The quick answer
Choose the head shape you find easiest to aim, then make sure the putter’s balance suits the way you move it. Neither a blade nor a mallet is better in general.
Mallets usually have more weight spread away from the face, meant to keep the face steadier on off-center strikes. Blades are smaller and simpler, and many golfers like how they look and feel. The balance of the head, described as toe hang or face balance, matters at least as much as its shape.
Who this is for
Golfers replacing a putter, or buying their first one that was not part of a set, who want to know what the terms on a putter’s specification sheet mean.
What actually matters
Head shape. Makers usually describe putters as blades, mid-mallets or mallets. A blade is a narrow head with most of its weight close to the face. A mallet is larger, often with weight pushed back and to the edges, and often has more room for alignment lines. A mid-mallet sits in between. Odyssey says the #7 S’s angular design “makes it very easy to align”. Whether a shape helps you aim is personal and hard to predict from a photo, so try it.
Your stroke. Most putting strokes are described as either fairly straight back and through, or as an arc where the face opens on the way back and closes through the ball. Some makers state which stroke a model is built for. Ping lists the Scottsdale DS72 for a straight stroke and the Scottsdale TEC Ketsch 4 for a strong arc.
Toe hang and face balance. Balance the shaft on your finger. If the face points up at the sky, the putter is face balanced. If the toe drops, it has toe hang, often measured in degrees. The common fitting rule is that face-balanced putters suit straighter strokes and putters with more toe hang suit stronger arcs. It is a starting point, and fitters do not all agree on it.
Neck. The neck, or hosel, is one of the main things that sets toe hang and offset. Plumber’s neck, slant and other designs are named after their shape. Two putters with the same head shape can balance very differently because of the neck.
Torque-reducing designs. Several makers now sell putters designed to resist twisting during the stroke. Of the eight below, L.A.B. Golf, Evnroll and Wilson each describe their model this way.
Length. Length changes your posture and where your eyes sit over the ball. Stock lengths below run from 33 to 35 inches where listed. A fitter can set length to the way you stand.
Face and loft. Inserts and milled faces change sound and feel, which also depend on the ball and your own preference. Putter loft is small, typically a few degrees, and is meant to get the ball rolling cleanly.
Eight current putters
At our last price checks, the 8 putters ranged from about $200 to about $500.
Cleveland says the Model 1 is “the most traditional shape of all the HB SOFT 2 Black Putters.”
- Head shape
- Blade
- Maker’s stroke fit
- Slight arc
- Lengths
- 34", 35"
$199.99
See at TGW: Cleveland Golf HB SOFT 2 Black Model 1Affiliate linkEvnroll describes the ZERO Z2s as a “Wide-Body, square back blade with high MOI for enhanced stability.”
- Head shape
- Blade
- Maker’s stroke fit
- Not recorded
- Lengths
- 33", 34", 35"
$449
See at TGW: Evnroll ZERO Z2sAffiliate linkScotty Cameron describes the Studio Style Newport 2 as “an iconic design made with an SCS face insert for players who value feel and appreciate crisp, mechanical lines”.
- Head shape
- Blade
- Maker’s stroke fit
- Not recorded
- Lengths
- 33", 34", 35"
$499
See at TGW: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2Affiliate linkPing says the Scottsdale DS72’s ball-width PEBAX face insert “matches the ball-width cavity to make aiming easier.”
- Head shape
- Mid-mallet
- Maker’s stroke fit
- Straight
- Lengths
- 35"
$197
See at TGW: Ping Scottsdale DS72Affiliate linkPing says the Scottsdale TEC Ketsch 4 is “designed to fit a strong-arc player.”
- Head shape
- Mallet
- Maker’s stroke fit
- Strong arc
- Lengths
- 35"
$399
See at TGW: Ping Scottsdale TEC Ketsch 4Affiliate linkOdyssey calls the Ai-DUAL Seven S “an iconic shape, and a modern classic with an angular design that makes it very easy to align.”
- Head shape
- Mallet
- Maker’s stroke fit
- Not recorded
- Lengths
- 33", 34", 35"
$249.98
L.A.B. Golf says the DF3 “stays square by itself” and is “irrationally forgiving on mishits.”
- Head shape
- Mallet
- Maker’s stroke fit
- Not recorded
- Lengths
- 34", 35"
$399
With the LAB Golf steel shaft
See at Global Golf: L.A.B. Golf DF3Affiliate linkWilson says the Lakeview’s Zero Torque technology “keeps the putter face square to the target longer, reducing unwanted rotation for pure, consistent rolls with every stroke.”
- Head shape
- Not recorded
- Maker’s stroke fit
- Not recorded
- Lengths
- 34", 35"
$199.99
See at Global Golf: Wilson Infinite Zero Torque LakeviewAffiliate link
Blades
| Specification | Cleveland GolfHB SOFT 2 Black Model 1 | EvnrollZERO Z2s | Scotty CameronStudio Style Newport 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $199.99 (TGW) | $449 (TGW) | $499 (TGW) |
| Head shape | Blade | Blade | Blade |
| Maker’s stroke fit | Slight arc | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Balance | Not recorded | Not published | Not published |
| Neck | Plumber’s neck hosel | Reverse-offset hosel | I-Beam Plumbing |
| Lengths | 34", 35" | 33", 34", 35" | 33", 34", 35" |
Mallets and mid-mallets
| Specification | PingScottsdale DS72 | PingScottsdale TEC Ketsch 4 | OdysseyAi-DUAL #7 S | L.A.B. GolfDF3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $197 (TGW) | $399 (TGW) | $249.98 (PGA TOUR Superstore) | $399 (Global Golf) |
| Head shape | Mid-mallet | Mallet | Mallet | Mallet |
| Maker’s stroke fit | Straight | Strong arc | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Balance | Not published | Not published | Toe hang | Not published |
| Neck | DB | H4 (Anser 4-style hosel) | Short slant hosel | Not recorded |
| Lengths | 35" | 35" | 33", 34", 35" | 34", 35" |
Few makers publish both a stroke type and a balance figure, so expect gaps. Odyssey’s specification table gives the #7 S 35° of toe hang. Ping says the Ketsch 4’s hosel gives “greater toe hang” but does not give a figure.
Designs aimed at reducing torque
| Specification | WilsonInfinite Zero Torque Lakeview | L.A.B. GolfDF3 | EvnrollZERO Z2s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $199.99 (Global Golf) | $399 (Global Golf) | $449 (TGW) |
| Head shape | Not recorded | Mallet | Blade |
| Balance | Face balanced | Not published | Not published |
| Neck | Not recorded | Not recorded | Reverse-offset hosel |
| Lengths | 34", 35" | 34", 35" | 33", 34", 35" |
Wilson lists the Lakeview as face balanced. L.A.B. Golf describes the DF3’s balance in its own terms, Lie Angle Balance, rather than as face balanced or toe hang, so its balance shows as not published.
What the extra money buys in a blade
Step upCleveland Golf HB SOFT 2 Black Model 1 to Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2$299.01 more when last checked
| Published spec | HB SOFT 2 Black Model 1 | Studio Style Newport 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Neck | Plumber’s neck hosel | I-Beam Plumbing |
| Face | Milled Speed Optimized Face Technology | Studio Carbon Steel (SCS) face insert |
| Lengths | 34", 35" | 33", 34", 35" |
The same on both: head shape (Blade).
Can’t compare, because one maker doesn’t publish it: maker’s stroke fit, balance, loft.
Both are blades. The extra money buys a different face, a third stock length, and a different neck: Cleveland lists a plumber’s neck hosel, and Scotty Cameron its I-Beam Plumbing neck. Neither maker publishes a balance figure.
New or used
Putters have few parts to wear out, which can make used ones good value. The used listings we have found are on each product page under Used prices. If you buy used:
- Check the length. A previous owner may have cut the shaft down.
- Look for dents on the face or damage to any insert.
- Check the grip, and budget for a new one if it is worn or not to your liking.
- Counterfeits exist, especially of well-known brands. Buy from a seller who will take the putter back.
Where to go next
- All putters we have researched, with their latest price checks.
- How we research, including what our evidence labels mean.
Sources
- Evidence: Verified
Cleveland publishes the HB SOFT 2 Black Model 1 head design, hosel, stroke fit, face technology, stock lengths and list price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Evnroll publishes the ZERO Z2s head shape, hosel, face technology, lengths, head weights, loft and list price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Scotty Cameron publishes the Studio Style Newport 2 head type, neck, face insert, loft, lengths, toe flow and list price.
Scotty Cameron product page on Titleist.com
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Ping publishes the Scottsdale DS72 putter type, stroke type, hosel, offset, face insert, head weight, standard length and loft.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Ping publishes the Scottsdale TEC Ketsch 4 putter type, stroke type, hosel, offset, face insert, head weight, standard length and loft.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Odyssey publishes the Ai-DUAL #7 S head type, toe hang, hosel, insert, head weight, loft, lengths and list price.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
L.A.B. Golf publishes the DF3 Stock construction, finish, lengths, effective loft, lie angle and list price, and describes Lie Angle Balance.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Wilson publishes the Infinite Zero Torque Lakeview toe hang, lengths, face milling, construction and list price, and describes Zero Torque technology.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.