I'm just about to buy a Taylormade Rossa Monza Spider and have checked out both the 34" and 35". What diffrence does it make? Do pros cut them down because a shorter shaft is better?

 What's the script?

buy whatever feels most comfortable to use!  Get your pro to fit you and thats that...

Sometimes shorter putters will feel different because shortening the shaft produces a different swingweight.

Horses for courses, but for putters especially if you believe it'll work then it usually will..

Have the Spider and honestly do'nt know if it's 35 or 36" as I grip down to about 2" from the shaft.Will know by the morning! Feel that the only golfers who need worry if it's 35/36" would be 6ft plus.

Certainly feel I have more control gripping down,should I cut the top of of the shaft?Don't think so,as the change of swing weight would be negligable.

I've got a 34" Odyssey Putter and it just feels right.

Go for feel rather than thinking to much about numbers.

read this. my point ot you woudl be just use a putter and a length that is comfortable for you.

http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/instruction/features/article/0,17742,1144617,00.html

Oldboy wrote (see)

Have the Spider and honestly do'nt know if it's 35 or 36" as I grip down to about 2" from the shaft.Will know by the morning! Feel that the only golfers who need worry if it's 35/36" would be 6ft plus.

Certainly feel I have more control gripping down,should I cut the top of of the shaft?Don't think so,as the change of swing weight would be negligable.

Height has very little to do with putter length.

 Putter length should be determined by where your hands naturally hang when you take your putting stance with your eyes over the ball.

Sure you can grip down the putter but eventually you will come to a point where your hands are on a relatively thinner part of the grip (if not even on the shaft) and the risk of a slightly "handsy" action are increased. Also without cutting down the putter you run the risk of the "excess butt section" tangling in clothes...especially in winter.

The putter is one club where golfers could see a vast improvement by having their weapon of choice custom fit....at the very least for length, preferably for length and lie and idealy for length, lie, loft, weight (static not swing), grip size and overall balance.

my own flat stick is 31.5" long, lies 4 degrees flatter than most putter manufacturers "standard" and weighs in at around 650g (rather than the more typical 500-520g) but much of the additional weight is counterweight in the butt to give the putter better balance.

I bought the 34" Spider a few weeks back but fell out with it after a few days. Checked against my old 2 ball and modified it to be the same.

Cut an inch of the shaft and bent the lie angle up about 4*. It now looks and feels more like my 2 ball. The only reason I bought it was I had vouchers and the 2 ball let me down on longer putts. The Spider is much better IMO. As good as 2 ball 15 foot in and MUCH better over 15 foot. Really stable on off-centre hits (I put 12 gram weights in as well).

In short if you are happy with your current putter and stroke then get the Spider to the same dimensions. Make the putter fit your stroke - not the other way around.

Cool. I'll check them out and see what feels best.

The one problem left is where to buy. I was going to order one from the net but would like to have it for saturday. I could go into a shop and buy it, but would I be right in saying that off the shelf ones are actually what could be called 'shop soiled'? I've hit the putters in my local American Golf quite a lot and if another 100 people have done the same then that's a lot of hitting for a 'brand new' club?

Chris,

Pay a little bit extra and get it fitted. Why ? Because it is the one club that can transform your game overnight. If you get it right those long putts are no longer intimidating and those 4 footers become tap ins.

I know this because I got mine fitted earlier in the year and it was a great decision.

I'm 5'9", 32" putter, lie 4 degree flat. I also had a jumbo grip fitted which helped add weight lost in the trimming. The fitting, adjustment and new grip cost a grand total of £15.

Do American Golf do that? Where would I get that done?

I live near Stirling where there is an American Golf.

So what about putters being 'shop soiled'? Is that a consideration for anyone when buying a putter?

Sorted it. They had sold out earlier in the week, but got one in today and I went and picked it up in its sparkly newness

Didn't get it adjusted in any way as basically I have arsed up my putting completely - adopted Harrington's 'left hand at botton pendulum styleee' for ages then realised my putting had gone from semi-decent to mediocre - I appear to have no accuracy when my left hand is dominant. I switched back to my right hand at the bottom which now feels alien to me!!!! I can't putt any way now!

So, I will sort that out before I go gtting my putter chopped to fit me.

I hate putting. Or not putting to be more accurate.