Why does the putter always get the blame?

How many putters do you or have you owned?

How often do you change your putter?

Why does the putter always get the blame?

Many years ago when I was a teenager who “needed” a new Ping Anser to transform my putting, my late father informed me that the issue in fact lay “With the Indian, not the arrow!”

I obviously knew better at the time and saved up my pennies to buy the aforementioned magic wand and guess what? I didn’t putt noticeably better immediately. I did after a while but that was probably down to the hours I spent holing putts on the practice putting green to win The Open and The Masters. At least that what I imagined they were for.

You know how it goes, you have a bad day on the greens the very same day one of your playing partners has a good day with his latest acquisition. Next stop – Pro Shop to buy a new one. It has to be the putter’s fault you missed four 3 footers on the back nine right? The putter and stroke always get the blame and it’s easier to buy a new putter than it is to actually figure out the REAL reasons you keep missing putts.

Straight to the putter rack you go, pick up the latest, counter-balanced, face groove technology, thick /  thin /  longer / shorter grip putter, make a few practice strokes on the Pro Shop carpet and before you know it, you’re handing over your credit card to pay for THE putter that promises eternal success and happiness on the greens.

You head home, remove your clubs from the boot of your car and take them indoors.  You take out your new putter, just to check it is actually the one you have just splashed out a good amount of your hard earned cash for. You remove the headcover, take a few more practice strokes but there is something missing. A USER’S MANUAL.

Regardless of how much you spend on a putter or any club for that matter, the one thing that is always missing is a user’s manual. Can you imagine spending a chunk of cash on a new phone, iPad or laptop, removing the packaging only to discover you have to figure out how to use it all on your own? I can imagine you would be less than impressed.

Buying a new putter is no different. Unless you know how to use the tool you have bought to perform a specific task, in this case holing putts, the chances of that new implement changing your putting fortunes are slim at best.

Every putter manufacturer promises a greater MOI, the best feel ever, a pure roll, you name it, your new putter will provide it. I’m not suggesting for a moment that these claims are false, there are some fantastically well designed and produced putters available but ultimately, you as the golfer must learn how to get the ball in the hole with it.

If you really want to learn how to hole more putts, shoot lower score and ultimately have a whole lot more fun on the golf course, postpone that visit to the Pro Shop for the time being and order your copy of the best selling book – The Lost Art Of Putting.