Putters

Editors’ Picks: 8 high-tech mallet putters that could change your game in 2021

By: Andrew Tursky

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Unfortunately, putting is more complicated than it seems. A putter head swings just a few inches back and forth during a putting stroke, and one would think we golfers can hit the center of the face every time. It’s never that easy, though. Our stroke paths get wobbly, we hit the ball off the toe or the heel, and the putt goes offline with the wrong speed.

Even for professionals, many golfers need help stabilizing their strokes and minimizing the effect of mishits.

Technology can help.

Modern putter designers have figured out ways to design putters that, when they’re matched properly to your stroke, can actually help you roll the ball better and more consistently.

Navigating the putter market isn’t easy, though. Being that golfers are constantly looking for the answer, there’s a market for all sorts of designs. Shelves are flooded with putters that have different head shapes, hosels, alignment lines, toe hangs, face designs, inserts, weights, lengths, shafts, grips, and the list goes on and on.

Since every golfer has different wants and needs, a putter fitting can help speed along your quest to find your perfect putter. The next best option would be to experiment with a number of putter setups yourself. Try out everything from traditional blades to oversized mallets until you find the right feel and performance.

During your experimentation process, you’ll hopefully figure out whether you prefer simple blades, ultra-forgiving mallets, or something in between.

For those who don’t mind venturing away from traditional shapes in order to take advantage of modern technology, the list of high-MOI (moment of inertia) putters below is for you. These putters use innovative shapes and technologies to help correct issues with stroke path, minimize speed loss on mishits, and/or have face designs that help roll the ball better on the putting surface.

The 8 putters below are among the top performers in our 2021 ClubTest when it comes to forgiveness. Each of these high-tech putters has been engineered to help golfers putt better, so this list is a great place to start your journey in finding that perfect putter. 

Axis1 Tour-HM

$449.99
A more robust carbon-fiber back piece gives the Tour-HM a traditional mallet silhouette at address. The recessed design on the back assists in framing the ball and is paired with a single white line for those who prefer an alignment aid. The alignment system differs from the Rose, which offers a small notch on the topline and two white lines positioned on the interior of the wings. Each 355-gram, individually-balanced head is CNC milled from 303 stainless steel with a ceramic bead blasted finish.

Odyssey 2-ball Ten

$299.99
Beyond the alignment tech, the 2-Ball Ten showcases a sleek mallet shape that’s gaining traction among the pro ranks. It’s all part of Odyssey’s plan to help all golfers better “frame” at setup and ensure everything’s lined up correctly. Bonus: Each head features the high-performance and Tour-proven White Hot Microhinge face insert.

Ping Heppler

$247.00
Ping uses a combination of steel and pressure-cast aluminum materials in the head to manipulate weight in order to raise forgiveness. An adjustable grip system helps golfers troubleshoot with length as well. From one tester’s lips to your ears: “This thing putts itself.”

PXG BlackJack

$395
It starts with an aerospace-grade aluminum body with high-density tungsten, a large sightline alignment aid and four adjustable sole weights that max out MOI and provide rock-solid stability. Testers liked the pyramid face pattern, too, which induces a faster end-over-end roll. Available in multiple hosel configurations, including heel-shafted, plumber’s neck and a double-bend option (with or without armlock).

TaylorMade Spider S

$349.99
The open section and white-colored True Path alignment aid on the crown both mimic the exact width of a golf ball. As our testers discovered, the concept makes it super easy to line up the ball directly in front of the sweet spot at address. Make no mistake: This putter is built for forgiveness with extreme back weighting and a fluted section of the shaft to enhance feel and control.

Scotty Cameron Phantom X

$429.00
Four models in the Phantom X line of high-MOI putters have been revamped to take better advantage of the stainless steel/aluminum construction, with the new 5.5 catering especially to players who want a gamer that resembles the one used by none other than major champ Justin Thomas. The complete Phantom X series, which includes additional neck configurations, encompasses a variety of styles and alignment aids to fit the eye of any discerning player. “I love that Scotty offers different alignment options. The three dots really work.”

Tour Edge Wingman

$199.99
The Exotics Wingman putter features three hosel options — middle toe hang, face balanced and center shafted — and GOLF’s testers reviewed the first and the third. Each features the carbon fiber sole plate, which helps increase the moment of inertia; the “lock-on” alignment technology, which allows the lie angle to be square at address; the micro-groove face, which reduces skipping after contact; and the interchangeable weights, in 3, 8 and 15 grams, which promote the face square to the swing path.

Wilson Buckingham Infinite

$100
Here’s a bold new addition to Wilson’s Infinite line, which includes a slick, dark-matte finish that reduces glare and accentuates sight lines. Its counterbalanced technology, which one tester acknowledged “tightened up my consistency,” is a big bonus for those with non-repeating strokes. Nine other Infinite models available. To top it all off, the oversize grip helps limit rotation during the stroke and a perforated pattern offers improved feel.

Want to overhaul your own bag for 2021? Visit the expert fitters at our sister company, True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, make sure to check out our recent Fully Equipped podcast in the Spotify link below.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4BdA2GCCSt6qvUJ1aHLevf
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