invention is shown the area of the face with grooves may vary from about 40 of the face width up to essentially 100 of the face width the height of the vertical grooves can vary from 50 to 100 of the height of the putter face areas without grooves will appear plain as shown in putter face area 10 the width of the vertical grooves 20 and the width of the vertical lands 30 ungrooved areas between the vertical grooves 20 and the actual depth and shape of the vertical grooves 20 must meet specific requirements in order for the putter to conform with usga rules of golf in the embodiment shown the most narrow vertical lands 30 are in the middle of the putter face and progressively become wider until the maximum vertical land 40 width occurs at the outer limits of the grooves in the example shown at the most narrow vertical lands 30 the land to groove width ratio is approximately 50 increasing to approximately 75 at the most wide vertical lands 40 thus the most cushioning is achieved in the center of the putter face and less cushioning is achieved as the distance is increased away from the center of the putter face the vertical grooves 20 length can extend from the top to the bottom of the putter face and extend from the heel.