Midwest

     Golf

Putter Assembly

The putter is probably the easiest golf club to assemble but can lead to the most trouble for the clubmaker. Rarely is the shaft in need of tip trimming and usually no ferrule is required. Assembling the components is a simple process of abrading the tip of the shaft and making sure the hosel is clean. Once the butt of the shaft is cut and gripped with some well-placed epoxy, the club is ready.

It sounds easy, and it is. However, if the clubmaker does not take the same steps and use the precision that is used with the rest of the clubs, bad things can and will happen. The reason for this is that many clubmakers think of the putter as a non-swinging club. The head will never fly off because people don’t swing it fast or dig it through the turf like an iron. It is barely swung at all.

But the putter can be your worst nightmare. Have you ever seen someone miss a putt and toss the ball in the air and try to hit it fungo fashion with the putter head, or swing the putter very hard out of anger? In both cases the head may become a projectile if the assembly process is not followed properly. Others use the putter from way off the green and swing it almost as hard as an iron. It better be able to withstand the toss or throw to the bag from the bad-tempered, ill-skilled stroker. The head should stay on the shaft in all instances, regardless of the owner’s bad habits or temper tantrums.

The putter is another mark on your resume. It may be a blemish, or it may be a gold star. A clubmaker should build clubs to last forever and treat them all equally. No one club should be given more attention than the rest because they can all potentially come back to haunt you or bring you more business.