There are many different types of putters available to golfers today. Some putters are longer, some shorter, some have a traditional looking head, some far less traditional. Some are light when you swing them and some heavy.
With this putting tip we are going to consider the benefits of using a putter with a heavy head.
A heavy putter head can really help to improve your putting if you struggle with too much movement in your wrists. All good putters have very passive wrists when they putt. They swing the putter in a pendulum style, using their shoulders to create the movement. The arms, wrists and hands remain very quiet during the putting action. The pendulum swings from the shoulders and there is no hinging at the wrists.
A pendulum swing when putting creates great tempo and allows you to control the distance of your putts extremely well. Hinging and flicking with your wrists when putting, results in additional club head speed being imparted into the putter head and this makes distance control extremely challenging. So if you struggle with a wristy putting action, using a heavy putter head will really improve your putting stroke and help you to create a much better pendulum action.
Using a heavier putter head helps to keep the putter moving and swinging during your putting stroke and a smooth, continuous putter movement improves the swing of the pendulum action as it improves your tempo. If you have a wristy putting stroke, using a heavier putter head will force you to use the larger muscles in your body when you putt. Larger muscles are more stable and this produces a pendulum swing from the shoulders as it eliminates the use of your wrists.
A heavier putter head also lengthens the swing of the putter. The weight results in the head of the putter moving further away from the ball on the back swing and then further through the ball on your follow through. If you struggle with the yips then changing to a heavier putter head can help create a much smoother and more rhythmical putting stroke. The yips see a player making a short, stabbing action which is difficult to control. It produces a quick, jerky, putting action and it is very difficult to hole putts with this action. Swapping to a heavier putter head prevents the putter from being jerked away or towards the ball and it promotes a much smoother movement.
A heavier putter head also sees the putter swinging in a straighter line. Once you have begun the movement of the heavier weighted head, the motion will continue in that direction until its momentum swings it back in that direction. If you struggle to keep the putter head on the target line as you putt, changing to a heavier weighted putter head will help you to achieve a straight back and through putting stroke. It will reduce any wavering or loopy action and as a result you will swing the putter much straighter, allowing you to become a more accurate putter.
If you find you have a wristy or flicky action when you putt, if you struggle with the yips, or if you notice that the putter head does not swing on a straight line along the target line, then try swapping to a heavier weighted putter head and you should find that your putting improves.
