For every shot we hit when not on the green we are looking to have an element of through the air - “carry” and along the ground - ‘roll”. The best putters have the most roll to any distance of their putts. Why is that important you may ask? Well if the ball is hit through the air when it lands the collision it makes with the ground is less predictable in terms of energy loss of the ball than when it rolls leading to less distance control. Distance control is the #1 aspect of putting to excel at.

A putter face height is lower than any other golf club and so that along with a minimal amount of loft dictates that the clubhead will most likely contact the golf ball below the equator. When a ball has face applied below its equator with sufficient force it will raise off the ground. Ideally we want the putter head arcing vertically relative to the ground due to the head rotating about the handle in a vertical plane. This motion brings contact up closer to the equator of the ball with the vertical force vector being applied above the center of mass of the ball causing forward rotation of the ball.

We want as little horizontal arcing of the club for two reasons.

1. The horizontal arcing motion eliminates rising of the clubhead

2. A horizontally arcing club has the potential to contact both inside and outside the back of the ball if there is any linear motion of the handle

BALL SPEED

The speed of the ball is determined by the transfer of energy from club to ball and the force vector of the center of mass of that clubhead relative to the center of mass of the ball during the collision between club and ball.

BALL CONTROL

The direction of the ball is determined by the contact point of the ball on the club.

VERTICAL SPIN RATE

The spin rate of the ball is determined by the force vector of the center of mass of the clubhead in a vertical axis relative to the center of mass of the ball.