Best Putters For High Handicappers: Quick Menu
1. The list in brief
2. Top pick
3. Best unique tech
4. Best premium model
5. Best adjustability
6. Best value
7. Best large footprint
8. Best face
9. Best compact head
10. How we test
11. How to choose
12. FAQs
For all the talk of adding 20 yards to your drives and playing some irons that get the ball in the air that bit easier, a quicker way to shave a few shots off your scores is to stop three-putting. The bane of most golfers is making it to the green in regulation and failing to putt-out for par or birdie because you took more than two shots.
For that reason, putting is perhaps one of the most important areas of the game amateur players should look to improve on the most. And while the best way to really improve your putting stroke is by spending a lot of time on the practice greens, you can also improve your performance by making sure you are using the right equipment that is suitable for your ability and putting stroke. Some of the best putters currently on the market can help players cut down their handicaps thanks to their forgiving designs that can help you strike the ball more consistently and with better alignment.
When trying to find a putter for a higher handicapper, we think the place to start is in the mallet section of putter design. This is because the best mallet putters give greater forgiveness on off-center strikes. The center of gravity of a mallet putter is also often moved to the perimeter of the club-head and that offers much better balance than what you will receive from a blade putter.
So what are some of the best putters for high handicappers currently on the market? Well, we have set out a list below of our top choices, but if you're also thinking about buying a set of irons or a new driver, why not take a look at our guides on the best golf clubs for high handicappers or our guide on the best drivers for high handicappers.
WATCH: Joel Tadman runs through the best putters you can buy this year
The Quick List
There is much to like about this mallet from Cobra. It's forgiving, stylish looking and the Descending Loft Technology face design ensures a consistent roll even if you get your hands a little ahead or behind the ball at impact.
The Rossie S putter delivers on looks, performance, forgiveness and you even get a cool window underneath the head displaying the technology going on behind the brand's ground-breaking A.I. designed face insert.
The Scotty Cameron Phantom X 12 putter is a face balanced design that is light to use and provides excellent forgiveness in a high MOI shape.
There is a lot to like about the GT Max. The clever weight system offers fine tuning of CG placement and toe hang. The resulting variations to the head performance are quite subtle.
Don't be put off by the 'gimmicky' shape. This versatile Cleveland putter offers a responsive feel and good forgiveness, and it will pick your ball out of the hole for you after knocking it in!
The DF3 is a pleasure to use as its face really does square up through impact, making it easy to recommend to every ability of player.
Load the next 2 models
The trusted shape of the TM22 putter is given premium treatment. The clever use of milling lines has created visual differences for alignments in a mallet design.
The Bettinardi INOVAI 6.5 is a premium build, highly forgiving mallet that would be a nice addition to the bag of a wide range of golfers of varying skill levels. It's a well-balanced putter that delivers a consistent roll and soft feel from anywhere on the green.
Best Putters For High Handicappers
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Top pick
First up we have the Cobra King Vintage Cuda putter which is an excellent model for higher handicap players for a variety of reasons. First the forgiveness was excellent, while the putter is responsive enough that you can feel when you've missed the sweet spot, but there is still a solidity about the strike that inspires confidence. The larger mallet head will also suit higher handicap players as well because it will further instill that confidence over the ball.
There is a lot of technology in the putter as well, all designed to help a wide range of player abilities. It features a new soft PEBAX face insert crafted from lightweight and responsive thermo-plastic elastomer, which produced a soft feel, and we also enjoyed the Descending Loft Technology (DLT) on the face, which uses four descending lofts (4°, 3°, 2°, 1°) to maintain a consistent loft through impact regardless of your angle of attack or ball position in your stance. Finally the presence of interchangeable weights gives players the opportunity to dial in feel and control.
- Read our full Cobra King Vantage Cuda Putter review
Best unique tech
With their Ai-One and and Ai-One Milled line of putters for 2024 Odyssey has used a super computer to create what it is calling “the most advanced insert in golf”. A market leader right now in terms of using AI (artificial intelligence) in club design, the multi-material construction of these putters include unique contours on the back of the face that minimize ball speed losses on off-centre hits, and greatly increase the sweet spot. That all sounds great right? But how did it actually test?
Well first it is worth acknowledging that Jon Rahm put the Rossie S we selected here into his bag which is praise indeed. But in our own testing we really loved the feel off the face, particularly when used with a softer golf ball. But overall we loved the buttery contact and responsive feel, whilst we also easily produced a smooth, true roll and we found distance control to be excellent.
The Rossie design is not as big and bulky as some mallets but there is enough depth at the back of the head to provide confidence at address. All of the putters in both the Ai-One and Ai-One Milled ranges really have that ‘wow factor' you associate with the best Odyssey putters and the navy PVD finish gives them a very premium look.
- Read our full Odyssey Ai-One Rossie S Putter Review
Best premium model
The flagship model of their 2022 range of putters, the Scotty Cameron Phantom X 12 putter is one of the highest MOI clubs on this list. While this is one of the best Scotty Cameron putters in recent memory, if you're keen to check out some of the other putters the brand has on sale, take a look at our guide on the best Scotty Cameron putters on the market. As you can see from the image above, the putter has a star-shaped design that features a black aluminum face that is supported by heavier stainless steel sections on either side. This distributes the weight of the club out to its extremities, moving the center of gravity away from its center, providing superb forgiveness and a superb feeling on impact.
That combination of brushed steel and black metal also gives the club a very crisp and stylish finish. The putter also has a very clear alignment tool stretching right the way down its back and that can be used in conjunction with its T-shaped aluminum body to help strike more square through the ball. Overall this is one of the best-looking, premium mallet putters on the market that provides exceptional forgiveness and a brilliant feel of the clubface.
- Read our full Scotty Cameron Phantom X 12 Putter 2022 Review
Best adjustability
The TaylorMade Spider GT Max putter is one of the latest mallet designs from the American brand and is one of the most adjustable putters on this list. It comes with plenty of versatility, with this stylish and innovative offering looking the part on the course too. It is one of the best mallet putters on the market, offering up a very cool sci-fi design that will sits large behind the golf ball. That all combines to deliver confidence inspiring club that many players will enjoy playing with.
It does offer up a very similar design to the Spider GT, another forgiving putter, that also uses the same Pure Roll 2 insert that you'll find here. It delivers an excellent sound and feedback when you strike the golf ball and feels great even when you don't strike the ball out of the middle.
The highlight here though is the intuitive weighting system that you'll find on its sole. It allows players to fine tune the CG placement and toe hang of the club through two 40g tungsten weights that sit on the wings of the club. Simply unscrew the weights and place them in either one of the three positions up and down the wings to deliver the right balance for your stroke. The resulting variations to the head performance are quite subtle, but that does make it one of the best putters for forgiveness that we've tested of late, thanks to the consistency of shots it can help you produce.
- Read our full TaylorMade Spider GT Max Putter Review
Best value
Cleveland HB Soft 2 Retreve Putter and its fantastic leather head cover
Next up we have the HB Soft 2 Retreve putter from Cleveland and the first thing to mention is they look a lot more premium than the price would suggest. The milling and overall look of the putter, combined with the luxurious of the Pistol grip, gives off a premium feel that we loved.
During our testing the feel off the face was enjoyable as well. Slightly firmer than others on this list and in the Soft 2 family, probably due to the hole behind the face, it still felt good out of the sweet spot. On that point there are more forgiving models on this list as well so if you need as much help as possible with consistency of strike, then the Cobra King Vintage Cuda Putter or L.A.B. Golf DF3 Putter are better options.
Obviously the last design feature to mention is the 'Retreve' element. This is Cleveland’s first putter with the ability to pick the ball out of the hole, so it should certainly appeal to any golfer that has difficult bending. In particular senior golfers will see an immediate benefit to using this putter.
- Read our full Cleveland HB Soft Milled14 Putter Review
Best large footprint
The L.A.B. Golf DF3 mallet is forgiving and stable, and “fully automatic” – meaning it feels as if it’s guiding itself on the correct path on the way back and through. That can be attributed to "Lie Angle Balance" technology which creates true zero-torque putters, which stay square by themselves.
Our testing backed up the brand's claims. The head looks huge but despite the size, the head was not a visual distraction in any way. In fact, we were extremely impressed with how easy it was to control putt speed. Additionally during the stroke it felt like gravity was taking over and did indeed feel 'automatic' to a degree.
Off-center hits from the heel and toe still made it really close to the target and this is one of the most forgiving putters we've tried. We also really liked the grooves on the face which dampened the sound nicely.
Finally what sets this putter apart is the choice available. You can get a stock design, or a custom putter with eight different colors, lots of grip and shaft options, and there are loads of alignment markings to choose from. There are different head weights too.
- Read our full L.A.B. Golf DF3 Putter Review
Best face
The TM22 is one of two mallet shapes in Wilson's latest line of putters and it boasts some excellent features which make it one of the most forgiving putters on the market. It looks fantastic too, Wilson have surpassed themselves here by employing a clever use of milling lines to create visual differences for alignments. It is made from a 304 block of stainless steel and looks fantastic at the address, framing the ball against the club face thanks to the fangs and different milling patterns you'll notice on the club.
Combine that with the milling pattern of the face and you'll really feel the premium feedback it delivers. You can really notice when you get one perfectly and even when slightly off centre the feel is very good. We also need to mention the premium Lamkin grip which has some smart contouring around the upper part of the handle which will complement whatever grip style you employ.
- Read our full Wilson Staff Model TM22 Putter Review
Best compact head
Finally we have the INOVAI 6.5 putter from Bettinardi. The hexagonal, compact head shape and fangs are designed to optimize the putter’s MOI (Moment of Inertia) thanks to triangular vents that save weight, which is then distributed to the perimeter to help provide stability and forgiveness.
The head itself is comprised of two parts; a 303 Stainless Steel front piece and a 6061 Military Grade Aluminium back piece. The different colors of the two pieces gives a good contrast down at address, as did the dual alignment lines, whilst the steel front features Roll Control milling which gives soft feel and a true roll.
As a result it performed very well in our testing. It sits nice and square at address and the visuals really inspire confidence over the ball. We found it to be very stable throughout the stroke, with a soft feel and a sound which is more muted than we expected. There wasn't a great difference in roll between our well struck putts and the mishits, making the INOVAI 6.5 one of the most forgiving putters on the market this year.
- Read our full Bettinardi Inovai 6.5 Putter review
How we test putters
When it comes to product testing, our reviews and buyers' guides are built upon a rigorous testing procedure as well as the knowledge and experience of the test team. The putter section is headed up by David Usher, who has tested golf clubs for many years now. Other members of the Golf Monthly team contribute to the putter tests as well, and all writers are able to efficiently test the vast majority of the biggest product releases and convey the pros and cons eloquently.
Getting into specifics, we test the putters outdoors on real greens with premium golf balls to get a thorough understanding of design features, feel, sound and looks. Ultimately, we aim to be as insightful and honest as possible in our reviews so it is important to acknowledge that no manufacturer can buy a good review. This is because our team tells it how it is. To learn more about our methodology, see how Golf Monthly tests products in our guide.
How to choose a new putter
The putter is probably the most important club in the bag especially for high handicappers because it can save so many shots off your scorecard. Therefore there are several factors you need to consider before purchasing a new putter, which we will go into below.
1. Head Design
Putters come in lots of different head designs whether that be blade, mallet, or mid-mallet and all have their positives and negatives. For high handicap golfers, we recommend using a mallet putter because they tend to be much larger which helps to improve the forgiveness of the club. That is done through redistribution of the club's weight to the extremities of the clubhead, which stabilizes the club and increases the MOI of the club.
MOI stands for moment of inertia and the higher the MOI, the less your club head will turn through impact, creating a more smooth and even stroke. For that reason, mallet putters typically offer better balance compared to blade putters and are therefore more suitable for high handicappers and less experienced players. Additionally, because of this size, mallet putters tend to offer larger sweet spots which are beneficial for players who may struggle to consistently strike the ball.
2. Feel
This is a very important factor to consider because when putting, feel is everything. Some putters offer a firmer feel off the face whilst others are soft, some are heavier than others too so you need to find a model that fits well in your hands. The putter grip plays a huge part in the confidence you feel with a putter. Get a putter with a grip that feels right and sits comfortably in your hands while allowing you to return the putter back to the ball squarely and consistently. You may also want to think about the shaft too and how much vibration you get from the shaft whether you like the feel of the ball reverberating along the shaft, or prefer that to be nerfed.
3. Looks
You have to like what you are putting with because this will give you confidence when you're stood over the ball. In terms of mallets, there are loads of classic and futuristic designs above so it is purely a case of finding a model you like the look of.
4. Alignment tools
It's also worth thinking about the alignment tools the putter can offer you. While some golfers may not prefer to have any aiming guides on the back of their putters, high-handicappers can seriously benefit from having an aiming line on the back of their putter which can also help to improve your focus on the ball and help you strike through the shot more square.
5. Price
Our final tip is to think about price because while there are some premium designs out there, there are also some models which offer excellent value, as the selections above show. Sometimes high handicappers should steer clear of the more expensive offerings currently on the market which may actually not be very forgiving and may not be suitable for your swing style.
But if you're still stuck on what putter to choose, why not take a look at what some different brands have to offer and check out our best Ping putters buying guide or our best Scotty Cameron putters guide for more information on the types of clubs different manufacturers can offer high handicap golfers.
FAQs
What kind of putter should a high handicap golfer use?
While this is subjective to each golfer, High handicap golfers generally see better results when they use mallet putters compared to blade putters or high MOI putters. Mallet putters are typically very forgiving, provide excellent feel on impact and tend have great alignment tools high handicappers can use to improve their accuracy on the greens.
Are bigger putters more forgiving?
Technically yes. The larger a putter is, the bigger the sweet spot on the club face will be. That means that if you strike a shot off-center on a larger putter compared to a smaller putter, there is a greater chance you'll strike a more fluid shot and get the ball closer to the hole.
Are expensive putters worth it for high handicappers?
For high handicappers who don't play as regularly as perhaps a scratch golfer, you may want to think about your budget when purchasing an expensive putter. Expensive putters won't always offer high handicappers the same performance-enhancing qualities that they offer more experienced golfers. But there are a wide range of well-priced putters on the market that are more suitable to a high-handicappers game and can help shave more putts of their round.
