| The Most Common Fitting Mistake with Putters | | | | It’s like trying to fit yourself to eye glasses – |
| Two things. Incorrect length, which affects ultimately | | | | you’re not going to be very successful at it on your |
| the distance you stand from the ball, your posture | | | | own. At coutourgolf.com, we have a fitting form where |
| (relationship to the ball), and your arms in relation to | | | | you can plug in your height and your knuckles to |
| your body. Those are three really important things | | | | ground measurement (arm length in relation to ground), |
| because if your putter is too long, you’re either | | | | and it will tell you what length putter fits you based on |
| going to stand too far from the ball, or you’re going | | | | this information. It will tell you what length putter and |
| to have your arms jammed up into your body. If the | | | | swingweight fits you based on your height and arm |
| putter is too short, you’re either going to bend over | | | | length. |
| past the ball or have your arms stretched out, | | | | What length putt gives amateurs the most trouble and |
| because you’re reaching down, and disconnected. | | | | why?l think you have to look at both short putts and |
| If you can get the right length putter then you can lock | | | | lag putts. From 10 feet out, most amateurs have no |
| in your setup every time. | | | | real expectation of making the putt so direction is not |
| I would also have to say swingweight. People get | | | | that important, and from 20 feet, even if they mishit it, |
| confused by swingweight because it’s hard to | | | | they’ll probably be okay. |
| explain a feel, and that’s what swingweight is. | | | | Poor fundamentals show up most on short putts |
| It’s the feel of the putterhead as it goes back and | | | | because they can’t make a 4-footer if they have |
| forth. If a player doesn’t feel the clubhead, it affects | | | | the putterhead coming in from the outside with the |
| his distance control because he can’t really develop | | | | face open; they don’t have enough time to recover |
| good rhythm or balance during the stroke. | | | | whereas with the longer stroke, they can. Once they |
| Amateurs’ Putters too Long or too Short? | | | | get past 20 feet to the longer putts – let’s say, |
| It's really hard to say, because it depends on the | | | | 30 to 50 feet – they’ll struggle because they |
| individual’s height and body type. You might have | | | | don’t put a good enough roll on the ball to control |
| two guys who are the same height – one who’s | | | | their speed. |
| all legs and the other who’s all body – but the | | | | Where putting is made or broken is how good is your |
| guy who's got long arms and a long torso is going to | | | | speed control in lag putting, how close do you get that |
| use a shorter putter. Length really does make a | | | | first one, and how well do you convert from 3- to |
| difference, but it’s got to be right for your body | | | | 5-foot range? That’s where your mechanics really |
| type. What we have found in our fittings is that guys | | | | show. |
| who are typically 6-foot-3 to 6-5 need something in | | | | Where putting is made or broken is how good is your |
| the 36-inch category; guys that are 6-1, 6-2 need a | | | | speed control in lag putting, how close do you get that |
| 35-inch putter, guys who are 6 foot, 34 inches, 5-9, 33 | | | | first one, and how well do you convert from 3- to |
| inches, and so on. | | | | 5-foot range? That’s where your mechanics really |
| If you don’t know if your putter fits you, or is the | | | | show. |
| proper length, is there a way to check? | | | | |