Putt Like A Pro: How to Choose The Best Putter For Your Stroke

on 05/19/2023 at 11:15 AM

Are you struggling to improve your putting? Do you want to gain an edge on the competition and work your way up to the coveted title of “Putting Pro”? The good news is that anyone can become a putting pro with a little effort and knowledge. In this article, I will discuss choosing the best putter for your stroke. You will learn about the different types of putters available and get some tips on making sure you choose the perfect putter for your game.

You might have already tried a few different putters in an attempt to fix your putting woes but ended up disappointed with the results. Are you ready to discover what it takes to be a putting master? Or maybe you are just starting in golf and want to get off on the right foot by having a high-quality putter that suits your style. Either way, here’s what you should know when selecting a putter.

How To Choose The Putter Type

Understanding the different putter types can help golfers choose the best putter for their stroke. Putters come in many varieties, such as blade, mallet, and counterbalance, each with advantages and disadvantages.

In this section, we will look at the different types of putters and their features so that you can pick the best one for you and your game:

Blade Putters

Blade putters are the most traditional type of putter. Ideal for more skilled players, these attractive and well-balanced heads feature a solid piece of metal shaped like a blade. The metal head is usually cast from stainless steel, copper, or brass.

Players who choose blade-style putters enjoy the putter’s solid feel and the responsive “ping” sound it produces when it makes contact with a golf ball. Blades can also be customized to different lengths and weights to suit the preferences of different golfers.

Although they are not as popular as other types of putters, blades remain popular among golf purists who appreciate their classic appearance and feel – for many experienced players, nothing beats the sensation of striking a ball with a properly grooved blade!

This type of putter has been around for centuries, and its advantages remain unchanged: significantly improved accuracy, better distance control, and great feel when using touch shots close to the hole.

Some notable disadvantages to using this type of putter include:

Limited toe hang (toe hang is how stable your putting stroke is with how much movement you have coming into impact).
Higher levels of backspin (which can be beneficial in certain situations but undesirable in others).

Less direction control due to its inability to counteract side spin on mis-hits.

Despite these drawbacks, some golfers still suggest that blade styles offer an edge over other styles in putting accuracy – especially short-range coordination.

Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. Many golfers simply do not like the look or feel of blades, while some players swear by them!

Mallet Putters

Mallet putters are growing in popularity. Their design gives them a substantial weight that helps create a pendulum swing for better accuracy and more consistent movement through the ball. It’s ideal for those who feel disconnected from the ball or lack consistent control over their stroke.

Mallet-style putters usually feature two sections: one that creates the base of their structure and a second located farther back from the face, which serves as a counterbalance to keep your hands steady and controlled during your stroke. Many models also come with alignment features to further aid in accuracy.

Not all mallets look alike, however. Some are designed with a more square-looking frame for those who want a longer linear look at address, while others take on more of an asymmetrical shape consisting of curves and contours to make set up easier and provide a better visual at impact when between you and the hole.

Traditionally, mallet-style putters were reserved for those with higher swing speeds or who have difficulties keeping their wrists steady throughout contact with the ball – essentially being too active during their stroke. But today, mallets are occasionally used by all types of golfers looking to gain an edge on their putting game.

Peripheral-Weighted Putters

Peripheral-weighted putters, known as high MOI (Moment of Inertia) putters, are also sometimes called mallet putters due to their unique clubhead shape.

The design of a peripheral-weighted club is such that most of its tone weight is located away from the center of the head, on its perimeter. This helps to stabilize the swing and increase the resistance to twisting and “torque.”

Peripheral-weighted putters are ideal for golfers who tend to struggle with mis-hit shots and those seeking increased consistency in their strokes. They come in various shapes, weights, and materials, making it easy for even a novice golfer to find one that suits their individual preferences.

Other characteristics you should consider when choosing this type of putter include:

Length: How long should your putter be? Generally speaking, mid-length options are thought to be effective for most people as they offer stability without compromising accuracy.

Grip: What kind of grip feels best in your hands? You can choose from all sorts of grip materials, such as rubber, leather, synthetic rubber, or even alligator hide!
Head Weight: How heavy or light do you like your clubhead? Different head weights suit different preferences, so experiment with what feels right for you.
Loft Angle: You can also find varying loft angles within this style which could help correct misdirection easier depending on how much backspin you need on your ball strikes, making higher loft angles more beneficial than lower ones in certain situations.

Heel-Shafted Putters

Heel-shafted putters are characterized by having their center of gravity toward the club’s heel. These putters tend to be better suited for golfers who swing the putter in an arc or tend to scoop or lift through impact.

The center of gravity toward the heel helps these players maintain some positive angle of attack into impact, promoting a cleaner strike and true roll on the ball. Heel-shafted putters are generally made with slightly heavier clubheads and shafts than traditional designs, contributing further to a more consistent tempo during your stroke.

Common styles of heel-shafted putters include blade and mid-mallet designs, though you can also find hybrids that feature both characteristics at different points along the clubhead. Many prefer heel-shafted blades that toe-hang for increased forgiveness at impact since toe-hang blades bring more weight around toward the heel.

This is an excellent choice for golfers who struggle with skidding off to the side on their putting stroke, as this design tends to square up easier through impact than face-balanced blades or toe-hang mallet-shaped heads. If you tend to scoop through your stroke, you may appreciate mid-mallet shapes that promote more consistency in speed and fidelity in your aim.

How To Choose The Putter Grip

Choosing the right putter involves many considerations, one of the most important being the type of grip that you use. Different types of grips require different types of putters. For example, if you use an overlapping grip, then you may need a larger putter with a thicker grip. Similarly, if you use a traditional hands-on or side-saddle grip, then you may need a smaller putter with a thinner grip.

Let’s look at the different grip types in more detail:

Size & Shape

When selecting your putter, one of the primary considerations is size and shape. Putters are designed in various shapes, sizes, and weights to better suit different strokes and golfers’ individual preferences.

Putter length is important as it affects the arc of your stroke. Generally, the traditional length for a putter is around 35 inches. But shorter putters are available for shorter golfers or those who prefer to stand closer to the ball when putting. Most professional players use a slightly longer putter, though, with lengths ranging from 33-36 inches, depending on their height and preference.

The shape of the grip can also affect how comfortable you feel during your stroke, particularly when holding the club with both hands rather than anchoring it against your chest or arm.

The most common forms are wrap-around or paddle grips, and they come in different thicknesses, too, so you can try some options out to see what feels best to you. The aim should be to achieve an even pressure on either side of the grip to minimize torquing during your stroke.

Material

The material of your putter grip plays an integral role in the performance of your putter. There are three common materials: rubber, leather, and cord.

Rubber – The resilient rubber provides superior shock absorption and a good feel on the greens. It is more durable and weather resistant than leather and emphasizes feedback from the club head to alert you to mis-hits.

Leather – This material offers comfort and a classic look with a soft texture. Because of its delicate nature, it can wear quickly with overuse but is still preferred by many professionals for its feel on the greens.
Cord – Cord grips may be traditionally thought of as less comfortable, but they have recently become popular due to their ability to provide better feedback on mis-hits compared to other materials. They also do well in wet conditions, giving you maximum feedback no matter the weather conditions.

How To Choose The Putter Lie Angle

When it comes to choosing the right putter for your stroke, the lie angle of the putter is one of the most important features to consider. The lie angle is the angle between the shaft and the club head when it is in the address position.

This angle should be adjusted to match your posture to improve your accuracy and control when putting.

Lie angles range from 70 to 86 degrees and can be adjusted to match your stroke. Lie angles are traditionally categorized into standard, upright, and flat.

The standard lie angle is the most common and is ideal for most players with an average-length swing. Putters with a standard lie have a small amount of shaft lean away from your target line when set up correctly and should feel comfortable underfoot when you take your stance behind the ball.

Upright lies are very common in many putter designs, and the steeper angle allows for less shaft lean when addressing the ball. This can benefit taller players or anyone who has difficulty getting enough “pop” behind their shots; it promotes more power off the face at impact by enabling better contact between head and ball without sacrificing accuracy or distance control over different distances.

Flat lies are typically used by players with a very short arc or straight back-and-through style stroke that might lack adequate wrist action; it also suits those who struggle to get enough compression on their shots due to their weight distribution throughout their swing motion. With this lie, there is no shaft lean; less loft on the clubface helps keep miss-hits lower than on other lies despite low wrist action levels because there is no bouncing off at impact.

Upright Lie Angle

Upright lie angles are becoming more popular among both tour professionals and amateurs. An “upright” putter has been adjusted to a higher angle to better suit the player’s setup and posture. The upright angle helps you achieve an “open face-on-path” at the address, with your wrists in the correct position. This helps to promote a more consistent stroke throughout the putting motion and works especially well for those who struggle with controlling face squareness during their stroke.

The generous offset of an upright model also provides more confidence when setting up the putt, as it promotes a straighter grip path through impact. Benefits of using an upright putter include:

Helps to achieve an “open face-on-path” at address.
Promotes a more consistent stroke throughout the putting motion.

Works especially well for those who struggle with controlling face squareness during their stroke.
Generous offset provides more confidence when setting up the putt.
Promotes a straighter grip path through impact.

Flat Lie Angle

A flat lie angle is the most common angle found on putters, typically ranging between +2° and -2°. A flat lie can help create a more reliable stroke path, a smooth stroke tempo, and efficient contact with the ball. On putts hit from inside six feet, a flat lie reduces the feeling of pushing or over-hitting the ball compared to an upright angle. A flatter lie can also improve your precision from off-center hits because it will reduce skidding and jump off the face quicker than an upright or even a slight raise in the heel.

When putting from outside of six feet on firm surfaces or at lower speeds, players benefit from raising their heels slightly for better control over distance and direction.

How To Choose The Putter Loft

Putter loft is another factor to consider in choosing a putter. The loft of a putter refers to the angle at which the club face meets the ball when it is struck. The higher the loft, the more bounce and spin you will have on your shots. Choosing a putter with the right loft will add confidence and accuracy to your putting stroke.

Each player’s preference for lofts varies based on club length and personal preferences, but in general, a higher loft provides increased forgiveness on off-center hits, while a lower loft can help finesse more delicate strokes on slower green speeds. Generally, lofts range from three to eight degrees, with players often preferring just two or three degrees of shaft lean at address, or when setting up their stroke. Some players prefer high-lofted putters for distance control and stability when hitting long puts.

Ultimately, finding the right amount of loft largely depends upon personal taste and your putting style. Experimenting with different combinations until you find one that works optimally can go miles in improving your overall putting game!

How To Choose The Putter Length

When selecting a putter, it is important to consider the size and length of the club. Putters are typically offered in lengths ranging from 32 to 36 inches, though many manufacturers offer custom-made clubs from 31 to 39 inches. The appropriate length for your putter will depend on your body type and personal preference, but a general rule of thumb is that taller players tend to do better with longer clubs and shorter players with shorter clubs.

You’ll want a club that allows you to bend comfortably at the waist, place your hands in the correct putting position and keep your arms close together. To get a sense of what feels most comfortable, try different-sized putters at the store or on an indoor putting green before making a purchase. Ensure the putter shaft is straight when looked down upon; if you notice it curves one way or another, it’s time for another option.

Finally, remember that any good golf swing begins with balance: if you find yourself bending uncomfortably backward or leaning too far forward when trying out different putters, then it is not right for you! In short: take time to practice until you find the perfect length for successful putting shots.

How To Choose The Putter Weight

Weight is an important design element in modern putter models. Heavier and lighter weights offer different benefits. The average golfer should know how heavy their putter should be to suit their rhythm and tempo while putting.

A heavier club helps provide more control, as the golfer will not need as much force to complete a putt or counteract any slight movements they may have while putting, but it also requires additional strength, especially during long periods of play or when taking many long, full shots.

Lighter clubs offer slower swing speeds for more accuracy but lack the stability of a heavier club head. They also require more frequent readjustment due to their lightness and instability when used for extended putting periods.

Typically, men’s putters weigh between 13-15 oz., while women’s range from 12-13 oz. Golfers need to experiment with various weights of putters before deciding on one that achieves the desired effect in terms of tempo and accuracy.

Final Thoughts On How To Choose A Putter

As everyone has different needs, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to how to choose a putter. So take some time to get fitted, try different models out on the green, use practice drills, and watch videos/analyze your stroke as a way to test them further.