Before you can decide what you need to know to choose a putter be aware of what criteria you should not use. Your closest friend may be an excellent putter but that does not mean that you should choose the same kind that he has. In the same one, just because a putter is appealing to the eye does not make it your best choice. Finally, the tour pro may try to convince his golfers to buy a certain brand but you are not going to fall for that one, right?

It is important to get "in the know" about putters so you will make the most appropriate choice for yourself. Be aware of the qualities you need to watch for when purchasing a putter. First of all the shaft length and lie angel should fit the golfer in three important ways:

1. You should be able to look directly over the ball to see the target line while at the same time your hands remain under the area your shoulders are in.

2. The putter needs to have enough length to it so that when you are practicing for longer intervals you do not suffer any pain or discomfort in your back, shoulders or either of your legs.

3. On the other hand, the putter must not be so long that it will catch hold of your clothing when you are in the process of putting.

The design of the putter is important as every golfer has his own individual handicaps and the putter came make this better or worse. To figure out what design you need, try this trick- place a piece of impact tape on your current putter and then go ahead and stroke 30 putts. If the majority of your marks are near the heel then you require a heel-shaft putter. If you instead strike near the head, go with a center shafted putter.

Alignment aids are a good idea if you require them but always choose a putter with a light club head. Be aware that grip size needs to be large enough to allow room for your finger but small enough to control the putter. The putter is the only club that is made with a flat top on the grip.