Golf Basics - Choosing Your Putter

The three lowest priorities to consider when choosing a putter are:

*The kind your best friend, who happens to be a great putter... unless of course you have had a chance to actually putt with it and you truly do like it.

*The one that looks nice or is the latest fad putter.

*The one the tour pro endorses

This is one of the most important considerations when choosing a putter; avoid all three of the above methods of choosing!

Putters have specifications and characteristics that can effect your putting in good or bad ways. Here are the qualities you need to look for:

*Shaft length and lie angel (the angle the shaft comes out of the head of the club) must fit you in three ways

*It must allow you to address the ball with your eyes directly over the target line while your hands are under your shoulders.

*If must be long enough so you are completely comfortable in your shoulders, legs or back when practicing for long periods of time and don't experience unusual fatigue.

*You should choose a design that will help eliminate your most common mistakes.

To find out what these are put a piece of impact tape on the putter you now use and stroke 30 putts, if your marks are mostly near the heel you want a heel-shaft putter (the shaft enters the heel of the putter).

If you tend to strike towards the head, you want a center shafted putter.

*If you want alignment aids on your clubs, get them, they are legal and anything that helps your stroke is encouraged.

*Find a putter with a light club head, try a few strokes with it, then tape a couple of dimes to the back of the head, does it feel better or worse to put with the added weight.

*Grip size and shape are important factors; the grip needs to be small enough for you to be able to control easily, but big enough so your fingers don't overlap uncomfortably.

In fact, the putter is the only club allowed to have a flat top on the grip. This allows for more consistent grip each time you use it.

Putting is such a 'feel' part of the game, so the putter you eventually choose will be the putter that best fits your eye and works best for you. So, take your time and try out several makes and models before you make your final decision.