Headweight, Light or Heavy.....or Depends

[A.Princey]

I've got a decent stable of putters in my basement, and from time to time I like to switch it up to get a different look. I've got some light(320ish) and some heavy(365ish), and some variable ones that receive sole weights.

 

I've been practicing my stroke and have gotten it honed quite well, but it seems the lighter heads around 330 have prevailed as the winners. Am I a fool to use the heavier sitcks, even if just on super fast greens?

[bogeypro]

I’ve recentk switched to lighter head. It’s revived my putting. Heavier seems to effect my feel.

[A.Princey]

With the heavier heads I tend to lose control of the face on long putts and my intended path is usually offline from the actual travel path. The lighter heads have my stroke more in rhythm with my shoulders, one unit per se. I still think that a considerably heavier head would benefit me on a fast green, so I'm not entirely dejected about having heavier ones on the bench for now.

 

The Byron in my avatar is the one I really hate to see sit, it's why I created the thread, but I don't plan on selling unless I find it totally detrimental to my putting. My last ten rounds with a 325ish gram head, exclusively, I've averged 27p per round and a low of 24, even with a decent GIR percentage.

[SDL]

I think you need to look at both head weight and total weight in relation to feel and swing weight at a particular club length. With the trend toward increases in putter head weight, many modern putters feel too heavy to me. However, simply going to a lighter head weight, especially at shorter putter lengths can make the putter feel too light, which can reduce accuracy on shorter putts. For me, heavier putters are harder to use for precise lag putting on long putts so I'm forced to balance the trade-off between short putts and long putts.

 

Using a Ping Ketsch putter at 34.5" in length, my best compromise solution has been to use the standard 355 gram head and then counterbalance it by a 40 gram Tour Lock insert in the shaft under a 60 gram SuperStroke grip. (A heavy 100 gram grip could accomplish roughly the same counterbalancing.) This makes the overall weight of the putter higher without putting all the weight in the head. For me, this takes some of the wrist action out of my stroke on short putts while still allowing good touch on long lag putts. Other players might prefer a different overall weight or balance, but it may take some experimentation to figure out what works best.

[A.Princey]

I could have mentioned that I do use counter weight already, forgot to include this, sorry. ~75g in the butt of each putter shaft. Somehow the overall increased putter heft stabilizes the stroke, while the lighter head lets me release it better. Goldilocks zone for me.

 

I agree though, with a light head alone, it would be too light overall.

[FlyOver]

With the heavier heads I tend to lose control of the face on long putts and my intended path is usually offline from the actual travel path. The lighter heads have my stroke more in rhythm with my shoulders, one unit per se. I still think that a considerably heavier head would benefit me on a fast green, so I'm not entirely dejected about having heavier ones on the bench for now.

 

The Byron in my avatar is the one I really hate to see sit, it's why I created the thread, but I don't plan on selling unless I find it totally detrimental to my putting. My last ten rounds with a 325ish gram head, exclusively, I've averged 27p per round and a low of 24, even with a decent GIR percentage.

 

27 putts per round!!! That is tour average, nice!

[A.Princey]

Lots and lots of 1 putts, mid and long iron approaches usually missing the green and good up and downs. Still, way more total footage of made putts these days as my make % from inside 10ft has doubled lately. I have made a grip change too, which is what initially had me doubting use of heavier heads because my stroke was off.

 

I'm playing close to scratch since the end of May, probably a 2, but time will tell if I've really improved. This is also the first season I've really dedicated to practice and improving since I quit drinking two years ago(the long nights and gut rot put a serious damper on my game).

[FlyOver]

Lots and lots of 1 putts, mid and long iron approaches usually missing the green and good up and downs. Still, way more total footage of made putts these days as my make % from inside 10ft has doubled lately. I have made a grip change too, which is what initially had me doubting use of heavier heads because my stroke was off.

 

I'm playing close to scratch since the end of May, probably a 2, but time will tell if I've really improved. This is also the first season I've really dedicated to practice and improving since I quit drinking two years ago(the long nights and gut rot put a serious damper on my game).

 

I’m a 3.7 hdcp and average 31 putts per round and about 50% greens. If I can get down to 27 putts per round, I would be scratch.

[A.Princey]

All numbers aside though, I can tell a dramatic difference in my game once I get on the greens these days.

[SDL]

I could have mentioned that I do use counter weight already, forgot to include this, sorry. ~75g in the butt of each putter shaft. Somehow the overall increased putter heft stabilizes the stroke, while the lighter head lets me release it better. Goldilocks zone for me.

 

I agree though, with a light head alone, it would be too light overall.

 

It looks like you've found a headweight/counterweight balance that works for you, which is great. What is the total weight of your putter?

[danattherock]

Very much a personal thing in my opinion. I favor lighter putters, no counterbalance. Scotty Tei3 with new flat cat standard is impressing me, especially with direction control. That flat grip is interesting, I have used pingmans forever, but had to try one. I am a big guy, heavy handed i guess, and whatever the reason have better distance control with a longer stroke and lighter putter head. Truthfully, i think any good putter, fundamentals and practice, can use any weight putter within reason. I do seem to prefer lighter putters though, whatever the reason. I put a lot of thought into grip, physical rubber grip, and also my hand position. This is a huge thing for me and took a long time to get right. Dual pistoleros grip, both index fingers down grip, from Geoff Mangum.

[A.Princey]

I think the putting grip(hand placement) change has as much or more to do with success than head weight, to be honest. Also, I had some pretty competitive rounds ahead of me when I changed my hand placement, so I putted around in my basement whenever I got a spare moment for 10mins at a time to familiarize my hands with the new feeling. Just practicing setup, hitting putts true(center face), and practice getting them exactly online once or twice everyday is reaping benefits as well.

 

All this time spent perfecting a good stroke is where the lighter head has shone through as a clear winner. I practice putts of 15-20' in length, where I need to feel perfect contact and see the ball roll exactly online, usually aiming to hit the first ball with the second. I do this everyday now, sometimes before bed, and other times randomly throughout the day. Hitting precise aim lines, and center contact is why my avg is so low lately, all because I putt 20ish mins everyday just for feel, not to a cup.

[Jagpilotohio]

I don’t understand the heavy heads or shaft weight plugs. No thanks.

 

It was not so long ago that 330 gram heads were standard and weight plugs didn’t exist.

 

I’m just rambling. Certainly Use whatever works. It really Doesn’t matter what I use. I’m a lost cause. My putting sucks. I average 32 putts a round. I can’t read greens anymore since I started wearing glasses so it doesn’t matter what I use. Misery.

[ohioglfr]

All my putters swing weight at D5.

Just seems best for me.

 

[rawbuffalo]

I don’t understand the heavier head on fast greens. With a heavier head I blast everything by the hole. Maybe I’m just used to the 330g head weight though

[Pwood28]

I just listened to a good podcast with David Edel as a guest. When the talk came to head weight, he looked at it as a function of stroke length. He fits players with shorter strokes into light weight putters (he mentioned as light as 320g!), medium length into medium weight (330-340g) with some counter weight and longer stokes into heavier heads (350+, with a bunch of counter weight). The counter weight being used to keep the swing weight constant throughout the different head weights.

 

Found this interesting and thinking about playing around with some different weight myself.

[dmeeksDC]

I think you need to look at both head weight and total weight in relation to feel and swing weight at a particular club length. With the trend toward increases in putter head weight, many modern putters feel too heavy to me. However, simply going to a lighter head weight, especially at shorter putter lengths can make the putter feel too light, which can reduce accuracy on shorter putts. For me, heavier putters are harder to use for precise lag putting on long putts so I'm forced to balance the trade-off between short putts and long putts.

 

Using a Ping Ketsch putter at 34.5" in length, my best compromise solution has been to use the standard 355 gram head and then counterbalance it by a 40 gram Tour Lock insert in the shaft under a 60 gram SuperStroke grip. (A heavy 100 gram grip could accomplish roughly the same counterbalancing.) This makes the overall weight of the putter higher without putting all the weight in the head. For me, this takes some of the wrist action out of my stroke on short putts while still allowing good touch on long lag putts. Other players might prefer a different overall weight or balance, but it may take some experimentation to figure out what works best.

 

+1. This is what I do, only I do it with a 100 gram grip plus 30 grams in the shaft under my lower hand. And I use a slightly heavier head of 365 grams. Makes the putter feel balanced, not head heavy. It feels great and this combo works well for me on getting the speed right. If you’ve never tried it, don’t think of it as a heavy putter build because it doesn’t feel that way putting.

 

Can’t stand a heavy feeling putter but “silent weight” you don’t feel can really help your stroke. This is the weight fitting theory of David Edel. They want the putter to feel balanced and comfortable and smooth, not heavy — no matter what it weighs.