Putting is a very critical aspect of the game. However, many beginners tend to overlook often putting and focusing on their drives instead. In fact, about 40% of your score is made up of putts. That means you should spend time perfecting your putting stroke and great a good putter to match your stroke style.
Despite its importance, most casual golfers won’t spend the time to get a properly fitted putter or one that fits their skillset. There are many putting styles out there, such as full arcing strokes and straight back straight through. It’s important to find a putter that matches your stroke style and one that you have a good feel for when putting.
In this article, we’ll tell you how important is a good putter and when you should switch your putter.
Last update on 2024-03-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What Makes Someone a Good Putter?
A putter can be good for one person but not for another. That’s because the right putter should fit your style of putter. Remember that there aren’t two golfers in the world that swing or play the same way. Some golfers play an over-the-top fade, while other players prefer to hit it on the inside. In addition, some may prefer to hit the ball straight, while others might play a push draw.
However, when it comes to putting style, there are only two types: straight back-straight through and an arc stroke. A good putter will match your stroke style.
For players with an arc stroke style, we recommend using an anser or blade-style putter. That’s because the putters have more toe weighting enabling the face to the square during impact. However, golfers that use the straight back-straight through style should use a mallet-style putter. These putters have a more balanced weighting, which encourages a straighter stroke.
With that being said, there are several characteristics that make up for a good putter:
- Great at reading greens
- Makes nearly all putts inside of three feet
- Sinks a high percentage of holes between 4 and 10 feet
- Makes a good percentage of putts that are longer than 10 feet
- Have excellent speed control on longer putts
Does the Quality of a Putter Matter?
Yes, higher-quality putters tend to have better features that translate into improved performance. Here are some features to consider:
Weight: Some putters have a lightweight putter making it ideal for fast greens. However, slower greens are more effective for heavier putters./
Insert: High-quality putters tend to have a panel insert in the face of the putter. This insert provides a better feel for the ball during contact. Also, the insert is much softer compared to other parts of the putter head.
Milled: Premium-quality putters may have their faces milled. This means that it has a roughness to it which can enhance the balls’ feel.
Perimeter weighting: Toe or edge weighting helps to correct minor mistakes. For example, the additional weight around the putter’s head will help the ball stay in line with the swing path.
Counterbalancing: For individuals who have shaky hands and wrists, it may be beneficial to have a counterbalance putter. It’s an extra-long putter that swings similar to a pendulum.
Will a New Putter Improve My Putting?
Whether a new putter can improve your game or not depends. If you currently are using a putting that isn’t suitable to your game and skill level, a new putter can make a tremendous difference. However, if you already have a quality putter, it can be a result due to problems with your putting skills.
We’ll cover common issues that can fix your putting and reasons why you should change your putters.
Some beginner golfers tend to make these putting mistakes that cause poor results on the greens. Fixing these mistakes is more important than getting a new putter:
- Poor set up at the address: how a golfer stands in relation to distance and stance will affect how the ball reacts. Every golfer will need to master the biomechanics of their posture to ensure consistent swings.
- Poor skill level: Even the best putter in the world can’t compensate for lack of skill. If you want great results when it comes to putting, you’ll need to learn how to get good at green reading, distance control, and aiming.
- Lack of patience: If you tend to have mis-hits or can’t seem to dial in your stroke, it’s likely you haven’t had enough practice. You can’t expect to putt well if you don’t practice the art of putting.
Here are reasons why you should change your putter. If you fall into this category, replacing your putter with a better one can yield significantly better results.
Poorly Fitted Putter
Unfortunately, most beginners will purchase putters off the rack. The problem is that off-the-rack putters won’t have the right putter length, lie angle, loft, gift, or head weight. Depending on your height and arm length, you’ll need the right putter length to fit you. A putter that is too long will promote you standing too far away from the ball, where your eyes will be directed inside the ball. Conversely, if the putter is too short, you’ll be standing too close to the ball, and your eyes will be directed beyond the ball.
It doesn’t match your putting style
As mentioned earlier, golfers with an arc-style putt should use a blade putter, while players with a straight-back straight-through putt style should use a mallet-style putter. Make sure to identify your putting style and get the right type of putter based on your needs.
The head size is too small
If you’re using a blade-style putter, when you are experiencing mis-hits, it’s best to use a mallet-style putter. Off-center hits mean you should find a putter with a larger head. This can inspire conscience and increase forgiveness, allowing you to hit accurate shots even with slightly off-target hits.
Your putter doesn’t have a sightline
Larger heads may also have a large bold solid sightline. If you’re using a putter without a sightline, that could be affecting your accuracy on the greens. Using an alignment aid and sightline will allow you to align your ball with the hole easier giving you more consistent results. If you’re missing further putts, having a sightline can help tremendously.
Does an Expensive Putter Make a Difference?
You may be relieved to learn that you don’t need an expensive putter to perform well. In fact, you don’t need an expensive Scotty Cameron to hit putts from ten feet away. For example, the special tour only Scotty Cameron that is priced at $4,500 doesn’t perform better than the standard $500 Scotty Cameron putter.
You want to disregard the price tag. Instead, focus on important factors such as a putter with the correct face, suits your putting style, has the optimal lie angle, and gives you a jolt in confidence when using it.
However, for some people, expensive putters can make a big difference. There are many reasons as to why premium putters can be advantageous such as the additional features, customization, and materials used. One underrated reason is that it can provide a psychological boost in a golfer’s confidence. They may receive a placebo effect where the user believes that the more expensive putter is better, thus executing better on their strokes.
Materials
The materials may differ from expensive putters compared to cheaper putters. Premium putters can be manufactured with cast steel along with an evenly milled clubface to provide an aesthetic look. Furthermore, some putters can be made from copper, aluminum, brass, bronze, zinc, or titanium. As a result, this increases the shelf life of the putter, which may save you money in the long run from having to change out putters frequently.
Features
Some expensive putters may have additional features than less costly putters do not. For example, expensive ones can have altered faces with inserts that add more refined alignment aids above the putter. Furthermore, some putters even let users adjust the actual weight of the putter’s head, which can significantly improve the swing weight.
Conclusion
A putter is unique compared to other golf clubs. It’s the club where you finally score the ball into the hole. Since it has a direct impact on your score, it’s imperative that you find a good putter that you’re comfortable with. We recommend seeking help for an expert and having your putter fitted. Although it’s not necessary to have an expensive putter, having one can certainly help. Whether you feel the difference in material or features, or perhaps, you feel better about your putts, they can help lower your score.
