How to Pick the Right Putter for You Based on Your Putting Style

There are several putting styles a golfer can adopt, each based on individual preferences, body mechanics, and comfort. Understanding your putting style is important because it directly influences the type of putter that will suit you best.

Let’s break down the various putting styles, how to identify your own, and how to choose the right putter once you know your style.

Types of Putting Styles:

1. Arc Putting Style
   • Description: In the arc putting style, the putter swings in a slight arc back and through, with the putter face opening on the backswing and closing on the follow-through. This style feels natural for golfers whose shoulders and arms move together in a more rotational motion.
   • Who Uses It: Golfers with more flexibility in their shoulders and arms tend to use an arc putting style. This technique is often seen in players who have a natural sense of feel and touch on the greens.
   • Pros: Good for players who prefer more feel and feedback. Provides a more natural stroke for players who rotate their bodies while putting.
   • Cons: Requires better timing and coordination to square the face at impact, so it can be less consistent for some golfers.
2. Straight-Back-and-Through Putting Style
   • Description: The putter head travels on a straight line back and through, with minimal arc. The face of the putter stays square to the target for as long as possible during the stroke. Golfers using this style tend to have a pendulum-like motion in their arms and shoulders.
   • Who Uses It: Golfers with a more mechanical approach, or those who prefer to minimize wrist and hand movement, often adopt this style. It’s popular with players who favor consistency and control over feel.
   • Pros: Promotes a more consistent stroke with less chance for face rotation. Easier to maintain a square face at impact.
   • Cons: Can feel rigid or less fluid for golfers who rely on touch or feel.
3. Wristy Putting Style
   • Description: The wrists play an active role in the putting stroke, providing more feel and control through the hands. This style is often used by golfers who rely heavily on touch and have a more instinctive putting approach.
   • Who Uses It: Golfers who prefer to feel the ball on the putter face and rely on their hands for control use this style. This is seen in older generations of players but is less common today.
   • Pros: Offers a strong sense of feel and can be useful on fast or undulating greens.
   • Cons: Difficult to maintain consistency, as excessive wrist movement can cause instability in the stroke.
4. One-Arm Putting Style
   • Description: This method involves using one arm (usually the lead arm) to control the putter stroke, while the other arm plays a more passive role. It promotes simplicity in the stroke and reduces wrist action.
   • Who Uses It: Golfers who struggle with keeping both hands coordinated, or those who have developed bad habits like excessive wrist action, may adopt this style. It’s also seen in golfers who use unconventional putting grips, such as the arm-lock method.
   • Pros: Helps eliminate unwanted wrist action and encourages a more pendulum-like stroke.
   • Cons: Takes time to get used to and may not feel natural to all golfers.
5. Long-Putter and Arm-Lock Techniques
   • Rules and technique: The Rules of Golf restrict how you make the stroke, rather than banning a putter simply because it has a long shaft. Under Rule 10.1b, you must not anchor the club or a gripping hand against your body. Holding the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm is allowed, but you must not brace a forearm against your body to create an anchor point. Incidental contact is different from intentionally anchoring. These restrictions are not limited to professional tournaments. If you use an arm-lock or long putter, check both your equipment and your technique against the rules. Read Rule 10.1b.
   • Who Uses It: Golfers who need more stability in their putting stroke or have issues with nerves (yips) may turn to the arm-lock putting style.
   • Pros: Great for controlling distance and eliminating wrist breakdown. Provides stability.
   • Cons: Arm-lock putters can feel restrictive and may be awkward for some golfers.

How to Identify Your Putting Style:

1. Observe Your Stroke: Pay attention to how the putter head moves during your stroke. Does it travel in a straight line, or does it move in an arc? Are your wrists active, or do your arms and shoulders do most of the work? Filming your stroke can be helpful for identifying your natural tendencies.
2. Try Different Putters: Experiment with specific putter setups and compare aim, start line and distance control. Use head shape as one part of the comparison.
3. Get a Professional Opinion: A putting lesson with a coach or using technology like a putting analysis system can provide insight into your stroke and help determine your putting style.
4. Experiment with Grips: The type of grip you use can also affect your stroke. A traditional grip may encourage a more arc-like stroke, while a claw or reverse-overlap grip may promote a straight-back-and-through motion.

Choosing a Putter Based on Your Putting Style:

Once you’ve identified your putting style, it’s time to choose the right putter. Here are some factors to consider:

1. Head shape and stroke fit: Use your stroke tendencies as a starting point for comparison, then check the complete putter. Head shape alone does not tell you whether a putter will help you aim or return the face consistently. Compare length, lie, loft, grip and the specific head-and-neck combination. A fitting can help you identify which setup produces a comfortable address position and repeatable results.
2. Putter Length:
   • Standard Length (33-35 inches): Most golfers use standard-length putters, which allow for a comfortable setup with the arms hanging naturally. Standard-length putters work for both arc and straight strokes.
   • Long Putter (Belly/Arm-Lock): A longer putter or arm-lock model may be worth trying, provided the stroke complies with the anchoring restrictions explained above.
     • Examples: Odyssey Arm Lock, Bettinardi Arm Lock.
3. Putter Weight: There is no single head-weight prescription in this guide for fast or slow greens. Try the available weights on short and long putts and compare distance control. Keep notes on the setup and conditions rather than assuming that heavier always suits fast greens or lighter always suits slow greens.

Summary:

Finding the right putter starts with understanding your putting style. Whether you have an arc stroke or a straight-back-and-through stroke, the right putter can help you gain consistency and confidence on the greens.

Experiment with different putter types, weights, and lengths until you find the one that complements your stroke and helps you perform your best. Working with a coach or using putting analysis tools can also help you fine-tune your choice.