Can I cut down a putter shaft?

[JWWRMA]

I am thinking that all of the putters I have picked up over the past (*#$ yrs) are ALL too long. Can I have them cut down a tad, or will that screw up something (balance)?

I had someone look at my stroke choked down and they said, and I felt and saw, a big difference in my swing path (more on plane), choked down.

OR, can I go with a longer grip (if there is such a thing)

Historically I am either red hot, or very inconsistent distance wise. I would rather be "red hot, or luke warm"

When I am off, short puts are pushed right. ( I am RH)

Any comments appreciated.

[jvincent]

Yes, you can cut down a putter shaft. It will feel a little lighter, but that might not be a bad thing.

[Mr. Chi]

I recommend it, worked wonders for me! From my own experiences, I found cutting down a blade putter didn't change the feel too much - but cutting down one of my mallet putters made a noticeable difference.

[Gooder]

Hiya JWWRMA

Any putter can be shortened to fit the golfer better. How much shorter depends on the comfort and performance factor. The ideal length is the length that enables you to have your eyes over the ball, and enables you to make a comfortable and consistent putting stroke - with the lie angle adjusted so your hands are in a comfortable position when you grip the club, and the loft that jives with your hand position at impact and your putting stroke (so you get a true roll rather than hopping and skipping). Many times (but not all), weight might have to be added to the head end of the putter as the putter will "feel" lighter when it is shortened. Sometimes you shorten a putter and it is good without adding weight - other times you have to add weight to make it "feel" right.

Putters are soooo personal - what works for Mr. "X" might not necessarily work for Mr. "Y". Every person's body is different, and their putting stroke is different - ya gotta go with what feels and works the best - many times that is accomplished through trial and error. There is no magic formula when it comes to fitting putters. If you KNOW your putter is too long, shorten it and install a grip. Go to your local putting green and roll some putts the way it is. Tape a dime or two near the hosel (a dime is approx 2 grams) and roll some more putts - did it feel better, worse, or same? Keep adding weight until it feels right. If adding extra weight didn't help, then remove it all. Once you find the ideal amount that needs to be added, put the added weight on an accurate gram scale and that'll tell you how much weight needs to be added to the putter. There are MANY things that can be tweaked on a putter to make it behave differently - when you get it right, what doesn't go in on the first putt should be MUCH closer to the hole - it should help with consistency and distance control. Just a few thoughts (and my humble $.02).


Regards,

Bert