Choosing the Right Putter for Your Golf Game
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Quick Answer
- Blade putters are classic, offering a pure feel for straight-back, straight-through strokes.
- Mallet putters provide more forgiveness and alignment, ideal for arcing strokes.
- Your natural stroke, personal preference, and how the club feels in your hands are the real drivers.
Mallet putters provide more forgiveness and alignment, ideal for arcing strokes. If you have a more pronounced arc in your swing, consider a mallet putter like this one for added stability.
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Who This Is For
- Anyone stepping up to buy their first putter. Seriously, get this right from the jump.
- Golfers looking to ditch their current gamer and snag a setup that actually drops more putts.
Anyone stepping up to buy their first putter needs to get this right from the jump. Investing in a quality golf putter early on can save you strokes and frustration.
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What Type of Putter Should I Use? – Initial Checks
- Your Stroke Path: This is gold. Are you a straight-backer, or does your stroke have a nice, subtle arc? Get honest here.
- Current Putter Fit: Is your current stick the right length and lie angle for your body? If you’re fighting it, you’re already behind.
- Visual Preference: Do you dig the timeless look of a blade, or does the larger, more stable profile of a mallet call to you?
- Feel and Sound: How does the ball come off the face? Is it a solid “thwack” or a dull “thud”? This feedback matters.
Step-by-Step Plan for Choosing Your Putter
1. Determine Your Stroke Path: Watch yourself putt in a mirror, or use one of those putting arc training aids. Are you moving the putter straight back and through, or is there a clear arc? Mistake: Guessing your stroke type. This is the fastest way to pick a putter that fights your natural motion. You want it to feel like an extension of you, not a wrestling match.
2. Test Blade Putters: Grab a few different blade models on the practice green. Swing ’em. Pay attention to the feel, the sound off the face, and how the ball rolls. Mistake: Feeling disconnected from the club, or like the putter is too unstable. If you find yourself making compensations, a blade might not be your best buddy. I remember feeling this way with a classic Ping Anser – loved the look, hated the feel for my arc.
3. Test Mallet Putters: Now do the same with a few mallet putters. Focus on their stability and any alignment aids they offer. Mistake: Finding them too bulky or difficult to control. If you feel like you’re swinging a dinner plate, or the extra size is throwing you off, a mallet might be overkill.
4. Check the Putter Length: Stand naturally over the ball with the putter in your hands. Your hands should be about 1-2 inches above your shoe soles. Mistake: Using a putter that’s too long or too short. This forces you into bad posture, leading to inconsistent ball contact and a stroke that’s all over the place.
5. Assess the Lie Angle: With the putter sole flat on the ground, the shaft should point directly at your lead armpit. Mistake: Ignoring the lie angle. If it’s too upright, the toe will be in the air, and you’ll open the face. Too flat, and the heel lifts, closing the face. Both mean more three-putts.
6. Consider Face-Balanced vs. Toe-Hang: Face-balanced putters are generally best for a straight-back, straight-through stroke. Toe-hang putters are designed to suit more arcing strokes. Mistake: Not understanding the difference or its importance. This is another critical point for matching the putter to your swing. A toe-hang putter for a straight stroke can feel like it’s fighting you.
7. Trust Your Gut Feel: After trying a handful, which one just feels right? Which one gives you the most confidence over the ball? Mistake: Overthinking it with too much data. Sometimes, the best putter is simply the one that feels most natural and inspires confidence. Trust that feeling, man.
Common Mistakes in Putter Selection
- Choosing Based on Looks Alone — It might look slick on the shelf or in your buddy’s bag, but if it doesn’t perform for your stroke, it’s useless — Prioritize feel and performance over pure aesthetics. Your score matters more than your style points.
- Ignoring Your Stroke Type — You’ve got a noticeable arc but grab a blade putter designed for straight strokes — The putter will fight your natural motion, making it harder to be consistent. Get a fitting or analyze your stroke to match the putter to your swing.
- Not Checking Putter Length and Lie Angle — You hunch over a putter that’s way too long, or stand bolt upright for one that’s too short — This leads to poor posture and inconsistent ball contact. Verify correct measurements for your body and stance. It’s like wearing shoes that are two sizes too big.
- Buying Based on Price Tag — Snagging the cheapest option because it’s a deal, or the most expensive because “it must be good” without trying — A budget putter might lack feel, and an expensive one might be completely wrong for your game. Find the right fit, not just a price point.
- Not Testing Enough Options — You try two putters, declare victory, and head to the register — Give yourself a real chance to find the best fit by testing a variety of styles, brands, and head shapes. You owe it to your scorecard.
- Getting Advice from the Wrong People — Taking tips from someone whose game is wildly different from yours — What works for a scratch golfer with a lightning-fast stroke might be a disaster for a weekend warrior with a smoother tempo. Focus on your game.
FAQ
- What is the difference between a blade putter and a mallet putter?
Blade putters are typically smaller, have a more classic, elongated shape, and are known for offering a more direct feel of the ball strike. They often have less forgiveness. Mallet putters are larger, often with a wider back or different geometric shapes, and usually feature more pronounced alignment aids. They tend to be more forgiving due to a higher moment of inertia (MOI), meaning they resist twisting on off-center hits.
- How do I determine if I have a straight or arcing putting stroke?
The most straightforward way is to set up your phone to record your putting stroke from face-on and down-the-line angles. Watch the playback. A straight-back, straight-through stroke will appear to move directly towards the target and back on video. An arcing stroke will show the putter head moving slightly inside the target line on the backswing and then returning to the inside on the through-swing. You can also use putting arc training aids that provide visual feedback on your path.
- What is the ideal putter length for my height?
There isn’t a single “ideal” length for every height, as body proportions vary. However, a common starting point for proper fit is when your hands are about 1-2 inches above your shoe soles when you’re in your natural putting stance. For most men, this falls between 33 and 35 inches, and for most women, between 32 and 34 inches. A golf professional or club fitter can accurately measure this for you.
- Should I choose a putter based on what the pros use?
Not necessarily. Pros often have highly customized equipment, honed over years of practice and often fitted by experts to their very specific and repeatable stroke mechanics. What works for a tour player with a 150 mph swing speed and a perfect stroke might be completely wrong for your game. Focus on what feels and performs best for your unique swing and preferences.
- What does “face-balanced” vs. “toe-hang” mean for a putter?
This refers to how the putter head is balanced. If you balance the shaft on your finger at the midpoint, a face-balanced putter’s face will point straight up towards the sky. A toe-hang putter’s toe will point downwards. Face-balanced putters are designed to stay square throughout the stroke, making them ideal for golfers with a straight-back, straight-through putting motion. Toe-hang putters are designed to rotate naturally during an arcing stroke, helping to close the face through impact.
- How important is the putter grip style and size?
Extremely important. The grip is your only connection to the club. It should feel comfortable and allow you to maintain consistent grip pressure without tension. Different grip shapes (e.g., round, flat-front) and sizes (e.g., standard, midsize, jumbo) can influence hand position and how much you use your wrists versus your shoulders during the stroke. Some golfers prefer a larger grip to minimize wrist action, which can be beneficial for those with an arcing stroke.
- Can I make adjustments to my current putter instead of buying a new one?
Yes, to some extent. You can adjust the length and lie angle of most putters, though it’s best done by a professional club fitter. Grip changes are also common and easy to do yourself or have done at a shop. However, you can’t fundamentally change a blade into a mallet or vice-versa. If your current putter’s head shape or weight is fundamentally wrong for your stroke, a new putter is likely the better long-term solution.
Sources:
Michael Reeves is a PGA Professional with over 20 years of experience in competitive golf and instruction. A former Division I collegiate player at the University of Texas, he competed on the mini-tours before transitioning to full-time coaching and golf journalism. He has been a certified PGA teaching professional since 2005 and has worked with players at every level, from absolute beginners to collegiate champions.
His writing has appeared in Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, and The Left Rough. At GolfHubz, Michael leads the editorial team, overseeing fact-checking and ensuring every answer meets the same standard he demands on the lesson tee: clear, evidence-based, and immediately useful.
When he’s not writing or teaching, Michael plays to a +1.4 handicap at his home club in Austin, Texas. He has attended over 40 major championships as a journalist and fan, and has played more than 200 courses across 15 countries.
You can reach Michael at [email protected] or follow his occasional swing analysis posts on the site.