Shortening my putter, should i?

[One Planer]

If you are really that shape, your ideal putter would be about 20" long!

If that is the case, why am I taking less putting strokes with a longer putter than a shorter one?

 

[CMAC]

avg height of males is 5'8" I believe, a 33" putter or less would then be ideal.

34" and 35" seems to be the manufacturers standard for some weird reason to do with fitting a bag

 

[Oddsocks]

Good thread. After recently having a bout of " putt like a tart-Itis " I found I was leaving every putt short, on lag putts by a big margin. I was watching a round of the Dubai stuff and notice that a lot of pros seemed to be using what looked like shorter putters compared with the more common 34".

Off to the spare room for a practice stroke and I couldn't beleive the difference in the feel gripping down the putter shaft 1 1/2" had. It's transformed my stroke feeling a lot nore stable and I'm finding a more consistent contact area on the putter with better roll. I had gathered that cutting it down may effect swing weight so hadn't bothered, and a pro has suggested that the additional weight above the hands my be balancing the shaft better and to leave it at the stock length.

 

[Smiffy]

I used to have a Scotty Cameron putter, standard length. I couldn't putt with it to save my life.
Shortened the shaft to 30" and that sorted it out.
Fitted in the dustbin a lot easier
:angry:

 

[Oddsocks]

Smiffers , do you do anything to the swing weight ?

Really tempted to chop mine

 

[Foxholer]

P.S. Putters were traditionally 35" to fit in a standard golf bag. Unless you are 6'6" with arms like a T-Rex, this is too long for most players!

NO IT ISN'T. This isn't the first time you've spouted this nonsense and I know many players of different heights and builds of very low numbers or pro who happily use 35" putters. In terms of the OP the putter grip is lively and much nicer feeling than the thin pistol grip style usually put on these. I spoke to the Titleist guys at Silvermere and this is a result of customer feedback in part. I would put one on and keep the putter the same length if you are happy with that

That's been a rumour circulating for many years. I'm happy to 'spout' the same rumour - but will always acknowledge that it's rumour/belief! I'm don't a believer in the 'from Customer feedback' reply - or not the traditional sort. More likely a marketing optimisation - what length was needed to cover most folk for least outlay/change - if that rumour wasn't the real reason! It wasn't long ago that most putters in a Pro shop were almost all 35"!

As for the OP...If it feels comfortable, then that's the 'proper' length imo. There are Putter fitting tools - both the shaft and the lie can be changed simply. I used one at Silvermere many moons ago - and it confirmed that 33" was my 'best' length. Still managed a 4-putt yesterday though! That pickup ball has now drowned!

 

[CMAC]

Smiffers , do you do anything to the swing weight ?

Really tempted to chop mine

swing weight on something you move a few inches! (oddsocks you did read his post to the end, right?)

3 pro's I've asked about this (incl one who is in a well known golf mag most months) said an inch off or more will feel better and you wont need to change anything to do with swing weights, he asked, do you tinker with weights when you change the manufacturers grip to a jumbo or heavier one?

I found gripping down the shaft is one thing but chopping an inch or two feels so much better

 

[shewy]

I don't get this swingweight malarkey in putters,surely it's based on feel?
Your not taking a full swing anyway.
Being a short arse I play a 33" putter but have experimented with various lengths, had a putter fitting with ping a while back and came out at 33" but I don't recall Ping changing any swingweight, standard head and shaft no different to a 35" putter.

 

[shortstuff]

So after getting my hands on the new Scotty putters I have taken a shine to the new Matador oversized grips.
I also noticed that most of the new models came in a 33 length, my old school model is a 35.
The shorter putter with the larger grip felt so much more natural for me when I went back to my own putter. My hands feel very "up & out" and I sometimes catch the heel of the putter on shorter shots.
So if I fancy a new grip, can I get my current putter "fitted"? I don't want a nnew one, just the Del Mar shortened and the lie possibly changed.
Anyone have any experience or recomendations?

Yes I had a Scotty fitted and it was reduced in length. Having it the right length makes a huge difference in getting your eyes aligned to the right place and my putting improved immediately. The off-the-shelf length of 35" is too long for most players.

 

[MrBrightside]

I can't see that cutting off an 1" or say 50g of steel from the end will make that much difference; it's not like cutting it off the toe on a faced balanced model.

or have I got it wrong.

 

[Foxholer]

I can't see that cutting off an 1" or say 50g of steel from the end will make that much difference; it's not like cutting it off the toe on a faced balanced model.

or have I got it wrong.

It WILL make a difference. But whether it's a significant one and whether it's positive or negative depends on the individual imo. I don't believe I am particularly sensitive (except in my head!) to changes in swing weight - at least not after 1 or 2 swings - so if it feels better, then great. If not then I'm likely to adjust by gripping a bit further up the grip to adjust - just as I gripped down the overlong putter when adjusting for length in the first place - something that affects the 'personal swing weigh't anyway'!

 

[delc]

I can't see that cutting off an 1" or say 50g of steel from the end will make that much difference; it's not like cutting it off the toe on a faced balanced model.

or have I got it wrong.

It's not the actual club or head weight, it's shortening the lever arm that's the issue, bearing in mind that the centre of mass of a putter is already several inches above the head. Try balancing the putter across a finger to find the position of its centre of mass. I once shortened an old Ping Anser Putter from 36" to 31" and found that I had reduced its swing weight from D2 to A0, which felt so light as to be difficult to swing smoothly! I rather suspect that using this putter at its original length, which was much too long for me, was the reason I developed the putting yips a few years ago!

You can estimate the swing weight of your putter from the following link:
http://www.leaderboard.com/SWINGWT.HTM

This putting expert believes that putters should be generally shorter with a more upright lie than the standard issue:
http://www.puttingzone.com/MyTips/lengthlie.html

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Use whatever weight and length of putter that feel confident with

If shortening your putter helps you then go for IT

There is no set rule on putter length to golfer

We are all different and will be comfortable using different things.

And they length of a putter has never been to allow for it to go in a golf bag ?!? What a ridiculous statement

 

[Foxholer]

And they length of a putter has never been to allow for it to go in a golf bag ?!? What a ridiculous statement

The fairly widespread rumour/old story I'd heard was that they needed to be 35" to be seen in the supersize Tour Bags that was the standard way they were displayed (they were not considered particularly important then) in Pro Shops 'back in the day'!

As usual, DelC seems to have created a slightly different version, but the one I'd encountered isn't totally ridiculous. Doon frae Toon might be able to chart the rise in significance of the Putter in Pro Shop mindset/space/display method over the decades!

 

[Luca4]

Thanks for all the feedback
I am definitely going to change the grip for a Winn/Scotty Matador, just have to decide how much to lop off when the time comes but I like 33 to start with,
Is there a more scientific way to do it?, not many comments about being "fitted" for a putter ?

 

[ScienceBoy]

Interesting statement I read while reading up about this:

"Generally, a lighter putter -- under 340 grams -- works better on slower greens (because you need to swing the putterhead more), and a heavier putter provides stability on the shorter strokes used on faster greens."

 

[delc]

Thanks for all the feedback
I am definitely going to change the grip for a Winn/Scotty Matador, just have to decide how much to lop off when the time comes but I like 33 to start with,
Is there a more scientific way to do it?, not many comments about being "fitted" for a putter ?

Just move your hands down your existing putter until your arms are fairly straight, your eyes are directly over the ball and your posture feels comfortable.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Thanks for all the feedback
I am definitely going to change the grip for a Winn/Scotty Matador, just have to decide how much to lop off when the time comes but I like 33 to start with,
Is there a more scientific way to do it?, not many comments about being "fitted" for a putter ?

If you are really interested in a fitting before you start fiddling with lengths, there is a SAM putting lab at Pachesham Golf Centre just around the M25 at Leatherhead which will tell you everything you need to know about how you putt and they will definitely tell you if the length you have is right

 

[Deleted member 1740]

You'll never know till you try so I would go for it. You can always get it extended again if it feels too short.

I've got a 2thumb grip fitted sideways to my odyssey and it feels superb.

 

[BTatHome]

Delc, how many reasons for your 'yips' have you come with? Now your saying that using a 'long' putter was the cause?!?!