Toe-down Putters
Toe-down putters are popular with golfers who have an in-to-out-to-in or very strong arc stroke type. These putters have the ability to power through the swing without over indulging and missing the hole. Interestingly, if you were to lay a toe-down putter on horizontal, the toe would point to the ground. Hence the name!
Putter shapes & how they work
Blade putters
The oldest golf putter still in circulation, blade putters are highly effective on the greens and used religiously by ‘old-school’ golfers who still yearn for the golden age of golf. Blade putters are, in fact, one of the best putters on the market, and come highly-recommended.
Some great blade golf putters available now which players can really benefit from having in their bag includes the Cleveland Golf TFI 2135 8.0 CB Satin Putter, a tour-driven counter balanced mallet design with single bend heel shaft, with a high contrast sight-line to focus the golfer's eyes on alignment. The Odyssey O-Works Red Tank #1 Putter, which provides you with a new way to roll the golf ball, providing all golfers with a more true roll for more consistent putting. The PING Vault 2.0 ZB Platinum Putter, ideal for custom weighting, luxury components, and quality refinements, all of which contribute to providing a Tour level feel and performance. The Wilson Staff Infinite Lake Shore Putter that has been designed to achieve great roll and performance anywhere on the golf course.
Mallet-Shaped Putters
Mallets are usually chosen higher handicap golfers who aren’t exactly oozing confidence. They have a larger surface area on the crown with plenty of room for varying alignment aids. The mallet putter is normally face-balanced and peripheral weighted to offer greater forgiveness on off centre hits with a deeper profile to aid alignment.
Some of the best mallet putters include the Odyssey O-Works Black Marxman SS Putter with a truer roll for more consistent putting, the Cleveland Golf TFI 2135 RHO Satin Putter for a high contrast sight-line to focus the golfer's eyes on alignment, and the TaylorMade Tour Diamond L Neck Spider Putter with perimeter weighting for added stability and a removed sightline for clean alignment.
Peripheral Weighted
From oldest to newest, modern putters are peripheral weighed. They use the added weight in the heel and toe for increased MOI (moment of inertia), which measures how much the golf club head twists. The higher the MOI, the less twisting occurs on off-centre hits. This allows for straighter putts, even on the occasional miss-hit.
Groove Face
Groove Faces are still quite recent, and offer the feel of metal. Groove faces get the golf ball rolling immediately upon impact, and the significant rise in golfers choosing these putter faces looks set to continue due their apparent success and lack of any real drawbacks. Grooves also manage to halt skidding, sliding and back spinning of the golf ball, even reducing the risk of ‘hopping’ before the golf ball gets off on a roll down the greens. A much-respected and pivotal addition to any golfers’ club bag.
Metal Face
Delivering vital feedback through feel and sound, putters with a metal face design are the absolute best. They will immediately allow you hear any connection made with the golf ball upon impact, which benefits in helping know where the centre is located. Softer materials limit sound and gives less feedback.