What Putter To Choose With New Putter Rules? The USGA recently announced a proposed rule change that would prohibit anchoring the club in making a stroke, effective January 1, 2016. This would allow for a transitional period, where-in anchored belly and long putters would remain as conforming clubs till then. The proposed new Rule would not alter current equipment rules and would allow the continued use of all conforming golf clubs, including belly-length and long putters, provided such clubs are not anchored during a stroke. For those of you using a belly-length or long putter, not anchoring it would most likely affect the lie of the putter and the shaft angle, making the putter not perform as well as it does being anchored.
So, if you decide to try a new putter that would be conforming in 2016 what are your options?
Fist off you would want to determine what the best putter length is for you. Raymond Floyd used a fairly long putter in the 1980’s and didn’t anchor it. This allowed his back to be more upright at address and he was able to practice longer without his back hurting. Secondly you would want to get the lie angle of the putter correct with the length that you are using. I see people all the time who have a putter that is too flat for the way they set up and the length of the putter. Thirdly I would get the grip size of the putter comfortable in your hands, because now you are most likely going to have both hands on the putter. I’m not a fan of the thick grips and prefer a normal width putter grip with just one wrap of tape.
What about a new stroke and rhythm?
With the anchored putters, many golfers used a pendulum rhythm stroke. With the putter anchored, once you ended your back stroke, you could let go of the putter and it would seemingly swing through. With a normal length putter, pendulum rhythm is not the best rhythm. I like to see the forward stroke faster than the back stroke. In pendulum rhythm, the amount of time for the back stroke and the forward stroke is similar. I’m not a fan of the heavy putters because once again they tend to promote pendulum rhythm. My old 8802 was probably a B-8 swing weight and my Scotty Cameron is about a C-8, so you don’t want to go too heavy.
What’s the best putter to choose?
I like a putter that is heel shafted or close to that and a little offset. That allows the toe of the putter to release going through. I’m not a fan of face balanced putters or back-weighted putters. Both of those promote a pendulum type rhythm. The most copied putter in golf is the Ping Answer. I’ve used a Scotty Cameron Newport putter since 1998 that is a close copy of the Answer. The Newport II, that Tiger used for many of his wins, is a close copy of the Answer 2. There are many putters out there that are similar to these. Find one that looks good to you, and one that you are able to control the distance with. I hope this helps. Thanks.
Larry