Buying Japanese putters from Honma and Miura online

The putter is basically the most important club in the bag and yet very few players are willing to invest in it. While a driver can cost 600 Euro or more, a putter may not cost more than 200 Euro. At least most players see it that way. With putters it is the same as with any other club: it has to fit. You can do less with a putter than with a driver, but with shaft length, grip, lie, loft and head shape there are plenty of options. Especially the latter is very individual and meanwhile there are no limits in this regard.

Choosing the right head shape

The head shape is basically no longer changeable. Once you have decided on it, you will no longer be able to change it. Therefore it is the basis of a putter fitting. There are types of players who tend towards a classic blade shape and others who prefer a larger shape. This doesn't always have anything to do with their own preferences, but also with the player's putting stroke. A blade shape is especially suitable for players who make a larger "arc" in the swing, i.e. move the club relatively close to the body when swinging back. This has something to do with the center of gravity of the head.

A player who moves the putter straight forward and backward tends to have a better balanced putter head.

Independently of this fact, putters with a larger head usually have the advantage that more weight is built in outside the sweet spot. Badly hit balls lose less direction and length. A classic blade shape, on the other hand, has the weight evenly distributed and hits outside or inside lose either length, direction or both.

Choice of shaft length

In principle, we can offer you any imaginable length. With Honma Putters you usually have the choice between 33 and 34 inches which is absolutely sufficient for 90% of the players. However, larger or smaller lengths are also possible and we are happy to make these adjustments for you.

What you need to know is the optimal putter length for your swing. Each player has a swing with which he feels comfortable. This again means that he can execute this swing evenly and without too much deviation. This swing should be supported with a putter of the correct length. And this swing can be very individual so that it is not possible to give basic recommendations. Just because you are tall doesn't mean that a longer shaft is the right choice. On the contrary. A crouched posture usually simplifies a straight putting movement.

When it has to be very precise: Putter fitting

In our Fitting Center we also offer putter fittings using the latest technology. This enables us to analyse the swing as accurately as possible and test a wide variety of putter models. We then build the desired putter head with the appropriate shaft and grip. For such a perfectly fitting putter you should plan 450 Euro upwards. This process involves a lot of work and putters that offer these adjustment possibilities are anything but inexpensive. But as mentioned at the beginning: the putter is the most important club in the bag. You should pay at least as much attention to it as to a driver. Find out more about our individual fittings here.

Our putter recommendations 2020

There will not be a major putter revolution in 2020 either - even if some manufacturers, driven mainly by marketing, will claim it again. So this year, too, it will be a question of choosing among the classic models. And the good news is: Mizuno releases the new MCraft series which features three different models in three different colors and the possibility to adjust weights. This makes the MCraft putters from Mizuno very versatile. At Honma nothing will change with the putter models compared to last year.

As a classic blade putter, we still recommend the Miura KM-009, which we can also build exactly to your needs. If required also with the desired shaft, shaft length and especially grip. Also Lie and Loft can be adjusted exactly as desired. In this segment the Miura Putter is definitely the first choice.

For mallet putters we would recommend the Mizuno MCraft 3 putter. This putter is designed for players who have almost no arc in their putting stroke. The possibility to adjust the weights is also very helpful. We are also the only Mizuno dealers that offer this putter in different Super Stroke Grips, shaft lengths, lie and loft.

If you need a little more technology and like to deviate from the classic shape and a forged head you should take a look at the Honma TWorld ST-05 and ST-03 putters.