Today's Putters Can Turn Disappointment into Joy

Nothing ruins an enjoyable round of golf than a poor day on the greens.
Let's face it. We have all had those times when we walk off the course feeling like we struck the ball from tee to green as well as we ever have. Yet, when we total up our score it was an average result. The reason? Yep. Too many three-putts and an inability to make anything longer than a few feet.
So what do we do? Well, we can always try a new putter and with today's plethora of wands there is no reason not to find the right stick to turn disappointing rounds into memorable ones.
Equipment manufacturers are producing a virtual panoply of putters to choose from. Not happy with the blade you have been using? Try a mallet, designed with incredible perimeter weighting and feel. Not happy with a traditional length putter? Put a belly or long putter into the bag and see if you can turn your luck around on the moss.
There are so many shapes, styles and lengths, all equipped with state-of-the-art design elements, such as face inserts, new combinations of metals to deliver true rolls and prevent a twisting of the club in our hands, that it can become a bit confusing when shopping for a new putter. Remember…the most important aspect of a putter is how it feels in your hands. That means going to your local green grass pro shop or golf retail outlet and trying a few on for size.
Perhaps more than any other shot, a putt is all about confidence when standing over the ball. Check out these models to get an idea of how to prevent three-putts and start making those 20-footers

Putters Mallets

Does what it's supposed to do. Lines up nice and rolls the ball to the target … Best Balanced putter I tried, you have to get over looks, this is a really great putter … The putter is easy to line up and rolls the ball true. If you make a good stroke the ball holds its line very well with this putter.

Axis 1 Umbra
www.axis1golf.com • $300

Unique Features: Because Axis1 putters are "perfectly balanced," they don't naturally open up, resulting in more on-line putts. The Umbra is a heavier mallet putter featuring the unique L-frame alignment with larger sight lines, and the same balanced, torque-free design that ensures the clubface will never open up on you.

Tester Comments: Just gorgeous … Ball really rolls off the face perfectly every time … Outstanding feel and performance on short and long putts, you really feel the craftsmanship in this putter.

Bettinardi BB 33
www.bettinardigolf.com • $275

Unique Features:
The BB33 is a face-balanced, classic mallet design. Pronounced mill lines on the shoulders help maximize focus on the sightline. It sports a custom double-bend shaft and features a patented Honeycomb face to ensure the flattest surface possible for true rolls of the ball toward the cup.

Tester Comments: The feel is not great, but the weight is like a slice of Heaven! Helps promote a nice, smooth pendulum stroke … Not too heavy to take away feel on long putts, but heavy enough to make you stroke down the line on short putts.

Heavy Putter Heavy HI M
www.heavyputter.com • $120

Unique Features:
The H1-M is face balanced and has a center shaft orientation. A unique parabola channel with a long site line aids in alignment. The putter is constructed of stainless steel, has a CNC milled face and is offered in a Black PVD or Bronze Black Nickel finish. A proprietary shaft creates the necessary weight to give the golfer more control of the stroke.

Tester Comments: Great putter! Much better weighted than the full Heavy Putter … The lighter weight helped a lot and still allows you to make a smooth, pendulum stroke … Not the best looker but it works especially on slow or moderate speed greens.

Heavy Putter Heavy D3 L
www.heavyputter.com • $120

Unique Features:
This high moment of inertia mallet design incorporates Tour proven patented weighting technology in a new LITE-WEIGHT (600gm) category. The D3-L is face balanced and has a double bend, heel mounted shaft orientation with a half shaft of offset. The head design raises the center of gravity, which together with the elongated alignment line, encourages consistent sweet spot contact.

Tester Comments: Nike created a great feeling and perfectly balanced putter that has a nice roll off the face … The Polymetal Grooves do help promote a forward roll and has eliminated the skidding … The feel of the putter made me more confident, and I sunk a fifteen foot putt on the first hole of my test round.

Nike Method Core 5i.
        www.nikegolf.com • $150

          Unique Features:
            The Nike Method Core 5i features Polymetal groove technology: an aluminum face insert and soft polymer backing that fills in the milled grooves. This dampens vibration and reduces backspin so putts skid less and provides a faster forward roll at impact.

Tester Comments: Extremely easy to line up. Improved both my line and my speed control … It does communicate mis-hits very well, however, the weight takes some getting used to … Feel was average only because of the weight.

Odyssey White Ice D.A.R.T.
www.odysseygolf.com • $180

Unique Features:
Along with perimeter weighting and a double-bend shaft, the White Ice uses D.A.R.T. alignment technology to ensure better accuracy and promote consistent strikes for increased distance control. Coupled with a Dark Nickel finish for a premium look, White Ice D.A.R.T. putters provide Tour-level performance with Tour-inspired feel.

Tester Comments: Saw an immediate improvement in the ability to sink six foot putts. Nice balance, feel, and alignment aids … This putter's feedback is exactly what I was looking for, constant ball striking, dead in the center of the face … Well balanced, easy to line up the ball, and extremely responsive

Ping Scotsdale Wolverine
www.ping.com • $160

Unique Features:
A thermoplastic-elastomer insert is designed to produce a soft feel yet make the ball come off the face as fast as a steel-faced putter. The crimson, white and black alignment aid (offered on all models except the Pickemup) provides a lengthy, high-contrast sightline. All models are cast from 17-4 stainless steel. Custom-fitting for shaft length, loft, lie angle and grip size is available.

Tester Comments: Always know you are lined up correctly with a SeeMore … The flange adds very solid feel … The red dot keeps the ball in the correct position every time … The alignment system really prepares you to make putts.

SeeMore SB-2
www.seemore.com • $250

Unique Features:
The mallet-milled from 6061 aluminum has a sloped flange and features SeeMore's "riflescope" alignment aid. The bottom of the shaft hides a red oval to let the user know the setup is square in order to impact more consistency. An offset-shaft option is designed for golfers who putt with a forward press.

Tester Comments: Excellent putter. Superb feel … The head design I found very easy to line up with the odd looking pointed back making it easier to visualize the line … Feel was perfect, not too hard or soft

STX Sync Series SS2
www.stxgolf.com • $100

Unique Features:
The STX Sync Series 2 Putter is a beautifully designed mallet that will utilize the latest STX insert development known as F.E.E.L. technology. "F.E.E.L". is short for Friction Enhancing Elastomer Layer and it dramatically increases the coefficient of friction to put a greater amount of topspin on the ball and keep your putts on line. The soft face keeps the ball in contact with the putter longer for control while the "bullet back" style with unique heel and toe design elements increase the moment of intertia.

Tester Comments: Love the idea of using the perfect face insert for the greens I am putting, easy and it works … Good looking for a mallet and very solid … The roll of the ball off the face was better than anything else I tried.

STX ProFIT 6
www.stxgolf.com • $130

Unique Features:
The STX ProFIT 6 Putter features interchangeable inserts and weights for the ultimate in customization to adapt to all playing conditions. The ProFIT 6 is milled from 17-4 stainless steel. STX proprietary soft face technology provides superior directional control, decreased ball skid and reduced ball deformation and compression. STX insert materials have a high coefficient of friction to produce topspin and get the ball rolling sooner than any competitor.

Tester Comments: Ball really rolls nicely off the face, took a few putts to get used to the distance as this seemed to give a better run out on putts … Nice balance, easy to make a solid stoke every time … The white color is awesome, you are able to just focus on the ball.

TaylorMade Ghost Spider
        www.taylormade.com • $180

          Unique Features:
            The Spider Ghost putter's white finish stands out against green grass for perfect aim. Players can customize feel with Movable Weight Technology, perimeter weighting boosts moment of inertia for consistent distance control, and a PURE ROLL insert gets the ball rolling smooth with forward spin.

Tester Comments: Nice looking appearance, favor this much more than the bigger Kombi head. This putter is a definate confidence builder! … Looks and feels great, easy to align, balls roll better, and if you want to reduce your number of 3 putts this is the putter … Great Feel.

Scotty Cameron Kombi S
        www.titleist.com • $299

          Unique Features:
            The Kombi-S is milled from 303 stainless steel (rather than the 6061 aluminum of the original Kombi) in order to get the sound and feel closer to the blades of the Studio Select family. The head size is also slightly smaller than the original Kombi to accommodate the heavier steel. A weight in the sole is adjusted at the factory to maintain the correct headweight for different shaft lengths.

Tester Comments: Like the look but it is just average on feel …. Very easy to align to the hole, nice feel and sound when you contact the ball in the center. The oversized grip is very comfortable.

Tour Edge Backdraft GT+
        OS-4
        www.touredge.com • $40

            Unique Features:
            The BackDraft GT+ OS-4 comes with a stock oversized black and white grip, intended to help keep the hands and wrists out of the stroke. In addition, the large, all-white mallet head focuses attention behind the ball onto the black-lined, ball-width alignment aid. And finally, the putter face contains a super-soft, polymer insert.

Tester Comments: The alignment aid really does help get your eyes over the ball and helps make more putts … Pretty sweet in the way it helps you line up the putt … The slot in the top shows you if your eyes are directly over the top of the putter with the color on the lower level. If you see red you're eyes are either inside or outside. If you just see the silver you're aligned.

Wilson Vizor
www.wilsongolf.com • $180

Unique Features:
Featuring i-Lock technology, the Wilson Vizor putter assists the player in consistently positioning their eyes over the line of the putt, resulting in improved accuracy and consistency. It also features a soft urethane face insert, and an aluminum inner body with a stainless steel periphery, resulting in a higher MOI for more stability and less twisting.

Player’s Choice Awards Mallets

Best Appearance
Bettinardi BB33
Scotty Cameron Kombi SI

Best Performance
Axis 1 Umbra
Bettinardi BB33
Ping Wolverine
SeeMore SB-2
STX ProFit 6
TaylorMade Ghost Spider
Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Wilson Vizor

Best Forgiveness
Axis 1 Umbra
Nike Method Core 5i
TaylorMade Ghost Spider

Best Impact Feel
Bettinardi BB33
Scotty Cameron Kombi S

Best Alignment
Axis 1 Umbra
SeeMore SB-2
TaylorMade Ghost Spider
Wilson Vizor

Best Overall
Axis 1 Umbra
Bettinardi BB33
SeeMore SB-2
TaylorMade Ghost Spider
Scotty Cameron Kombi S