Yes, your putter has loft and it affects your putting stroke and results. My Scotty Cameron Newport Detour has a 4 degree loft. All Scotty Cameron putters do. However, your putter may be different. For instance, my Odyssey putter that the Detour replaced has 3 degree of loft.
Why is a Putter Lofted?
Regardless of how flat the green seems, it’s not completely flat and the ball will sit down in a slight depression. The loft of the putter is there to help lift the ball slightly at contact for about 3-4 inches. After it lands it may skid for a short distance and then, if struck right, should roll smoothly from that point.
There’s Loft and Then There’s Your Loft
The loft of the putter will not likely be the loft of the putter head when you strike the ball. The angle of your shaft will either increase or decrease the loft. If you “forward press” or lean the club shaft forward, you’re delofting the club. If your shaft is leaning back, you’re adding extra loft.
How do you know? You should have a pro or club maker look at you, straight on, as you take 10-15 putts. He or she will be able to see the angle of your putting shaft and how the ball is coming off the putter head. The loft can then be adjusted to compensate if necessary. The putter loft can be adjusted at many golf course pro shops by a club maker.
My putting improved a lot when I began using my Scotty Cameron Detour. Although there’s a lot of engineering that went into the club, it may very well be that the added degree of loft helped.
Why Should You Care About Loft?
If your ball is wobbling and not rotating smoothly, you could have a problem with loft. If you often pop the ball up when you strike it, you could have a problem with loft. It’s a quick fix for a club maker and it won’t cost much. If your putts are really inconsistent and you think everything in your stroke is solid and consistent, this’s something you should look into. Stan Utley, author of The Art of Putting, believes that the right putter loft is the most important aspect of putting well.
This is another in a series of single point putting lessons. This is a series of short putting tips designed to cover a single point that can quickly improve your game.
