Putter advice
Buying the right putter - how to find it!
There are blade, half-mallet and mallet putters, long and short, heavy and light, with thick or thin club handle - the variations of golf putters are almost endless. And it's hard to believe: the putter is one of the most important golf clubs in the golf bag and is the club that is most often held in the hand. Amateur golfers use their putter an average of 40 times per 18 holes - for professionals, the average is around 30.
So it becomes clear very quickly that the score is decisively dependent on the play on the green. How often do we get annoyed when we have overcome the course seemingly effortlessly, we were able to leave the obstacles behind us and in the end we needed two, three or even four putts, so that the score is ultimately worse than desired.
Deciding on the right putter depends on a number of factors. We'll take a closer look at three of these factors to help you decide which one to buy.
- Length of the putter: Your personal set up is important here. There is no rule of thumb that calculates that if you are a certain height or arm length, you need a putter that is X inches long. Every golfer gets used to his personal set up. There are people who tend to stoop when putting, others tend to stand upright. Unlike irons or woods, there is no "fault" in the set up. The personal feeling is the right one.
- Impact moment: Determine how centrally you hit your putter. If you can answer this question, you will know which putter head shape is right for you. There are three different shapes: 1. blade, 2. half mallet, 3. mallet (see fig.1). A blade putter should always be hit in the middle of the club face, otherwise you run the risk of twisting the putter at impact. A larger club head (half mallet or mallet) counteracts this situation. Therefore, the rule is: the greater the risk that you will hit the ball off center of the club face, the more likely you should choose a half-mallet or even a mallet putter.
Blade putter
Half-Mallet Putter
Mallet putter
- Swing Motion: In golf, we distinguish between three swing motions: 1st Straight, 2nd Slight Arc, 3rd Strong (see Figure 2). Depending on the swing motion, a "face-balanced" or "toe-balanced" putter is the right choice for you.
The further away you stand from the golf ball when putting, the more likely you are to swing in an arc.
But what type of swing are you? If you are a "straight back & through" type of player, you swing the putter head straight back and through the golf ball. The clubface is always square. Accordingly, a "face-balanced" putter is the right choice. If, on the other hand, you swing your putter in a strong arc, with the clubface opening or closing strongly, you need a "toe-balanced" putter.
These terms "face-balanced" and "toe-balanced" describe the weighting of the putter and support you in your swing movement.
You can easily determine what weighting your current putter or a putter in general has: Balance the putter in two fingers and keep the club balanced. By looking at the head, you can now see the weighting (see illustration).
If you take the above factors into account, the decision for a putter should be much easier for you and improve your score in the long term. You can easily determine the length, the moment of impact and the swing movement at home on the carpet.
Click on the button below to get to our putter selection. Here you can easily order your new putter via our online store. Of course, the 14-day return policy* for online orders also applies to our putters. We are also happy to recommend our putter fitting service. This takes place in any of our stores. Please make an appointment in advance at your preferred store. Our local experts will be happy to assist you.
E-Mail contact: customerservice@golfhouse.com.
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*Only valid for putters without signs of use. Small advice: Stick some scotch tape on the hitting surface, so that the risk is reduced.
Jan Kowalewski, expert for equipment at the Hammerbrook branch
"Putting is very often a matter of feeling. We will find you the putter with which you feel most comfortable on the greens!"