Why are current putter so heavy?

[Norboo]

Most putter weigh 350g head only. Why so heavy?

[BrianMcG]

It’s gooder.

[Socrates]

Greens stimping at 12+. Add to that, the Tours having banned beta blockers and you get heavier putters that are less prone to the jitters.

[GolfChannel]

There is less to f*** up if the stroke is smaller. Not really a ground breaking change given we have been doing this with lead tape for ages.

[homergolf]

Maybe that’s what sells. I demoed a Tank #7 at GG today and really liked it

[13wes13]

I don't get it either. Like mine in the 330g range

[DK<80]

I personally have been lead tape crazy for a long time, almost every club in my bag has some.

 

When I add lead tape to my putters, I do feel it deadens some of the feel at impact. So to me, I'd rather have the head come heavier and not have to add weight than vice versa. I've tried lighter grips but I like my grip! I don't want to switch out for a lighter one just for weight.

 

Plus the lighter the putter, the farther back I go on my backstroke and the more I tend to decelerate. I like to take a shorter stroke and accelerate through and the heavier head helps me with that a lot.

[lawst4days]

I feel like it's a give and take.

 

It's easier to get distance correct for me when the head is lighter. But I make a better stroke with a heavier putter head.

 

It's like, do you wanna miss it short/long or left/right

[Rob McHugh]

I think it’s because most people - mistakenly - believe the Pros all play heavier head weights.

 

Rob

[8thehardway]

Heavy just feels solid and stable when the adrenaline flows which, for me, starts at three to four feet.

[bigcountry1219]

I can't imagine putting with a light putter. I'll take all the weight that they can stuff in there.

[North Butte]

Because most golfers are purely desperate to find anything that will slow down their twitchy hands and let them put some kind of decent roll on the ball?

 

Heavy putter heads, giant Superstrokes, various elaborate ways of gripping the putter, etc

[fawley]

I think it’s because most people - mistakenly - believe the Pros all play heavier head weights.

 

Rob

 

I feel reasonably certain that of the 100 or so golfers I know, none of them based their decision to buy a putter at a certain weight on the weight they thought a pro or pros played.

 

Are there really people out there who would ignore how a putter performed for them at a specific weight because they think pros play putters at a different weight?

[Konklifer]

My first experience with a heavier putter was a 345g Ping Scottsdale TR B60. I had the best putting season of my life. I have a moderate stroke and the wight really helped me. I then thought, the heavier the better for future putters. Not so. It is a detriment, especially on slower greens. For me, 345-350 is the max. Anything heavier is simply too heavy.

[daveltb]

Best of both worlds, get a putter with heavy head and a counterbalanced grip.

[Rory4Pres]

the heavier putters is simply a trend. I've gone that direction for a while with a lot of putters in the 360-400g range. All said and done, I got a 330g putter and shockingly love it.

 

Generally speaking heavier heads are better for fast greens, windy conditions, nervous/pressure putting, and higher MOI in a lot of mallet models.

 

I love putters.

[dbdors]

I think it's because most people - mistakenly - believe the Pros all play heavier head weights.

 

Rob

 

I feel reasonably certain that of the 100 or so golfers I know, none of them based their decision to buy a putter at a certain weight on the weight they thought a pro or pros played.

 

Are there really people out there who would ignore how a putter performed for them at a specific weight because they think pros play putters at a different weight?

+1, I have no idea what a typical pros putter head weight is. No bearing on the putter I chose. I don't ever recall any of the WITB post about a pro that mentions putter head weight.

[juggernaut0629]

I think 350 is too light!

[North Butte]

How much do you reckon the head weighs on a classic John Reuter brass Bullseye? Maybe 320-something?

[marmaduk]

I've been using an old TM Manta mallet putter with a variation of Super Stroke grip for the past 8 seasons. I would sharpie a nice thick black line 360 around the ball and line up every putt. As you may have guessed I absolutely sucked at putting. I needed to somehow get my "feel" for distance putts back.

 

It started with an Odyssey Toe-Up Anser style putter with a GolfPride SNSR small traditional grip at 355g. I like how light it felt and I noticed that my distance controle was way better. I thought I had figured something out.

 

Fortunately my appendix tried to kill me and I had to have it removed. This meant that I could not swing a club for 5 weeks and if it were not for watching golf on tv and practicing putts I would have gone crazy. Like Howard Hues I was secluded and had nothing but time on my hands. I spread out every club I owned (27) onto the floor of the living room. Cleaned and polished them all. Took photos and tried not to trip over the Kleenex boxes I had adopted as my new footwear. That was all on the first day. Turns out one of those 27 clubs was my grandfathers old Bullseye putter.

 

I thought I would use the Bullseye as a "practice" club while recovering. It was incredibly light and had no sightline. It looked like a cocktail weenie. It even had the original leather grip. The colour of bergundy and paper thin. Once I was able to leave the house and hoblle out to the practice green I spent hours there practicing with this little gem. In order to try and get my feel back I removed the stripe on my ball and putt with the blank side up. I have even gone back to a slighly open stance that I used as a kid.

 

Well, here we are a few months after my surgery. I have only had a chance to golf a few times but I am beating my average number of putts by 4-5 shots per round. It very well could be the honeymoon phase for this putter or the fact I can't hit a green in reg to save my life but I truly think that a very light putter combined with no alignment aid allows me to be free and trust my judgment. A lot like when I was a kid and just felt the shot. There is no more pressure. Its wonderful.

 

Cheers, Jeff

[BogeyParBogey]

Piretti has built their line behind the idea of the heavy putter. I like my 365g Forza.

[myphed1]

Piretti has built their line behind the idea of the heavy putter. I like my 365g Forza.

 

I noticed the same thing, They do make them with adjustable weight kits if you want to tinker. Unfortunately it’s not a mod option once your putter leaves the shop.

[slide13]

LAst few years Ive played with a 350g Byron DH89. Earlier this year I brought in three different putters to play with, one at 330, one 354, and one 365. All had a similar toe hang to my DH89. Could adapt and putt with them all but settled with sticking with my DH89. For m and at that toe hand, 350g seemed to just feel the best.

 

But then, a couple weeks ago I tried tried a plumbers mallet design and fell in love. It has significantly less toe hang than my DH89 and just feels like the most natural putter style I’ve ever used. I can go face balance but getting close to that seemed to help. I got a Piretti Bosa, another 365g Putter and fell in love with it.

 

My stroke feels more stable and my putts stay in line with any better than before. I feel like I have way fewer pulls and pushes. I think it’s partly the putter design and toe hang combined with that hair heavier weight. My distance control has been excellent as well so I really have not seen a downside.

 

Based on my experience I think you have to find bothers the style and weight that works for you. If you change style you may find a different weight then works better, at least I did.

 

(If it matters, both my Bosa and DH89 have Salty mid size grips).

[LCGALBERTA]

Putting is a pendulum stroke, heavy weight putter head helps to create a smoother tempo. Think of the pendulum on a Grandfather Clock its a large weighted end, and swings at a smooth tempo.

[randy4]

I dont get the current trend of 350 grams for all lengths. 330 grams for 35 inch is pretty spot on imo.

[Stuart_G]

The fact that grips are getting heavier hasn't helped the trend.

[JDMRN81]

Anything under 350g and I feel like I'm swinging a straw. Around 370g is the sweet spot for me.

[Maximilian]

Not only do I have better distance control with a lighter putter, but I also find it so much easier to start the back stroke smoothly. With a heavier putter I need to think about how I’m starting my stroke, with a lighter putter it just happens.

[Bar_Stroll]

I get a lot more wobble in my putter stroke when it's to light.

[nova6868]

Heavy head - Great for stability on short putts.

 

Lighter head - Most people will have better distance control on moderate-long putts.

 

It's all about finding the right balance. I agree that putter makers seem to have gone to heavier and heavier heads. I'm a little skeptical, I think a big reason for this might be that those putters are great for short putts when you're trying it out (especially in a store) but may not be optimal once you're actually out on the course.