Which Putter Length Should You Use?
With most of the best putters offering custom options of a variety of lengths, how on earth do you know where to start?
There are a couple of considerations to determine a suitable length of putter, the first of which is posture. Ideal posture in putting will be determined by a combination of a few physically pre-determined factors, including a player's height, their ratio of torso and leg length, and wrist-to-floor measurement.
Generally speaking with 'orthodox' putting (by which I mean not broom handle), a comfortable posture with a slight bend from the hips is preferable. Quite often if a putter is too short it may result in a crouched or hunched posture for a player, and similarly, too long may result in a player standing too upright or even too far from the ball to compensate. Not only is this important from a stroke functionality point of view, but it can also be helpful from an injury prevention standpoint. As an example, upon returning to practice after his spine fusion surgery, Tiger Woods lengthened his famous Scotty Cameron putter slightly allowing him to stand a little more upright and take the pressure of his back, facilitating longer practice sessions and less discomfort. This could be something to consider for all golfers with back problems but should be done in conjunction with a PGA Professional to ensure both the club is lengthened correctly and that the new length is suitable for your stroke type.
The second consideration for me is the eye line relative to the golf ball. As a broad starting point, it is generally accepted that having your eyes somewhat close to directly vertically above the ball is beneficial in terms of seeing the line clearly, although many putting coaches believe that the exact optimal positioning can vary depending on whether a player is left or right eye dominant.
Selecting a putter length that allows you to position your eyes well is critical to consistency on the greens. To do so, we would as always recommend seeking the in-person advice of a qualified coach or custom fitter, but you can get an idea of where your current putter sits by getting in your putting set up and dropping a golf ball from the bridge of your nose. Seeing where that ball drops relative to your putter blade will give you a great indication of where your eyes are currently positioned. If the ball drops closer to you than the center of the blade, your eyes are "inside" the ball and you may want to consider a shorter putter, conversely, if the ball drops further away from you than the center of the blade, then your eyes are "outside" of the ball and a longer putter may be required.
