You wouldn’t get fit for a driver without ball data so why chose a putter without it?

- Dr. Paul Hurrion

The Importance of a Putter Fitting

Most of you will have by now experienced the process of getting a fitting for that latest driver or perhaps a new set of irons, and having seen the tangible benefits of this personalized service, you likely never buy off the shelf again. However, despite this evolution in purchasing habits, most golfers still tend to buy putters in the same old impulsive manner—often making a hasty decision based on what catches their eye in the pro shop or at a high street retailer. This is probably because it looked visually appealing, resembling the one it is replacing that has been misbehaving in your hands. Additionally, the delightful memory of holing 5 out of 6 putts on the shop’s pristine flat green can easily cloud judgment.

The putter is the one club we are all likely to use on every green, and it's important to note that putting constitutes a significant 40% of every round we play. Unfortunately, it is usually the club for which we dedicate the least time getting fitted to our individual stroke. Many golfers end up paying a heavy price in terms of performance as a result of this oversight.

While a properly fitted putter is no silver bullet, it can certainly make a substantial difference, both technically and psychologically, in the overall golfing experience. The benefits of a well-fitted putter include improved aim tendencies and enhanced speed control, and by sharpening these two critical elements, you will find yourself holing more birdie putts and experiencing fewer frustrating three-putts.

During my putter fitting sessions at TeeBox, I utilize the latest ball and club tracking technologies from Quintic and Science & Motion to capture a detailed picture of not only the putter's performance but also how the ball rolls as a direct result. Only when you measure both components can you achieve a true understanding of what is working well and what might not be so effective about your putter.

The Four Elements of a Putter Fitting

Head Style

Choosing a head style that suits both the eye of the golfer and their aim and stroke requirements is an often an overlooked element of the fit. Head design can really help with aim, path stability and speed consistency. Too many just pick on looks or who is playing it on Tour without really understanding the influence of that choice on their putting.
Length & Lie

The correct length is vital to this process as it helps lock in the correct posture for the player and so aid in creating consistency. Often incorrect length can lead to error in the stroke that just bending over more or gripping down don’t solve. Lie is also important as can influence the strike point and often aim but is linked to length so you must look at both as one element with the fit.
Loft

Many of the players I have fitted have been surprised that a putter even had loft let alone the importance of getting it set right for their strokes. As most soon realise when they see the effect on the Quintic Ball Roll Software how vital it is to their ability to control speed. Like everything in golf you can easily have too much or too little and everyone’s just right is often quite unique to them. Get it right and rolling that ball at a consistent speed is a lot easier and better speed control is vital to good putting.
Grip Selection

Like the full swing the grip of the putter is our only contact point so it is important to get this right. The right grip selection is balance of feel & control and sadly quite a subjective decision. But with modern grip choices and new adjustability systems its easier than ever to test different grips.