Question: I’ve seen lead tape used on irons before, but a guy I played with recently had a bunch of the stuff packed in the cavity of his putter. Does it significantly affect putting performance?
Answer: First off, clubs these days are a fitter’s dream. With adjustable weights, sliding tracks and moveable hosels, tweaking launch, spin and swingweight is as easy as grabbing a wrench.
But when the goal is more incremental – adding just a touch of weight here or there – it’s tough to beat an old-school fix: lead tape.
Yep, lead tape is still alive and well. Especially on tour.
RELATED: Will lead tape make your driver better or non-conforming? Yes. No. Maybe.
At the pro level, where feel reigns supreme and the smallest weight change can make a difference, lead tape remains a go-to solution. And nowhere is that more common than on the greens, particularly during weeks like the Open Championship, where slower surfaces often prompt players to beef up their putters a bit.
Tiger Woods has famously done it. When greens on links courses ran slower than what he’d see at Augusta or Memorial, he’d occasionally slap strips of lead tape on the sole and back cavity of his trusty Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS. More mass equals more roll with less effort.
So how should you use lead tape? And more importantly, where should it go?
Chris Marchini, Golf Galaxy’s director of golf experience and a master clubfitter, shared his thoughts recently on the Golf IQ podcast. According to Marchini, there’s one spot that makes the most sense: the sole.
“The location of the lead tape can change feel and sound,” Marchini says, “but not so much ball speed. Place the tape on the sole and spread it out evenly.”
Even distribution on the sole doesn’t mess with the centre of gravity much – which is important if you like how your putter already feels through impact – but it does give you a heavier head feel, which can help smooth out your tempo or give you better control on slower greens.
What about the back cavity? That’s where Tiger used it, right? (For clarification: a one-inch strip of standard half-inch-wide lead tape usually weighs roughly one gram.)
Sure, but there’s a catch. Unless you’re piling on the tape, you won’t shift the centre of gravity significantly. What you will affect is feel and acoustics, especially if the tape sits directly behind the face. That can be good or bad, depending on what you like.
It’s also worth noting that some manufacturers aren’t fans of putting tape in the cavity – and not just for performance reasons. As Callaway Golf’s Joe Toulon once put it: “We don’t want to cover up the Odyssey logo.”
Fair enough.
There’s also a cosmetic risk. Lead tape can strip paint from certain finishes, especially inside cavities. Even Tiger’s putter didn’t escape unscathed.
Bottom line? Start with the sole. It’s cleaner, safer and more effective for most players.
And if you’re chasing that Tiger-level feel, try a few strips in the cavity. Just know what you’re getting into – visually and performance-wise.
