How much would an extra inch of club length affect your putting?

[camden_kid]

If you were given your exact same putter but the club length one inch longer how would it affect your putting?

I've just bought a putter off eBay to practice on my putting mat which is 34". My regular putter is 33". I'm wondering if my putting will be affected (not that my putting is much to shout about at the moment).

 

[Jman]

For me, not much. Would likely keep me in a better posture more than anything.

 

[Canadan]

I think it'd be a bit of a challenge. I've used a couple 36 inch putters and they definitely feel weird in the hand. Also, I really like to have the top of the grip involved in my left palm, so finding a happy place there might be a bit of a challenge.

 

[DataDude]

I accidentally bought a 35" putter on eBay once. I started pulling everything because of the change of perspective caused by standing a little taller. I would have to develop another alignment and aiming tactic.

 

[Templet0n]

It would mess me up. I am pretty specific in my putter length. Too long or too short and it feels weird.

 

[smgoldstein]

Putter fitting.

 

[seemoreputters]

Depends on where your eye-line falls with your posture. Some people have too short of a putter and this would help them with their posture, eye-line and stance. Good question to get people to think about more than just their stroke.

 

[JB]

In my putter fitting, it said quite a bit. While I believe adaptation could take place, it was too easy to follow the fitting and go with what works.

 

[baylrballa]

I wouldn't think much at all. mat roll a 34" sometimes and takes a bit of stance adjustment then it's fine.


hasn't been mentioned in the 3 putter fittings I've seen.

 

[Scott F]

I lengthened my putter by about an inch and a half because bending over farther was uncomfortable on my back. My putting improved quite a bit. If I was practicing with a different length club than my gamer, I’m sure it would mess me up.

 

[Drumdog]

Not much....I think.

 

[Lou W]

Unless it had a 10” putter grip i would probably grip it at the same height I do now

 

[Molten]

It’s definitely some from my experience. It’s pretty strange how much that little change can impact confidence and putts made.

 

[-CRW-]

I accidentally bought a 35" putter on eBay once. I started pulling everything because of the change of perspective caused by standing a little taller. I would have to develop another alignment and aiming tactic.

I didn’t buy mine accidentally, but had the same results with a 35”. I could make it work, but it’s much more natural for me now that it’s cut to 34”. Swingweight probably had a lot to do with it because it was like E2 and cutting an inch and changing the grip dropped it to D6.

 

[mancest]

I would definitely choke down to get it to the right length. I have done that many times. For me going with a longer putter and not choking down gets my eyes to far away from the ball and leads to a big arc that gets me inconsistent contact and face path.

Huge change for me personally, but choking down an inch is not a big problem for me in the short term.

 

[WLG1952]

I don't really know. My putter has some counter weights in the shaft, so 1" longer without the correct counter weight included, could be an issue.

Just gripping the longer club, the same length from the ground, sounds to simple.

 

[Daluteh]

I think it could help a bit giving me more grip to grab. But overall, no real change I would suspect.

 

[billyh]

Longer, not much as I would just choke down. I tend to do that on all my putters anyway as I don't keep my hands at the base of the grip.

 

[Scorp]

I putt terribly so there wouldn't be much change.

 

[BroD]

been there, done that, (bought an exact double on ebay it was 1.5" longer) and now it is my emergency putter left at the course. (in case I forget to put mine back in my bag) It didn't work out.

 

[jfox789]

I have a few different length putters. Really all feel, but you can still grip it at the same height?

I feel like this is one of those things why people say golf is 98% mental.

 

[USAF Retired]

Cobra didn't offer a 33" that I've been using so I went to 34" and it's been great for me!

 

[BigMac]

I don't think it would make much difference to me.

 

[Hitsnmisses]

if you gave all the people above two different putters , unmarked but identical and let them play , same course on consecutive days with the two different putters , wonder what your response would be ..

you don’t change height so the variable is the putter , so you grip slightly lower , and if using parallel grip , can’t see any difference , further the additional 25 mm /1 inch past the fulcrum ( hands ) would be so minor in weight and influence

l would argue …. Not much / neligible

 

[Fatshot]

A putter that is too long will tend to sit on its heel. That will tend to aim the face to the left of the target. So, I guess it would depend on the lie angle of the
club, your height, your hand position at address, etc. If your current putter is an inch shorter and sits flat at address, I guess I would just try choking down
an inch on the new, longer club. I'm 6'6" tall, so I usually lengthen a new putter. I recently have discovered though that this tends to make me pull shorter
putts (you know....the ones you HAVE TO MAKE!!). So in the past couple of weeks, I've choked down to bottom of the grip on putts 10 feet and under,
effectively shortening the putter two inches.....amazing how much better I've been putting the short ones!