GOLF PUTTERS

Choosing the Right Golf Putter for Your Stroke

The putter market is huge, and it can feel overwhelming. Blade or mallet, insert or milled face, short or long, centre shaft or plumber's neck: it all matters. The good news is that once you know what to look for, narrowing it down gets much easier. Here's what to think about.

Blade Putters: Classic Feel, Maximum Feedback

The blade is the traditional design that has been on tour greens for decades. Slim, low profile and usually heel-toe weighted, blade putters suit golfers with a slight arc in their stroke. They give excellent feedback through the hands, which is why better players often prefer them: they want to feel every putt rather than have a soft insert mask a mishit. If you make a consistent stroke and value feel above everything else, a blade is likely your natural home. Scotty Cameron built its reputation on classic blade shapes.

Mallet Putters: Forgiveness and Alignment

A mallet has a larger, deeper head, often with sight lines, alignment aids or contrasting colours to help you set up square to your line. Weight spread around the perimeter makes a mallet more forgiving on off-centre strikes and promotes a stable, straight-back, straight-through stroke. If you've ever stood over a putt unsure whether the face is aimed where you think it is, a mallet can give you a real confidence boost. Odyssey putters and TaylorMade putters have some of the strongest mallet options on the market, and Scotty Cameron's Phantom range brings the same idea to the premium end.

Face Inserts vs Milled Faces

Most putters fall into one of two camps when it comes to the face. Insert putters use a softer material, often urethane or another polymer, set into the face for a softer feel and a consistent roll. Milled putters are machined from solid metal, usually steel, for a firmer, more precise feel that tells you exactly how well you struck it. Neither is better. It comes down to whether you prefer a softer, quieter sensation or a crisper, more responsive one, so it's always worth trying both on a putting green before you commit.

Putter Length: Getting Your Setup Right

Standard putter length is around 33 to 35 inches, and getting it right matters more than most golfers realise. A putter that's too long makes you stand too upright and pulls your eyes inside the target line, which makes it hard to aim. One that's too short forces you into a crouch and can push your eyes out beyond the ball. The goal is to stand comfortably with your eyes over the ball or just inside the line, and your arms hanging naturally. If you've never been fitted for putter length, it's one of the simplest and most useful fittings you can have.

Hosel and Neck Style: How It Affects Your Stroke

The hosel, which connects the shaft to the head, affects how a putter performs more than most golfers appreciate. A plumber's neck usually gives some toe hang and suits golfers whose stroke naturally opens and closes the face. A centre shaft or double-bend hosel is often face balanced and encourages a straighter path. As a rule of thumb:

• Face-balanced putters, where the face points up when you balance the shaft on your finger, suit a straight-back, straight-through stroke.
• Toe-hang putters, where the toe drops, suit an arcing stroke.

Matching your putter to your natural stroke is one of the most reliable ways to putt more consistently.

The Brands Worth Knowing

Scotty Cameron putters are among the most coveted in golf, combining precise milling and premium materials with a feel many players consider unmatched. Our range includes left-handed options.

Odyssey putters, the putter brand of Callaway, are among the most popular in the game. They're famous for insert technology such as the White Hot face, and offer excellent performance at accessible prices.

Ping putters are synonymous with fitting precision, and the company's story started with a putter back in 1959.

TaylorMade putters are best known for the Spider, one of the most recognisable mallet designs on tour.

Mizuno putters bring the brand's reputation for craftsmanship to the green with the milled M.Craft range.

Find the Best Golf Putters for Your Stroke at Clarkes Golf

The right putter is out there for your stroke and your game. It's just a case of finding it. Whether you're replacing a putter that's never felt right, upgrading to a premium milled model or trying a mallet for the first time, Clarkes Golf has the range to suit. Every putter is backed by our price match guarantee. Add one to your bag today or reach out to the team for a recommendation, because putting better starts with having the right tool in your hands.