By Dave Pelz
When you want to compare your ability with two different putters, or even compare two putting styles to each other, try this two-part test to help you find the one you should use on the golf course. Phil Mickelson has done this test to determine which putter to put into tournament play.
Bring a little pocket-notepad to the practice green to keep notes and scores for later comparison. For both tests, we will compare “Putter A” to “Putter B.”
Part 1: Makeable Putts – Fan Drill
Put tees down every three feet, starting at three feet and ending at 30 feet from the hole. You will need 10 balls so you can putt one ball from each tee position.
Do the Fan drill four times: first, with Putter A, next with Putter B, then Putter B again, and lastly with Putter A (40 putts total). Each time you complete the drill with one putter, record how many putts you made out of 10.
Record your scores on your notepad (Records the number of makes for Putter A on Line 1, the number of makes for Putter B on Line 2, then, the number of makes for Putter B on Line 3, and, finally, the number of makes for Putter A on Line 4).
Part 2: Lag Putt Drill
Using 10 golf balls, place three balls at 40 feet, four balls at 50 feet, and three balls at 60 feet as shown in Figure 2. Place a golf tee at each of these distances, as you will be doing the Lag putt drill four times.
In your notepad page, write the Leave Distance for Putter A on Line 1, the Leave Distance for Putter B on Line 2, the Leave Distance for Putter B on Line 3 and, finally, the Leave Distance for Putter A on Line 4.
Starting with Putter A, putt three balls from the 50-foot tee, then three balls from the 40-foot tee, then three balls from the 60-foot tee, and lastly, the final ball from the 50 foot tee. Go to the hole and step-off your cumulative “leave-distance” for all ten balls. The “leave-distance” for any one putt is simply how far away from the hole (in feet) the ball is. Record your cumulative leave distance.
Repeat this test with Putter B. Then repeat this test again with Putter B. Lastly, repeat the test again with Putter A.
Analysis:
Test 1: Add the total number of makes for Putter A and Putter B. The higher number wins Test 1.
Test 2: Add the total leave distances for Putter A and Putter B. The lower number wins Test 2.
This two-putter test may not be conclusive, but it is a very good snap-shot your performance with each putter. Do this test on several different days, altering which putter is A and which is B to get more conclusive data. Also, review the notes you made throughout the testing to review your thoughts regarding the comfort and feel of each putter. These thoughts are important, but the data rules. The putter that makes the most makeable putts and produces the shortest “leave-distances” on lag putts is the putter you should use on the golf course.