All golfers should consider Counterweighting their Putters for Improving Speed and Stroke Control

 

One of my golfing friends is a few years older than 70.  He is still a pretty good ball striker and is capable of shooting scores in the low 80s or high 70s.  He has in the past had issues with hitting smooth putts and speed control.  On short putts he has had a hard time making a smooth stroke.  About a week ago, I offered to do some testing with him with Counterweighting his putter.  We tested with 70, 100, and 130 gram counterweights added to the  butt end of his putter.  With each adding of weight, his stroke became smoother and more confident.  When we added the 130 gram weight, he immediately knew this was the best weight for him.  I watched him hit short putts – smooth stroke.  The same with longer putts.  He gave me feedback today that he is continuing to putt better with this counterweight in his putter.

 

Counterweighting is adding weight to the butt end of a golf club.  It can help improve driver performance and also performance of irons.  But in my opinion where it is the most valuable is in putters.  Keith Chatham, one the most experienced clubfitters I know, has say that 80 to 90 percent of golfers putt better with counterweights in their putters.

 

Counterweight in putters helps the golfer to get more feeling in their hands during the stroke.  The right counterweight in a putter helps improve speed control, but perhaps most importantly helps to "smooth out" the putting stroke and makes it easier to hit short putts with more confidence.  For players who have some form of the yips, it can totally change and improve their putting stroke.

 

About 2 years ago, I worked with a player who had to putt with a claw grip because he could not control his stroke with a conventional one.  After adding a 50 gram counterweight a few inches down the shaft of his putter, he Instinctively changed to a conventional grip because he got the feel back in his putting stroke.

 

All golfers should test using counterweights in their putters.  I expect that the friend who I helped last week is going to be taking a lot more money from me in the future because he did!

 

Have you tried counterweights in your putter?  If so and you want to share your experience please comment on this blog post.

 

The Fit Is IT!!

Tony