Pay Attention To Your Putter 

-The Right One For You Can Save You Strokes-
by Kevin Haime, CPGA Teaching Professional

Nobody has to tell the average golfer how tough it is to be a good putter.  It seems like it should be so simple but it may be the toughest thing to do consistently well in golf.

Putting requires both great consistency and touch.  There are a lot of reasons why people don’t putt well.  Many newer players move around far too much in their stroke, others aim either themselves or their putter poorly and still others just don’t practice so they never really get a feel or rhythm.  But there is one thing you can do to become a better putter that very few average players actually do.  To have any chance of putting consistently well you’ll need a putter that both fits you and your putting stroke. 

I preach that the putter should be the second most expensive club in your bag besides your driver.  Search out the help of a CPGA professional to fit you for club length, lie and loft angles, degree of offset, and weight.  If you spend a few dollars and get fit properly it’s pretty easy to get a putter that fits you and your address position.

As for matching up or fitting your putting stroke, there are two distinct methods that are generally accepted today on how to swing your putter.  The first was made famous by putting guru Dave Pelz and the second method, which is becoming far more popular recently is endorsed by tour pro and putting wizard Stan Utley.

According to Pelz you should rock your shoulders under when you putt and try to get your putter head to swing straight back and straight through, all the while keeping your clubface square to the target line.  Utley believes that your putter should swing on an arc by turning your shoulders much like a miniature little golf swing. 

I tend to favour the Utley method because to me it’s more natural but either one can work with enough practice.  If you prefer the straight back, straight through method then you should use a face balanced putter.  Generally speaking these putters are either centre shafted or have a larger mallet style head.  For arc style putting you should get a heel shafted or more blade style putter.  Again a pro can help you finalize this decision but either way it’s critical to fit the putter to you and your stroke.

Pic 1 - Selecting the right style putter is an important part of improving your putting stats.  The putter on the right is a mallet style face-balanced putter and is better for straight back – straight through putting.  The putter on the left is a heel-shafted putter that is a much better design for arc putting. Pic 2 - Here I’m practicing with a Putting Arc teaching aid.  Notice how the wood curves, allowing my putter to flow inside on the way back and inside on the way through. Pic 3 - Here I’m practicing a straight back – straight through method with an Odyssey Two Ball mallet style putter.  By rocking my shoulders under the club should swing straight back and straight though within the Putting Track teaching aid.  You could also lay two golf shafts down on the green to practice this method. Pic 4 - Once you’ve been fitted for the right putter it’s all about practice to gain feel and to work on your mechanics.  I really like this “clock face”, or around-the-hole, drill made famous by Phil Mickelson.  If you find a practice hole on a slight slope every putt will be a slightly different experience.