Archives For Equipment
Why am I using a new putter? Because the old one didn’t float too well. ~ Craig Stadler
Most amateurs will spend time and money getting fitted for their drivers every year but won’t come out of pocket for a new putter. I get it, we all want to hit it farther and getting on a launch monitor testing new drivers is fun. I enjoy it too! But trust me when I say hitting it 5 yards farther will not help you get better. However, getting properly fitted for your putter is vitally important to helping you improve your scoring and handicap.
The good news is a new putter shouldn’t set you back as much as a new driver. The bad news is most off-the-rack putters won’t fit you right. They will need to be modified slightly. Length and lie angle are the most important factors to optimizing your putter for set up and stroke. And both can be easily adjusted with the help of a reputable club maker. It is important to spend time getting personally set up so you can eliminate variables and focus solely on making more putts.
Some basic fitting fundamentals to think about:
- Eyes over the ball or just inside the ball to help you see the correct line
- Putter head should be relatively flat on the ground
- Arms hanging comfortably with hands 3-4″ from the body
A putter too long will force your hands out of position and get the putter/ball position outside your eye line with the toe of the putter up in the air. This causes mishits on the heel and usually causes the path to come inside.
A putter too short with force you to bend over too much with your eye line outside the ball causing the opposite; heel up in the air with mishits on the toe and the path starting outside the line.
In either situation a mishit occurs and the path of the putter is not correct making it impossible to consistently start the ball on the correct line. You may make some putts like that but over time it will be very difficult to putt consistently well.
There is no perfect method to putting, but the key is consistency and knowing you’ll get the ball started on the correct target line. A properly fit putter will help you eliminate variables and make more putts.
Have you ever been fitted for a putter?
photo credit: Nicki’s Pix
Well it is getting hot. I played a couple of times in July and it was 100 degrees.
We are working hard on the reworking of View from the Fringe. We are excited about the new direction and design.
Until then a few chip shots:
Last week I played at Meadowlands Golf Club. I got off to one of my best starts in a while going birdie, birdie, birdie, par, birdie, par, birdie. Five under through the first seven! Wow! Then I woke up and pared the last 11 holes in a row. Lesson: Keep in the moment one shot at a time.
Saw Bubba Watson out there. I haven’t seen him in since we were jrs. competing. It is awesome to see him winning and playing well. When we were kids he used to wear pink socks and promptly win everything he played in. Nice guy and great talent. Keep up with him on Twitter at @bubbawatson.
Global Golf Post continues to deliver great golf content. If you don’t subscribe and you love golf, you are missing a great digital magazine.
I’m in the market for a new driver. Any good suggestions?
Every year the PGA Merchandise show converges on Orlando.
Anything and everything golf related makes a splash.
Check out the Link to the HQ
Follow the action with some of the top golf bloggers in attendance
Also check out the streams from #pgashow on twitter
I haven’t kept up with equipment too much. I wonder if they will announce the igolf? Yep, it is Apple’s newest product launch on the heels of the recently unveiled ipad.
The new device actually allows you to swing like Fred Couples, Jonathan Byrd, or Michele Wei depending on which app you download. The putting app produces a Mutual of Omaha putting line on the green which makes it easier to line up putts.
Ok, just kidding.
I am curious to see what the golf world will unveil this week. What are you looking forward to hitting?
