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DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION FACTORS
Appearance: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Still there are certain design principles and manufacturing and finishing processes that can give the best appearance. The best appearing putters are a result of professional designers and industry best manufacturing and finishing people.
Alignment: Alignment is a combination of the eye of the beholder's psychomotor skill, spatial relationships
and design features. In part, the alignment of the putter must match the golfer's usual "look" or have ideal configuration built into the putter
head and shaft
to have the ease of set up and alignment. Various geometric shapes promote alignment as well as designs on the top of the putter.
Feel: Feel can be an illusive term to define. There at two potential components to feel. One is the level of psychomotor ability of the golfer. The other is the design and construction of the club. The summation of the two contributes to feel. Golfers vary in their psychomotor skills to determine feel. Clubs vary in the transmission of vibrations
and sound
from the head
through the shaft
to the
golfer's hands and ears.
We have proposed a definition of "feel" which can be measured. Feel is measured in the interval of time from impact to when the golfer can accurately predict the
quality of the putt.
For instance, a player and club with poor "feel" would require visualizing the outcome of the ball strike by where the ball came to rest. On the other hand, a golfer and club with excellent "feel" would have accurate prediction almost instantaneously upon impact. The key concept here is accurate prediction.
To predict quickly but wrong is not good feel. The phrase "quality of the shot" is used as it is well known that some good putts will not go in and others, not as well struck, may find the hole.
Accuracy: Accuracy is also a result of the player's psychomotor skill and the design and construction of the club. Just as players differ, so do putters in a variety of ways. The ideal putter design and construction will produce
a large sweet spot. This is the area of optimal impact. The widest sweet spot would be from heel to toe, which is unlikely. The optimal sweet spot extends 1/2 inch towards heel and toe from the center. In addition, various putters transfer putter head speed to
identical
ball speed and very quickly. Some putters show on testing that the ball skid is longer than other designs. The golfer should choose a putter that is the most forgiving on miss-hits (widest sweet spot) and one that produces the most consistent distance with same impact.
The rest is left up to the golfer. The golfer determines force of impact and direction
of the shot.
Distance Control: Distance control is primarily in the hands of the golfer, but well designed and constructed putters will, on testing, show the same distance with same impact. Other clubs, much to our surprise, will have varying distance results with same impacts. Therefore,
it is desirable to have
a putter that machine tests with same distance with same impact. It is to be preferred over one that does not. You would be surprised how many popular putters have great variation in resultant distance with uniform impact.
BUYER'S OPINION COUNTS
Value: Value is not the same as price. Price is what you pay. Value is the benefit you enjoy compared to price. Some high priced putters have little value and independent testing proves this fact. Other putters are moderately priced and have great value as determined in same manner. The buyer is the judge
of the performance, but unfortunately without the facts of independent testing. This is precisely the reason we have disclosed all our testing results. We want you to make an informed purchase.
Comfort/Confidence: This is all perception, although certain common denominators of design and construction will instill comfort and confidence.
Does It Work For You? The golfer gets to decide. Generally there is a direct relationship between quality design and construction confirmed by independent testing and how well it works for the golfer. However, technique and psychomotor skills are the major influences on effectiveness.
Bottom Line: Unfortunately, the buyer's opinion is most influenced in the golf industry by marketing and what tour professional golfer is being paid to use the club. "As seen on TV" seems to be influencing the purchase more than facts. Buyer beware!
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