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What To Consider When Purchasing A Putter For Golf

If you’ve never bought a golf putter before, you’ll be amazed at the sheer number of different putters available on the market. Each type and style differs and caters for a variety of different golfers based on their needs and circumstances; in fact there’s more putters on the market than any other type of golf club or piece of golf equipment. Getting the right putter can be the difference between winning and losing a round of golf; it’s a game within itself, so you want to make sure you are equipped with the most effective and efficient putter.

Putter Heads

Putters come with a variety of different head designs. The one you choose will depend on your experience and putting style. Blade putters are the most traditional type; the head is relatively small and produces a soft hit when struck, which affords itself well to hard and fast greens that require better control. These are the most common used putters and are suitable for both beginners and experienced players alike, especially those with a straight putting stroke.

Weighted putters are slightly different, as the face is often larger than blade putters. The larger face makes striking the ball a lot easier, but also allows the putter to balance at its periphery, and not on the face, like the blade putter. This means that for those who strike the ball in to out when putting, this club will help correct the stroke. This way, weighted putters are suitable for both beginners and experienced golfers.

Finally there are mallet putters to consider. The centre of gravity on the mallet putter is lower and deeper, further away from the face. This means when you strike the ball and follow through, there won’t be as much backspin, and this allows for a more accurate putt. This club will also help make your putts more consistent, as the larger face and lower centre of gravity means the club’s face will be struck more regularly. Great for players looking for better consistency in their putting strokes.

Shafts and Hosels

When it comes to the shaft of the putter, they will almost always be made of steel. This is for greater feel and purchase when striking and following through on your putts. However, where the shaft meets the club head, known as the hosel, there’s a few options to consider.

Putters where the shaft connects at the heel of the club head are known as heel-shafted putters. These are great if you want the putter head to guide the ball towards the hole. For putters where the shaft connects in the centre of the head, these are known as centre-shafted putters. For golfers who want the shaft to guide the ball to the hole, this is the putter for you.

Finally, there is the offset to consider. Your putter will either have no offset or some degree of offset, depending on your needs. An offset is instantly recognisable as the hosel is bent backwards, which allows the golfer to line up their shot with their head over the ball. With the shaft bent ahead of the putter face, this lets the golfer keep their hands ahead of the ball, which is fundamental when it comes to putting the ball. Whether you choose a heel-shafted putter or a centre-shafted one is entirely personal preference, but the offset is dependent on your ability, with a greater offset being good for recreational golfers or beginners.

Other Considerations

You must also consider the length of the shaft. Traditional lengths (32-36 inches) are the most popular, belly putters (41-46 inches) are the increasingly popular, and long putters (48-52 inches) are the least popular. For beginners and those still relatively new to the game, it’s advised to stick with traditional lengths, before dabbling with alternative putters which require an entire change of grip and swing.

Finally, consider the type of grip on your putter. For those who seek to improve their putts, they are most likely to opt for a thicker grip as this takes away your hands and wrist from the putt. However, this reduces the feel of the putt. Therefore, whether you have a thin or thick grip is really down to personal preference and your current putting ability.

By: Vincent A Rogers

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This article was produced by Vincent Rodgers, an author who writes for numerous online golf shops. If you're looking to purchase golf equipment and clubs, he recommends foremostgolfonline.

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