Pros advice

Buying Advice Putters

Putter Buying Guide

Putter Buying Guide

Almost 50% of all shots are made by putters, making them the most frequently used clubs in a golfer’s bag.

This buying guide will explain everything you need to know about golf putters to everyone improve their game on the golf course. We also have putting mats available in-store for practice with a PGA Pro on hand to offer advice and tips on how to get the most from a putter.


Putter balances

Face-balanced Putters

Face-balanced putters will point upwards if the shaft is balanced on one finger. This is because its centre of gravity is directly below the axis of the shaft, which allows the golf club head to remain in the square position throughout and straighten the putting stroke during flows of motion. Face-balanced golf putters allow golfers higher performances with even higher MOI in every shot.

Did You Know: Centre of Gravity (or COG for short) was, as a theory, first introduced by mathematician Archimedes over 200 years ago.


Mid-slant Putters

Mid-slant putters are a favourite for golfers as they balance at around 45 degrees and tend to have full-shaft offset, which also helps to encourage less rotation for slight arc stroke types. First introduced to the game by PING, mid-slant putters soared in popularity due to the acclaim they garnered. Still popular today, mid-slant putters are always a good option for the golf course.


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 can 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


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 yearn for the golden age of golf. But that’s not to say a blade putter isn’t any good because they are. In fact, they’re one of the best putters on the market.

Blade putters are predominantly toe-down, and because of their relatively small heads and higher centre of gravity, these brilliant clubs work well for every level of player.

The TaylorMade OS Daytona Putter has increased stability at point of impact to keep you on line, with a vertical deep-milled insert which grips the ball better for an improved roll, sound and feel.

Fans of Odyssey putters will enjoy the feel of these Odyssey BIG T Blade Putter, which combines Odyssey's best feeling, most trusted insert ever, with dual alignment for the ultimate set up to the ball.

Other top of the range blade putters available now include the PING Volt Anser, PING Vault Voss, Wilson Staff Infinite Windy City, Mizuno Golf MP A309 Putter and TaylorMade OS Daytona Counter Balance.


Mallet-Shaped Putters

Mallets are often preferred by 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.


Peripheral Weighted

From oldest to newest, modern putters are peripheral weighed. They have 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 connection.


Putters Face Technology

Face Technology

Metal Face

For important feedback through feel and sound, you need to look at getting putters with a metal face design. These putters will immediately allow you hear any connection made with the golf ball the moment impact is made, which benefits in helping know where the centre is located. Softer materials limit sounds and give less feedback.


Groove Face

Groove Faces are more recent in their design and offer the feel of metal and get the golf ball rolling immediately upon impact. 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.

Insert Technology

The ever-evolving world of golf would be nowhere near as interesting without the ever-evolving golf equipment that comes with it. And it’s not just the equipment that is evolving, either; technology has taken some huge bounds in recent times and Insert Technology is just one of them. From rubber to elastomers, right through to ceramic and composites and other metals, it’s this variety of material that really helps Insert Technology to chisel out the perfect performance and leave golfers shaking their heads in ecstatic disbelief. Using lighter materials allows for more MOI to be produced, and this in turn helps to reduce hopping, skidding and other frustrating problems that occur upon impact.


Golf Putter Shaft Lengths

Standard Length Putter (33-35 inches)

The standard length putters are the most common and used by lots of golfers. Working as an extension of the arm, the putter produces pendulum-like arcs that make it easy to hold a constant swing. Height and posture will ultimately determine the length of the putter you choose, and these are two aspects that should be considered before a final decision is made. Selecting the right length will encourage you to get your eyes directly over the golf ball while also remaining in a stance that’s comfortable and practical.


Long Length Putter (48-52 inches)

The lesser used and ultimately less common of putter lengths, longer versions can be neatly rested above the belly button, chin or chest, and can require a complete overhaul in grip. Good tactics used by golfers is to grip the golf club with the left hand and, holding the putter into the body with the right hand working as a claw in the middle section of the putter, to pull and push through the line like a pendulum. This moves the entire stroke of the Long Putter’s power into the right hand, though it’s a tough skill to master and is hard to perform when conditions are especially windy.


Whether you’re a golfer looking for a new golf putter or looking for an older model which can still do the business on the greens, we’ve got you covered. At american golf we stock a huge range of golf putters from the biggest brands, including Odyssey, Taylormade, Nike, Cleveland, Titleist, PING, Fazer, US Kids,Wilson, Wilson Staff, Wilson Deep Red, Golphin.