Difference between centre shaft and heel shaft putter

hi, hope that this has not been discussed before. Got a centre shaft putter and the feel is quite ok for me but recently heard of friends that centre shaft putter is more difficult to play. Also saw most of the PGA players using heel shaft putters.
Is it true that centre shaft putters are generally not too easy/good to game with?? Please advise

Caddy Posts : 5606 Join date : 2009-12-26

Why listen to your friends when its quite oK for u? They dont want you to win all the time, do they?

It is just Visual preference. I like center shaft with no offset. Easier to line up the visual aid against the ball

it's really a question of what works for you. if it works for u, then dont worry about what others say about it.

I used to really like centre-shafted putters (I had the seemore FGP putter), but overtime i found that my putting stroke changed and that heel shafted putters worked better. even with heel shafted putters, i started out loving straight-necked putters, but now i find that flow-necked putters work best

i guess the moral of the story is to stick to whatever works. if one day u find that doesn't work anymore, then try something else

Very Active Golfer Posts : 915 Join date : 2010-01-12

Depends on your putting stroke style,
Center shaft - straight back and through
Heel Shaft - Arc stroke

If you have straight back and through stroke a center shafted putter would be a good choice.Some people like the feel for the shaft behind the ball, don't like the feel of the putter face turning on impact.

My two cents worth

scottycollector wrote:: it's really a question of what works for you. if it works for u, then dont worry about what others say about it.

I used to really like centre-shafted putters (I had the seemore FGP putter), but overtime i found that my putting stroke changed and that heel shafted putters worked better. even with heel shafted putters, i started out loving straight-necked putters, but now i find that flow-necked putters work best

i guess the moral of the story is to stick to whatever works. if one day u find that doesn't work anymore, then try something else

moral of the story is also to buy all sorts of putters so you can change if you feel your stroke that day is different

Interesting topic. I was wondering too if there are any differences given the variety of neck types on putter.

i'm still on experimental mode (trying different types of putters but i still make as many misses with the different types...mebe i'm just a lousy putter..hhaha). I read many online articles saying that certain types of necks results in differences in weightings, hangs etc etc....and it suits different strokes, but I guess I'm still a newbie to notice/feel any differences.

However, the most significant thing i realise is the confidence level i felt when looking down at the putter during address.

On address when i see the 'no offset centre shaft' or a high toe profile with flared neck, my putting felt more at ease and i sink most of them. Oh and I like a heavier feel too....

......i wonder if there are heavy high toe profile putters with centre shaft....hahaha

Very Active Golfer Posts : 915 Join date : 2010-01-12

Bear wrote:: On address when i see the 'no offset centre shaft' or a high toe profile with flared neck, my putting felt more at ease and i sink most of them. Oh and I like a heavier feel too....

......i wonder if there are heavy high toe profile putters with centre shaft....hahaha

I might be wrong but most center shafted putters are face balanced and it would be difficult to have a face balanced center shafted putter with high toe profile.

To find out the most suitable putter for your self, check out your misses and stroking style.

Super Active Golfer Posts : 2100 Join date : 2009-11-30

There was a previous discussion on this

Someone posted a link to explain, depending if one is left or right master eye, then a heel shafted, center shafted, full shaft offset, 3/4 offset etc may be suitable

But then again that is a guide. It's not the rule.

At the end of the day. If it rolls the rock into the hole, just go with whatever works

[/quote]

I might be wrong but most center shafted putters are face balanced and it would be difficult to have a face balanced center shafted putter with high toe profile.

[/quote]

I think you might be spot on bro. I doubt there'll be a high toe profile putter with a centre shaft...heehee.

I did not really take notice of my missed putts. Most of my misses is coming up short. I will monitor on my misses from now on to see which type is more suited for me. Thanks for the suggestion bro sob Very Happy

Senior Golfer Posts : 263 Join date : 2011-10-08 Age : 51

some 1 once told me there is 2 clubs in the bag is very personal the 1st and the last .

putters are very personal ... Y ? the feel it's all about the feel of confidence :

the feel @ address
the feel for distance control

there is no 100% perfect putter getting it close is as good as it gets

putter may work for 1 but not for the other

@ the end of the day what would u have ???
getting on the green in 2 stroke just to 3 putt on a par 4 hole or getting a 2 on and 1 putt ???

I m tryg it now... Wink

Three games three diff results... Rolling Eyes

Importantly i noticed, yr address must b a fixed, yr follow thru must b straight /firm/confident, yr feel fr distance control must b accurate where i m weak in this period! Cool

Will b havg more games w it n hope my bank saving suffi enough! Razz

Junior Golfer Posts : 208 Join date : 2011-11-16

sob wrote:

Bear wrote:: On address when i see the 'no offset centre shaft' or a high toe profile with flared neck, my putting felt more at ease and i sink most of them. Oh and I like a heavier feel too....

......i wonder if there are heavy high toe profile putters with centre shaft....hahaha

I might be wrong but most center shafted putters are face balanced and it would be difficult to have a face balanced center shafted putter with high toe profile.

To find out the most suitable putter for your self, check out your misses and stroking style.

Bro, check this out: http://www.seemore.com/products/product/black-si2/

The SI2 is a classic heel/toe blade with a slightly back of center shaft design.

Bro copen123, thanks for the link u provided. I like the look. But not as much as I like the look of a high toe profile like scotty california series orping ZB series...I saw some other putters with high toe profile while browsing but can't recall it now.

I 'handled' a similar looking seemore at taka..no chance to putt to coz I don't see any place to putt. I felt assured and confident with it too...as with the newport 2.6.

Centre shafts has this kinda effect on me. Not sure if this a good analogy but its to me like standing in front of a basketball hoop and sinking the shot. Look up..see the hoop...shoot. Centreshafts= look at hole...lie up putter...look at hole..sink the putt...

Not sure if u get what I'm trying to say...

As for the high toe...i just like the way it looks...and I sink putts wif it too....hahaha...

one man's poison is another's meat.

play with whatever gives you the least putts per round.

I use a superstroke grip which is much thicker than normal grips, works wonders for me, i dont give a shit what others say or if they can putt or can't putt with it.

That is why I am still using my belly putter.

My kakis are fine so far. But my fav kaki decide to change his back to normal length.

I like it addrsss opened with my offset shaft and the contact feel is much "feeling"

Hall of Fame Golfer Posts : 6385 Join date : 2009-06-18

most people may not know that the key difference is one is onset and the other one is offset.

in most cases the stroke with the eye in the right place will not change very much but the position of the ball and alignment does make a lot of difference in ball impact and squaring of the putter face towards the target.

scottycollector wrote:: it's really a question of what works for you. if it works for u, then dont worry about what others say about it.

I used to really like centre-shafted putters (I had the seemore FGP putter), but overtime i found that my putting stroke changed and that heel shafted putters worked better. even with heel shafted putters, i started out loving straight-necked putters, but now i find that flow-necked putters work best

i guess the moral of the story is to stick to whatever works. if one day u find that doesn't work anymore, then try something else

Sorry, hijacking the thread.....

Bro, when you mentioned flow neck, are you referring to the likes of SC Calif Hollywood or Studio Design #2?

I used to game plumber neck, recently switched to Hollywood.
What other generic or common names used to describe the necks?

Junior Golfer Posts : 208 Join date : 2011-12-26

I have used a face balanced mallet putter, a answer style putter, and also a centre shafted putter in seemore. There is no putter that is more easier to use or harder to use.. You have to use a putter that suits your stroke so that you can square the putter face at impact.

I highly recommend you read up e seemore blog on "face balanced at impact" so you will realize the myth that face balanced putters in fact are also not really face balanced.

There are three putting strokes, in-in, in-straight, and straight back straight through. Which are u? A answer style putter is suitable to strokes that have an arc to it as the torque of the shaft offset will allow for the natural turning of the putter face to square at impact. Mallet putters are forgiving and suitable for all strokes, same as centre shafted putters because they are face balanced at impact.

I kind of think that this is also why Steve striker plays his putter with his heel raised so that he squares the face at impact on his stroke.

http://www.seemoreputtersblog.com/2012/01/myth-of-face-balanced-putters.html

» newbie to heel shafted putter
» Difference between Center and Heel shafted putter ?
» Cut putter shaft
» Putter Shaft
» after-market putter shaft