THE INFLUENCE OF ADJUSTABLE PUTTER HEAD WEIGHTING ON THE STROKE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of putter head weighting towards the heel and the toe on the kinematic aspects of the putting stroke. Seven (n=7) male golfers (age 42.6 ±2.3 y) with high proficiency (handicap 9.5 ±1.4) were recruited for this study. The experiment was carried out in an indoor studio with artificial grass (Stimp 10). Two toe weight and two heel weight settings were tested and compared with the standard weighting. Results suggest that putter head weighing influences the characteristics of the putting stroke, and systematic differences were found between toe and heel weighting. It is concluded that fitting the weight and the balance of a putter head is critical for supporting each individual's stroke and putting performance.