Finding the best putter to suit your stroke may seem like a perplexing task but with the help of eGolf Megastore’s Custom-fit Specialist, Jason Ashley, you can make the right choice and shave a few shots off your card. Worldwide Golf headed down to the UAE’s newest golfing paradise – The Trump International Golf Club, Dubai – to pick Jason’s brains about what to look for in a short stick and the differences between the most superior putters on the market, all of which can be purchased and fitted at eGolf Megastore.
What to look for?
With all the various options out there on the market, it can be difficult to choose the right putter. Where the face is at impact is the most important thing – the ball will start 95-98% where the face is pointing at impact, so that dictates direction as well as the effect the vertical face angle or loft has on the way the ball rolls, which helps control your speed. These aspects are crucial in finding the right putter that will help you point the face to your target at impact. When you hit 10 or so balls from the same spot, you want them all to start in a very similar direction. Starting lines will show you have the right type of putter for your stroke. This to me is the most crucial aspect of getting the right putter for your stroke.
Type of stroke
The type of stroke you have will help you choose the correct style putter. If you arc the putter and rotate the face open and closed through the stoke then a toe-weighted (toe hanged) or semi toe-weighted putter would suit you more. If your stroke is relatively straight back and straight through, then a face-balanced putter would work better for you. These are general principles and there are exceptions to the rule so it is always good to try out different styles.
Distance control
Distance control comes from a few different things, strike, tempo of stroke, stroke length and how hard you hit it. From a fitting perspective it’s very important to be consistent presenting the face vertically, that will have a big role in how high or low you strike the ball on the face and how much or how little loft you have on the putter at impact. Both aspects influence how the ball will roll, getting the right neck, bend or angle the shaft goes into the head at is crucial in a consistent impact position and will help you control your pace.
