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Buying advice for Golf Putters

Most amateurs are unaware that putting actually accounts for nearly half your strokes on the golf course. For a simple club, it has a few variants that will help you get the ball in the hole. Here's what you need to know.

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General Tips On Buying Putters

If you are very new to golf it is wise to get a reasonably priced putter at first, as your first putter will always act as a stepping stone to a better second one, and a better third one. Things like the “feel”, the sound, and the alignment aid on the club can be a lot to consider if you haven't at least owned a putter before.

Players get the most out of their putters by hitting the ball out of the centre part of their club face. This is something that develops over time, along with your posture and use of any alignment aid that may feature on your putter when you stare down on it.

The good news is, putters are exempt from the sizing restrictions of other clubs, which means they come in all shapes and sizes, often matching you instead of you having to match the club. Cheaper putters still perform very well overall, but more expensive ones include top quality materials that provide a better 'feel' and roll. We would advise you commit to one putter, one putting style and one ball, all at the same time to ensure all three combined help you form good habits.

Blade Putters

Classic blade putters do not have any heel-toe weighting and so make them very unforgiving for all but the best golfers.

Heel-toe blades have been around for a long time and are still on of the favourite designs among professionals, offering some forgiveness and good feel.

A decent heel-toe putter is a great start for a beginner golfer as you don’t have to spend much to get a good one.

Mallet Putters

Mallets are typically quite large compared to blade putters, with the club extending back far from the face of the club. This is done to promote a better roll on the ball as well as allowing perimeter weighting and a more forgiving club on off-centre hits. With the club shaped this way, many putters also have visual aids to help line up the putter with the hole.

Choosing The Right Putter For Your Putting Stroke

Different putter head shapes tend to suit different putting strokes. If you are unsure of your putting stroke don’t worry about this. Classic blades and heel-toe blades are more suited to putting strokes that take an inside to inside stroke (creating a shallow arc around you). Mallet putters, especially face-balanced putters, are designed to suit a straight back and straight through putting stroke.

Inserts

After the putter head shape, you can decide what type of insert (if any) that you prefer. Many people prefer a soft insert in the face of the club which makes the ball move more slowly on impact. Hard inserts are also available, but this is a matter of taste rather than anything else.

Shaft and Hosel Options

As putters are so personal, there are many different styles in the market at any one time. Typically, variances exist in the shaft length, the shaft offset, the hosel type, the length and the shaft location.

As everyone is a different size with different preferences, these can change how you view the ball. You should note that the industry standard size for putter length is 35 inches, and this is too long for most people! We have plenty of putters with shaft lengths from 32” and upwards.

Putter Loft

Putter loft is not always advertised with clubs, as it is not a big consideration for most golfers. Generally putter loft is between 1 and 6 degrees. Higher lofts are useful on greens with slightly longer grass, but a loft of around 4 degrees is fairly standard.

Weighting And Putter Technology

As putting conditions can change from one day to the next (as well as your preferences), some putter models have been designed to allow you to change the weight of the putter in accordance with the weather.

On slow winter greens you may prefer a heavier club head, while in the summer; a light club head will be better for judging distance on very fast greens. These putters have weight ports or plates that can be exchanged or adjusted.

Getting The Ball Rolling...

Getting roll on the ball is key to prevent the ball from skidding off it's course on the way to the hole. This is done via a strong connection by the club face which promotes topspin and keeps the ball on course to the hole. Manufacturers pitch various ways to do this, especially as there is no set science or restrictions on how to design the club. Again, putters offer a grand array of design choices to assist you in getting the ball in the hole, so we suggest visiting a store like ours to try out as many putters as you can on a real or artificial green.

The Dreaded "Yips"

"Yips" are jitters and twitches that affect between one third and one half of all mature golfers, and sadly lead to players giving up on golf altogether. No brand thus far has been able completely improve your putting stroke scientifically.

However, if you suffer from the “yips”, try out a putter that is heavily weighted at the head and butt of the club and alleviates symptoms of the Yips. Typically this means involving the larger muscles in the shoulders rather than the smaller ones in the fingers and wrists.