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Golf Putters: Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Putter

What should you know before buying a new putter for your golf bag? We will be answering over 20+ questions today that many golfers have relating to putters.

You’ll learn everything about putters from different types to buying tips, and more. Feel free to skip around below to the most relevant questions about golf putters to find answers to questions you may have.

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What is a mallet putter?

A mallet putter is a type of putter with a large clubhead. The shape of the clubhead can be square, semi-circle, or half-moon. The weight distribution of a mallet putter is quite different from that of a blade putter.

A mallet putter has a weight distribution which tends to lean away from the club face. This gives the mallet putter greater stability and a higher level of performance on long putts.

Due to its center of gravity being located towards the back of the club, a mallet putter is more suitable to the less advanced golfer or to someone whose stroke is straight back and straight forward.

What is the best putter for a high handicapper?

The putter is considered to be the most important and the most used golf club in a golfer’s bag. Hence, it must be chosen with utmost care.

The choice of putter would depend upon the specific features that a golfer is looking for in his/her putter.

For a high handicapper, converting the three-putts into two and one-putts would be a priority. So, a putter which would cut down on mishits and add precision would be a welcome choice.

A putter with precision guiding markers like lines and dots are great options to make sure that the golfer’s alignment is correct.

A putter with a large clubhead (for e.g. mallet putter) helps minimize mishits because a large face allows the golfer to hit the ball well no matter where on the club face he/she makes an impact.

If the weight of the clubhead can be adjusted, then that would be a bonus. A high-handicapper should look for these features in a putter.

A recommended model for a high handicapper is the TaylorMade Golf Interactive Spider. This putter has 3 alignment points which allow you to visualize 3 target lines, one central and two touching the golf ball on either side.

The other major attractive feature is a grip insert which records all sorts of data about your strokes which you can then analyze.

What is the best putter for an average golfer?

An average golfer could look for a putter which has a good mix of all the important features. The first thing to look for is the type of putter. A golfer with a straight swing and very less arc motion should opt for a mallet putter. A golfer with an arc movement would be better off with a blade putter.

Next, the putter should have some sort of lines or dots that help the golfer align correctly with respect to the target. Many-a-times, the strength of the stroke is perfect but a misalignment causes all the problems.

An average golfer would want a putter which makes the ball roll nicely rather than skid when it makes impact with the club face. If the golfer can hit some practice putts in a physical store with the desired putter before making any purchases, then nothing like it.

The ability to adjust the weight of a putter club head is valuable when you encounter a faster green or a green surface with a slower pace. Higher weights work well with faster greens.

Lastly, being an average golfer, price is important. While professionals can spends hundreds or thousands of dollars on a putter, such heavy spending does not make sense for the average golfer. Value for money is as important as any of the above-described features.

The Scotty Cameron Newport 3 is a decent pick in our opinion. It allows you to adjust weights, has a reasonably large club face, and the milled face gives the ball a genuine roll.

What is the best golf putter?

Putters come with a wide range of features. Selecting the best putter depends a lot on the golfer who will use it. In spite of all the variety and possibilities, there are some common features that are desirable in any putter.

The first thing a golfer looks at is the make and feel of the putter. An aluminum club face tends to give you a better feel of how well you have hit the ball. Such feedback is important because it helps you improve your putt strokes.

The second thing to consider is the type of putter. A golfer has to pick between a mallet type and a blade type. Both are unique in their own ways.

A blade putter has a smaller clubhead and is good for a golfer who tends to swing the putter in an arc motion. A mallet putter is a good fit for someone who tends to putt the ball with a straight vertical motion, straight back and straight forward.

Next, no matter what your level of play is, it always helps to be able to adjust the weight of the club head. Some putters allow you to do just that. You can remove weights or add them and change up to 30-40 grams in the process.

Mishit putts are a common problem. A putter with a larger and/or longer blade can prevent mishits because you can make impact with the ball over a great club face area.

Lastly, having alignment lines, dots, or even hollow circles the size of a golf ball can help a golfer visualize and align himself/herself correctly before hitting the putt stroke. Putters with such marks/designs are desirable.

The TaylorMade Spider Tour Red is an excellent choice. It is used by a large number of top professional golfers. This mallet style putter has a nice square shape that aids with alignment, a high MOI, and the high-tech component of a grip sensor which allows you to analyze your game.

What is a mid mallet putter?

You may have heard of a blade putter which is preferable for those with an arc movement. You may also have heard of the mallet putter which works with putt strokes that are straight back and straight through.

So, a mid-mallet putter is something in between the two, as the word “mid” may suggest. It is a putter which is toe-weighted and has a smaller club head than a mallet putter.

Mid-mallet putters are flat and sit square on the ground. They are less bulky than mallet type putters and offer a little more area of the sight line. Mid-mallet putters do not have much diversity when it comes to designs. The plus point is that they cost only a little more than the average putter.

What are the different types of golf putters?

There are two main types of putters: face balanced and toe balanced. Face balanced putters have a center of gravity directly below the shaft and are good for golfers who have a straight and upright putt stroke.

Toe balanced putters have a center of gravity away from the axis of the shaft and tend to open up on the backswing and close more on the follow-through. They are suited to a golfer who has an arc movement in his/her putt stroke.

There are variations within the face balanced and toe balanced putter as well. A face balanced putter with a very large club head is known as a mallet putter. It is a great option for beginners as a mallet putter has a large face (reducing the impact of mishits) and all sorts of alignment aid marks and lines.

A mallet type of club with a smaller club head is known as a mid-mallet putter. It is a variation somewhere in between a face balanced and a toe balanced putter.

Then, you have the blade type putter, which has more of its weight distributed towards the toe end and has a small and slim club face. This is a classic example of a toe-balanced putter.

The material of the putter is also an important distinguishing factor. Some club faces are made of metal. Those are great if you like to hear the sound of your stroke.

Then there are putters where the metal face is replaced with a non-metal one. These are called insert faced putters and they provide a more “softer” feel when the putter makes impact with the ball.

And finally, there is the groove faced putter which has a grooved surface on the club face. These putters reduce the skidding and back spinning of the ball when it is struck by the putter.

How much does a putter fitting cost?

When you buy a putter off-the-shelf or online, what you get is a standard product with a standard size. However, every golfer’s body height and stroke style is different. Hence, if you are really serious about your golfing, then you will have to look into customizing a few things and retrofitting your new putter.

You can adjust the height of the shaft, the angle between the shaft and the toe, and the loft angle. You can also opt for a thicker grip and adjust the weight of the club head according to your preferences. Putter fitting can cost anywhere between $100 to $150.

What length of putter should I use?

The length of the putter depends upon the height of the golfer and his/her stroke style. Getting the length right is really important as it affects the posture of the golfer and the quality of contact that the putter makes with the ball.

The length of the putter is defined as the distance between the top of the shaft and the sole of the putter below the hosel. The shaft has a minimum length of 18 inches.

The conventional length of the most common putters is between 32 and 36 inches. This length of putter acts as an extension of the arms and gives a nice pendulum-like swing.

The next range of putter length is 41 to 46 inches. These putters are called as belly putters because they actually make contact with the golfer’s belly when a putt stroke is hit. However, in 2016, the USGA banned this kind of “anchoring” stroke as it deemed the belly contact to be illegal.

Finally, the really long putters are almost chin height with a length of 48 to 52 inches. Using such long putter requires a different grip and a different skill altogether. Unfortunately, the technique of using this extremely long putter was also considered as illegal anchoring by the USGA and banned in 2016.

So, overall, choose the length of the putter based on what feels comfortable to you and allows you to have your eyesight over the ball. Too long a putter and your eyesight will be inside the target path. Too short a putter and your eyesight will be outside the target line.

What’s the best putter for beginners?

As a beginner, you are still learning the game of golf and working on your strokes. You would want something that allows you to improve on your game without breaking the bank. Value for money is an equally important factor for beginner golfers as are features and specifications.

In terms of specifications, it would help to look at putters which have some weight behind them. Lightweight putters will open and close more during the backswing and the follow through. A beginner would want something more stable.

Secondly, a putter with a larger club face will help prevent the mishits which can discourage a beginner. The larger the area of impact, the lesser it matters where the ball made contact with the club face.

A larger club head also makes it possible to put all sorts of markers, alignment lines, and dots on the top of the club head. These aids will help you align correctly with respect to the target. A mallet type of putter is generally recommended for beginner golfers.

Lastly, beginners should look for a putter which isn’t too expensive. Once the golfer improves his/her game, it is quite likely that he/she will purchase a better more advanced putter in the future. Hence, it is advisable to save money for that future purchase rather than buying a premium-end putter at the beginning.

The Odyssey White Hot Pro 2.0 is a very reasonably priced putter. It is a heel-toe weighted putter so arc swingers and straight hitters will both find something in the putter. The weight distribution on this putter is great and the metal face gives a nice “cling” sound that you can use for feedback.

Who owns Scotty Cameron putters?

Scotty Cameron putters are some of the most desirable and well-known putters in the golfing world. Besides the brand name, they are well designed and made with high-quality materials. Scotty Cameron putters are some of the most expensive putters in the market.

Famous professional golfers that are known to have owned/currently own Scotty Cameron putters are:

Jordan Spieth
Justin Thomas
Brooks Koepka
Rickie Fowler
Paul Casey
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Hideki Matsuyama
Thorbjorn Olesen
Tiger Woods

What is face balanced putter?

The putter’s club head has two ends. One end is the face-end from where the ball gets hit. The other end is the toe end which is towards the back.

If you hold the putter horizontally where the shaft is parallel to the ground, and let the putter balance on your index finger, then you will notice that there will be one point on the shaft where the putter balances itself.

At this balancing point, if the club face points upward to the sky and stays parallel to the horizontal ground, then the putter is face balanced. If the club face is not pointing upward in a parallel plane, then the putter is toe-balanced. Many mallet putters are face balanced type of putters.

A face balanced putter opens and closes less in the backswing and follow-through positions. It is suitable for someone who has a straight putt stroke without any real arc movement. The positioning of the shaft’s entry point and the center-of-gravity makes a face balanced putter rotate less during a putt stroke.

What is heel toe weighted putter?

A heel-toe weighted putter is a blade type of putter where the weight of the club head is evenly distributed at the toe and heel ends of the club head. This is done by hollowing out the central part of the blade.

Having an even weight distribution on both ends of the club head means that the putter will not twist in the hands of the golfer if the ball does not make impact at the center of the club face.

A heel-toe weighted putter gives a golfer a nice mid-way balance between a mallet putter and a blade putter. It offers more mishit forgiveness than a blade putter and allows a little more arc movement than a mallet putter.

A golfer with a hint of arc movement in his/her putt stroke will find the heel-toe weighted putter a good fit.

What is an MOI putter?

MOI stands for Moment of Inertia. MOI is a measure of the resistance of a putter to twisting in the case of an off-center hit. A putter with a higher MOI offers more forgiveness to mishit or off-center hits. It is a desirable feature for beginner or amateur golfers.

There are two common ways in which golf club manufacturers increase the MOI of a putter. First, they either design mallet putters with large club heads. Second, they use the heel-toe weighted putter design where the weight of the club head is distributed towards the toe and heel ends of the blade.

A word of caution, if you have been using a certain type of putter or a putter which has been custom-fitted, then it probably does not make sense to increase the putter’s MOI. You would be better off working on your putting skills instead.

Which putters are high MOI?

MOI stands for Moment of Inertia. It’s important to have this because it reduces twist helping putters stay straight during the putting stroke.

The Top 10 high MOI putters are:

TaylorMade Spider
Odyssey O-Works Tank
EVNRoll ER7
Ping Sigma G Wolverine T
Scotty Cameron New Futura 6M
Cleveland TFi 2135 Elevado
Odyssey O-Works 2-Ball
Wilson Staff Infinite The Bean
Bettinardi Inovai 3.0
Benross Tribe MDJ2

What does toe hang mean on a putter?

Toe-hang is an attribute of a toe-balanced putter. When the putter is held horizontally and balanced on the golfer’s finger, then the club face of a toe-balanced putter tends to lean towards the ground. The toe thus hangs down and points toward the ground. Hence the term toe hang.

Toe hang can be of varying levels in a toe-balanced putter. The more toe hang there is, the more the putter opens up during the backswing and the more the putter closes during follow through.

If a golfer has a pronounced arc movement in his/her swing, then he/she should opt for a putter with greater toe hang. Similarly, if the arc motion is less pronounced, then lower to hang is desirable.

What’s the best Odyssey putter?

Odyssey is a well-known brand of golf putter manufacturer. It is owned by equipment giant Callaway. Odyssey makes a wide variety of blade and mallet putters using state-of-the-art technology.

Some of its best putters are as follows:

O-Works #1 Blade Superstroke Slim 2.0 (heel-toe weighted)
Odyssey Men’s White Hot RX2 Putter (heel-toe weighted)
Odyssey Men’s White Hot RX2-Ball V-Line Putter (mallet putter)
O-Works Versa #7 Mallet Tank Cruiser (mallet putter)
Odyssey Hot Pro 2.0 V-Line Putter (mallet putter)

Who makes Odyssey putters?

Odyssey is a manufacturer to putters. It designs and makes its putters. However, in 1997, golf equipment giant Callaway purchased Odyssey. Hence, Callaway markets the putters under the Odyssey brand name.

Shop Odyssey Putters On Amazon

What are putters made out of?

Stainless Steel is used to make the shaft. Carbon steel and stainless steel 303 are commonly used. Metal-faced putters use metals like zinc, bronze, aluminum, brass, copper, and titanium. Steel may also be used to make the club face.

What is lie angle on a putter?

The angle between the shaft and the sole of the putter is known as the lie angle. USGA rules state that the lie angle must be less than 80 degrees. The lie angle can be tweaked to suit the golfer who will use the putter. Getting the lie angle right is very important because the line of travel for the ball gets affected by it.

An incorrect lie angle tends to shift the impact point on the lower side of the club face. The golfer then has a higher probability of making an off-center hit. With a correct lie angle, the chances of hitting the ball in the center improve.

What putter does a professional golfer use?

Tiger Woods – Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS
Jordan Spieth – Scotty Cameron 009
Jason Day – TaylorMade Spider Tour Red
John Rahm – TaylorMade Spider Tour Red
Dustin Johnson – TaylorMade Spider X
Rory Mcilroy – TaylorMade Spider X
Justin Rose – Axis 1 (custom)
Rickie Fowler – Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS Prototype

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