The physics of putting
Forces involved
There aren't too many forces involved in
putting or really any unique ones but they're all very
important to the process. The first one, one that is out of
control for the golfers, is the green speed and hardness. Both
of those are major factors in the coefficient of friction that
the ball undergoes while on the green. The green speed comes
from the topography of the green and how short that the grass
is cut on the green, shorter=faster while longer=slower. The
green hardness comes from the type of grass on the green and
the type of soil underneath the grass, softer=slower and
harder=faster. The other factor in the coefficient of friction
is the type of golf ball they're using and the condition of
the ball where the more nicks, scratches and bumps in the ball
increase the friction between it and the ground/grass. The next major force is the one that comes from the putter. There are a few different factors that go into how much force is transferred from the putter to the golf ball. The most obvious one is how much force you apply to the putter when you swing it. The other is the putter face design and the material it is made of.
Putters compared to other clubs
The reason why a putter is needed is because of its completely flat face that is perpendicular to the ground at the point of contact with the ball.
(9)
The flat face makes it so that the golfer can get good, clean contact with the ball when s/he is putting. This helps the golfer hit the ball more in line with where they want it to go. If the putter had an angled face like other golf clubs the ball would leave the ground when hit and that gives the ball more opportunity to deviate from its intended path. Having the completely flat and angle-less face also allows the putter to be more forgiving when the golfer messes up his/her swing.
(10)
Here is a comparison of the other golf clubs from in a
normal golf bag to a putter.
How Happy's putter gave him the edge
Towards the end of the movie Happy received a slight boost in his putting skills. One reason was because he found his happy place to go so that he could focus more during his putts but the other reason was because of the putter he received.
(11)
Happy got a brand new custom made
putter from his friend and golf mentor Chubbs. The putter
was made to resemble a hockey stick while having the
usability of any other putter. This was a big help for Happy
because he used his putter like a hockey stick in the first
place so now that he has the putter resembling a hockey
stick his accuracy will greatly increase.