Face rotation—the design of the putter

Jesse Grewal

The design of the putter head influences the rotation of the face during the backswing and the forward stroke. This design is partly from the shape of the putter head but also the putter shaft fits into the head through the hosel. The hosel design combined with the head shape affect the balance and the weight distribution. There were three basic types of putters – face balanced, slight toe hang and toe hang putters as in picture 1 from left to right in that order. Face balanced putters are the ones in which the face remains parallel to the ground when placed on a table or held on one’s palm. These include some mallets, the two ball putter as well as the ones with ‘fangs’. The partial toe hang or 45 degree toe balanced putter is the conventional anser design putters while the toe hang putter or any 60-90 degee toe balanced putter would be most heel shafted putters.

The science behind the different designs is to allow the putter face remain square to the path of the putter both during the backswing and forward stroke. Face balanced putters would not open and close much through the stroke and therefore are well suited for relatively straight back and through strokes.

The partial toe balanced putter is for strokes with moderate arc while toe hang putters which open and close a lot are suited for strokes with a lot of arc.

A rough way of judging this would be that if a right handed player tends to miss left they should go to a more toe hang putter as the putter face needs to open more during the backswing. Similarly if the player misses to the right they should go to a less toe hang putter or a face balanced putter so that the face does not open relative to the path as this is what leads to the ball starting right.

There is a new revolutionary design of a putter by Odyssey called the toe up (picture 2). This putter is called a stroke balanced putter and the toe stays vertical to the ground when the putter is held up as in the picture. This shape is supposed to keep the putter face square to any type of arc.

(Grewal is the Director of National Golf Academy of India and CGA Hero Honda Golf Academy. If you have any queries get in touch with him at parexcellence@tribunemail.com)