The exacting nature of evaluating putters
Putter testing might be the most mentally taxing of the categories. That’s especially true of blade putters in which the vast majority bear a monotonous resemblance to the classic Ping Anser, and the differences are more difficult to discern. With a driver or thin-face iron, it’s easier to tell if the club sounds flawed at impact. Commenting on sound when impact is being made at less than five miles per hour is far more nuanced. Still, that’s what we asked our testers to do.
Our testing method for putters is simple: choosing from a family of putters (including different lengths and grip options for many), select the model that most appeals to you – just as you would if you were perusing at a golf shop. Then spend as much time with that putter as you need to make a confident evaluation on how it performs and how it sounds and feels. For some that means more long putts. Others spend more time banging in four-footers. Although how much time our testers spend and how they go about using that time is up to them, there is one objective from our staff: do not become fixated on how many putts you make, especially from long range. No matter how good the putter, it didn’t turn you into Jordan Spieth overnight.
