While there is much about the game of golf that is based on ‘feel’, this is especially true when it comes to the putter. How it feels in your hands, how it feels upon impact with the ball, and indeed how the golfer feels toward the club are all important factors that determine which putter a golfer uses.

For these reasons and others, there is a greater variety of putters on the market than any other piece of equipment. Choosing the right one can be difficult. It’s all about feel, and there’s only one way to find the one you’ll like best – try as many different putters as possible.

While you’re working on finding a putter that feels right, there are other factors that will come into play.

What can you expect to pay for a putter? There is a big range on this. Again, what matters most is how the putter feels to you and if it helps you achieve lower scores on the golf course. It can cost $300, or more, and it might cost only $30. High price and great quality won’t necessarily produce, for you, the best results.

Another variable you’ll come across is insert materials in the face of the putter, where it makes contact with the ball. Usually, this insert is added for a softer feel, and helps keep the ball from jumping off of the clubface. Which insert you choose will come down to how much it helps your confidence with your putter.

You might also come across terms about ‘heel-weighting’ and ‘face-balanced’ putters. For most golfers, it is the ‘face-balanced’ putter that will usually offer the most control and best results. This ‘balanced’ weighting simply helps keep the putter square upon impact with the ball.

For some golfers, a design feature that can help is called offset. This is especially true if you are inclined to ‘push’ your putts out to the right (or left for left-handers). The offset feature offers a built-in ‘correction’ that sets the hands ahead of the blade without the player having to adjust his/her stance over the ball.

Finding a putter that really works for you can take some time and require some experimentation. If you play regularly, and you want to improve your handicap, perhaps significantly, having a putter you are confident with can do this more quickly than any other change you can make to your game.