Putting is the stroke that can have the most impact on a golfers score. About half of all your golf strokes will be with the putter club. No one has ever won a golf competition without putting well. So little wonder it is the single golf club you should you should get right. This means selection the right one for you and practice until you master the putt. If all the other parts of your game are causing frustration then a reliable putting stroke can help to calm things down and get you back on track.
To start with putters come in various type and sizes, and then there are all those brands with their fancy shapes. Just where do you start?
Toe balance is where the shaft axis is toward the heel of the club and is best suited to an inside out stroke. Face balance is where the shaft axis is goes though the center of the putter face and is ideal for a straight through stroke. To test the balance you can balance the shaft horizontally on one finger. If the toe start to point down then it is a toe balanced putter. Different clubs will have more or less toe balance or none at all in true face balanced clubs.
The blade type putter is the original and resembles the standard golf iron shape with the shaft at one end and a consistent shape from heel to toe. It is usually toe balanced and ideally suited to the better golfer who can control the putter head and strike consistently. Peripheral weighted putters are an improved blade putter where extra weight is located at the heel and toe to improve ball striking. The balance can be either way but usually toe-balanced. Mallet putters are larger headed with more weight being placed directly behind the center of the club face. They are mainly face balanced and the extra weight with a straight through strike will improve alignment and accuracy of strike.
The shaft position will alter the balance of the club but also it will come down to personal preference. Offset shaft is largely preferred over a center shaft but this is for the individual to determine. Personally I find the center shaft to be e distraction when putting. The offset shaft allows the shaft axis to point to the putter center for face balancing.
When selecting a club the shaft length has to be right for you so as to be comfortable and allow the club head to lie correctly on the green. Even normal putters have different shaft lengths so try out the difference. It is not just you height but also your posture that will determine the ideal shaft length. If you have trouble with controlling a normal club then the modern long or belly putter may help you. These can be more firmly anchored on the torso or hands and chest to prevent what is termed the yips. These again will have to be fitted in length to be of any use so get them professionally fitted.