Putter Perfection

I finally have a putter that is the right size for me.

The phrase “short people problems” is one that is frequently used with reference to me. Reaching the top shelf, not being able to see, not being seen; all occurrences that my 5’2″ self experiences regularly. This is only amplified by the fact that many of my friends and family are significantly taller than I am.

One place that you don’t expect to hear the phrase is on the golf course, but as I mentioned in my post about my club fitting earlier this summer, my height does in fact come into play, particularly when it comes to choosing equipment. My new Wilson Launch Pads were cute down over an inch for me, and I have seen a huge difference in being able to apply the lessons that my coach has focused on, and in general being able to swing the club. I have not replaced my irons yet, but for now choking up on the shaft works. That leaves just one club in the bag whose length presented a problem…my putter.

For perspective, 5’2″ is 62 inches tall, my putter was 35″, as in well over half of my height. That may not seem like a big deal at first, it’s a long stick you use to hit a ball; but if you think about a typical putting set up, you are essentially creating a pendulum, so a longer putter means a longer arc which means more time that you have to control that club path. Many players will choke up on a putter at least somewhat for extra control. When I did that with my old putter I was basically hitting myself in the chest.

As I played more this summer and really focused on my putting, I realized how much that extra height was affecting putting ability. My putter was even taller than my fiancé’s! So it was back to Miles of Golf I went. We didn’t have a putter fitting appointment, but I figured that this should be easier than choosing the driver and woods.

Wrong.

Who knew that choosing a putter would be that hard, or confusing, or mildly stressful. I am not a decisive person, but I am a bit of a perfectionist (not a great quality for an amateur in this game). I was able to narrow my selection down to two, but between the TaylorMade and the Ping models I was choosing between, it was a toss up. There were slight differences between the two, a more centered hosel compared to an offset, the Ping Pistol already had the fatter grip. I didn’t perform better or worse with either, and the pro at the shop was really only able to tell me that both were good and it came down to personal preference. Oy vey. I will spare you the elongated debate that my fiancé witnessed in the store and tell you that I was able to make a decision (about 30 minuets later).

I left the store with a 32″ Ping Pistol Sigma 2. The larger grip is nice for the additional feeling of control, and I like that it helps me to remember not to have the club in a death grip (putts can be stressful). The shorter length is much easier for me to control, and not having the shaft sticking up between my arms is far less distracting. I have been practicing at home this week with my Back 2 Basics mirror and really focusing on a straight back to front stroke. I have also realized that I frequently do not follow through with my stroke, which is something else I need to work on, along with power control (shocker, something that is prevalent throughout my game).

Trying to hit the course this weekend if I can. Drop me a note if you will be out playing!

Until next time,

Fore!

Katherine

This post originally appeared on The Birds and the Tees