Here at GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine we just dropped the results of our annual ClubTest franchise, and it’s something we’re really proud of. A lot of hard work goes into it and, in 2021, we tested more than 150 different clubs in what was the most in-depth review of golf equipment in ClubTest’s 30-year history. You can check it all out right here.
ClubTest 2021: 21 new game-changing putters tested and reviewed
As part of the launch our Managing Editor of Equipment, Jonathan Wall, who oversaw the ClubTest process, hosted a Q&A on social media where he took audience questions about the ClubTest process, and dropped reams of interesting little nuggets along the way. The answer that caught my eye the most was a question from reader about which club was more important, the driver or the putter.
“I’ll go putter all day long,” J-Wall said. “What’s the one club that’ll help you drop the most shots? It’s the putter. If you have something you’re comfortable with you’ll be make more putts. It’s the club you use more than any other during the course of a round.”
Now, before we go any further, it’s worth noting that both these clubs are incredibly important — they’re the two clubs that can have the biggest impact on your game, which is why golfers should make should be prioritizing both of them. But when push-comes to shove, J-Wall chooses the putter — and for good reason.
How to dial-in your putter
1. Get Fit
As I wrote about recently, I’ve cycled through a million putters over my golf career, but it was only once I started at GOLF.com that I actually got fit for a putter for the first time. A friend of mine at our sister-company True Spec walked me through a fitting, and I was actually kind of embarrassed it took so long to give in. Turns out I needed a putter that was a little shorter (34.5″ vs. 35″) and flatter (68 degrees vs. 70 degrees) than I had been using. I made those two small equipment tweaks and it was so much more comfortable.
So, yea, I’d highly recommend not waiting as long as I did and booking a putter fitting before the new season.
2. Focus on contact
Getting fit will probably improve your results without much thought, but putting isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it art. You need to work at it. Talk to any good putting coach and he’ll tell you the next fundamental is to focus on solid contact. Personally, I’m a big fan of the PuttDots to help with this, but you can place rubber bands on the heel and toe, too.
3. Nail-down your start line
Once you get fit and practice hitting your putts in the center — which will improve your distance control — all that’s left is to make sure you’re starting the ball on the correct line. Pros work on this all the time, usually using a string, but you can use a ruler instead, like you see our staffer Zephyr do below…
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