Choosing the Best Putter -- For YOU

More than any other club in your bag, the putter is the most personal and -- for most of us -- the most intimate of player/club relationships. Many of us still have our very first putter, or the one we made our first birdie with, or the one we shot our lowest round with, etc. While the best putter for you is the one that gets the ball in the hole, there are some differences -- in both design and performance -- that will help your putting game, whether you shoot 72 or 102.

Beginning Golfer

There are two basic types of putters: Blade and Mallet. A blade putter is narrow (front to back) and often incorporates extra weighting in the heel and toe of the putter head. The shaft can be attached in any number of ways, but in general is aligned more closely with the center of the club head. A mallet is often as deep (or deeper) than it is is wide. Again, shafts can be attached in any number of ways. Mallet style putters often feature additional "alignment aids" and, due to their larger size, are generally effective with this technique. Within each of these two categories are an infinite number of variations on each type. The putter is easily the most varied piece of golf equipment -- almost hard to believe when you look at the number of drivers available these days -- but true nonetheless.

Since beginning golfers tend to be inconsistent with their putting stroke, a heavier putter is recommended -- the mallet type is often heavier -- which can result in a slower, smoother, and more consistent pendulum-like stroke. Since most beginners don't have unlimited funds with which to experiment with different putters, check out places like your local swap meets, second-hand stores, Play-It-Again Sports outlet, or the used putter barrel at your driving range or golf course, and poke around. Most of these places will have a putting green for you to try things out on, and the golf course or driving range will almost certainly let you take it our for a spin to see how it feels. I went through 4 or 5 putter types in my early years in golf and never spent more than $20 on any one of them. (Most of which I still have today... because you just never know!)

Some good performance and good buys in used mallets are the original Zebra putter (Zebra Golf), the TaylorMade Rossi Monza model and the Odyssey (Callaway) Two-Ball putter. The important thing for a beginner to remember is to try out as many putters as you can, until you find the right one for you -- a putter you feel comfortable and confident with. In time, your putting average will come down and you'll have fewer three-putts and more one-putt greens.

Intermediate Golfer

This is perhaps the toughest category to highlight a putter for. Your game is good enough that most any putter on the market could work for you, be it mallet, blade, or anything else that might be available. Yet there are some things to be aware of as your game progresses and your putting becomes more consistent.

As you have passed through and beyond the beginning golfer stage, your putting stroke has probably gotten more consistence, reliable, and even. However, if you're still in this stage, chances are your stroke lets you down in one of two ways: either your distance control or direction. Since harnessing both of these is critical to good putting, let's take a look at what putters can help you improve each of these areas.

Distance Control: perhaps more even than direction, nothing is more frustrating than hitting your putt exactly on the line you want, but having it come up 6 feet short, or blast 10 feet past the hole. If you generally play on very fast and firm greens, then a heavier putter is probably best. If you play more on rougher, slower greens, then a lighter putter might improve your overall performance. You may have reached the point in your game where getting fit for a putter is a good idea. If putting is the best part of your game, then taking the time to be fit for a putter with the proper loft, length, lie, etc., could be a wise investment. However, maybe you're just looking for an upgrade and want to try the latest, greatest thing. Just as a heavy putter can be a good thing for a beginner, the tables can turn, and it could be disastrous for a better player. As your putting stroke improves, a heavy putter can often begin to feel sluggish and unresponsive in your hands. You'll also need to pay attention to the sound of the ball coming off the putter face. Again, a heavy putter may have a dead sound and not give the feedback that you need to continue to improve. Some popular options for this category are the Ping Scottsdale Anser 2, and the TaylorMade Ghost TM-110 Tour.

Advanced Golfer

If you're a single-digit player, putting is more than likely one of the best parts of your game. You may even have the first putter you ever played with and have just learned to use it more effectively. However, if you're like most of us, a new putter is nearly always an option. At the top end of the scale are the boutique putters from makers like Bettinardi, Scotty Cameron, T.P. Mills, and others. At this level, you select a basic model and then all of the characteristics -- loft, lie, weight, length, etc. -- are dialed in to your specifications. You can even be custom fit for a putter (though the equipment needed to do so is expensive and thus somewhat hard to find). Expect the price tag for a custom putter to start in the $300 range and go up from there. It's no coincidence the majority of better players use some form of a blade style putter. A blade has come to encompass some pretty radical designs, but at the end of the day, it still qualifies as one. As you strive to shave those last few strokes from your handicap, make sure to consider things like the proper length (many, many golfers use a putter far too long for them) and grip size. Even the grip texture can have an influence on your stroke.

The final thing to consider is the long putter. Ten years ago, this was seen as a crutch for poor putting; now, this style of putter has seen a nearly 180-degree turn in acceptance. With players like Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Fred Couples, and many more using some form of a long putter, it no longer has such a negative stigma associated with it. Just like their shorter counterparts, long putters come in both blade and mallet designs and have many of the same playing characteristics.

Summary

While the information and thoughts above will certainly give you some guidance and direction on choosing a putter, the bottom line is: find the one that feels good to you. Just because you're a 25-handicap doesn't mean a Scotty Cameron Newport putter won't work for you. If it gets the ball in the hole on a consistent basis, then it is the right putter for you.

The Tear Drop putter model TD42 is a flanged blade model with a fluted shaft and over-sweep hosel. Modeled on the same lines as the iconic Wilson 8802, this is what most of us (over the age of 50, anyway) think of when we think about a putter. The lines are simple, graceful and altogether pleasing as they come together. All Tear Drop putters, including the TD42, are precision milled from a block of 11L-17 cold roll stainless steel and given a soft, gold finish. The techno aspect of the Tear Drop line is the ROLL-FACE Technology that was developed to fit any player's putting stroke. Rather than the golfer adapting to the putter, the putter fits you. The precision milling puts the optimal face radius on each model in the Tear Drop line and -- if the hundreds of online comments are any indication -- produced one of the highest quality, best feeling putters ever made. Unlike many of the Tear Drop line, the TD42 is available in both a left and right hand version. Length options include 33", 34", 35" and 36" and all are fitted with a Lamkin smooth wrap putter grip and True Temper putter shaft.

If you've always wanted a model 8802 -- but couldn't afford the $400+ for it -- the Tear Drop model TD42 would be a great alternative. Good examples can often be found online, and you can also try the putter barrel at your local golf shop. I have even heard of the occasional new-in-the-wrapper model turning up. Finding one might not be easy, but some digging around, combined with some patience, just might yield the result you seek.

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The model TD00 is a heel-toe weighted and face-balanced putter in a no-hosel design. The single bend shaft has a smooth, pleasing arch into the base of the putter head. Like all Tear Drop putters, the TD00 is precision milled from a block of 11L-17 cold roll stainless steel and given a soft, gold finish. The claim to fame of the Tear Drop line is their ROLL-FACE Technology that was developed to fit any player's putting stroke. Rather than the golfer adapting to the putter, the putter fits you. The precision milling puts the optimal face radius on each model in the Tear Drop line and -- if the hundreds of online comments are any indication -- produced one of the highest quality, best feeling putters ever made. The TD00 is available in 33", 34", 35" and 36" lengths and is fitted with a True Temper putter shaft and smooth wrap grip from Lamkin.

Availability is obviously a little tough; when you stop making something over 10 years ago, there are bound to be some shortages. However, good condition examples can still be found online and maybe even in the putter barrel at your local golf store. I have also heard of the occasional new-in-the-wrapper model turning up. If owning a Tear Drop is something you'd like to do, a little diligence in your search and some earnest Internet digging around will more than likely be rewarded.

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Perhaps because Ben used one, or maybe due to Phil who did also, I've always like the look and feel of this putter style. With putter options today that look more like boat anchors or back-scratchers, the simplicity and straightforward utility of this model hearkens back to an earlier time in golf. It's hard to argue that the advancements in putters have not helped many a golfer better get the ball in the hole, but a good putter is the one that feels comfortable in your hands, and the Wilson 8802 (nearly identical to the 8882) has always been that for me. While this putter might provide great feedback and a satisfying feel at impact, it does suffer on off-center hits. The heel-shafted and toe-weighted design create an open-to-closed putting stroke. Again, that method works for many golfers. But if your putting style is more straight back-straight through, you'll fight (and probably curse) this putter from day one.

At the end of the day, whether you're 63 or 23, the Wilson 8882 putter, or for that matter any of the 88 Series, has a certain appeal that cuts across all generations of golfers.

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While this is a putter that would seem to be "more for show and less for roll," there appears to be some solid engineering here as well. With a patented inertia-based weighting system, Musty putters move the CG (Center-of-Gravity) higher in the head than traditional putters. This higher CG, Musty claims, allows for the golfer to put a true roll on the ball and eliminate the skid that is imparted on the ball with other putters. Finally, by having a large "beater bar" -- the central piece of wood in the putter head where the ball is struck -- Musty putters are said to have a large, soft sweet spot.

If you like to have the best of something, or the most unique of something, or simply enjoy owning a beautiful object, the Musty putter should satisfy any -- if not all -- of those cravings.

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Tad Moore putters were among the earliest of the milled putters, using a solid block of carbon steel or aluminum from which to cut or "mill" the final putter head design. Rather than being a footnote in golf's history, Tad Moore putters are still available today, more than 40 years after he first started in the business.

Perhaps the best known era of Tad Moore putters is his work for Maxfli/Slazenger. Hired as a club designer in 1989, his putter designs were among the most desirable and most used throughout the 1990s. Point of fact, Ian Woosnam used a Tad Moore putter on his way to winning the 1991 Masters Tournament.

There aren't many areas of putter design that Tad Moore has not at least ventured into and explored. From zero-offset models to plumbers neck and center shafts, hand milling to investment casting, from blades to heel-toe weighting and even brass inserts in aluminum heads -- Tad Moore has covered a lot of ground. His designs have also been influential in the development of our current generation of putter gurus, like Scotty Cameron.

Whether you find a Tad Moore putter at a garage sale, online auction, or a custom-made model through his website -- it's a golfing tool you'll not regret having in your bag.

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T.P. Mills was a scratch golfer in the early 1960s - at a time when the putter was perhaps the cheapest and least engineered club in the bag. Mr. Mills, with his aerospace engineering background and strong golf credentials, felt he could design a better putter -- and set out to do just that. While many people today don't even know the name T.P. Mills, much less what he brought to the game of golf, here are just a few of his putter innovations:

• He is considered the father of the milled putter.
• He was the first one to paint a putter head black, making a sharp contrast with the white golf ball.
• He helped design the famous "flanged blade" BullsEye putter from Acushnet.
• He was the first to mark the true "sweet spot" on the putter face and provide a sighting dot on the top of the putter head.

If you think about putter designs today, you can see that most of these are now standard features in the golf industry.

While Mills started work on his own, some of his most notable( and widely known) designs were developed for the Spaulding company. Mills putters are generally simple looking, but loaded with subtle design features that would benefit nearly every golfer. Start with using soft carbon steel, for exceptional feel and response. Then add a subtle heel shafted hosel with (most often) a simple 1/4 offset. A no-nonsense flange to add bottom weight and distribute it throughout the head with a slight nod to toe-weighting -- all the better to take advantage of the natural swing of the putter head in motion. There was nothing about this putter taken for granted -- no part of it not thoughtfully engineered for maximum performance and playability. T.P. Mills putter models are simply numbered, from Model #1 on up. Surprisingly, older models can be found today on eBay and elsewhere at bargain basement prices -- in many cases, less than their original price. At the other end of the price scale, a bit of a "cottage industry" has sprung up with these older, collectible models, where they are being lovingly refurbished with beautiful and unique finishes into true works of art.

With over 20 professional tour wins worldwide since 1999, T.P. Mills putters continue to prove their validity and success at the top levels of international competition.

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Created by Jack Hamm, an inventor certainly (I've seen him called "The Albert Einstein of Sporting Goods") and by most accounts, a showman of sorts, the Dr. Feelgood putter would fall into the "gimmick" category for most people. More closely resembling an inverted tack hammer -- similar to what you would use to repair the loose brads on Uncle Joe's favorite recliner -- than it does a putter, it does feature a proprietary central shaft which makes a true back-and-forth stroke an easy accomplishment, especially for those 3- and 4-footers that most of us dread. Hearken back to your 9th grade math class, and you may recall the X and Y axis (think graphs). The principle here is that putting is done on the X-axis, and this design removes the Y-axis from the equation. By taking one variable away, more putts can be made with less effort.

Like many clubs of extreme design, this is a love-it-or-hate-it putter option. Many golfers will fall in love with the simplicity of the design, and no doubt it will feel just right to them. Others will find the design too narrow, too heavy, and something that just doesn't look like a putter. However, if you've played golf more than a few times, you know that having an alternate putter is nearly a must (and who among us doesn't have at least 2-3 backup putters?). Perhaps the Dr. Feelgood Zero Latitude putter will take a place in your stable of putters to be used when all else is failing.

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The KC Model 4 putter is a combination of old and new looks. With a simple offset hosel and nearly blade-like appearance from straight on, you'd think this putter was from the early '80s. Get over the top of it, though, and you can see the modern styling and deeper head design that are so common and popular today. A series of six "chevrons" behind the blade provide an excellent alignment tool and are done in a satin finish on a black background -- no glare coming off of this club head to blind or distract you. The club features a milled face, which really helps to keep the ball online as it comes off the putter face.

Available in right hand only and at 35" in length, this is a pretty straightforward offering in that respect. The adjustability for weighting on both the shaft and head provide some interesting options, though, and as such, this putter has several possibilities for achieving the perfect fit for your game.

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The Reeso VTX putter line was developed by a retired engineer by the name of J. Sandy Reese. In an effort to overcome his own putting problems due, primarily, to a loss of visual acuity, Mr. Reese began researching the reasons average golfers miss putts. After several years of research, the Reeso Putters were born, with enhanced sight lines and the adjustability mentioned earlier. Rather than confine this "solution" to one style of putter, these putters are available in Conventional, Long, Belly, and even Face-On versions. Also available in either right- or left-handed versions, the lengths vary from 29" to 54". All are USGA conforming -- even the model that has a telescopic shaft (for easier travel).

While there is little doubt the Reeso VTX Putters work well for some people, putting is -- and always will be -- a very uniquely individual activity. What works for you might not (and probably won't) work for me. These are quite large and definitely on the expensive side. But if you are serious about being a better putter, spending a little bit extra to get it is typically not an issue.

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