Day 14: Find The Right Putter For You

A few years ago Tom Morton, director of the Player Performance Studio at Haggin Oaks Golf Super Shop in Sacramento, Calif., told Golf Digest that at best one in four golfers are using the right putter. "And that’s mostly by luck," he says.

One of the reasons for that low percentage is that golfers often choose a putter based on comfort level, what they see on tour or simply what they grab off the rack after three-putting the last hole to lose the $5 Nassau. That’s a bad approach given all the tools available that can make choosing a putter a science rather than an art.

Just as with drivers, there are variables in putters that must be correct. Loft, length and lie angle are chief among them. Fitting for the proper stroke type (strong arc, slight arc or straight back and through) also is critical. Ping, in particular, has conducted intense research in this area. What the company found was players with more of a swinging gate or open-to-close type of stroke perform more consistently with a putter that has toe hang (most heel-shafted blades). A face-balanced putter (usually mallets or center-shafted blades) work best for players with a straight back, straight through stroke.

Take a scientific approach to choosing your putter and you’ll feel more comfortable—and confident—standing over that six-footer for the win.