Putting is a game of inches, a dance of precision where the smallest adjustments can make the biggest difference. And at the heart of this delicate dance is your putter, the conductor of your short game orchestra. If you’ve been struggling to find the right rhythm on the greens, perhaps it’s time to consider a change in your instrumentation. Specifically, let’s talk about the heel-shafted putter, a classic club design favored by many for its unique feel and performance characteristics. In this post, we’ll explore what makes a heel-shafted putter tick, who it’s best suited for, and how you can harness its potential to sink more putts and lower your scores. From understanding its key features to mastering the proper techniques, we’ll cover everything you need to know to make this putter sing.
Key Takeaways
- Match your putter to your stroke: Heel-shafted putters are designed for golfers with an arcing stroke. If your putting stroke naturally curves, this style can improve accuracy by helping square the putter face at impact.
- Focus on setup and alignment: Set up with the ball slightly forward of center and concentrate on keeping the putter face square to your target line from address to follow-through. Regular practice with alignment drills will reinforce this crucial element.
- Find the right feel: The right putter is the one that feels best in your hands. Experiment with different models and grip styles, and consider a professional fitting to determine the ideal length, lie angle, and head style for your game. Don’t be afraid to try one-handed putting drills to improve feel and control.
What is a Heel-Shafted Putter?
Definition and Key Characteristics
A heel-shafted putter, as the name suggests, has the shaft attached to the heel of the putter head. This design element significantly influences the putter’s balance and performance. Heel-shafted putters are generally toe-balanced, making them a natural fit for golfers with an arcing putting stroke. They are the most common type of putter, likely because many golfers naturally have an arcing stroke. With the weight concentrated toward the heel, these putters offer a distinct feel and promote a slight rotation of the putter head during the alignment. It’s crucial to keep the putter face square to your target line to prevent the heel weight from closing the face prematurely.
Comparing Heel-Shafted Putters to Other Types
Understanding the difference between heel-shafted putters and other types, particularly center-shafted putters, is key to choosing the right club for your game. Center-shafted putters are face-balanced, making them ideal for golfers with a straight, pendulum-like putting stroke. This design encourages a straight putting path, often preferred by left-eye-dominant players. Heel-shafted putters, with their toe-balanced design, tend to work better for players with an arcing stroke. Finding the best putter for your game depends entirely on your individual putting style. Don’t choose a putter based on looks alone; focus on how it performs with your natural stroke. Matching your putter type to your stroke is more important than aesthetics.
Who Should Use a Heel-Shafted Putter?
Heel-shafted putters are a popular choice, but they’re especially well-suited for players with specific putting styles and preferences. Let’s take a closer look at who might benefit most from using one.
Golfers with Arcing Strokes
If your putting stroke naturally arcs—meaning the putter head moves slightly inside the target line on the backswing and then back to the target line at impact—a heel-shafted putter might be a great fit. These putters are typically toe-balanced, encouraging this arcing motion. This design helps naturally square the putter face at impact, improving accuracy and consistency for those who struggle to control a straight-back-straight-through stroke.
Players Who Prefer a Traditional Feel
Heel-shafted putters offer a classic feel that many golfers appreciate. Think of legendary players like Phil Mickelson, who has favored this style. This traditional design provides excellent feedback, allowing golfers to better sense the ball’s roll and make subtle adjustments.
Left-Arm Dominant Putters
For golfers whose left arm plays a more dominant role in their putting stroke, a heel-shafted putter can be particularly advantageous, especially when combined with a forward ball position (closer to the left heel). This setup, recommended by the Keiser University College of Golf, promotes a smoother, more controlled stroke, helping left-arm dominant players maintain stability and improve their putting performance.
Advantages of Heel-Shafted Putters
Heel-shafted putters offer several benefits that can noticeably improve your putting game. Let’s explore some of the key advantages:
Consistent Arcing Strokes
Heel-shafted putters are designed with a toe-balanced configuration, making them ideal for golfers with an arcing putting stroke. This design naturally promotes a smooth, consistent arc, which can lead to improved accuracy and control on the greens. If your putts tend to miss to the right or left, a heel-shafted putter might be just what you need. As the most common type of putter, you’ll have plenty of options to explore.
Enhanced Feel and Feedback
Many golfers appreciate the enhanced feel and feedback offered by heel-shafted putters. This heightened sensitivity lets you better judge the impact of your putt and fine-tune your technique. While high-end putters like Scotty Camerons are known for their exceptional feel, finding a putter that suits your personal preference is key. Even within heel-shafted models, the sweet spot size and overall feel can differ.
Weight Distribution and Balance
The weight distribution in heel-shafted putters contributes to a more stable and controlled putting stroke. The weight concentrated towards the heel helps prevent twisting during your stroke, keeping the putter face square to the target line. This balance is especially helpful for golfers who have trouble maintaining a consistent face angle. Keep in mind that the heel-heavy design requires careful alignment and a deliberate
How to Use a Heel-Shafted Putter
Once you’ve decided a heel-shafted putter might be right for you, let’s cover the fundamentals of using one effectively.
Stance and Ball Position
With a heel-shafted putter, start by positioning the ball slightly forward of center, toward the inside of your left heel. This placement encourages a slight ascending stroke, which helps lift the ball and get it rolling smoothly. Maintain a comfortable, upright stance—no need to hunch or overarch your back. Keep your arms relaxed but straight. This posture promotes a pendulum-like stroke, crucial for consistency. For more putting basics, check out the Keiser University College of Golf.
Gripping for Control
The putter shaft plays a significant role in your putting stroke. Many golfers overlook the importance of shaft selection, but with heel-shafted putters, it’s especially important. A proper grip complements the putter’s design. Choose a grip that feels comfortable and secure, allowing your wrists to remain relatively passive during the stroke. This helps prevent excessive wrist rotation, which can lead to inconsistent contact. Experiment with different grip styles, but prioritize a grip that promotes a smooth, controlled stroke.
Stroke and Follow-Through
The key to success with a heel-shafted putter lies in maintaining a square putter face. Because the weight is concentrated toward the heel, the face tends to close (rotate inward) during the stroke. Focus on keeping the putter face aligned with your target line from address to follow-through. Visualize a straight line extending from the ball to the target, and imagine your putter head traveling along that line. A smooth stroke, combined with a square putter face, will improve accuracy and distance control. For a deeper dive into heel-shafted putters, this analysis offers valuable insights.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the right heel-shafted putter, a few common mistakes can throw off your game. Let’s break down how to avoid these pitfalls and improve your putting consistency.
Alignment
One of the most fundamental aspects of putting is alignment. It’s easy to get this wrong, leading to missed putts even with a solid stroke. Think of it like aiming a pool shot—if your cue isn’t straight, you’ll miss the pocket. Similarly, if your putter face isn’t square to your target line at impact, the ball won’t start on the intended path. A good tip is to use a chalk line or alignment and ensure it’s square to your target. This simple check can make a big difference in your putting accuracy.
Consistent Stroke Path
Heel-shafted putters are designed to promote a slight arcing stroke, but maintaining a consistent path is key. Many golfers make the mistake of excessively leaning the putter toward the hole during their backswing. This can lead to an inconsistent stroke and difficulty controlling the putter face at impact. Instead, focus on keeping your left wrist and the putter shaft at a consistent angle throughout your stroke. Imagine your arms and putter forming a triangle, and try to maintain that shape as you swing. This will help create a more reliable and repeatable putting stroke.
Grip Pressure
Believe it or not, your grip pressure can significantly impact your putting performance. Gripping the putter too tightly creates tension in your hands and arms, which can lead to jerky movements and inconsistent contact. A relaxed grip, on the other hand, allows for a smoother stroke and better feel for the ball. Think of holding a baby bird—firm enough that it doesn’t fly away, but gentle enough that you don’t hurt it. This analogy can help you find the right balance of grip pressure for a more controlled and consistent putting stroke.
Choosing a Heel-Shafted Putter
So, you’re thinking a heel-shafted putter might be for you? Great! Now, let’s talk about how to actually choose one. It’s a bit more involved than just grabbing the shiniest one off the rack.
Key Factors
Finding the right putter isn’t about aesthetics—it’s about how it works with your putting stroke. Don’t get caught up in looks alone. A heel-shafted putter, with its weight concentrated toward the heel, requires a specific stroke. If you tend to have an arcing stroke, where the putter head swings slightly inside on the backswing and then out through impact, a heel-shafted putter might be a good match. This design naturally encourages this type of movement. However, if you prefer a straight-back-straight-through stroke, you might find a heel-shafted putter a bit trickier to control. Keeping the putter head square to your target line throughout your stroke is crucial with a heel-shafted design, as that heel weight can cause the face to close if it’s not properly aligned. This can lead to pulls and missed putts. Understanding your natural tendencies is the first step.
Popular Models and Brands
Once you’ve decided a heel-shafted putter is worth exploring, you’ll find a range of options available. For those seeking top-tier craftsmanship and willing to invest, Piretti Golf offers high-end, custom-milled putters. Their reputation for quality and attention to detail makes them a popular choice. Another well-known name is Scotty Cameron. While Scotty Cameron putters are prized for their performance, it’s worth noting they have a smaller sweet spot compared to some other brands, like Cleveland. This means off-center hits might feel a bit harsher. Exploring different brands and models will give you a better sense of what feels best in your hands.
Testing and Fitting
Remember that statistic—your putter accounts for over 30% of your shots in a round? That’s huge! It makes getting a proper putter fitting incredibly valuable. A professional fitting can help you identify the right length, lie angle, and head style to optimize your putting stroke. They can also help you determine if a heel-shafted putter truly is the best fit for your game. Even without a formal fitting, you can do some simple tests on your own. Try a one-handed putting drill, hitting putts with only your right hand and then only your left. This can help you figure out which arm is dominant and which feels more reliable in controlling the putter face at impact. This simple exercise can offer surprising insights into your putting mechanics and inform your putter choice.
Drills to Improve Your Putting
Consistent practice is key to improving your putting, and these drills will help you refine your technique with a heel-shafted putter. Remember, these putters often promote a slight arc in your stroke, so keep that in mind as you practice.
Gate Drill
The gate drill is excellent for squaring the putter face at impact, ensuring your ball starts on your intended line. Set up two tees just wider than your putter head, creating a “gate.” Place a ball a few feet from the gate and practice your putting stroke, focusing on a square putter face as it passes through the tees. You can gradually increase the distance as you become more comfortable. This simple drill requires only your putter, some golf balls, and two tees. For more putting drills, check out this helpful resource.
Clock Drill
The clock drill helps develop distance control and reinforces a consistent stroke. Imagine a clock face around the hole. Place balls at different “hours” on the clock, starting with shorter distances (like three feet, the 3 o’clock position) and gradually increasing the length. Try putting to each ball, focusing on controlling your stroke to reach the desired distance. For an added challenge, try putting to different points on the clock face, like the 2, 5, or 7 o’clock positions. This drill helps you visualize distances and adjust your stroke accordingly. Early Golfer offers some great tips on putting drills, including variations of the clock drill.
One-Handed Putting
One-handed putting drills are fantastic for improving feel and control. Grip your putter with your dominant hand and practice short putts. This method forces you to focus on a smooth, controlled stroke, minimizing wrist movement. You can also incorporate tees, similar to the gate drill, placing them just outside the heel and toe of your putter head to encourage a square face at impact. Learn how PGA Tour players use this drill to refine their skills from this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a heel-shafted putter right for my putting stroke?
Heel-shafted putters are generally best suited for golfers with an arcing putting stroke, where the putter head moves slightly inside the target line on the backswing and then returns to square at impact. If you have a very straight, pendulum-like stroke, a center-shafted or face-balanced putter might be a better fit. The best way to determine the right putter for you is to experiment and see what feels most comfortable and produces consistent results. Consider getting a professional putter fitting to analyze your stroke and find the perfect match.
What are the main differences between heel-shafted and center-shafted putters?
The primary difference lies in the shaft’s position and how it affects the putter’s balance. Heel-shafted putters are typically toe-balanced, encouraging an arcing stroke, while center-shafted putters are usually face-balanced, promoting a straighter stroke. This distinction significantly influences how the putter head rotates during the stroke and impacts your putting style.
How should I position the ball with a heel-shafted putter?
Position the ball slightly forward of center, towards your left heel. This placement encourages a slightly ascending stroke, helping to lift the ball and get it rolling smoothly on the green. Avoid positioning the ball too far forward, as this can lead to inconsistent contact.
What are some good drills to practice with a heel-shafted putter?
The gate drill is excellent for practicing a square putter face at impact. Set up two tees just wider than your putter head and practice stroking the ball through the “gate.” The clock drill helps with distance control. Place balls at different distances around the hole and practice putting to each one. One-handed putting drills can improve feel and control, forcing you to focus on a smooth, consistent stroke.
What should I look for when choosing a heel-shafted putter?
Consider factors like head shape, weight, and overall feel. Don’t be swayed by aesthetics alone; focus on how the putter performs with your stroke. Test out different models and brands to find one that complements your putting style. A professional putter fitting can be invaluable in determining the right length, lie angle, and head style for your game.