Putter Fitting Basics



Posted: Sunday, April 20, 2008

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All manufactures are making it easier and easier for the club professional to do club fittings for their members. This is not limited to drivers and irons but has expanded to being able to do a wedge and/or a putter fitting at your club. How many times have we all heard it, putting is more than fifty percent of your shots taken in a round of golf. Yet, we all still spend more time with the driver and are willing to get fit for that but not go through a putter fitting. Why not have a putter fitting before the other bandits in your regular group do? Again, the putting fitting systems that are supplied to the PGA Professional will make sure that you have the proper putter in your hand. This will allow you to make your stroke without needing to manipulate the putter.

The professional will basically take you through the five stages of the putter fitting. This would include:

1.      Putter fitting basic - The putter length - I find that a least 80 percent of people are playing with putters that do not fit them. The vast majority are too long for them. Most players should be able to take their grip and stance that allows their arms to freely hang to where they grip their putter. When your arms bend, you are creating more levers and more moving parts. Most "standard" putters found in golf shops are 35 inches and longer. This is simply to long for most male players let alone female players.

2.      Putter fitting basic - The lie angle – The lie angle is the angle created by the bottom of the club and the club shaft. You want your putter to sit flat on the putting surface. If the lie angle is too upright (toe in the air) for a player they will have the tendency to start putts to the left of the target. Conversely, if the putter is too flat (heel in the air), the player will then have the tendency to start their putts to the right of the target. The length and lie angle will play a large part in whether of not the player is positioned such that his eyes are over the target line and if the putter is sitting flat on the ground.

3.      Putter fitting basic - The putter loft – Yes a putter does have loft. Typically 3-6 degrees. This needs to be thought about depending on your consistent impact position. Players that forward press and are able to keep the handle ahead of the impact tend to like putters with a little more loft on them.

4.      Putter fitting basic - The amount of offset on the putter- This again will be determined by how you deliver the putter to the ball. You PGA Professional can help determine this during the putter fitting as it is difficult to explain here.

5.      Putter fitting basic - The putter grip – This is much more important than most give it credit for in the stroke. Ideally, you would like the lifeline of the left hand to go down the left side of the putter grip. Place your left hand on the club and raise it so it is pointing in front of you. This should create a straight line with no bend at the wrist. Your forearm and putter shaft should create a straight line. If there is and angle there, you have the putter grip positioned too much in the fingers and you need to get it more in the palm and the lifeline. The same would be true for the right hand. This is where most people make their mistake. However this allows you to have the putter shaft pretty vertical and allows you to make the best pendulum stroke.
 
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