That perplexing plastic tube attached to the side of many golf bags isn't just for decoration or holding your umbrella. It’s an external putter well, a dedicated spot designed for the most-used club in your bag. This article breaks down exactly why it exists, the tangible benefits of using it, and how it can subtly make your experience on the course smoother and more organized.
In simple terms, an external putter tube, or putter well, is a dedicated holster designed to isolate your putter from your other 13 clubs. While it might look like a later addition, it’s an intentional design feature that’s been part of golf bags for decades, born from a very practical need. As a coach, I see golfers struggling with a tangled mess of clubs all the time, and this simple tube is one of the best solutions for a very common problem.
Modern golf bags, especially cart bags, sometimes have this feature built into the main compartment with an oversized slot that's part of the top dividers. But the classic, external plastic tube on the side or front of the bag is the most recognizable version. Its an elegant solution to a few nagging issues that players, from beginners to seasoned veterans, deal with every single round.
Its main purpose can be summed up in three words: protection, access, and organization. By separating your putter, you’re not just clearing up space, you’re introducing a small but meaningful improvement to your equipment management and on-course workflow.
So why devote so much specific real estate to one club? While irons and woods can jostle around together with less consequence, the putter has a few unique characteristics that make solitary confinement a fantastic idea.
Think about it: you might pull your driver 14 times a round, but a good day on the greens means you'll use your putter 30 times or more. It’s arguably the most important club you own, and one where feel, and confidence are everything. Damage to the putter head, shaft, or grip can throw you off your game.
Here is the single biggest "ah-ha" moment for most golfers. Have you ever tried to wrestle a club out of your bag, only for the grip to get stuck on another? We've all been there. This issue has become significantly worse with the rise of oversized putter grips.
Grips like the SuperStroke, which are fantastic for quieting the hands and promoting a smoother stroke, are much thicker than standard iron or wood grips. When you jam that bulky, often porous grip down into a standard 4-way or 5-way bag divider, a few things happen:
An external putter well completely eliminates this problem. Your putter slides into its own home, friction-free. Your other clubs slide out from their compartments without interference. It’s a beautifully simple fix to a major source of on-course frustration.
The flow of play around the putting green is a small but important part of the game. A putter well enhances this routine.
Imagine you’ve landed just short of the green. You’ll walk up to your ball carrying your putter and maybe a wedge or two for a potential chip. After you hit your chip, you walk to the green, but you should only take your putter with you to begin reading the putt. Having the putter in an easy-to-access external tube means you can grab it without fuss as you leave your bag. When it’s time to head to the next tee, it’s just as easy to slide it back into its sleeve. You aren’t digging into the main compartment among your other clubs. It streamlines the whole process, saving a few seconds here and there that collectively contribute to better pace of play and less mental clutter.
Making the most of your putter well couldn't be easier, but there are a few things to keep in mind to do it correctly. This isn’t a complicated procedure, but like a good setup position, getting the details right makes a difference.
This may seem obvious, but it’s the most important point. The tube is designed to sheathe the putter shaft and grip, leaving the head of the putter exposed at the top. This keeps the putter head away from your other club heads and allows it to sit securely above the collar of the bag. The internal diameter of the tube is specifically made to accommodate the grip.
Most modern putter wells are wider to accommodate jumbo grips. However, if you have an older bag or a particularly massive putter grip, it's worth a quick check. Your putter should slide in and out smoothly. It should be snug enough not to rattle around excessively but loose enough that you don't have to force it. If it’s too tight, you negate the core benefit of reducing grip wear.
The best way to take advantage of this feature is to make it a habit. When you walk off a green after sinking (or missing) a putt, your first move should be to slide your putter back into its external well before you do anything else. This prevents it from accidentally getting put into the wrong slot with your irons in a moment of frustration or haste. It becomes a small, organizing action that helps you mentally close the book on the last hole and get ready for the next one.
Don't worry if your current bag is tubeless. This feature is more common on cart bags and some larger stand bags, but many minimalist carry bags forgo it to save weight. If you're struggling with putter-grip tangle, you’re not out of options.
Take a close look at the top dividers of many modern bags. You might notice one slot that is significantly larger and often shaped differently than the others, typically at the front of the bag. This is an integrated putter well. It serves the exact same purpose as an external tube - to give your putter's oversized grip its own space. It functions just as effectively, it’s just part of the bag's main structure.
A bag with a divider for every single club is another excellent alternative. Because each club has its own fabric-lined channel from top to bottom, "grip tangle" is almost entirely eliminated anyway. While the putter slot might not be oversized in all of these designs, the individual sheathing often provides enough separation to prevent most issues.
If you love your current bag but desperately need to separate your putter, you can buy an aftermarket putter holder. These are usually plastic clips or mini-tubes that attach to the side or rim of your golf bag. They provide a simple, effective, and inexpensive way to add this functionality to almost any bag.
At the end of the day, that small plastic tube on the side of a golf bag is a dedicated putter well, engineered to protect your flat stick, prevent your grips from snagging, and make your life just a little bit easier around the greens. It’s one of those minor gear details that, once you start using it, you’ll never want to go without.
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