The Most Important Club: The Best Putter
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MacGregor VIP-1 Putter -
Odyssey Hot Pro 2.0 White Putter -
Ping Rhapsody Anser 2 Putter -
Ping Scottsdale TR Shea H Putter -
Womens Odyssey White Hot Pro 2-Ball Putter -
Ping Rhapsody Anser 2 Putter -
Buyer's Guide
It's hard to argue there’s any club in the bag more important than the putter. However, not everyone wants to spend $200 or more on a single golf club. Finding the best budget putter can be a challenge because you don't want to trade quality for a lesser price tag. That doesn't mean there aren't great putters out there on the market at a fair price.
The best putter in 2022 making this list succeeded in achieving three very important things. First, the price of the putter came in under $100. While choosing a putter that isn't overly expensive is important, it's also equally as important to choose a sound, quality club. Second, the putters on this list feature an insert which is an inexpensive way for manufacturers to increase feel and control. Third, these putters demonstrate balance which is achieved through weighting or hosel placement. Both of these characteristics can make a putter feel significantly more balanced than other options with misappropriated weighting and poor hosel placement.
Here are the best putters of 2022
MacGregor VIP-1 Putter - Best Putter Overall
The MacGregor VIP putter has a very traditional blade design and brings an impressively simple setup to the game. It has a very simple, grooved insert with a very soft feel, but creates a great deal of friction at the point of impact. Additionally, the putter has a slightly wider sole allowing for a player to really expand and take aggressive strokes.
This putter will build the players confidence through the combined feel of the insert and putter design. The putter also features weighting at the heel and the toe of the club which will help players maintain alignment throughout the putting stroke. Best of all, it’s priced significantly lower than many competitors.
Odyssey Hot Pro 2.0 White Putter - Runner Up
Odyssey is owned and operated by Callaway, but they’ve earned one a great reputation in the golfing industry. It features the essential White Hot insert which put Odyssey on the market back when golf products were just taking off to the extent we see today. This putter features an offset hosel which is crucial to ensuring players feel comfortable over the ball. Additionally, the insert creates some incredibly positive feel by ensuring weight distribution, as well as heel and toe design, are at the best level they can be at.
The White Hot Pro 2.0 also takes advantage of an eye-fit system, ensuring the player is comfortable when they're over the ball. Combined with the fact this Odyssey lineup of putters is one of the most-affordable on the market, what you're left with is an incredible value outfitted with great golfing technology.
Ping Rhapsody Anser 2 Putter - Honorable Mention
Ping Anser putters have been prominent names in the market for a very long time. However, this putter really stands out even when compared to its counterparts within the Ping family. The milled face provides an incredibly soft feel, delivering the right amount of recoil when striking the ball. It gives players of all skill levels the ability to control their putts on the green, ensuring those putts aren’t left where they shouldn’t be. Every putt will feel right and go where it should thanks to the milled face and balanced weighting. This putter doesn't feature any flashy design or technology and there’s no insert, but it delivers on every green around the golf course.
Ping Scottsdale TR Shea H Putter - Consider
Ping has developed one of the most-trusted names in the game of golf when it comes to putters. Many of them are tour-inspired, including characteristics which make these clubs competitive and useful for players of all skill levels. This particular putter is exceptional due to having both heel and toe weighting to balance the club without allowing weight to slide more to either side. The weight also counters an incredible insert which has a significantly grooved face, allowing a pure stroke on the ball each and every time. This creates greater friction for getting long putts closer and making critical short putts with more confidence.
Womens Odyssey White Hot Pro 2-Ball Putter - Best Women's Putter
People often look at this putter and immediately think the complex design means there’s too much going on for it to be any good; that couldn't be further from the truth. This putter features Odyssey's famous White Hot insert for some of the most consistent play in the game. It also has a simplistic, double-bend shaft even though it only appears to bend slightly.
This club is called the two-ball putter because it simply adds weight to the center of the putter which makes for a smoother stroke. If a player flips the putter over, they’ll see this club is a mallet putter with two-ball weighting in the rear of the club. That might sound a little complicated, but really it's just a simple way of adding mass to a club for smoother, consistent contact which are two things any golfer aims for on a regular basis.
Ping Rhapsody Anser 2 Putter - Honorable Mention
Ping Anser putters have been prominent names in the market for a very long time. However, this putter really stands out even when compared to its counterparts within the Ping family. The milled face provides an incredibly soft feel, delivering the right amount of recoil when striking the ball. It gives players of all skill levels the ability to control their putts on the green, ensuring those putts aren’t left where they shouldn’t be. Every putt will feel right and go where it should thanks to the milled face and balanced weighting. This putter doesn't feature any flashy design or technology and there’s no insert, but it delivers on every green around the golf course.
Buyer's Guide
Putters are the most specialized golfing clubs. When a putter is pulled out of the bag, it can only mean one thing – the ball is about to be knocked into a hole. Putters are quite unique in golfing, so much that they have features that are not allowed on other clubs. Non-circular grips and bent shafts are some of the features not allowed on any other club except putters.
Our review of the best putters has shown you the best putters available; this buying guide provides details about putters, including the types of putters, the factors that should be prioritized when buying a putter. The guide also answers frequently asked questions about putters.
What are the Types of Putters?
Based on head balance, there are two types of putters. These are the toe-balanced putter and the face-balanced putter.
Toe Balanced Putters
During the backswing, a toe-balanced putter opens. It then closes during the through-stroke. Toe-balanced putters are ideal for golfers with an arced putting stroke. To know if a putter is toe-balanced, perfectly balance the putter’s shaft on your index finger. Check the putter’s toe part. If the toe points to the ground or slightly droops, that means it is a toe-balanced putter.
Face Balanced Putters
A face-balanced putter does not open or close when a golfer uses it for putting. It is ideal for golfers with straight putting strokes. To know if a putter is face-balanced, perfectly balance the putter’s shaft on your index finger. If the part of the putter that makes contact with the ball faces upward, that means the putter is face-balanced.
What are the Things to Consider Before Buying Putters?
Due to the array of options available, choosing the best putter to buy can be challenging. With this in mind, we have drawn up a list of factors that should be considered when buying a putter. These factors will help you to make a sound buying decision.
Length
Getting it right with your putter length should be the first factor you consider when buying a putter. The best putter length varies from one individual to the other. A golfer’s height and arm length are determinants of the ideal putter length. To determine your perfect putter length, follow these simple steps:
- First, stand in your normal address position
- Free your arms so that they hang naturally (this is to avoid stiff arms when you putt)
- The distance between the ground and the top of your hands is the ideal length of your putter shaft (get someone to measure this).
Head Design
The head design of a putter is another vital factor to consider when buying a putter. The head design of putters comes in three types – blade putter, mallet putter, and peripheral weighted putter.
Putters with blade heads are the most traditional of all three; they are narrow and relatively light. They are ideal for players with straight putting strokes.
Putters with mallet heads have large heads and feature elaborate designs. They are ideal for players that struggle with alignment in their putts.
Peripheral weighted putters usually have additional weight in the toe and heel; hence the name heel-toe weighted putter. They are similar to mallet putters in a lot of ways and have greater forgiveness. However, they are longer and thinner.
Overall, you should be on the lookout for a putter with a head design that suits your style and putting needs
Milled Putter vs. Insert Putter
The choice between a milled putter and an insert putter should also be given a thought when buying a putter. In milled putters, the surface that makes contact with the ball is made of the same steel as its surrounding parts. Milled putters have the advantage of being more balanced and uniform. However, they are usually expensive.
On the other hand, the surface that makes contact with the ball in inserted putters is an inserted material. The soft insert could be made of zinc, rubber, steel, or titanium. Insert putters are relatively cheaper than milled putters.
Shafts
Your putter style usually determines the best type of putter shaft for you to buy. Heel-shafted putters are ideal for players that rotate the blade through their strokes. Conversely, putters with center-shafts are ideal for players with a flat stroke. Thus, consider your putting stroke when choosing the ideal putter shaft type.
How to Take Care of Putters
To ensure that your putter serves you for as long as possible, follow these simple steps to maintain it.
- Ensure that the putter is always dry. You can do this by cleaning the head with a clean, dry cloth after each use. This reduces the chances of oxidation on the putter.
- In cleaning your putter, avoid abrasives and paint thinners. They can smear the paint fill.
- Avoid storing the putter in a wet or damp environment.
- It would be best if you use a putter hardcover to store the dried putter safely.
How Much do Putters Cost?
You could get a putter for as low as $15. Also, there are putters that are sold for as much as $500. Overall durability tends to increase proportionally with the price. Putters within the $70 and $200 range offer a middle ground between durability and cost.
FAQs
Q: What is the best golf putter for beginners?
A: There are many brands of putters that are good for beginners. The best putter for a beginner is a putter that is most forgiving of bad swings and poor contact with the ball.
Q: Should I use a heavy or light putter?
A: It depends on the golfer and the greens they are playing on. Some golfers have no problem pulling off their putting with light putters. For golfers who cannot pull off their putts with light putters, a heavy putter may help them to perfect their putting.
Q: How heavy should your putter head be?
A: The weight of the putter head is dependent on the golfer’s preference. Putters usually weigh between 350 grams and 400 grams. Heavier putter heads give an advantage on fast greens.
