I was trying out a new putter today and had a lie guage placed on the shaft. I couldn't help but notice that the weight of the gauge changed something in my hands as I was stroking. It seemed to dampen my hands/stroke. It felt kinda interesting. With regard to the rules, can weight be added to the putter shaft on the shaft exterior? Can it be confined to a nodal point on the shaft? Or does any weight have to be added to the shaft interior? If so can it be at a specific point with in the shaft or the entire length? The weight thing kinda reminds me of the weight jobbers that hang off of archery bows (I presume that they are dampers). Curious in Kansas.

Hi!

Your observations are right on!

The Rules of Golf prohibit adding anything to the shaft that makes a bulge, and the handle can have tape added but the shape has to stay the same from top to bottom of the handle.

Weight can be added inside the shaft. Sand or salt or other powder can be poured into the shaft, so the weight concentrates in the bottom near the hosel.

Now weight can be addedd at the top of the shaft. A company called Balance Certified Golf (BCG) offers a system for weighting the top of the putter shaft. Their website is http://www.balance-certified.com. This extra weight alters the vibrational node of the putter by moving it up the shaft from just below the grip material to about the middle of the grip. The node is the point along the shaft where the vibrations calm down. The result is a feeling of solidity at impact.

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
The PuttingZone
Golf's most advanced and comprehensive putting instruction.