Golf Putter Length – Buying Guide
What is a Putter?
There are numerous types of Golf clubs that a player needs to have in his arsenal. A putter is one of the most useful one among them. A putter is a club that is used to make relatively short and low-speed shots that would help in rolling the ball into the hole from a short distance on the putting green.
A golfer would use a putter in almost every hole, unless he/she can manage to hit a shot that falls right into the hole such as a chip-in.
A common mistake that you can make is giving more priority to the driver club rather than the putter during practice. Your putter will be used for more strokes than your driver and good putting skill can quickly lower your scores the fastest.
Choosing a putter of the correct length can help you setup better, give you consistency of your stroke and give you better speed control.
Resources:
- How to Score in the 60’s (Break 70 Plan)
- How to Score in the 70’s (Break 80 Plan)
- How to Score in the 80’s (Break 90 Plan)
Know your Putter
Putters can be differentiated from other clubs by the face of the club which is almost flat and it is designed in a manner such that it helps the ball roll rather than hitting a flighted shot.
There are some features which are not allowed on other type of clubs but only allowed on putters such as bent shafts, non-circular grips and positional guides (like lines on top of the putter). There are some nicknames also that are used to describe a putter such as the Texas Wedge and the Flat Stick.
Traditionally, putters used to be made out of one solid piece of metal, and it used to be the shortest club that a golfer would carry in his bag. But it is not the case any longer as there are perimeter weighted club heads available now.
Choosing the Correct Putter
There are lot of factors to keep in mind while choosing a putter. You need to choose between a blade and a mallet, the kind of alignment that you prefer, the amount of toe hang that you need, etc. But the most important factor is to understand the length of the putter.
The length of putter will affect your control of the ball. It is essential that you choose the right putter length as it will put you into the proper position at address.
At the position of address, if you do not have good eye position then you will not make a lot of putts.
The proper address position is to have your eyes directly over the ball, your hands under the shoulder, and to have your elbows on the ribs.
If your eyes are too far or over or underneath the golf ball, you will most likely see the incorrect line and adjust your backswing unconsciously.
Read: Best Putting Drills to Practice ASAP
Things to keep in Mind While Choosing Your Putter Length
While choosing the correct putter length you need to take certain things into consideration. The biggest thing to consider is your height, and then consider the way you stand, your posture and your stroke.
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is to play with a putter that is too long.
A putter that is too long will make you stand too far from the ball with your eyes inside the golf ball, and will make it hard for you to find the right line and to get the proper face rotation, and will eventually make you miss your putts to the left of the hole.
On the other hand, if your putter is too short, it will make you stand too close to the ball and with your eyes outside of the ball, and will lead you to missing putts to the right of the hole.
The Simplified Putter Length Guide for You
Most shops have putter length charts. Even though the charts are simply a guideline, it is a great place to start with. There are mainly three styles of putter that are available in the market, namely, standard, long and belly putters.
To better understand about the length of the different styles of putters you can take a look at the below mentioned charts.
Standard Putter Length Chart
The length of this style of putter is based on the average sized person, and understandably is the most common putter available.
The length of this style of putter ranges between 31 to 35 inches.
| Height | Length |
| 6’ or more | 34.5” |
| 5’10” – 5’11” | 34” |
| 5’9” – 5’10” | 33.5” |
| 5’5” – 5’8” | 33” |
| 5’3” – 5’4” | 32.5” |
| 5’1” – 5’2” | 32” |
| 4’11” – 5’0” | 31.5” |
| 4’10” and shorter | 31” |
Belly Putter Length Chart
This type of putter is great for beginners or for someone who does not have great wrist control. A belly putter has a longer shaft and usually touches your belly (hence the name). This enables you to have a better control over your putter.
The length of this style of putter ranges between 38 to 47 inches.
| Height | Length |
| 6’2” or more | 44” – 47” |
| 5’9” – 6’1” | 41” – 44” |
| 5’8” and shorter | 38.5” – 40” |
Long Putter Length Chart
As the name suggests, long putters are longer than both standard and belly putters. The grip is different in a long putter.
The grip is split, meaning that you need to have a grip on the butt of the putter and then there is a break and then there will be another grip for your other hand at about the halfway point of the putter.
Long putters help you to anchor your top hand and gives you more accuracy. Long putters are good for someone who has a pendulum swing.
The length of this style of putter ranges between 45 to 54 inches.
| Height | Length |
| 6’2” or more | 54” |
| 6’0” – 6’1” | 52” |
| 5’11” – 6’0” | 51” |
| 5’10” – 5’11” | 50” |
| 5’9” – 5’10” | 49” |
| 5’8” – 5’9” | 48” |
| 5’7” – 5’8” | 47” |
| 5’6” and shorter | 45” |
Now that you have an understanding of the size chart of different putter styles, it is important to understand your exact measurement so that you can choose the perfect putter for yourself.
To find your perfect measurement, the first thing you need to do is use an actual or an imaginary ball and get into your address position, and hold your putter in a way so that the center is flat on the ground.
You need to make sure that your arms and hands are relaxed and loose at your sides. You need to then measure the total distance from the top your hands to the ground.
Once you have the measurement you can look it up at the above charts to know exactly what size of putter you should be using.
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