We take a look at some of the most forgiving putters currently on the market.
Most Forgiving Putters
We hear a lot about forgiving drivers, woods and irons but less so with putters but, even from six feet, plenty of us struggle to find the middle of the face when the nerves are jangling and our strokes becoming more frayed.
So here are a collection of models, in all shapes and sizes, that are designed to get the ball rolling straight and true.
Most Forgiving Putters
Ping Heppler Tomcat 14 Putter
+ We all need help on the greens and in our stroke, this does it
– This is the most ‘out there’ putter and not one for the traditionalist
This is another that should suit plenty of strokes and tastes. This has the most forgiveness in the Heppler family and there is plenty going on with the airport runway lights catching the eye and the imagination. The dots actually get closer together from front to back to simulate motion. More forgiveness is becoming more popular in putters these days and this should really help with your pace putting. Good for your confidence.
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $249.99
UK Buy Now at Scottsdale Golf for £249
Odyssey Stroke Lab Black Bird of Prey Putter
+ Sounds and feels great and should be a big help on those longer putts
– It’s pretty out there and futuristic in terms of looks
This is a fascinating looking putter and it might be the most forgiving Odyssey putter on the market. Is a super-high MOI product and the length of the face is long but the insert and grooves are quite concentrated and there’s plenty of feedback on the strike.
The High Def alignment is just one bold white line all the way to the back of the head which will also give you some help on your path.
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $299.99
UK Buy Now at Scottsdale Golf for £219
Scotty Cameron Phantom X 12 Putter
+ Great for alignment and great on any off-centre strikes
– You might need to get past the looks first before picking one up
This is the flagship putter in the range and there is plenty going on here with wings like a jet. A raised flange tapers back for plenty of alignment help and this is forgiving on your off-centre strikes and there is a lot of stability here. Part of the overall Phantom X mantra is to provide a host of options so there’s something for everyone and, across the board you’ll find something to suit.
Scotty Cameron Phantom X Putters Review
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $429.99
UK Buy Now at Scottsdale Golf for £368.99
TaylorMade Truss TB1 Putter
+ A blade with mallet-like assistance, what’s not to like?
– A lot has gone into this and it’s fairly pricey
Dustin Johnson is renowned for mixing things up at the putter end of the bag and he first tried the Truss mallet before putting the TB1 into play and winning at the Travelers. He has grown up using a blade but enjoys the benefits of a mallet so this was ideal and it offered him more stability.
To enhance the quality of the roll all the Truss putters have the same Surlyn insert found in the Spider putters while the grooves are designed to get the ball rolling rather than skidding.
According to TaylorMade’s data this Truss TB1 blade deflects 61.5% less than a standard heel-toe blade while the centre-shafted TB2 is up at 80.3%.
TaylorMade Truss Putters Review
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $299.99
UK Buy Now at American Golf for £249
Wilson Staff Infinite South Side Putter
+ Amazing value and three lines are great for alignment
– The centre-shafted nature will take some getting used to
There’s a nice story behind this putter as Wilson weren’t pushing it to their tour players. Padraig Harrington picked it up, liked it and gave it a go and he won twice with it.
It’s a counter-balanced putter with more weight towards the hands and the face is CNC milled to encourage a consistent roll and distance control. The Infinite putters are named after landmarks in Chicago.
US Buy Now at Amazon for $149.99
UK Buy Now at Amazon for £95
Mizuno M-Craft 3 Putter
+ This is an outstanding looking model and there’s an option to tinker with the weight
– There’s no topline alignment
Mizuno are back in the premium putter market with three M-Craft models. The 1 is a square back with a mid slant neck to help with an exaggerated putting arc, the 2 is a classic heel-toe with plumber’s neck and is suited for a moderate putting arc. This model, the M-Craft 3, is a face-balanced mid-mallet and is suitable for those with less arc in their stroke.
They are all forged from premium carbon steel and then beautifully CNC-milled and the results are exquisite – there are also adjustable sole weights for added customisation.
You might not have considered a blue finish, it also comes in black and white, before but this might change your mind.
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $299.99
UK Buy Now at Golf Support from £229.99
Evnroll ER10 Outback Putter
+ You’ll struggle to find a putter that helps you more
– This might be too big for even the biggest mallet fan
The Evnroll range comprises every shape and size with this new face-balanced ER10 Outback model offering maximum stability and forgiveness via an ultra-high MOI. It takes its name from the boomerang-shaped stainless steel rear wing and this weight varies according to putter length for a consistent balance and feel.
The idea behind the milling on an Evnroll putter face is to enhance performance on heel and toe mishits so they stay on line and roll virtually the same distance as well-struck putts.
UK Buy Now at Golf Support from £349
PXG Operator Gen2 Putter
+ The sound and feel should be music to your ears
– The price might not be
As is the way with PXG the products are nods towards the founder Bob Parsons’ service in the military and Operator is the specific term for Delta’s operational personnel.
The putter is extremely forgiving, extremely bold and busy and there is a wide range of adjustability. Should you get your hands on one you’ll notice the double-bend hosel that creates a full shaft of offset and it’s suited to the straight-back-and-through putter.
UK Buy Now at Scottsdale Golf for £480
Honma T//World ST-05s Putter
+ The two-tone colouring when looking down on the ball is visually appealing
– The fang-shaped head won’t be for everyone
This fang-like mallet offers great stability throughout the stroke and increased topspin for a consistent roll. The U shape makes alignment simple and the three lines, two long and one on the topline, make framing your ball very straightforward.
The hexagonal grooves will help with any off-centre strikes so, while this is a luxury putter made with black nickel heads and CNC precision milling, there is still plenty of help.
Axis 1 Rose Putter
+ It’s a thing of clinical beauty and Rose’s putting stats have improved significantly
– It’s one of the pricier putters on the market
When this was launched it was said to be the world’s first ‘Perfect balance/Torque free’ mallet putter. This was done by placing the centre of gravity exactly in the centre of the face and in line with the axis of the shaft which is said to create a perfectly balanced putter.
Justin Rose said of the putter: “I’d been wanting to use Axis 1 for a couple of years but hadn’t been able to. That was a big part of my decision and why I changed equipment (from TaylorMade to Honma).”
The putter remains in the bag, unlike Rose’s association with Honma.
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