If you want to improve your golf game quickly, then stop hitting balls on the range and get your butt over to the putting green.
The vast majority of your strokes are going to come from 100 yards and in, so working on your short game and improving your putting is the quickest way to show progress. Some of the best golfers at my club spend zero time hitting balls before each round, but they certainly spend some time on the practice green before they ever walk to the first tee.
A Forgiving putter may sound like a Unicorn. In theory it sounds great, but it just doesn’t exist. We Disagree!
If a putter can still roll true and stay on line even when you hit it on the toe or heel, that is a forgiving putter.
Most Forgiving Putter
TaylorMade Spider Tour Black
Our Top Pick
People went crazy for this club when Dustin Johnson first used it when he had his putting woes and needed a change. This mallet putter is a great club that is worth checking out. It will make a very good first impression on you with its stylish and dark appearance. This putter has a futuristic shape that a traditionalist would never have seen before. There is something satisfying and calming about it.
TaylorMade has made different versions of this putter with different inserts to have different feels. This version has a metallic Pure Roll insert, so it has a solid click. A strike that is away from the center would feel a little hollow. TaylorMade has given the Pure Roll insert 45-degree grooves in order to increase the topspin and encourage a forward roll. The ball rolls off the sweet spot but the grooves will save the hollow feeling left by the mishits. A big challenge of mishits is controlling the ball speed and consequently the distance. This putter is forgiving but you’d still want to dial in your strike and try to hit the center as much as possible.
The head of this putter is large, with 355-grams of weight it is well-balanced and swings very nicely. Just like the feel, the sound has a solid click to it too. But if you make off-center hits the sound would be hollow. A strike in the center of the face will create a very good forward roll. However, your shots will get skippy if the strokes are off-center. This putter is toe balanced with a slant neck, so the stroke has an arc to it. But the large head will help you keep the balance. This putter is available for left and right-handed players in the length of 33 to 35-inches. The loft on this putter is 3-degree and the line is 70 degrees.
What we liked
- The perimeter weighting of this putter helps compensate for poor contact
- The Pure Roll insert and the grooves help create topspin and a good forward spin
- The alignment line helps with deciding on the required path of the ball
- Has high MOI
- Large head helps with balance
What we didn’t like
- Beginners may struggle to align the shot
Ray Cook Golf- Silver Ray SR500
This putter will allow you to use your maximum potential and also help you improve your game. This putter is different from others in its weight, design, and other features but it could be what you are looking for. The head of a putter is an important part of it as it bears most of the weight. Many golfers look for a lightweight head but that might not be the case for you. This club head weighs 360-grams. Despite the weight, you’ll have a nice forward swing that makes the ball roll fast.
This putter comes with a double bend full-shaft offset. This shaft will provide you some flexibility. You’ll be comfortable with the putter even if it has been in your hands for a while. The shaft of this putter twists a little when you are putting. The twist will help generate more power on the ball if you swing it right. It will be beneficial for you in longer putts. The weight of the shaft is very good. Together the weight of the shaft and the clubhead balance the weight throughout the putter.
This putter has a loft of 3-degrees and a lie of 70-degrees. This much loft is fine for a putter because you don’t want the ball to fly. The lie of 70-degrees will make the putter stable and balanced. Apparently, this putter has a shape that makes it hard to stand upright. However, the lie helps hold and place the putter in a way that improves your accuracy. It has a solid line that helps in taking aim. The grip of this putter is very comfortable, a bit oversized, and soft.
This putter is made of tough material. The different parts are also joined quite well. The whole putter has a charcoal grey finish. This finish protects the putter from the effects of a harsh environment. It is also priced very reasonably.
What we liked
- The clubhead has more weight than many other clubs, which makes it unique in a way
- It produces a good sound on impact
- The putter feels stable and balanced
- The shape of the clubhead helps you take better aim
- It gives the ball a good roll
- The build is strong
- Is reasonably priced
What we didn’t like
- The paint may chip away
Pinemeadow PGX
Pinemeadow is known to be a budget-friendly brand. So, if the thought of emptying your pockets for the new set of putters is dreadful, you can switch towards Pinemeadow. You will get the style, look and feel of high-end putter models for just a fraction of the price. This mallet putter is made for mid to high-handicappers. If you have been having a bad time with blade putters then this putter is a great choice. This putter has a white finish that helps it stand out on the greens. Players that need this contrast for better alignment will love this look of the putter.
The sound of the putter is average for a low-priced putter. It feels strong on impact just as how a mallet putter should. It comes in a 34-inch length, which cannot be customized. If you want one in a different length then a local retailer might be able to help you. This putter weighs 380-grams, which makes it suitable for use on faster greens. There are many great golfers out there who struggle with alignment. You may also need some help when it comes to alignment lines. This putter features many aiming lines on the white finish that extend across the entire top of the clubhead. This is very helpful for players who have straight-through and straight-back putting strokes.
This putter has a low price and decent quality. However, it may not appeal to low-handicap players. But if you want to keep the cost down and still want a mallet-style putter then this putter is a great option.
What we liked
- Very affordable
- The white color contrasts very well with the greens
- The aiming lines help with alignment
- Is your-weight
- Has a ball picker
- The headcover can be customized
What we didn’t like
- Due to white color, it gets stained easily
- The painted surface may cause imperfect shots
TaylorMade Spider X
If you have heard about this brand then you might know that they make the best club heads. This is the 10th time that TaylorMade introduced a Spider club in the market. That is what the “X” stands for. The weight of this putter is customizable. You can add as little as 2-grams and go up to 12-grams. To see this amazing feature come in to play, you will have to rotate the club and look at the sole of the head. You’ll notice a carbon fiber in there. It is placed in the club’s central mass area.
The sole of the club is carbon composite, it plays a vital role in the optimization of weighting. It helps you put the weight in any side of the toe or heel. The frame of this putter comes with areas that are carved out for weight optimization. You may not notice it very quickly though. TaylorMade hasn’t compromised on the appearance of the club for weight optimization. The head of this putter weighs 355-grams. This allows you to add a bit of carbon composite to the sole. This way you can increase perimeter weighting incredibly.
This putter uses a pure surlyn insert, which produces a very soft and smooth sound upon impact with the ball. The insert technology also gives very good feedback. The responsiveness of this putter is commendable. The grooves on this putter will make the forward roll of the ball very easy. The ball will move quickly and accurately. This putter also features a “True Path Alignment” system. This technology will let you know the exact direction your ball is headed towards. The good thing about this alignment system is that it is not painted on the putter but indented. This putter comes in navy and copper color, which will be to the taste of many users.
What we liked
- Impressive alignment system
- High MOI
- Unique design for stability
- Suitable for all handicap levels
- High forgiveness
What we didn’t like
- Expensive
- Some may find the head a bit large
Cleveland Huntington Beach
This is another affordable putter in this list. Spending money on a putter is worth it but wouldn’t it be better if you could get a great putter that performs well and also doesn’t cost a lot. Well, Cleveland has heard you and made this putter for you. It may not be technologically as advanced but you’ll be happy with your purchase. The Huntington Beach putters are available in mallet, blade, and other non-traditional head styles. Low-handicap players might want to look somewhere else for a more expensive and a tour-proven model. This doesn’t mean that this putter is not capable of some great performance.
The shaft used in this putter is the traditional steel shafts. Not much has been done in this category. The face of this putter is precision milled for a softer and more consistent roll. This milling pattern is used across the entire series of putters. The 304 stainless steel provides a very good feel. Golfers who have been looking for putters without an insert would be happy with this club. It uses speed optimized face technology that ensures consistent distance and speed control.
Also, the stainless steel used in this putter is 50% softer than what was used previously. The softer helps you play well on faster greens. These putters are not used widely in tours but their designs are based on some high-end models. This putter has a large sweet spot which lets you get decent results even if you mishit.
What we liked
- Is reasonably priced
- Has a large sweet spot that adds to its forgiveness
- The 304 stainless steel is 50% softer
- Available in many head styles
- Feels soft
What we didn’t like
- Some may not like the fact it has a steel shaft
Choosing A Putter For Game Improvement
Perfect golf is elusive. It is a part of the challenge of sports in general. You are not alone in wanting all the help that you can get to improve your game. When it comes to putters, one feature that can help the beginners a lot is forgiveness. But what is a forgiving putter?
What is a putter?
A putter is a club that is used to make short strokes at a very low speed. Unlike some other clubs, the putters are designed with a flat clubhead, a low profile, and a low loft striking face. Putters have some features that cannot be found in other clubs such as bent shafts, circular grips, and positional guides. They are commonly used in putting greens or courses with fringes and roughs that are close to the greens. Putters are considered indispensable tools when it comes to golf.
What are some types of putters?
In your time in golf, you may have heard about toe balanced putters or face balanced putters. They are the two types of putters. The face-balanced putters point upwards to the sky when you balance the shaft on your hands horizontally. Face balanced putters are recommended for golfers who have straight-back-straight-through putting strokes. They open less on backstroke and close less on through strokes in putt motion. In toe balanced putters, one toe of the putter angles towards the ground when the putter is balanced on hands along its shaft. Toe balanced putters are best for players who have an arc in the putting stroke. It is not clear which type of putter would be best for players seeking forgiveness. To determine that, you need to first know what type of putting stroke comes naturally to you.
What are some head designs for putters?
There are two famous head designs of putters. The mallet putters are characterized by their large clubhead that comes in various shapes and sizes. The common mallet putter head shapes are square and semi-circle. The traditional Mallet putters have a square or rounded back. The weight distribution is different in mallet putters. The majority of the weight is away from the face. This attribute is what gives them more forgiveness too.
Blade putters are the traditional style putters. These putters have fairly simple designs. Advanced players would enjoy using them more. These putters are also more popular among players on tours. Most of the weight in the Blade putter is concentrated towards the toe. This character places its sweet spot towards the toe. This type of weight distribution also yields more precision in feel. They also allow more distance control and accuracy on longer putts.
What putter suits my putting stroke?
If you want to be able to putt consistently then you should use a putter that matches your putting stroke. Examine your strokes. Do you putt in a straight line? Does it arc? Is the arc strong? Answering these questions will lead you to understand your putting stroke. If you do not have the right equipment, the results will be frustrating.
The most basic stroke putting is a straight line. Just follow a straight line when you’re backstroking. Let the club swing back like a pendulum. If the club swings straight then your putting stroke is straight. A face-balanced putter would suit you best. Arced putts have varying degrees. A slight arc that is less than 4 degrees will require a toe balanced putter with a small toe hang. Some players putt with a strong arc (more than 4 degrees). Such players would require a toe balanced putter that has a bigger hang.
What about the weight of the putter?
The dimensions of the putter and the putter head matter a lot, but weight is equally important. The weight of the putter influences its swing. You might want to use a lightweight putter because they are easy to use as a beginner, but they offer very little control over your shots. Alternatively, weighty putters would make it difficult for you to transfer enough power to make the club swing. If you’d like to improve your accuracy, identify what weight is ideal for you. This would also depend on the size of the putter.
The length of the putter shaft
Players usually consider this feature first when they are shopping for putters. The length of the shaft determines the position of the club. It would also determine the position of the club when the impact is made. In order to accommodate the length of the shaft, you would have to adjust your body posture. That is how you would get the right strike. If you haven’t tried various shaft lengths before then a standard putter would be an easy choice. If you feel like your hands are slipping down the shaft of a standard length putter then you need something shorter.
Understand your stroke better
We have said it before but we will say it again, understand your stroke. It will take some time reading the greens and practicing your stroke to understand your stroke but it’s worth it. All these guides only help you understand the mechanics behind the club. But if you know your style, you’d be able to choose the right putter. One good way to understand your stroke is to try all the putters available in the golf course you practice at.
You can also get some advice from the club fitter. However, if you still don’t know your stroke, you could start with a low priced putter and then move on from there when you see things improving. You would later come to know whether a blade putter suits you best or if its a broad head putter. You can then buy high quality, expensive putter that will last for years.
What Are The Most Important Aspects of a Putter?
Forgiveness
The idea behind a forgiving putter is to minimize the effect of a bad stroke. In putters, forgiveness mostly comes in the form of a large sweet spot that helps propel the ball in the direction that you intended for it.
Alignment
Your chances of holding the ball will be high if the putter face and the ball are well aligned with the intended path to the hole. In some putters, a similar line is incorporated as a part of their design so that at the point of address, the line follows the same route. It is then a matter of striking the ball correctly.
Lie Angle
There are golfers of different body shapes and sizes. The angles that each one of them makes while putting are different. This is probably the reason why personalized fitting services have become so popular.
Moment of Inertia
It is the measure of the built-in ability of a putter in resisting the issue of hitting the ball in an area other than the sweet spot. Manufacturers include MOI in the features that they use to market their products. This way they want to tell you that their putters don’t twist a lot when they hit the ball. It is important for making consistently good strikes. If you are a beginner and looking for ways to improve then a high MOI would be helpful.
Conclusion
As professional golfer Greg John Norman once said, “Happiness is a long walk with a putter”. If you learn the importance of a forgiving putter from the beginning of your golf journey, it will be your best friend on many tours. Understanding which putter suits you best might take some time, but the five putters we have enlisted will help you find the one faster.
The winner in this list of most forgiving putters is TaylorMade Spider X. It is made for mid to high handicappers. It has a unique design and colors that will attract many curious players. What we liked the most though is its alignment system that is engraved in the head and not painted. The high MOI and forgiveness will further help you make the most of your putting sessions.
We hope you enjoyed our review and invite you to check out our other reviews we recently completed including our top Women putter, cheap putters, and our favorite Center shaft putter. Please be sure to visit us soon for our latest updates and reviews.
