putter makeover

Question
hello and thank u in advance.  u probably never had this question before.  i have this, cheap, spare putter and i just want to see if i can make some changes to it.  this is just for some pure curiosity and fun.  whats one way to make the putter heavier other than led tapes?  whats other way to make the putter shinier?  is there a way?  i would also like to get the face to look like mizuno bettinardi ones.  any tips would be appreciated.

Answer
Hey Tommy

Some of what your asking depends a lot on the style/shape of your putter, as well as what material the putter head is made of. Not knowing those things, I'll suggest what I can.

I had a friend who used to pour lead shot down the shaft of his putters to make them heavier, then he would cram a small piece of cork or something else down the shaft to keep the shot from rattling around.  I always just used the lead tape.  I'd go with the tape...especially if the putter head is pretty light weight.  I would think that the weight being in the shaft above the club head would feel pretty weird when the club hit the ball.  Another option is to shorten the length of the shaft a bit.  If you hold the putter way up on the end of the grip, this won't feel comfortable to you.  But if when you grip the putter you have a couple of inches of shaft left sticking out towards your belly, cut it off and re-grip it.  Shortening the length of the shaft will
alter the swing weight slightly and make the head feel heavier.

If the putter is just old and dirty/dull looking I would try any household cleaner that is appropriate for whatever the head is made of...brass, stainless, copper, etc.  You'll notice that you don't often see companies selling putters that are very shiny, even when brand new.  Most people don't like looking down and seeing a glare.

The club faces like the Bettinardi one you referenced are precision milled.  A computer controls the device that mills or almost carves those patterns into the metal.  I can't think of any way you could get that done on your own.

Good luck!