Putter Weight

bossofthemoss · March 13, 2007

How do I make the putter head feel heavier?

Hi Guys, I am a self confessed putter Ho. I am looking at bringing a putter back from dead but it feels too light. Other than adding lead tape to the head, is there another way to make the head feel heavier?

Geo · March 13, 2007

Hi Guys, I am a self confessed putter Ho. I am looking at bringing a putter back from dead but it feels too light. Other than adding lead tape to the head, is there another way to make the head feel heavier?

You could change out the shaft. True Temper makes a 200ish gram shaft, or get a UST Frequency Filtered shaft. Both will increase swingweight (though in different ways). You can also change out the grip for a lighter grip--but that won't change too much. Or you could add sand/lead powder/tungsten powder down the shaft--but that might change the feel a bit more.

DavidR · March 13, 2007

You can also send it to someone like Tom Slighter who will put tungsten weights into the head.

sfdoddsy · March 13, 2007

These work too.

http://www.golfsmith.com/products/245307

jelizaga · March 13, 2007

Lead tape! Works wonders. (cool)

Golfer Gavin · March 14, 2007

Lead tape works really good

Emm · March 14, 2007

Check out the Grip weight list to see if the grip you have is heavy before changing. I changed an 87gr grip for a 55gr grip and found a considerable difference. But thats IMO

sfdoddsy · March 14, 2007

I'm not sure about the advice to change to a lighter grip.

Yes, a lighter grip will theoretically increase swing weight, but most of us don't actually 'swing' a putter.

A 'swing' is usually a break in the wrists and letting the club go through.

A putt, on the other hand, is usually us desperately trying NOT to break the wrists, and hence not 'swing'. A putter, in an ideal stroke, is basically all dead weight.

That's why, I believe, a heavier shaft or a thicker grip do make a putter feel heavier. A thin grip tends to promote a wristy stroke, which may be why some think it adds to swingweight,

I have a Bettinardi BB24 which has a very hefty feel, and was trying out a Ping JAS which comes with a very skinny light grip. When I changed the grip on the Ping to a heavier Winn, the two putters felt much closer in weight. Ditto when I tried to match my new home putter (TP Mills Workshop 1) to the BB24.

Similarly, when I had my Cameron JAT with the tiny Cameron grip it felt too light, but adding a heavier Baby T increased the weight in a very nice way.

The original poster doesn't mention what he is using, but I would try lead (or Power Points) on the head, a heavier grip, then a heavier shaft in that order.

bossofthemoss · March 14, 2007

I'm not sure about the advice to change to a lighter grip.

Yes, a lighter grip will theoretically increase swing weight, but most of us don't actually 'swing' a putter.

A 'swing' is usually a break in the wrists and letting the club go through.

A putt, on the other hand, is usually us desperately trying NOT to break the wrists, and hence not 'swing'. A putter, in an ideal stroke, is basically all dead weight.

That's why, I believe, a heavier shaft or a thicker grip do make a putter feel heavier. A thin grip tends to promote a wristy stroke, which may be why some think it adds to swingweight,

I have a Bettinardi BB24 which has a very hefty feel, and was trying out a Ping JAS which comes with a very skinny light grip. When I changed the grip on the Ping to a heavier Winn, the two putters felt much closer in weight. Ditto when I tried to match my new home putter (TP Mills Workshop 1) to the BB24.

Similarly, when I had my Cameron JAT with the tiny Cameron grip it felt too light, but adding a heavier Baby T increased the weight in a very nice way.

The original poster doesn't mention what he is using, but I would try lead (or Power Points) on the head, a heavier grip, then a heavier shaft in that order.

I am looking at my Odyssey Tri Force 2 back into play. I currently have a Lamkin crossline rubber grip on it, I wish I would have kept the original grip.

I am not a fan of big grips, I prefer grip like the original ping grips as I only have small ( some may say lady like ) hands.

Geo · March 14, 2007

I'm not sure about the advice to change to a lighter grip.

Yes, a lighter grip will theoretically increase swing weight, but most of us don't actually 'swing' a putter.

A 'swing' is usually a break in the wrists and letting the club go through.

A putt, on the other hand, is usually us desperately trying NOT to break the wrists, and hence not 'swing'. A putter, in an ideal stroke, is basically all dead weight.

That's why, I believe, a heavier shaft or a thicker grip do make a putter feel heavier. A thin grip tends to promote a wristy stroke, which may be why some think it adds to swingweight,

I have a Bettinardi BB24 which has a very hefty feel, and was trying out a Ping JAS which comes with a very skinny light grip. When I changed the grip on the Ping to a heavier Winn, the two putters felt much closer in weight. Ditto when I tried to match my new home putter (TP Mills Workshop 1) to the BB24.

Similarly, when I had my Cameron JAT with the tiny Cameron grip it felt too light, but adding a heavier Baby T increased the weight in a very nice way.

The original poster doesn't mention what he is using, but I would try lead (or Power Points) on the head, a heavier grip, then a heavier shaft in that order.

Not really. Much is determined by the location of the center of gravity on a putter and how that affects the force needed to stroke a putt and applied to the ball at contact. Easiest test of this would be to simply flip the putter upside down and take a couple practice strokes holding the putter head in your hand. Technically the pivot point/fulcrum is around the shoulders (or even the case of a wrist pivot) so the whole putter is still being moved. The difference is where the center of gravity of the putter is located and how that affects the rotational dynamics. Higher swingweights (D's and E's) require more force to initiate the putting stroke and apply more force to a ball at impact than lower swingweights (B's and C's) if everything else is the same.

edwelly · March 14, 2007

I have used tip weights on my last couple of putters and found the weight increase very nice --> http://www.golfsmith.com/products/9703D

sfdoddsy · March 14, 2007

Not really. Much is determined by the location of the center of gravity on a putter and how that affects the force needed to stroke a putt and applied to the ball at contact. Easiest test of this would be to simply flip the putter upside down and take a couple practice strokes holding the putter head in your hand. Technically the pivot point/fulcrum is around the shoulders (or even the case of a wrist pivot) so the whole putter is still being moved. The difference is where the center of gravity of the putter is located and how that affects the rotational dynamics. Higher swingweights (D's and E's) require more force to initiate the putting stroke and apply more force to a ball at impact than lower swingweights (B's and C's) if everything else is the same.

Technically, of course, you are correct.

If you flip a putter upside down and take a couple of practice strokes, it will feel light even though the putter weighs the same.

If you have a pendulum, weight at the bottom of its arc counts for more than weight in the middle.

However, nowhere near as much as swingweight counts for a club you swing with a wrist pivot, or double pivot from a mechanical point of view.

502 to Right · March 14, 2007

I'm not sure about the advice to change to a lighter grip.

Yes, a lighter grip will theoretically increase swing weight, but most of us don't actually 'swing' a putter.

A 'swing' is usually a break in the wrists and letting the club go through.

A putt, on the other hand, is usually us desperately trying NOT to break the wrists, and hence not 'swing'. A putter, in an ideal stroke, is basically all dead weight.

That's why, I believe, a heavier shaft or a thicker grip do make a putter feel heavier. A thin grip tends to promote a wristy stroke, which may be why some think it adds to swingweight,

I have a Bettinardi BB24 which has a very hefty feel, and was trying out a Ping JAS which comes with a very skinny light grip. When I changed the grip on the Ping to a heavier Winn, the two putters felt much closer in weight. Ditto when I tried to match my new home putter (TP Mills Workshop 1) to the BB24.

Similarly, when I had my Cameron JAT with the tiny Cameron grip it felt too light, but adding a heavier Baby T increased the weight in a very nice way.

The original poster doesn't mention what he is using, but I would try lead (or Power Points) on the head, a heavier grip, then a heavier shaft in that order.

I agree with everything above. A lighter grip is a false way to gain swingweight, IMO. To me, heavier grips = heavier overall feel of a putter. As stated, a putter swing is swinging the entire club, not the grip end vs. the clubhead like an iron or wood.