Older vs Current Putter Weight Differences

[wetzel1592]

My dad had an original Ping Anser that I got refinished. Ping only charged $20 so I figured why not. It’s hard to believe the weight difference between my current gamer (counterbalanced Edel with 25g weight) and the Anser. I’m going to throw a new grip on the Anser and try it out. 

I know this is a huge difference and just from a few practice swings the lighter putter doesn’t feel near as stable. I highly doubt it will outperform the Edel but wanted to know what’s everyone’s experience with a lighter vs heavier putter?

[iacas]

Tiger's putter is < 500g total weight. Good putters tend to favor lighter putters. That said, I'm a great putter, and mine is over 600g. 😄 

[wetzel1592]

Is the added weight just to help with stability or are there are other areas that it can improve? I’m trying to determine what primary areas I should be looking at when I do the side by side comparison. 

[Clemsonfan]

Heavier putters are often better on faster greens which is why the weights have crept up, in general, as green speeds have increased. Wristier strokes were more prevalent when the Anser was developed and this stroke is easier with a lighter putter.

To test between the two there are lots of formal testing you could try but a simple way is to alternate hitting 3 putts a certain distance. I like 15’. Putt a sleeve of balls to a line and try to stop it 15’ away on a line you have made on the green. Then putt it back to your original spot. After some ABBA testing between the two you will likely find one that outperforms the other. If not, put a ball at each hour if the clock face from 5’ with 12:00 being straight downhill and 6:00 straight uphill. Generally, one pace in a circle from 5’ gets to to the next hour. Measure the results. Still no winner? Do ABBA testing from 40’, then 30’, then 50’. And add up your variances of misses to the hole. Usually, a winner will reveal itself by then. Usually, differences in putter weights like you mention will have a clear variance with the first test.

 

Good luck.

[iacas]

23 hours ago, wetzel1592 said:

Is the added weight just to help with stability or are there are other areas that it can improve? I’m trying to determine what primary areas I should be looking at when I do the side by side comparison. 

Just how I best feel putting/distance control. I like that I have less "to do" to hit the ball the right distances.

[wetzel1592]

On 5/1/2025 at 9:00 AM, iacas said:

Just how I best feel putting/distance control.

I’m assuming my feel for distance will be better with the heavier setup considering that’s what I got fit into. My putter before the Edel (Odyssey Rossie) had a head weight of 355 grams. I had a tendency with it where pace would be good then all of a sudden I’d blast one way past. I haven’t gotten that near as much with the Edel and I’m guessing it will come back with the lighter Anser. At the end of the day, I just think it would be cool to play a putter that my dad used and the refinished head looks awesome in my opinion. 

[pganapathy]

Very simple.  Putting has evolved.  In the olden days there was more wrist involved.  Today they teach you to take the wrist out of it as much as possible.  The heavier the putter the less likely you are to use your wrists.  That explains the evolution of heavier putters

[wetzel1592]

Did a comparison and really liked being able to “feel” the putter head with the lighter setup. I’m going to do more testing as the greens I putted on were extremely slow and I want to have more results with varied green speeds before I would make a move. I’m going to start looking for something between the two as they are completely different sides of the spectrum. I’m a little concerned that I would need to be on with the blade and a mallet would be able to provide more forgiveness on the bad days. More to come.

[iacas]

14 hours ago, pganapathy said:

Very simple.  Putting has evolved.  In the olden days there was more wrist involved.  Today they teach you to take the wrist out of it as much as possible.  The heavier the putter the less likely you are to use your wrists.  That explains the evolution of heavier putters

Then again why do the best putters tend to have the lighter putters? Tiger's putter is under 500g.

[pganapathy]

4 hours ago, iacas said:

Then again why do the best putters tend to have the lighter putters? Tiger's putter is under 500g.

Because putting is more art than science.  What works for one doesn't necessarily work for the other.  The putting science says pendulum motion of your shoulders/body and no wrists in it.  And that is true for the majority of golfers, but definitely not all

[iacas]

8 hours ago, pganapathy said:

Because putting is more art than science.

I don't really agree with that.

8 hours ago, pganapathy said:

The putting science says pendulum motion of your shoulders/body and no wrists in it.

Nor that.

The commonality among the game's best putters (not 100%, as I'm in that group 😄) is that they generally use lighter putters.

The science is that they have more fine-grained control over the speed.

[Typhoon92]

Now I have to go downstairs and weigh my putters.  I know they are light and on the older side but I love them.

[Typhoon92]

The weights were mostly 500 grams.  One Scotty was 550 because it has heavy weights on the bottom.

Ping Anser Redwood 525 

Ping OG Anser 485

Scotty TEi3 Newport 2 Long Neck 500

Scotty TEi3 Newport 500

Scotty Studio Style Newport 525

Scotty select Newport 550

[p1n9183]

I find heavier putts easier to lag. Maybe more stable on short ones? not that sure about that but I prefer them over lighter ones. 

 

[ChetlovesMer]

6 hours ago, p1n9183 said:

I find heavier putts easier to lag. Maybe more stable on short ones? not that sure about that but I prefer them over lighter ones. 

 

Hmm.... I find heavy putters good for knocking in short straight putts. I used to have a "Heavy Putter". I liked it for 3 footers, but I always struggled with speed control. 

For my money a counter-balanced putter works best for speed control. 

[wetzel1592]

I can definitely tell the difference in stability. Hitting putts down a yardstick is WAY easier with the heavier options. I think everyone’s comments have solidified the need to at least browse for a new putter 😄. 

[Typhoon92]

For me, distance control is better with a lighter putter. My 500 gram Scotty Tei3’ and 525 Gram Redwood Anser work best.

[Typhoon92]

So I pulled the stock 35” shaft from my Scotty Studio style with GSS insert and put in a white SK fiber graphite putter shaft.  Used it one round and for about an hour on the putting green and love the feel and weight.  Coming in at just under 500 grams. Cant beat the $20ish price of the shaft.