I’ve always held firm that you could hand me a sawed-off broom stick with a block of wood nailed to the bottom and it would work as effectively as the most expensive putter on the market. But am I right?
I’ve had one golf buddy tell me you should never spend less than $100 on a putter! He would go on and on about how the putter is the most important club in your bag. And who knows, maybe he’s right?
I actually completed a round putting with a 3-wood one time because I broke my putter across my knee after 5-putting a green. And though I couldn’t really tell the difference, I can’t imagine that would be as accurate as using an actual putter.
These days I’m using a “Condor” Balata putter from Connecticut-based golf company NGC. Now over the years, NGC has had a tendency to bend the USGA equipment rules. But since I live in CT, I see my purchase as supporting a local golf business. And even though NGC claims the Condor “can double your putting accuracy,” I still don’t see much of a difference with my results.
Of course, I simply may not be a good enough player to notice. I mean, golf pros will tell you the right putter will be the difference between making a 10-footer or missing by a quarter-inch. I suppose that could be true and my green-reading skills are just atrocious.
But I also think that putting has a lot to do with the look and feel of the putter you use. In other words, if you think you’ll putt better with it, you probably will. You can apply this argument to the rest of your clubs too, but the style of putter seems to be of particular interest to golfers. That being said, perhaps you just need to find a putter you like and not worry about the cost?
So are all putters are basically the same and it’s just a matter of personal taste? Perhaps we golfers just like to spend money thinking we are getting a fancier, more technologically advanced piece of equipment? Or does golf tech really make the difference between sinking a putt and missing by a quarter-inch?
Take the poll below and tell us if the type of putter matters and feel free to elaborate in the comments section.
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I would suggest that the visual aspect of any club is very important. If you are not confident using a club then you will not be successful. I agree that the more you practice, the better golfer you will be. Thanks for sharing.
The Grateful Golfer
It think the putter makes a difference but not as much as some people say. What matters the most is how long the putter is. The vast majority of players play with putters that are too long for them and for that reason have a bad posture over the ball. Unless you are very tall you should not be playing with a putter that is 35″ long, yet that is the most common length sold. It makes no sense.
I think putter head weight and shaft length are important factors in choosing a new putter. Some with the new face inserts are something I have yet been able to try. If you think it makes you putt better, then that’s what counts!
It is important that whatever putter you’re using, to support your putting style. So, I’d rather spend some money on a decent fitting than a fancy high-tech design.
Although I own 30+ putters (including an Odyssey Tri-Hot #2 that set my wife back almost $300), I answered ‘no’ to the poll, with this caveat: Every putter I’ve ever wielded was magic–for about six holes. Then it realizes who is holding it and no longer feels compelled to contribute to the effort. (On the other hand, my wife carries a beat-up old Ping Anser 2 that we paid $9 for at Play-It-Again-Sports and putts rings around me. Go figure.)
I couldn’t agree more! My experience and opinion are almost the same.
Putting is so much about confidence that even if you just like the look of a putter type more than the other I would go for that one. It will give you that extra boost every time you pull it out of the bag.