What to look for in a putter?

One of the key clubs to buy and one that can help towards you winning or losing a round is of course the putter.

To find that one putter that makes you feel at ease, confident, comfortable and successful can be tricky; with lots of varieties on the market - where do you start?

The length, weight, head design and balance point all have a big part to play in finding your perfect putter. PGA recommend the following points when you’re looking to buy a putter.

Length

Probably the most important component to any putter is the length. You want it to sit comfortably for you in the right position, with the shaft of it in line with your forearms. If you find you hold a putter that is of standard length down the shaft then you will perhaps need a shorter putter. If you hold the putter nearer its end, you will perhaps need a longer one.

Weight

You may not have realised that the weight of the putter is a crucial aspect, and can vary significantly depending on the type of putter you require. The putter itself has been designed to ascertain a specific weight when being swung at a certain length.

Therefore if the height of the putter is changed, this will throw the weight of it out of sync.

The normal head weight for a putter of 35” is 330 grams. If you need a shorter putter the head weight needs to increase slightly.

Head design

There are now many different designs of the head of the putter for you to choose from. The design of the head doesn’t necessarily help improve your swing or shot, it’s more of a personal preference. The most traditional is of course the blade head - a classic design with a small head, and one that everyone recognises. It has been popular ever since the 1900’s.

From the blade putter evolved the peripheral weighted putter (heel-toe). It looks similar, but has added weight to the heel and toe portions of the putter. This helps to aid a more forgivable and consistent swing. This putter revolutionised the whole game when it was first available on the market in 1966.

Then there are the mallet putters. These putters have a large head, meaning they are not streamlined liked the original blade putter. Their bigger size results in you having more to play with, with extra alignments on the head giving you a better opportunity at coordinating putts.

Balance Point

Balance point refers to the type of putter head, with which there are two types to choose from; face balanced or toe balanced.

Face balanced normally faces the sky when you lay your putter in your hand with the shaft parallel to the ground. Toe balanced is when the toe is facing towards the ground when you lay the putter on your hand.

So what does either one do? Well, a face balanced putter will provide you with square to square stroke, meaning the face of the putter is forever square on to the target and your stroke would be in a straight line, back and forth. A toe balanced putter will give you an arc stroke, meaning your stroke will travel with a slight curve.

When you go shopping for your putter don’t settle on the first one you pick up. Take your time testing out different ones with different heads and lengths. Put in time and careful thought and invest your money into a club that will help you and your game.