Geoff,
I find it interesting that many who talk about trying to find the perfect putter for their game talk mostly of brand and the head. For example, the pro platinum is an answer style or answer 2 style, while the white hot #5 is a mallet, yet how much of that style putter does the shaft offset or lack thereof play into the proper setup or alignment for that individual. And why don't we know it? In my estimation, there are a few variations of a straight shaft, a 1/2 offset, a plumbers neck, and double bend shaft, and whatever else might be available.
Do you suppose there are any stats somewhere that suggest a certain style has delivered more consistently over time?

Thanks,
Greg.

Dear Greg,

That's a very hard question to address straight up. So let me approach it indirectly.

Shaft offset really doesn't matter. The question always ends up being whether the tool in question works with your sound stroke dynamics. Let me explain a bit.

To get properly fit for a putter, it is not your body that matters, but your setup and stroke mechanics. You really cannot get a good fit unless the fitter STARTS with a good stroke. If you just fit whatever the golfer is using, the fitting will cement into place an indifferent stroke technique.

The whole discussion about hands ahead, forward pressing, true roll, putter loft, and all that is really another way of suggesting specific stroke styles. Ultimately, you have to decide what is real and what matters, and then get a good stroke setup and mechanics. THEN you're ready to MAKE the putter that suits you.

There are a couple of physics points about a stroke that should be made a part of a good stroke. For example, a flat face is good, a loft that does not pinch the ball down into the turf or launch it into the air is good, and center shafting is prefereable for a golfer who emphasizes the straightness of the path near the ball. The overall weight of the putter is important for touch, and the length should fit well with the setup. Beyond these fundamentals, the design features of putters appear to be somewhat exaggerated in importance or functional value. According to ten years of study by clubmakers and engineers Werner and Grieg, in their book How Golf Clubs Are Made and How to Make them Really Work, almost all putter design features play an insignificant role in putting performance considered in the context of the much larger problems of reading putts, aiming, and making an effective stroke.

There was a study by Cochran and Stobbs, in their 1968 book Search for the Perfect Swing, that found a center-shafted putter in which the hosel curled back to the rear of the putterhead and attached directly behind the head's sweetspot gave superior performance over other putters. Today, the Verex putter is very similar to this earlier design. Even so, I would have to see the golfer's technique before I would recommend a specific putter design.

The way the hosel attaches to the putter greatly influences the "balance" of the putter and its dynamic performance during the swing. The Anser putter, with its heel-side hosel and heel-toe weighting scheme, hangs at 45 degrees when suspended on the finger about 10 inches up the shaft, and this putter tends to flare open in the stroke. This is suited better for a gating stroke in which the golfer is not that precise hitting the sweetspot. In contrast, a center-shafted putter like the STX Tour Sync is better suited to a true straight-back and straight-thru pendulum stroke in the hands of a precise golfer.

There are similar things to say about lofted and hands-ahead putters. When you start with a good stroke FIRST, these concerns tend to evaporate. I'm encouraged lately by an apparent trend towards center-shafted putters. A TaylorMade model, the innocuous looking little TP 25, is a real gem. Never Compromise and Odyssey are now featuring center-shafted models. That's all to the good. I hope people can understand why, so the trend will stick as a permanent improvement and not just a passing fad.

The puttee wags the putter!

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
The PuttingZone
http;//puttingzone.com
Golf's most advanced and comprehensive putting instruction.

Geoff,
Thanks for your thoughtful response.
I am presently using an answer style putter with a long plumbers neck for better balance but it is not face balanced. However, I am still open to finding the right "fit" for long term success though I have not always been so patient. I did use a center shafted putter this summer for 6 weeks (only) and made many birdies with that putter but my total putt count increased because I had some difficulty with distance control. I should probably change my focus or goals as I typically gauge my progress with total putt count and feel comfortable in the 30-32 range. Which means trying the center shafted putter again but sticking with it. Since counting total putts over the past few years, my best was 28 and my worst was 36. I also found that the ball directly behind the shaft is an optical adjustment that I wasn't totally comfortable with. I suppose over time and some good results should cure that.

Thanks,
Greg.