Heavy Vs Light Putter – Pros And Cons Of Each & What To Use
Drive for show, putt for doe. As the old saying goes, putting is the most important aspect of the game.
Yes, you need to be able to get off the tee, and you need to have good iron play, but if you can’t putt, forget about it. Being able to putt can lower your scores tremendously.
The bottom line is, putting is all about feel and personal preference. It doesn’t matter if you putt with a club from 1850, if the ball goes in the hole, that’s all that matters.
The trick is knowing what is right for you, the best way is firstly understanding the different options, and the secondly trying them out.
Heavier Vs Lighter Putter Overview
Putter weight is a very difficult thing to get right as it is more of a feel thing, whereas weight in a driver or iron is more dependent on clubhead speed.
A putter isn’t swung with any force so there is no flex in the shaft, meaning the weight of the shaft comes down to personal feel and a little bit of performance, which we will get into later.
How Does Putter Weight Affect Performance
There has been no study that states that putter weight affects performance.
There have been a few tests that indicate heavier putters perform better on shorter putts, as the putter head will be more stable, and lighter putters perform better on longer putts because it’s easier to hit the ball, because it isn’t so heavy.
If you break it down into simple terms, a light putter is going to give you more feel, and allow the putter head to move and rotate more. This could be good for long putts, but could be really bad for short putts.
A heavier putter will give you less feel, and the putter head will move and rotate less as it is heavier. This could be good for short putts, but not so good for long putts.
Pros And Cons Of A Heavy Putter
Pros
- More control on shorter putts
- Less face rotation
- Allows you to use your bigger muscle to make a putting stroke
Cons
- Much harder to use on longer putts
- Might lose a little feel in your putting stroke
Pros And Cons Of A Light Putter
Pros
- More control on longer putts
- Gives you more feeling in your putts
- Easier to swing
Cons
- Much harder to use on short putts
- Might have to much face rotation in your putting stroke
How Will Weight Vary Across Different Putter Types
Mallet style putters will generally feel heavier than Blade style putters, this is because the head is much bigger, meaning it will be heavier.
Putters with thinner grips will feel heavier than putters with thicker grips. Because the thin grip is lighter it makes the head feel heavier, and opposite when the grip is heavier, it makes the head feel lighter.
Putter Length Vs Weight
Length is directly related to weight.
The longer you make the putter the heavier it will be, and the shorter you make the putter the lighter it will be.
Putter Swing Weight
What is swing weight? The swing weight of a club is measured from the butt end of the club to the fulcrum point (balance point). This reading will determine how heavy each side is and then give you a reading from C0 (lighest) to E9 (heaviest).
The average putting swing weight ranges from D2 – D6. Every two grams you add to the head of the club will give you one extra swing weight, and the opposite if you take two grams off.
For every half inch of length added to the club, the swing weight will increase by three swing weight points, and the opposite if you remove half an inch, the swing weight will decrease by three swing weight points.
TIP: Always make sure when lengthening or shortening your putter you are aware of the swing weight, and make sure you correct it. If the putter is too light you can add lead tape to the head to make it heavier or if it is too heavy you can add a thicker grip or counter balance grip to the club.
How Heavy Is A Heavy Putter
Jon Rahm uses a putter with a swing weight of E3, this is considered very heavy for a putter. Anything over D8 is a heavy putter.
How Heavy Is A Light Putter
Rory McIlroy used to use a putter with a swing weight of D1, anything from D1 and down is considered a light putter.
Regardless of the actual swing weight, I have come across people thinking a specific putter is ‘very light’ or ‘very heavy’ when it actually isn’t, it all comes down to what you have had previously or what you are used to.
If your current putter is E1 then the average putter is going to feel very light, and if your current putter is D0 then the average putter is going to feel very heavy.
Are Heavier Or Lighter Putters Better For High Handicappers
There is no scientific evidence supporting which putter is better, so we are going to go with our experience.
Again it comes down to personal preference, a beginner doesn’t really have a preference yet as they are just starting.
From our testing we would suggest a putter with a swing weight in the average area of D2 – D7, this will give them a good balance with the shorter and longer putts.
Going too heavy will affect their longer putts and going too light will affect their shorter putts. Somewhere in the middle is perfect for someone starting off.
Once they become better, they will learn what they like and dislike, from there they will be able to adjust their putter accordingly.
Thick Vs Thin Putter Grip
A thick putter grip is going to make your hands less active, which could help with the shorter putts.
However because the thick putter grip is heavy it will make the putter feel lighter, so be sure to check the swing weight so that it doesn’t become too light when you put on a thick grip.
A thin grip will allow your hands to be more active in your putting stroke, and will give more feeling in the head, as it will make the swing weight heavier, be careful that it doesn’t become too heavy, as it might start to affect your longer putts.
Heavy Vs Light Putter Shaft
The only thing a heavier or lighter shaft will do is change the swing weight, other than that it will not have much of an effect on performance.
Heavy Vs Light Putter Head
A heavy or light head will affect the swing weight, A heavier head will help you on shorter putts, while the lighter head will help you on longer putts.
Heavy Putter For Slow Greens
Going with a heavier putter on slow greens will help with your speed control. Because the head is heavier you won’t need to use as much force when hitting the ball.
A light putter will require you to hit the ball harder, causing you to use too much hand movement, which is never good in a putting stroke.
Light Putter For Fast Greens
Using a lighter putter for fast greens can have its benefits, on fast greens you want to stroke to the instead of hitting it, the lighter putter allows you to do this easier than with a heavier putter.
Can A Heavier Putter Fix The Yips
A heavier putter can help eliminate the yips, as the heaviness of the putter will promote less hand rotation.
A thicker grip will help more with regards to fixing the yips, the thicker grip will promote even less hand rotation.
Try a combination of the two if you are struggling with the yips.
Our Favorite 3 Heavy Putters – Mini Review With Pros And Cons
Scotty Cameron PHANTOM X 12
This is their flagship model. It has a slick design for easy alignment. It has a high MOI.
The whole design works together, it is a mallet style putter optimized for the look, feel and performance.
Pros
- Heavy
- High MOI
- Easy Alignment aid
- Amazing feel
- Looks futuristic
Cons
- Expensive
Overall Score: 96/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
PING Heppler
PING Heppler putters have a solid machined face, this gives you a firmer feel and sound at impact. It is a Multi-material mallet style putter which provides high MOI.
The copper-and-black finish gives you alignment aid and great visuals. You can be fitted into 3 different hosel options to fit all stroke types (Straight, Slight Arc, Strong Arc).
Pros
- Heavy
- Contrasting colors for optimum visual aid
- Can be fitted into all stroke styles
- High MOI
Cons
- Not as forgiving as other large mallet styles
- Very firm feel
- Expensive
Overall Score: 98/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
TaylorMade Spider EX
The Spider EX is TaylorMade’s number 1 putter. They have combined the new Fluted Feel™ shaft and Pure Roll² insert to provide incredible feel and outstanding roll.
The True Path™ with three dot alignment makes it easy to aim your putts. This putter is packed with tech.
Pros
- Heavy
- Fluted Feel™ shaft and Pure Roll² for incredible feel and roll
- Has a few hosel options
- High MOI
- Has a number of color options
- Can be customised
Cons
- Soft feel
- Expensive
Overall Score: 94/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Our Favorite 3 Light Putters
Odyssey 2-Ball Putter
Arguably the most popular putter of all time the Odyssey 2-Ball putter has been around for ages. This putter features the White Hot insert, which provides a very smooth feel off the face.
It is available in a few hosel options to cater for all stroke types. It is also available in a stepless steel, and Stroke Lab shaft. I comes in slightly lighter than most mallet style putters
Pros
- Light
- White Hot Insert for amazing feel and roll
- Has a few hosel options
- High MOI
- 2-Ball alignment system
Cons
- Some people might be put off by the 2-ball alignment system
Overall Score: 96/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Scotty Cameron Newport 2
This putter head shape is one of the most famous designs in the world, it is very popular amongst the pros, as it provides great feel and sets up incredibly well behind the ball.
The Newport 2 features a mid-milled face pattern. It has a new soft tri-sole design for easy setup.
Pros
- Light
- Classic shape
- Tri-sole design for easy setup
- Mid-milled face provides great sound and feel off the face
Cons
- Expensive
- Not very forgiving
Overall Score: 95/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Cleveland Frontline 4.0
The Cleveland Frontline 4.0 is a classic plumber’s neck blade design, this putter has Tungsten Forward Weighting and Speed Optimized Face Technology for more accurate putting and distance control.
Cleveland has moved the weight right to the front of the putter, this provides unbelievable feel and sound off the face, but it sacrifices forgiveness.
Pros
- Light
- Incredible sound and feel
- Tungsten Forward Weighting
- Speed Optimized Face Technology
- Classic shape
- Well priced
Cons
- Not very forgiving
- The black finish doesn’t appeal to everyone
Overall Score: 96/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Conclusion
Putting isn’t a science but more of an art. The most important thing to know is what a heavy or light, long or short and mallet or blade putter can do for you. From there you need to try out different options and styles to find which one works for you.
Let’s not fool ourselves, our putting stroke isn’t like a robot, it changes a lot. We believe going with something that isn’t too heavy or too light will work best for you.
Going with something in between is a good idea because then you get the best of both worlds. But that’s not to say, don’t be afraid of trying something different. Go super light or super heavy and see how it feels.
Putting is all about personal preference, and if you haven’t tried out different options you will never know what will be right for you.
Hi, I am Matthew, a mid handicap golfer who likes to play as much as possible. I love trying out new gear and this blog is where you can find all the gear I have tested over the years!
