It’s possible to change the playing characteristics of a golf club by adding weight to its head, a process called back-weighting.

Attaching lead or magnetic tape to a wood or iron moves the center of gravity away from the face, producing higher shots. Weight may also be placed toward the club’s heel or toe to make it easier to draw or fade the ball.

Since putters don’t hit the ball into the air, back-weighting them serves different purposes. For example, a golfer might add weight to their putter before playing a course with slow greens, since heavier putters tend to work better under such conditions.