consider how the balance of a putter fits your personal stroke. Putters are available in two general balance categories—face balanced and toe hang. A face-balanced putter generally favors a "straight back and straight though" style of putting stroke, while a putter with toe hang favors an arcing stroke. By finding the right balance for your stroke, you can improve the consistency of your performance. Click here to learn how to determine a putter's balance.
- Find the Right Length
Another often-overlooked performance factor is putter length. Historically speaking, the "standard" putter length was 35 inches for men and 34 inches for women. But with the growing awareness of personal putter fitting, the new "standard" is that there is no standard. After all, people, like putters, come in all shapes and sizes. Also, some golfers prefer a more upright putting setup, while others like to bend over the ball. So forget the so-called standards and focus on your own physique and putting style before making your choice of putter length.
In summary, by (1) focusing on a specific area of need; (2) finding the right putter balance for your stroke; and (3) establishing the correct length for your physique and setup, you will have a firm plan for finding a putter that will fit your game.
Your local GolfTEC Certified Personal Coach can help you with these and other putter fitting factors such as lie angle, loft and grip size. Also, please remember that if you are currently working with an instructor who is making adjustments to your putting setup or stroke, it could very well change your fitting parameters. Ask your Coach about scheduling a Personal Club Fitting today.
Sean Weir is the founder and editor of PutterZone.com and the author of The Ultimate Putter Buyer's Guide.
