Equipment tip of the week  

Heavy putter vs. light putter

A big key to distance control in putting is the swingweight of the clubhead. This is an important criteria because the swingweight of the club will have some influence on the distance the ball will travel. Generally, it is harder to control distance with a heavier putter than with a lighter putter. I’ve found it to be easier to control the tempo and rhythm of the stroke with a light putter which translates into more precise distance control. The only time it may be beneficial to have a heavy putter is when you play really slow greens, but I still feel that it is easier to adjust to slower and different speed greens with a lighter putter.

Putter weight addendum

If you tend to have a quick, short, jabby style putting stroke then you'll probably do best with a light weight(C5-D0swingweight) putter with a very stiff shaft.

If you have a long flowing, pendulum style stroke you'll benefit from a heavier(D5-E5) putter with a more flexible shaft.

The reason is because a slow pendulum stroke made with a light putter will actually decelerate the putter head upon collision with the ball and you will have problems with distance control by mostly coming up short most of the time. A heavier head putter will always maintain its momentum better than a light head putter upon collision with the ball. With a jabby stroke and a lightweight putter you can negate some of the extra force to help control your distances