"The Putter: The Most Personal Club in the Bag"
T his may be a bit harsh but if you’re having trouble holing putts, perhaps the problem is with the hunter and not the bow.
Today, there is simply no excuse not to stand over a putt bubbling with confidence. Club makers have created putters in a plethora of shapes and sizes and imbued them with a laundry list of features to meet the needs and desires of every golfer under the sun.
This year’s putters are bursting with moment of inertia (MOI) features. A high MOI prevents the clubhead from twisting on off-center hits, a key feature because a fraction of an inch movement when club meets ball can make a huge difference on mid- to long-range putts. Designers can achieve MOI through the use of weight plugs in the clubhead of the putter, or by repositioning weight out towards the perimeter of the clubface.
The materials used in putters plays a key factor in overall performance. The old standby, steel, remains popular. However, materials such as bronze, aluminum, brass, copper, zinc and titanium, as well as composite and/or synthetic materials, have allowed manufacturers to expand the sweet zone of the putter face and extend perimeter weighting to achieve that coveted MOI.
Inserts and grooves are fairly common on today’s putters, as designers seek ways to create more feel and feedback off the clubhead and get the ball rolling smoother to allow putts to hold their line to the intended target.
Today’s putters come in a wild array of styles and shapes. It really comes down to what look fits your eye best and instills confidence at address. If you’re on the short side, try a heavier putter to give you more strength on your putts. If you are having trouble aiming the ball at its intended target, consider a mallet with an aggressive alignment aid.
Match your putter’s weight to how you move the club. Typically, face-balanced models are good for straight-back-and-through strokes, and non-face-balanced models are good for arcing strokes.
While custom-fitting is now generally accepted by golfers of all abilities for the driver through pitching wedge, the putter hardly ever receives such treatment. Maybe that is because we can walk into a shop and try out a dozen or more putters on the spur of the moment. Or perhaps we believe a putter is perhaps the most personal club the bag. We don’t need any help. It’s as though there is some mystical connection between golfer and putter that we all search for. Because of their relatively low price point, putters are still pretty much an impulse purchase. But take some time when selecting a new putter and ask for help from a professional. The club should feel good in your hands and look appealing to the eye.
In the end, making putts is all about confidence. The right putter can provide that most necessary of all ingredients to a competent game.
Blade Putters |
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$299 Tester Comments: This is really a different looking putter but it has perfect balance … Minimal to no twisting, this is the real deal … Easy to make the short putts. |
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$265 |
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$120 Tester Comments: This putter takes the “hands” out of it and really lets you focus on using the big muscles to keep the ball online … Keeps me from twisting my wrists and my distance control is much better than I thought it would be. |
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$1400 Tester Comments: Putts rolled true, without sidespin … Not sure what to expect from a $1400 putter … Felt solid and automatic once I got used to proper aiming. |
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$130 Unique Features: The Hoylake is from MacGregor’s 2010 ROTA Series lineup, named after the practice of rotating courses that have hosted the Open Championship. The Hoylake is traditional in appearance but features modern putter technology. Along with the classic heel-shafted design, there is an ARC face, which is intended to stabilize the ball when rolling off the putter. The club’s face is fine-milled in order to provide a level, consistent surface. Tester Comments: Classic Blade that rolls the ball well … Ball comes off face softly and stays online well with a solidly struck putt. |
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$250 Tester Comments: The ball comes off the face perfect and rolls extremely true … In my test round I one-putted the first three holes. . . The putter has a great feel. It seems to be forgiving on off center hits, . . . the ball runs out a little farther. |
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$140 Tester Comments: The feel of this putter is outstanding. Has a great roll and distance control … Easy to get putt on your target line and has good feel even on the long putts … Ball rolls pure, Ping clubs are quality, made in the USA. Highly recommended. |
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$165 Tester Comments: Great soft feel and balls rolls very true … The SeeMore “Red Dot” system gave me confidence to sink anything … The putter goes where you aim it. No better compliment could be given. |
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$149 Tester Comments: This putter has soft feel, good feedback, and gives excellent speed control … Traditionally styled blade head that just works, easy to align and rolls true … Soft face technology decreased ball skid and gave a true roll. |
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$229 Tester Comments: Great face balanced anser style putter … ability to adjust weighting to fit my preference was key for me. |
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$299 Tester Comments: Soft feel and distance control is wonderful … Face seems to grab the ball and put get it rolling towards the target immediately … You can see quality built into every aspect of this putter.. . The perfect balance of form and function |
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$300 Tester Comments: Great balance and top-line sighting … This is a great putter. It is well crafted and sets up true and rolls even truer … Gives great feedback on all putts. |
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$220 Tester Comments: This putter has great feel and balance … Golf ball comes off of the face like butter with a great roll … Feels, sounds, and strokes brilliantly |
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$40?phite) Unique Features: GT putter features a new alignment aid that is the same width as a golf ball. It features a centered sight line, so golfers can be confident that they’ve got the right set up. An advanced TPE face insert delivers a responsive feel at impact, providing the ultimate touch, even on delicate putts. Tester Comments: Feels good in your hands .. feels smooth when you stroke the ball .. This putter can’t be beat for the price. |
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$149ite) Unique Features: Jennie is the heel-shafted, toe down cross between the Sandy mallet and a classic blade. Two, ball-width bosses on the back cavity frame both your ball and the single sight line in the back cavity to encourage accurate alignment of your ball, the center of the face and the intended target. C-Groove Technology makes the ball roll truer and on line resulting in more putts made. Tester Comments: Gave me a much truer and smoother roll than any other putter … quality and workmanship is of highest quality … Sets up nicely, gets the ball rolling instead of skidding and very easy to align. |
Player’s Choice Awards |
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Best Appearance Best Distance Control Best Alignment
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Best Impact Feel Best Balance Best Value
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Best Overall |
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