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BUYING A PUTTER
The most used club in your bag and therefore much care needs to be taken
in choosing your wand!
There are 2 basic features of a putter you want to check when buying: shaft
length and amount of offset. Both help you create a nice arch stroke that is
preferred by the best putters. The arch stroke looks like you bring the putter
back slightly inside and follow through slightly inside.
The length of the shaft determines path and lie. If the ball is too close to
your feet because the putter is too short, your style tends to create a more
straight –back -straight- through stroke. The heel of the putter may come off
the ground making it difficult to make solid contact.
Conversely, if your putter is too long and the ball is too far away from your
feet, you body tends to create a stroke that loops too far inside. The toe of
the putter may come off the ground making it again very difficult to make
solid contact.
The other very important feature is based on eye dominance. Right eye
dominant players usually prefer putters with minimal offsets or even centre
shafted putters. Left eye dominant players usually prefer putters with
offsets.
Putters with more offset also help players create a consistent setup. Some
players forward press the shaft or lean the shaft back at setup but it actually
appears straight up and down from the player’s point of view. If the shaft
leans too far in any direction, the resulting changes in loft will cause
problems with your speed control. An offset putter helps prevent the shaft
leaning too far forward and non offset putters help prevent leaning the shaft
too far back.
So when you are in the market for a new putter, come along and see your
local Club Professional and remember these points and most importantly
find a putter that looks like a winner to you as that look inspires confidence!
WHAT PUTTER?
NIKE – UNITIZED PUTTER
FEATURE: The seamless Unitized construction creates an express line
straight from the putter face to your hands. The head is laser welded directly
to the shaft and plated as a single unit, no bonds or joints along the way to
interrupt pure response.
BENEFIT:
· Unitized construction provides unparallel feel
· Transmits vibrations that have been engineered to resonate with the
natural sensory systems which in turn give better feedback for better
distance control.
· Absence of shaft to head bond provides a clean look at address.
PING – KARSTEN SERIES
FEATURE: The new Karsten Series ranges are steel face putters with
traditional looks and with an elastomer insert in the cavity. They have multi
level alignment aids also.
BENEFIT:
· Cavity insert provides enhanced feel while maintaining the solid
response of a steel faced putter.
· Weight savings from the new cavity shapes are redistributed to the
· Perimeter to increase each putters moment of inertia for added
forgiveness and stability.
YES - C-GROOVE TECHNOLOGY
FEATURE: Testing shows that for any golf ball, the strike of a conventional
heel-toe weighted putter results in skipping, whilst a blade putter causes the
ball to skid across the putting surface and an insert putter causes hopping
and bouncing. Only after these initial effects of the impact does the ball
begin to actually roll across the surface. The problem is that the skidding
and sliding caused by the impact of the putter can result in even a well
struck putt, which set off on the correct line, missing the hole. Even a putt
which holds its line can come up short due to the energy lost through
skidding and hopping in the first few feet of its journey. It is when the ball
begins to roll end over end that its movement is at its most stable, and least
susceptible to deflections
BENEFIT: The key, then, to reducing energy loss and the ball’s susceptibility
to deflections is in reducing skidding and sliding after impact and promoting
true roll immediately the putt is struck. Yes! Golf’s C-groove putter
technology, developed by master putter and teacher Harold Swash, is a
patented system designed to reduce skidding and sliding, and promote
forward roll immediately a putt is struck, enabling putts to hold their line
and pace. The simple but precise concentric C-shaped grooves cut into the
putter’s face improve grip on the ball at impact, and exert forces which lift
the ball from its resting position and impart a rolling motion.