How to1 Pick the Right Putter

Putting boils down to getting aim right, tracing the correct path and dialing in the right speed. There’s a feel element to nailing these factors for sure, but when the putter in your hands matches the way your eyes see putts, it all comes together as if by magic.

The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever! 1 DAVID EDEL C HAPTE R 1 /// How to Pick the Right Putter

BUILT TO LAST Putter builder and designer David Edel drew upon a wide range of skills and experience—both in the workshop and on the lesson tee—to create a fitting system capable of matching any player to a pool of 16 million unique flatsticks, each designed to change players’ The Master Fitter perceptions for the good.

DavidPGA teaching professional and club manufacturer, Edel Edel Golf, Liberty Hill, Tex.

The creator of the most advanced putter-fitting system in the world has over 16 million ways to build you the perfect putter, and proves to you that when it comes down to solving the mysteries of putting, the arrow—not necessarily the Indian—is getting in the way.

HY IS IT THAT some players swayed by its looks, or by the fact that your favorite Tour pro endorsed putt the lights out without giv- it. Either way it was a hasty decision, and not once did you ask about ing their stroke anything but a the head weight or grip options, nor inquire about the loft. I’m also passing thought, while others willing to bet that you didn’t carefully examine the head shape or have to gnash their teeth to sink the hosel design, or whether the putter was face-balanced or toe- the simplest four-footer? It took weighted. These are more than just add-ons, like the sport package me 14 years of researching and option on a new car. Design elements such as these are fundamental building putters to finally come to the way any putter performs and, more important, how it reacts up with a solid answer: good to your senses and stroke. putters putt with the right gear. The industry wants you to believe that redemption lies at the near- I’m sure the putter that’s currently in your bag is a fine flatstick, est pro shop. I’ll prove to you that redemption lies with you, and how but is it absolutely the right one for you, and how would you know if the right combination of putter design elements can help you see the Wit was or it wasn’t? When you went to purchase it you were obviously line in a whole new light—the perfect line from the ball to the hole.

5 Things 1 2 3 4 5 Why putting is an The three components How key design How to enhance your The link between your I’ll Teach enigma—and how to successful putting elements such touch and feel on the putter’s design, your finding the right putter and how you can as hosel and head greens by changing perception of the line You In This can solve it. master them with a shape a!ect your the weight distribution and green reading. Chapter simple putter change. ability to aim. in your putter.

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ALL ABOUT ME Name: David Edel AIM OF THE GAME “Certain head shapes, hosels, Putting success is Where you can determine by your aim, find me: Edel Golf, aim lines, shaft lengths and path and speed. The Liberty Hill, Tex. most important of these Teaching since: 19TK other design variables promote is aim, which you can Where I played: TK master only if you have the right putter. Where I’ve taught: TK di!erent patterns of aim.” Who I’ve built putters for: TK Awards I’ve won: (TK) SK ANY OF the golfers you My best contribution straight. Good for you, but now your path and speed know—even yourself—what to the game: TK don’t match your aim. You’re going to miss right if you For more instruction: makes a putter a good putter don’t change the other parts of the Triad. golf.com/ and the concept of “feel” will The most important thing to know about the Putting bestputtingbook almost certainly be broached, Triad—and to fully grasp the core principle of putting edelgolf.com although nobody can ever and feel—is that it’s dominated by aim. Aim is step seem to define it. Is it how one to becoming a great putter. It’s the reason why soft the grip feels, or the sound you stroke putts a certain way (like in the left-aim bias the putter makes, or its weight example above). Your mind senses where you aim and or loft? What about the shaft, makes the necessary adjustments. head style, aiming lines or the hosel? Never before has A lot of what you’ll read in this book deals with im- a golf termed been used with such frequency without proving your aim, but it won’t mean a thing unless anyoneA knowing really what it means. you have a putter that allows you to. I began making My teacher, Ben Doyle, taught me early in my career putters 14 years ago for Henry Griffitts, and helped that to be successful at anything you had to be able develop their fitting system with fellow professional to define and sustain its core principle. He used the Chris Aoaki. During the process we discovered that the example of a boat: what is it? The core principle of any physical makeup of a putter created aim bias. In other boat, he said, is buoyancy. That’s it. If you can make it words, certain head shapes, hosels, aim lines, shaft float, you’ve made a successful boat. lengths and other design variables promoted different So the million-dollar question: What’s the core prin- patterns of aim—left, straight and right. Thus, we built ciple of feel? My studies show that it’s a combination a system to test and evaluate different combinations of of three factors: aim, path and speed control. Every components to create consistent aim patterns in indi- decision you make on every putt is based on these vidual players. I’ve recently adapted these principles to three factors, and they’re tightly interrelated—if you my own company, Edel Golf, where we have the ability try something different in your aim you’re going to to build 16 million different putters with various com- get something new with your speed and path. That’s ponent combinations to enhance aim and performance. why I call it the Putting Triad. For example, let’s say While it may be hard for you to believe that a few extra you typically aim left of your target (many people do). grams of head weight or a hosel swap are the difference Over the years you’ve learned to compensate for your between a make and a miss, it’s nonetheless true—a left-aim bias by opening the putterface or cutting across fact you’ll come to accept as you learn more about the the ball at impact. Then, you suddenly learn how to aim different components and their effects on the Triad.

WATCH & LEARN When you see this THE PUTTING TRIAD icon go to golf.com/ 1. Consists of aim, path and speed control. bestputtingbook for 2. Aim is the dominant member of the Triad, and you a free video lesson with can aim correctly only if the putter in your hands David Edel. features design variables that allows you to.

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AIM IS KING you or inhibit your perspective. Since golfers aren’t fully aware of this fact (evidenced by AIM TEST the fact that 90 percent of the players I test Aiming is a multi-dimensional concept: DESPITE THE GLUT of putting instruction ar- can’t aim straight on a six-foot putt), they make there’s a left/right component and an up/ ticles and training aids that deal with stroke compensations in their strokes—again, alter- down component. I assess a player’s aim by path and acceleration, the direction your putts ing each segment of the Triad in a desperate reflecting a laser beam o! I mirror that I attach to the player’s putterface. This allows me to travel is primarily determined by the putter- attempt to get the ball in the hole. pinpoint both the vertical and horizontal aim face and where it’s pointed. That’s an easy tendencies. Nearly everyone mis-aims in both enough concept to get one’s head around— CUSTOMIZING YOUR PERSPECTIVE dimensions, but they can improve aim by the ball goes where the face goes. But there’s The laser test mentioned above is the first step swapping putter components that confuse more to aim than pointing the face left, right of my fitting process. The test I use is a bit more their eyes for ones the look good to them. or center. Aim is also a vertical concept. Not sophisticated, but the same principle applies only do you have to aim the putter in the right [see panel, right]. Once I know a player’s aim direction laterally, but also up and down. bias (up and left, down and right, etc) I start manipulating the angles, lines and curves in GAUGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE their putter until they match their eye. I do If you have the chance, set up to putt to a PUTTER this with a proprietary system that allows me mark on a wall about three-quarters of an PRINCIPLE to change 10 key putter design variables with Your ability to inch above the floor. Make it from 12 feet or aim your putter in what amounts to a simple turn of an Allen so. Then, have a friend attach a laser to your the direction you wrench. Each one of these variables affects STEP 2 putterface (you can pick one up at any pro intend is heavily your perception of where you’re aiming the Once the student is influenced by the comfortable with shop) and see where it points. A wide majority design components putterface. It sounds crazy, but it’s true—a his aim I remove of golfers will not only miss the mark to the in your putter. The putterhead with two aiming lines will cause the ball. In most left or the right, but also above and below. fact is that some you to aim differently than one with three, and cases, the rebound They miss in two dimensions. They miss lat- putters definitely an S-shaped hosel gives you a totally different of the laser o! the allow you to aim mirror misses the erally because they’re pointing the face left better than others. perspective than an L-shaped hosel. These target to the left or right of where they think they’re aiming, aren’t new discoveries—we’ve known about or right as well and above and below because a) they’re not them for the better part of 14 years. I’m sure above or below(a aware of the exact amount of loft in the put- you’ve heard the story about bad habits and backboard behind the laser shows terface, or b) they set their hands ahead or them being hard to break. exactly where behind the putterface, which tilts the entire While there are many design variables that the putterface is head up and down. go into every putter and which affect your aimed). Nearly everyone fails this test because most visual aim, we’ll cover the primary pieces in golfers don’t give any thought to the various this chapter to give you a solid understand- STEP 1 I point a laser beam design elements built into their putter and how ing of how each and every one changes your at a ball and have these elements affect aim. Putters aren’t just perspective and each component of the Triad. the student aim putters. They’re a conglomeration of complex Armed with this knowledge you’ll be well on the putterface back at the laser. shapes, curves and angles—visuals that your your way to making much more informed With perfect aim, eyes have to sort out in order to point every- purchasing decisions and aiming your put- the mirror on the thing in the right direction. Your eyes can’t putterface should do it if any of these shapes don’t look good to reflect the laser back to its origin. AIM SPEED MODIFIERS MODIFIERS HOSEL HOSEL “Not only do you have to LIE ANGLE HEAD WEIGHT aim the putter in the right HEAD SHAPE COUNTER WT. LOFT SHAFT FLEX direction laterally, but also LINES LENGTH up and down.” GRIP TYPE

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AIM MODIFIER #1: THE HOSEL NO 1/16” 1/8” 1/4” 3/8” S!SHAPED OFFSET OFFSET OFFSET OFFSET OFFSET THERE ARE A number or putter models where the shaft dives straight into the head, but most PICK YOUR HOSEL HOSELS Check the hosel of the putters you’ll see on the market feature designs on these (slant a distinct hosel—that funny-shaped connect- pages (as well the necks) ing piece between the end of the shaft and the view you get with putterhead. Hosel type has a lot to do with the each one when O!set created with overall balance of your putter. Certain shapes you stand over the curved rather than ball). Even though straight angles. As the create face balancing and varying degrees of these are simple o!set increases, so toe hang—design traits that are easy to pick photographic does the tendency to up (just balance a putter on your index finger representations, aim more to the left. just above the hosel to see how it’s weighted). you should be What isn’t so concrete is the effect different able to sense how your perspective hosel types have on your perspective and aim. changes with each As it is with all of the putter design variables one. My fitting that we’ll discuss in this chapter, the shape system uses five of the hosel has a definite influence on your S-shaped hosels ability to point the putterface in the direction and six L-shaped hosels (I machine you intend. an L-shaped hosel The easiest way to survey any hosel is to with a forward break it down by shape (usually, S shaped shaft insert that or L shaped) and by offset (usually, 0 to 0.5 isn’t pictured here) inches). Hosel offset and shape produce optical with varying o!set geometries that create aim responses in your to create 11 unique INCREASING LEFT-AIM BIAS views at address. subconscious. Some tend to aim you more to the left and some tend to aim you more to NO 1/16” 1/8” 1/4” 3/8” the right. The critical word here is “more”—a L!SHAPED OFFSET OFFSET OFFSET OFFSET OFFSET certain hosel may aim you more right or more HOSELS left, but not necessarily right or left of dead center. The hosel is the only putter component (plumber that we’ll discuss that doesn’t seal the deal in necks) and of itself. Also notice that I used the word O!set created with “tend” because everyone is wired differently. the addition of a That being said, here are some general rules 90-degree bend in the that hold true for the majority of players: S-SHAPED HOSEL L-SHAPED HOSEL hosel. Because of the straight lines designed 1. L-SHAPED HOSELS (also known as plumber- into these hosels, L-shaped necks tend necks) tend to create more of a leftward aim bias to aim players more to than their S-shaped counterparts. the left.

2. HOSELS THAT FEATURE OFFSET tend to aim players more to the left. It’s a progressive relationship; the greater the offset the greater the left-aim bias. NOTE If a person uses a putter with a lot of offset but tends to aim right, giving him a 3. ONSET HOSELS (those that set the putter- putter with zero offset will most likely change his aim bias to the left. Like I mentioned face ahead of the shaft) tend to aim people more previously, every player is wired differently. We never know how a player will respond until to the right. we test them using the laser and take a full inventory of their current putter preferences.

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AIM MODIFIER #2: LIE ANGLE AIM MODIFIER #3: HEAD SHAPE

LIKE YOUR IRONS, wedges and woods, your IF YOU WALK into any pro shop there’s a good of the spectrum, other than size, is the geom- Much of this aim bias is based on where putter is built with a specific lie—the angle that chance that the shear number of head designs etry in the back. Mallets tend to have curved a putter forces you to look when you’re set- shaft makes as it enters the hosel measured will overwhelm you. You’d think that there trailing edges; blades and Anser-style putters ting up at address. Because a mallet features from the ground. Most off-the-rack putters are were at least as many head designs as there tend to feature straight back edges with a lot a circular back, you have to look to the lead- built with around 70 degrees of lie. are golfers. But when it comes down to look- of parallel lines built into the head. The back ing edge to set the face perpendicular to your Lie angle has a lot to do with putter aim— ing at head shapes and their affect on aim geometry of any head shape is the secret to target line. With an Anser-style putter you the manner in which it combines with the loft and the other factors in the Triad, you can its effect on aim. Here are some general rules: can use either the back edge or the lead edge of your putterface and the overall length of LIE BIAS easily pare down the offerings into just a few since both are parallel. the shaft can drastically alter your perspec- As the lie angle becomes discernable shapes. 1. The more circular the putter’s trailing edge, tive. The best example to help explain how lie more upright [rear At one end of the spectrum are large, mallet the more likely it will cause you to aim more to affects aim is when the putter is too upright. putter] the greater the shaped putters, like the popular Odyssey 2-Ball the right. SHAPE SHIFTS left-aim bias. Most players compensate for too much lie by putters. At the other end are your standard When surveying any putterhead, look to the back edge. The greater the curve built into the trail simply dropping their hands, a move the causes heel-toe putters, like the PING Anser. Every 2. The straighter the putter’s trailing edge, edge, the more likely that putter will cause you to the toe of the putter to rise off the ground. other putter is a deviation of these two models. the more likely it will cause you to aim more to aim more to the right. I’m sure you know of someone who putts this The primary difference between the two ends the left. way. This toe-up position almost always forces players to aim more to the left. It’s the same phenomenon as setting up to the ball on a sidehill lie with the ball above your feet. The ground, lie angle and loft automatically change the clubface position and point it to the left. That’s why you’re told to aim out to the right on these shots because they naturally want to fly to the left. LIE ANGLE “The manner in which lie Defined as the angle the shaft makes combines with loft and with the ground. Upright lies tend shaft length can drastically to aim you more to the left; flat lies alter your perspective.” tend to aim you more to the right.

INCREASING LEFT-AIM BIAS

INCREASING RIGHT-AIM BIAS

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AIM MODIFIER #4: LOFT AIM MODIFIER #5: LINES

TRUE OR FALSE: When you bought the put- THE LINES DRAWN on your putterhead are aslo The reason for theses biases is that lines and the way LINE STUDY ter that’s currently in your bag you paid zero critical to the aim scenario. Most people as- they’re patterned affect which part of the putter you Look for more attention to how much loft was built into the sume that you need to have lines on the putter, look at. If there are more lines on the back cavity than than just colored putterface. I’m guessing “true.” It could have and that lines ensure that you’ll aim straight. on the leading edge, you’re more likely to look at the lines. The inherent shape of your 3 degrees of loft or it could have 6—you have We see them on airstrips, highways, railway back cavity. If there are more lines on the topline than putter is a form of no idea. The problem here is that too little or lines and race tracks, and it makes sense that then the back cavity, your attention will be drawn to aiming line, as are too much loft, as it’s perceived by your mind’s we think that they’re helpful. However, lines the front of the putter, changing your perspective of milled notches and eye—causes a double-whammy in error be- can exert both positive and negative effects the hosel, the putterhead—everything. Most people are cutaways. cause it directly affects your aim and your depending on how your eyes interpret them. drawn to things that look busier on a conscious level speed. Not only is it a question of whether or not to because they assume that those markings are there for have aim lines, but also where they should be a beneficial reason, but on a subconscious level they can THE EFFECT OF LOFT ON AIM placed and how many be used. confuse—your mind sees them as just another series The manner in which loft affects aim has a We created a line template as part of our of inputs it needs to sort out. lot to do with how you perceive the putter at fitting system that allows us to easily test line address. Putters with too much loft naturally arrangements and gauge aiming ability. The appear hooked to most players, and those with results are incredible. Here’s a quick recap: NOTES ON COLOR too little loft look open. There are two com- Our line study also proved that the color of the lines affects players’ aim. monly used methods to offset the perceived 1.Lines, in general aim, tend to make people A grey putter with a black line and a black putter with a white line look. One is to adjust aim: aim more to the aim left. create different aim values, all other things being equal. A white right if the putter looks hooked and more to DOUBLE DUTY 2. The further back the lines the more they will line on a black putter is more evident than a black line on a grey the left if the putter looks open. The other is to Loft is the only tend to aim you left. putter. Green and red lines affect aim differently than those that adjust hand position. If, for example, the putter putter design 3. Lines near the toe of the putterhead influence are blue or yellow. Colors mean a lot to people and they can have features too much loft and appears hooked at variable that aim less than those placed nearer the heel. negative, positive, and neutral associations with them, so it would directly a!ects both address, you can forward-press your hands to loft and speed. 4. An absence of lines tends to create a right make sense that they would affect how people value them. correct the perceived face angle. However, this aim bias. move also changes the loft (forward-pressing reduces the effective loft of the putterface) OPEN LOOK HOOKED LOOK and shifts the point around which the putter As loft decreases, the As loft increases, so does rotates during your stroke. Imagine the com- more open the face looks your perception that the pensations you now must make in your motion at address. face is hooked (pointing to offset this glut of changes. Wouldn’t it be to the left). better to simply buy a putter with less loft?

A SECONDARY EFFECT: SPEED Loft also influences the speed of your putts. The base effect NOTE: The effective loft of any putter is is easy to understand: a ball struck with a putter built with 1 tightly related to the hosel design. In gen- degree of loft will travel further than one struck with a put- eral, hosels with less offset require more ter featuring 5 degrees of loft with the same stroke. The more loft, while hosels built with significant important effect is a little tougher to grasp, and has to do with offset require less. This has to effective loft (the true loft of the club plus the angle at which do with the shaft angle at ad- the putter ascends into the ball). As your putter approaches dress and impact relative impact your mind is subconsciously calculating effective loft. to where the hosel If it senses that your putterface has too much or too little loft positions the head. based on the roll distance it computed when you made your read, it starts making adjustments. Since your mind can’t magically alter the shape of your putterhead, it manipulates your stroke INCREASING RIGHT-AIM BIAS INCREASING LEFT-AIM BIAS to change the ascent angle and get the effective loft it thinks the putt needs. This, obviously, is a slippery slope.

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SPEED MODIFERS SPEED CONTROL If you have di!culty SO FAR YOU’VE learned how different putter or too slow and, in nanoseconds, your body This is where weight comes into play, and controlling how far you hit your putts, then design components can affect your ability adjusts (i.e., hits the brakes or steps on the the reason for all this talk of scales. Golfers you’re in need of a head to point your putter correctly at your target. gas). This is about as close to an explanation have difficulty controlling the speed of their weight change or a (There are a few other components that affect of “feel” as you’re ever going to get—a bio- putts because they haven’t learned to outsmart di"erent shaft flex. aim which we didn’t discuss, namely shaft mechanical sense of load and pressure. Over their feel senses to get what they want. In length, shaft flex, grip type and grip size. If the years you’ve programmed the energy you other words, there are ways to manipulate the you’re interested in learning more about these need to hit putts of certain lengths (just like weight component of your putter to generate components, then visit www.edelgolf.com.) But you learned how much pressure to use to lift the same feel and control speed on any type what about the other elements of the Triad? everyday items), but as you’re about to dis- of green—fast, slow, whatever. The trick is to As you can guess, the physical makeup of your cover this program rarely works because the make your hands sense more weight or less putter also influences your speed and path. conditions affecting your putt, namely green weight than they expect so they relay new Without getting into the techniques and speed, are constantly changing. information to your brain, which then tells concepts of how to produce better speed, I’ll your body to move the putter faster or slower show you how putter design variables affect than what you have already programmed. your ability to control it. As with most of the Viola!—instant speed control. concepts discussed thus far this isn’t a one- Here’s an easy way to understand how sided affair. Really, when I talk about speed the system works. Pick a spot 10 feet in front control I’m dealing with several variables that “There are ways to of you. Imagine tossing a ping-pong ball to change your sense of touch and feel. that spot. Now, toss a bowling ball with the manipulate the weight of same force you used with the ping-pong ball. THE NOTION OF SCALES The bowling ball travels less not because of a Have you ever thought of your hands as pres- your putter to generate change in force or velocity, but rather because sure scales? Probably not, but if you think the same feel and control of a change in weight. about it, it makes sense. Our hands can sense This explains why, if you’re old enough to hot and cold, smooth and rough. They can speed on any type of green.” remember, pros used to add or remove lead also sense weight. tape from their putters before play. If they When you grab something you don’t im- didn’t have enough practice time to adjust mediately grab it with maximum force. You their previously programmed strokes to the use just enough effort to lift it. If your hands pace of that day’s greens, they’d make their then sense that the object is heavy, they’ll HOW WEIGHT CONTROLS SPEED putter heavier or lighter to force their hands increase the pressure. If your hands sense Now that you know your hands receive pres- to adjust for them. that the object is very heavy, then your body sure, and your brain computes a value to this starts a complex reaction to ready and activate pressure for a given activity, you can start to ALTERING WEIGHT FOR YOUR GOOD other muscles in your arms and torso—your move forward with the idea that the physical Manipulating weight is the fast track to nailing legs if need be—to complete the task. All this makeup of your putter can affect your ability the speed part of Putting Triad. There’s more happens, however, in relation to the sensory to control the speed of your putts. to it, however, then simply beefing up the gram input provided by your hands when they first Let’s assume that you’re a golfer that typi- weight in the head. Weighting covers a variety lifted the object. Over time you program how cally plays on greens that roll around 9 on a of putter-design properties, including coun- much effort you need to lift certain objects, Stimpmeter (a solid average on most of the terweighting (adding weight to the grip end of which is why you never have to think too much courses you’ll play). Today, however, you’re the shaft) and, believe it or not, shaft flex. It’s about the amount of energy you need to lift playing on greens that roll 11. You can guess important to fine tune these variables so that most items. what happens. You send your first few putts they can work with your natural touch system. When you putt, the same scenario applies— screaming past the hole, then get tentative and Trust me—there’s a system to dialing in these your fingers and hands are the primary source start coming up way short. By the time you components. Once you become familiar with for information transfer. As you make your reach the seventh hole you haven’t come close the system on the following pages you’ll see putting stroke the stresses of the motion create to sinking a putt, the psychological bombs that the problems you’ve had controlling the load patterns in your hands. The load patterns are detonating in your head and you haven’t speed and distance you hit your putts haven’t inform your hands if the motion is too quick a clue what to do. been your fault at all.

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SPEED MODIFIER #1: HEAD WEIGHT

HEAD WEIGHT IS exactly what you think it is—how much does that puppy weigh? The best overall head weight for you is the one that WEIGHT WATCHER matches the speed of the majority of greens you The addition or removal play (i.e., those at your home course or your of weight from the head is key to dialing in the most frequently played muni). If, however, you correct speed on the tend to play a number of different courses, then greens you typically play. your best putter is one that allows you to eas- ily add weight or remove it, since you’re going to experience several different green speeds over the course of a year and you’ll need the ability to adjust. (Keep in mind that as the ter. I guarantee that if you change the weight, seasons change, so do the conditions of the you’d fine-tune your distance control and hit greens, so even if you play the same course the string every time. If you hit it most of your over and over you may benefit from an putts beyond the string your putter is too light. adjustable-weight putter). You’re moving it too fast because your hands As a rule, you should use a light- sense the lack of weight. If the majority of er putter (less than TK grams) on your putts stop short of the string, then your slow greens and a heavier put- putter is too heavy. You’re moving it too slow SELF TEST Rolling balls to ter (more than TK grams) on because your hands sense too much weight. a string tells you fast greens. I know it makes Remember, velocity has a greater effect on a lot about the sense that you’d do just the energy than mass. consistency of your opposite since a heavier Of course, some golfers hit putts farther stroke and the putter components putter transfers more en- with a heavy putter and some hit putts shorter you need to change ergy to the ball than a lighter with a lighter putter, but not because of the to get the right one with the same stroke, and that’s the last weight. When you putt with a putter that’s speed and direction thing you want on fast greens. It doesn’t work too heavy for your senses, it starts off moving every time. that way, however. Your hands sense that the at a slower pace as discussed. What can and putter is heavy and, therefore, will swing it very often happens is that your brain picks with less effort. up on the movement and sends the message If you remember your high school physics to accelerate. The acceleration, however, hap- you’ll recall the formula E=MV2. It’s the equa- pens too quickly, too late and at too rapid a tion for Energy, which is equal to the Mass pace—you jab at the ball (can you say “yips?”). of the object multiplied by the square of its The opposite can and often happens when Velocity. Regardless of the grade you received you swing a putter that’s too light. This time, in physics, it’s easy to see just by looking at once your brain senses that the putter is mov- the formula that velocity has a much greater ing too fast (because your hands sense the influence on energy than mass. lighter weight), it dumps the power and you decelerate—a very common and serious error. GETTING THE WEIGHT RIGHT “You should use a lighter The key is to experiment with the string So how do you figure out how to get the weight drill using putters of various weight (I’m sure right in your putterhead? Simple, tack a piece putter (less than TK grams) your local pro shop has a row of differently of string on the putting green, set up 10 feet on slow greens and a weighted putters and a practice putting mat— away from it on level ground and roll a few take advantage of it). My fitting system allows putts toward it [photo, right]. If you hit most heavier putter (more than me to change the weight in the head up to TK of the putts long and short of the string, then grams in a matter of seconds. It’s an impor- you know that you lack the touch to control TK grams) on fast greens.” tant part of the Edel Golf system. Usually we distance with the weight built into your put- can nail distance control in just a few strokes.

The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever! The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever! 16 17 DAVID EDEL C HAPTE R 1 /// How to Pick the Right Putter

SPEED MODIFIER #2: SHAFT FLEX SPEED MODIFIER #3: COUNTERWEIGHT

THE SHAFT ON your putter does more than same way you discover the appropriate head happen when you mix and match. In other HAVE YOU EVER changed your putter grip? A also their aim. Here’s how it works: connect the grip to the putterhead. Its length weight. Go back to rolling balls to a string and words, you either look like Jack Nicklaus, a lot of golfers do to create a new look or feel in is a key component to nailing your aim (we’ll experiment with different shaft flexes until you linear putter, or Tiger Woods, a radial put- their flatstick, or to adjust to their hand size. IF YOU TEND TO AIM MORE “Adding weight to the save that for another time) and its flex is an can consistently hit the distance on the money. ter, or you look frustrated because you try to While these types of changes are always made TO THE LEFT… important speed determinant. Flex is closely Changing the flex is the same as changing the look like both. with good intentions, they seriously alter the G Experiment with counterweights either in the handle makes the head feel tied to the weight of your putterhead and the weight—softening the shaft makes the put- overall performance of your putter. Standard handle or the shaft. My research shows that lighter, which has drastic manner in which you accelerate as you make terhead feel heavier and stiffening the shaft grips can vary in weight as much as 30 to 40 counterweights promote a sense of block- your stroke. Softer flexes make the head feel makes the head feel lighter. (The opposite also YOU KNOW YOU’RE A RADIAL grams even though they look and feel similar. ing, which helps left aimers compensate for implications when it comes heavier and stiff flexes make the shaft feel holds true: adding weight makes the shaft feel ACCELERATOR IF: Gripping your putter with a midsize or jumbo their bias. Also, left aimers tend to be more lighter. Here’s an example. I had a customer softer and removing weight from the head G You tend to make long strokes and ac- grip can add up to 110 extra grams. What golf- linear in their acceleration patterns, and the to speed control.” that returned his putter because he wanted me makes the shaft feel stiffer). celerate the putter gradually. ers don’t realize is that adding weight to the extra handle weight gives them something to add more weight to the putterhead. From G You like to adjust for putt distance by handle makes the head feel lighter, which to push against. (Once a left-aim bias is cor- his file I knew that the current head weight ACCELERATION EFFECTS varying the length of your stroke, not the you’ve already learned has drastic implica- rected, however, counterweights are no longer was absolutely perfect for him, so instead of The weight/flex relationship isn’t the only one force of it. tions when it comes to speed control. effective for these individuals.) altering that spec I simply put a softer shaft that affects speed. The relative softness or G Your backstroke is usually longer than Manipulating weight at the grip end of the in. The customer rang after a few days to ask stiffness you feel in the shaft has a lot to do your forward-stroke. putter, also known as counterweighting, is a IF YOU TEND TO AIM MORE me how much weight I added to the putter with the way you accelerate the putter as you G You’re good at speed putts and lags. relatively new concept in putters. In the grip TO THE RIGHT… because he was rolling the ball perfectly! make your stroke. The faster you accelerate, example above the counterweight was used as G Avoid counterweights and experiment with You can discover the best flex for you the the more than the shaft will flex. Less accel- EQUIPMENT PRESCRIPTION: a negative. Under the watchful eye of a fitter, different head weights, since the extra handle eration makes the shaft feel stiffer. Go for heavier head weights and softer however, adding weight to the handle—and or shaft weight promotes a sense that you’re There are two ways you can accelerate: shaft flexes. sometimes the middle of the shaft—is an effec- blocking the putt—a double whammy. Once PUTTERHEAD tive way to improve the way the putter reacts you correct your right aim, however, coun- Adding weight closer to the head makes 1. Radial Acceleration: A motion originating in your hands. Our fitting system is replete terweights can be of great service. Most right any shaft feel softer. from the center and working outward, like with multiple ways to alter the weight of the aimers tend to retain the outside-in stroke they a slingshot. This is the acceleration found in YOU KNOW YOU’RE A LINEAR grip end and the shaft to not only match the used to compensate for right aim even after arc strokes (see Chapter 4). ACCELERATOR IF: speed-control needs of individual players, but they learn how to aim straight. Counterweight- G You tend to keep your stroke length the ing relaxes this outside-in motion since its 2. Linear Acceleration: A motion originating same and add or remove thrust to control more difficult to release the putterhead with from a thrust that’s parallel to the ground, like the distance you hit your putts. extra weight toward the handle. the back-and-forth motion of a piston. This G You prefer a short backstroke and an is the acceleration used in most pendulum accelerating through-stroke HOW MUCH COUNTERWEIGHTING, strokes and in Maggie Will’s Brush Stroke G You’re okay on short putts but longer IF ANY IS RIGHT FOR YOU? (Chapter 5). putts give you fits. Again, the string test holds the key. Also, since counter-weighting affects aim as well as speed, CUSTOMIZE Most golfers prefer to accelerate one way EQUIPMENT PRESCRIPTION: SHAFT putt balls to a specific target to gauge how the GRIP Manipulating weight in three or another, which may help explain why cer- Opt for stiffer shafts, and extra weight Weighted shaft inserts weights affect your direction (left or right) Counterweighting key areas of your putter tain golfers prefer to swing their putter on either in the middle of the shaft or at the can enhance the feel of as well as your distance. You can easily add is a powerful tool to [circled] changes the way an arc (radial accelerators) or straight back grip (counterweight). a straight-back-and- weight to the handle or shaft with simple lead improve the shape and the shaft flexes and the through stroke. feel of your stroke. speed you roll putts. and through (linear accelerators). Problems tape (available in any pro shop).

The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever! The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever! 18 19 DAVID EDEL C HAPTE R 1 /// How to Pick the Right Putter

COMPLETING THE TRIAD: PATH

WE’VE TALKED A lot about aim and speed, but left-aim bias, you’ll miss the putt on the left what about the third member of the Triad, unless you alter your path by pushing the ball 4 1 path? There’s not much you can do to your or add speed to remove some of the break. putter to affect path compared to aim and There’s the additional problem in that this SLOPE speed, but it’s important to know that the putt, as is the putt in Quadrant 3, is uphill and path of your stroke is entirely dependent on every golfer has a built-in tendency to hit this where you aim and at what speed you hit the putt harder to track the right line. putt, two components of the Triad that can definitely be affected by changing your putter. When Your Putt is in Quadrant 3, the true aim So, in a sense, the physical makeup of your point is left of the hole. If you’re a left aimer putter has a lot to say about how you swing you’re already pointing your putterface above it back and through. the true aim point, so there’s no help in hit- 3 2 ting the ball harder like you subconsciously DEALING IN QUADRANTS do on uphill putts—you’ll just miss to the left QUAD PUTTING The best way to see how your putter makeup quicker. A speed adjustment may help a right This chart shows you the di!erence between the true and the Triad work together is to recognize aimer since it will offset the fact that they’re aim and the expected path for each putt in all four that every putt you’ll ever face starts in one setup to play less break. sections of the quad. If your bias—or putter— forces you to aim left or right of the true aim point, you’ll of four quadrants surrounding the hole. Basi- have to adjust by manipulating speed and the path of cally, there are four sides to every cup situated When Your Putt is in Quadrant 4 the left aimer your stroke. This is di"cult to pull o! with consistent around what’s called a fall line, which is the is already aimed above the true aim point (left results, mandating the need to get aim right in the line on which the ball rolls without any curve of the hole), but since this putt is downhill, first place with a putter that allows you to. (you’ll learn all about this with green reading changing the path by pushing the ball is a pioneer Mark Sweeney in Chapter 6). Check scary proposition because of the speed. Similar the photo at left to see how the quadrant works trouble awaits a right aimer—any additional and pay attention to how mistakes in your aim speed here or a change in path will make for affect your path and speed. a scary second putt if the first one misses. 4 In conclusion path always changes to meet Quadrant 1: Downhill right-to-left putt. the requirements of speed and aim, and as Quadrant 2: Uphill right-to-left putt. the four quadrants show, altering path—as Quadrant 3: Uphill left-to-right putt. well as speed—to compensate for aim makes 3 Quadrant 4: Downhill left-to-right putt. things very difficult. Use your equipment to 1 fine tune your aim and speed and your path will almost always correct itself on its own, When Your Putt is in Quadrant 1, the true aim holing putts from each of the quadrants a mat- point is right of the hole. If you have a right- ter of simply making a good read and then aim bias, you’ll miss the putt wide right unless smoothly pulling the trigger. you alter your path by pulling the ball or hit the ball with less speed. If you have a left-aim bias, you’ll miss the putt on the left unless “Path always changes to you alter your path by pushing the ball or add speed to remove some of the break. meet the requirements of 2 When Your Putt is in Quadrant 2, the true aim speed and aim, and altering point, again, is right of the hole. If you have a right-aim bias, you’ll miss the putt wide right path to compensate for aim unless you alter your path by pulling the ball makes things very di!cult.” or hit the ball with less speed. If you have a

The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever! The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever! 20 21 DAVID EDEL C HAPTE R 1 /// How to Pick the Right Putter

BUILDING THE PERFECT PUTTER FIT FOR SCORING My fitting system I HOPE THAT the information in this chapter for contributing to my knowledge and testing putting puzzle; Geoff Mangum for tenaciously allows me to match golfers with a putter has helped you realize the value of playing ideas to validate the value of putter fitting; studying the putting game and sharing his that impoves aim, with the correct putter. Within this realiza- Bobby Dean, for selling enough putters to information; and teaching legend Chuck Cook, speed and path in a tion lies the platform to develop a competent keep us alive; Mark Sweeney for giving us my first account, who gave me the credibility matter of minutes. putting game and take your scoring to new his knowledge about green reading (chapter to reach out and expand this exciting new lows. The complexities built into this aspect 6) and creating the final major piece to the world of putter fitting to outlets nationwide. of the game are many, so taking a nonsensi- cal approach can be dangerous. That’s the real value I see in my fitting system: there’s THE PERFECT PUTTER IN 20 SECONDS a concrete, justifiable reason behind every hosel change and additional gram added to the putterhead. Each alteration is made with the same goal in mind: improving all of the factors in your Putting Triad. As I mentioned previously, I can build 16 million unique put- ters with the components stocked in my fitting cart [photo, right]. With the right knowledge, you can weed out the ones that won’t work for you based on your tendencies and find one that helps you putt the lights out. My views on putter fitting and enhanc- ing the Triad are not mine alone. Many have contributed to both my and the system’s de- velopment. I would like to thank my friend Mike Schy a great teacher and professional for LOFT TURN STYLE listening to my theories and providing posi- I have specially designed face plates with 0 to 5 I can change 10 diferent head and shaft tive feedback; David Orr, Director of Instruc- degrees of loft that attach and un-attach easily components with a special tool of my own tion at Campbell University PGM Program to the head. design in an instant.

HOSEL AIM LINES READY TO GO A choice of 11 hosel styles makes it easy to fit a Another of my inventions is a stencil that allows Once all the pieces are in place, the specs for student for his aim bias after I asses his aiming me to experiment with multiple aim lines and the fitting are noted and built into hand-milled tendencies with the laser. arrangements when dialing in a student’s aim. putters machined at my shop in Dallas. Tex.

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