What Length Putter Should I Use For Better Strokes?
Golfers always want to achieve a solid putting stroke. I’m sure you do too, right? So to be able to do this, what do you need? You need to find the perfect putter length. This increases your chances of setting up correctly.
“What length putter should I use?” is a question that comes up in golf all the time. And it is asked by both beginners and professionals. Now we know why, don’t we?
The length of the putter depends on two factors; wrist-to-floor calculation and posture. So if you want to get your hands on a putter of the correct length, then you must give importance to putter fitting.
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Should You Get Your Putter Fitted
Many golfers still continue to use their putter even when it doesn’t do them any good. And that’s not the right thing to do. Because a golf club is the only point of contact between you and the ball.
So it better be right, don’t you think? It’s necessary to alter the putter you’re using right now if it’s not giving you the best results. Because putters with an incorrect length tend to ruin your game on the golf course.
So let’s find out more about the correct putter length. Below you’ll find all that you need to know regarding the length of this invaluable golf club.
Why is the putter length so important?
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Before I answer the question, what putter length should I use, you need to know the reason why the length is so critical. A correct or incorrect putter length creates an enormous impact on the stroke.
This can be either positive or negative. When you play with a putter length that’s not suitable for you, do you know what happens? You tend to throw off the putting line. Putters are created so that they may assist you in keeping a check over the golf ball. So the putter’s shaft needs to fall in line with the forearm. This is a part of the proper address position.
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Let me explain the set-up in detail. Your eyes need to be over the ball just when your hips tilt, right? This address position requires you to keep your hands under the shoulders.
Your elbows should be bent, but they must touch the rib cage at the same time. While doing all of this, it’s important to keep your hips over the heels. This is the correct address position, and the putter should be able to fit such a set-up.
Golf Tips: Find the Right Length Putter
Many golfers don’t know how to choose the correct putter length. So let me tell you how it’s done!
- You must get into the putting stance or address position.
- Relax your arms and let them hang naturally.
- Then tell someone to measure the distance between the top of the hands and the floor. The measurement that you get is the correct putter shaft length.
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What happens when the length of the putter is very long?
A lengthy putter forces you to stand way ahead of the golf ball. This causes your eyes to move the ball when in fact they should be over it. When your putter length is longer than it should be, then the club’s arc becomes flatter. On top of that, the putter’s toe tends to be above the ground. And this results in pushing your shot towards the left of the target.
As I have mentioned earlier, you need to let the arms hang naturally. So what a lengthy putter does is draw in the elbows instead. This is subconsciously done to accommodate the putter’s additional length. So such an incorrect address position puts the standard pendulum motion in jeopardy. (What you should know about putter length vs putter height)
What happens when the length of the putter is very short?
If a lengthy putter pushes you away from the ball, then a shorter putter will drive you closer to it. This means that your eyes will move past the line of the target. As a result of which, the putter shaft and path will tend to become more upright.
When the length of this golf club is shorter than it should be, it causes its heel to be above the ground. And such a position forces your shot to travel towards the right side of the target. You should also know that a shorter putter compels you to crouch. And this is how golfers develop back pain.
So what length putter should I use?
There is no right answer to the question, what length putter should I use? The length of the putter depends on your posture and personal measurements. If the putter that you’re using currently produces excellent putting strokes, then the golf club’s length shouldn’t matter.
In professional golf shops, you will find putters ranging from 33 inches to 35 inches. You can compare different sizes just to see what works best for you. You should know that taking some length off the putter affects the feel of the club.
And this can prove to be disadvantageous for longer strikes. It also goes a long way in messing up your well-adjusted tempo.
What length putter should I use with traditional putters?
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Traditional putters are known to produce the perfect pendulum movement. And such a motion, while hitting a stroke, tends to give the putt a perfect roll. Traditional putters have a length of 33 inches to 36 inches.
What length putter should I use with belly putters?
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The belly length of such putters is 41 inches to 46 inches. Belly putters have three key elements that provide stability. These are the two hands and belly. These three points safeguard the golfer’s posture. The technique is known as anchoring, and it’s considered to be illegal in golf.
What length putter should I use with long putters?
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Long putters have a measurement of anything in between 48 inches and 52 inches. Long putters should rest above the chin, chest, or belly button. So you need to pick a length that gives you such a placement. Even long putters require you to use the illegal method of anchoring.
Conclusion
So what length putter should I use for better strokes? The standard putter length is 33, 34, and 35 inches. But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t or can’t alter the length any further. If you’re uncomfortable with the conventional putter length, you can always choose to modify it to suit your preferences.
Just remember that you need to be standing in a more upright position while addressing the putts. This gives you a greater visual perspective for better judgment and an immediate break. So if you’re opting for a putter that has a long shaft, then you become more efficient. While a shorter putter tends to improve the feel on fast greens.
How about you? What length seems like a more suitable option for your putting skills, the long or the short?
I hope the article provided you with the information you were looking for. Is there anything else that you would like to add here? Please feel free to leave your comments in the section below.
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Sources:
1. http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/features/the-game/which-putter-length-should-you-use-94751
2. http://www.pga.com/golf-equipment/buying-guides/golf-equipment-buying-guide-how-buy-putter#