When it comes to 'Rolling The Rock" there are some factors you need to consider before buying a new putter. Then it's just a matter of picking the flatstick that appeals visually and the best suits your stroke.

[nggallery id=19]

_________________________________________________________________

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A NEW PUTTER

There are few things more important to your game than having a putter that you are comfortable, confident and successful with.

About half of your shots on the course during a round are putts, so your putter is by far the most used club in your bag. Putters also make up more of the equipment market than any other club, which makes your search for the right one a little easier given the huge variety of head shapes, sizes, weights, lengths and lie angles that are available. Consider these factors:

LENGTH

This is arguably the most important component to a putter because of the influence it has on your address position.

When you tilt forward from your hips, your eyes should ideally be over the ball line, while your hands should be under your shoulders. Your elbows can be slightly bent but touching your ribs, and hips should be over your heels. Your putter needs to fit this set-up.

If you grip a standard 35-inch-length putter and find you need to grip down the shaft, you will obviously need a shorter length putter.

HEAD SHAPE

This is vital to get right. Where the look and appeal must suit, the visuals of the putter can also aid your stroke. Putterheads come in all different shapes and sizes, but it really comes down to your preference of a mallet or blade? Do you prefer a sight line (pictured) or none?

If you prefer a square putting style (where your putterhead moves straight up and down the putting line) with a face-balanced putter, you may benefit from a mallet head with a sight line. If you are an arc putter (where the putterhead moves inside the putting line, swings through square and follows through back inside the putting line), you may benefit from a blade putter with no sight line on the head.

WEIGHT

If you find you need a shorter putter, just cutting your putter shaft will do you no good. The putter is built to be a certain swing weight at a certain length. Cutting it down will also make the swing weight go down and it will feel too light in your hands.

A 35-inch putter usually has a head weight of 330 grams. If you need a 34-inch putter, you need to look at having a 350- to 360-gram head weight. The shorter your putter becomes the more head weight it will require.