Best Mallet Putters (2020) – Expert Review
Mallet putters certainly seem to be the go to choice for many of the top performing tour professionals at the moment, with the likes of Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, John Rahm, Jason Day and Justin Rose all going for these oversized flatsticks to sink putt after putt.
Even Rory McIlroy was spotted using a mallet putter for a short while. So which putters are these guys choosing to put in their bag?
We have highlighted five of the best mallet putters currently on the market for you to make a more informed decision on which one would be most ideal for your game.
Other Club Reviews: Putters | Drivers | Irons | Game Improvement Clubs | Beginners Sets
Best Mallet Putters
1. Odyssey O-Works No 7
The Odyssey O-Works No 7 is our editor’s choice for best mallet putter.
The shape of the No 7 has been around for many years now and is used by the likes of former World No 1 Luke Donald and more notably Henrik Stenson. It is a very simple shape that is based around a blade putter with two arms extending away from the rear of the face and is often referred to as the fork. This design makes the putter very easy to align and increases the MOI thanks to this mass being extended away from the face.
The new O-Works face features a multi-material insert with Microhinge Face Technology. This sees inverted L-shaped stainless steel hinges co-moulded into the soft elastomer layer and these hinges compress slightly at impact to reduce skid and get the ball rolling forward more effectively. And this really seems to work quite impressively.
Pros
Cons
2. Scotty Cameron Select Fastback
Scotty Cameron putters have garnered somewhat of a cult following through the years and are known to be some of the most premium flatsticks on the market.
The more modern Select range has been around for a good few years now with the latest models offering improved mallet designs with the use of better materials.
The Select Fastback 2 is one of the simpler mallet models, but is packed with features that improve alignment, feel and consistency.
Not to mention just how good the feel is too with enhanced vibration dampening material reducing vibration by up to 30%. The four way balanced sole helps align the putter easier at address and sits perfectly square.
Pros
Cons
3. TaylorMade Spider Tour Red Double Bend
This iconic TaylorMade putter has actually made a bit of a resurgence after being a slightly different model many years ago. We have Jason Day to thank for that and now John Rahm has joined in the fun.
The Spider Tour Red is a unique shape that now forms the basis of many different models with various alignment lines and necks to choose from. The one we fancy most though is the double bend shaft which allows for the simplest alignment at address. Besides the Red there are other colours to choose from. Taylormade certainly have offered up plenty of colours in their last 15 years’ worth of product launches.
Perimeter weighted and suited to the straight back straight putting stroke.
Pros
Cons
4. Cleveland Huntingdon Beach SOFT 12
The Cleveland Huntingdon Beach SOFT 12 putter looks a bit more like a spaceship than a mallet putter at address, but is solid in all aspects and provides huge value for money.
The most noticeable feature is the unique milling pattern on the putter face that produces consistent speed, distance and most importantly provides exceptional feel. The Smart Square Dual alignment aid on crown ensures you’re lined up correctly at address.
The 304 Stainless Steel is 51% softer than regular 17-4 Stainless Steel and the CNC milling provides that extra boost of confidence over each and every putt. Available in 33 – 35 inch lengths and there are also 5 other models to choose from within the SOFT range.
Pros
Cons
5. PING Sigma 2 Fetch
PING is another brand that is known for producing high quality and high performing equipment and its putters certainly continue that legacy. It was PING after all that produced the Anser blade putter design that is still the most popular shape today.
Venturing into the mallet designs PING has produced some very interesting shapes in the past, but the latest Sigma 2 Fetch is one of their more unusual designs having a golf ball sized hole in the centre of the putterhead. The one plus is that this allows you to pick up the golf ball from the cup with your putter after holing out. Not one for the purists, but nothing to complain about in our opinion.
The shape of the putter head ensures a high MOI with the mass distributed in a strategic way to offer great feel and stability. This enhances the stability on short putts providing that extra bit of consistency.
The face balanced system suits those players that tend to push putts to the right of the cup or target.
Pros
Cons
Best Mallet Putters Buyers Guide
Design and Feel
Mallet putters are designed in all shapes and sizes it seems and all of these different styles have a function. The main factor to consider when designing a mallet putter is how to achieve the highest MOI to make the putter as stable as possible through the stroke and ensure mishits don’t react very differently in accuracy and length compared to a well-struck putt.
With most mallet putters the majority of mass is distributed as far away from the clubface as possible to ensure a high MOI, which is why all mallet putters are so much larger in volume.
With the advancements in materials used in putter design and construction the size of mallet putters has become slightly smaller without sacrificing MOI giving you more choice on what putter suits your eye best.
When it comes to feel this is purely subjective and fortunately putter designers have created many different face inserts to allow you to determine how soft you want the putter face to feel at impact against the golf ball. Milled metal faces are still a popular choice for those who prefer that solid click at impact.
Ease of Use
The purpose of a high MOI in a putter or any golf club for that matter is to increase the stability of the clubhead and also increase the resistance to twisting around the shaft axis.
This makes mallet putters essentially much easier to use than a traditional blade putter for the same reason that cavity back irons are easier to hit straighter than blades.
However, this higher MOI does call for a straighter putting stroke with less arc and this can be difficult for some golfers, so it is essential to find what works best for you first.
Another advantage of mallet putters is the ability to improve alignment with these flatsticks. The added material behind the face that extends further away gives more space to add longer lines that help you to line up more effectively to the golf ball and your target.
Despite this there are some mallet putters that have no additional alignment aids on the crown and are still highly popular if you don’t want any distractions when addressing your ball on the green.
Value for Money
Mallet putters often carry a higher price due to the added materials used in their creation, however some brands prefer to make each range of putters the same price regardless of whether they are mallets or blades.
Essentially you should be paying more for your putter than any other club as you use it the most in each round and therefore it carries a higher performance value.
