"Can I Get a Putter Fitting?"

Which putter is right for you?

I'd love to sit here and proclaim there is a brand, head shape, and neck that is the best putter for the masses, but we already have enough companies and individuals doing that already.

Instead, let's start looking at what some of the things are that you can control and maybe one or two that you might not know about or how to verify if it's in the right ball park.

In this post, we'll assess essentials like putter length, total weight, and swing weight. If you like what you read and watch in this piece, comment below or drop us a message on Instagram and we'll keep expanding our thoughts on this topic.

First, A Story

So many people have asked me "Can I come for a putter fitting?"

The answer is no.

Trust me, there's a good reason for it. And the parallel lies in a full swing example.

When you attend a driver fitting, the fitter can take your swing and work with it. There's enough speed in a full swing to change a shaft, head, loft, and even move a CG location. And like magic, the same arugably mediocre swing just picked up 15 yards and turned slap fades into draws.

Unfortunatley, putting doesn't quite work like that. It's my opinion that there isn't a way for a player to change the putter and magically solve aim, path, start line, and speed issues. Those changes are rooted in mechanics and how the player moeves the putter. Once foundational pieces like the setup, arm structure, and movement pattern are better defined, then selecting a putter makes more sense. We will likely have more putter options at that point rather than just being limited to picking from the few that might be needed to overcome a particular bias. That said, no, we can't run through a stand alone putter fitting and expect meaningful change. But we can make sure that your system is built for you so the putter works best. During The Putting Experience, I rebuild setups and movement patterns so there is a larger selection of possible putters for players. The ones we select going out the door meet the below parameters.

Putter Length

If you're battling putter length, it's going to be a long road to making more putts. One of the observations I notice in The Garage is that players tend to fit their setup to the putter and then try to build around that. A full swing equivalent is like a player not getting the proper length irons based on their height, especially a junior golfer. We'd never do that, yet it seems almost commonplace for putting.

Here's a look at how your setup can change based on the putter length. Use the sample photos as reference to compare against your pictures and videos if exploring this area on your own.

Putter Weight

How heavy or light your putter needs to be depends on your setup and technique to create movement. If you want to learn how to check that, watch the video below. Lighter putters tend to fall around 500-510g total (static) weight. Newer blades like Scotty Cameron Newport and Newport 2 putters are around 535g. Mallets like the Taylor Made Spider tend to start pushing towards 550-560g.

Putter Swing Weight

This one can be tricky, but a really good one for players to help quantify the feel of a putter. Basically swing weight tells us how heavy a putter head feels relative to the grip end of the putter.

If you're the player that says "I just can't feel the head," you might have the right total weight putter, but the head could be too light and the grip might be too large and heavy. This would cause a player to "not feel the head" and struggle with things like direction.

Picking Your Putter

How do you know which putter is right for you? Well, you'll likely need to experiment with all of these facets, but I would do so responsibly. Here's how: Start with length. Your movement pattern will likely stink if you're trying to accommodate too long or too short a putter. Next, check the total weight. As recommended in the video, seeing which of two different weights helps you improve your dispersion with the Small Base Stroke could be a good indicator.

Lastly, check your swing weight. Make sure the head feels good without sacrificing the total weight. You'll need to find someone with a swing weight scale to check, but most big box stores have one readily available. You can also grab a basic one from Golf Works HERE if you're a club junkie and like to experiment on your own.

To stop guessing once and for all, you can also schedule a Putting Experience where we will make sure you are very much in the ball park by the time you are done. Nothing like a quality hands on experience to start getting the easy stuff right!