It's fair to say that L.A.B. Golf has completely changed the landscape of the putter market over the last couple of years since the induction of its Lie Angle Balanced technology, which has since led to a meteoric surge in production of zero torque putters from pretty much all of the major manufacturers.

Since the monumental success of the DF3 and the release of the Adam Scott-inspired OZ.1i, the brand has been on a mission to bring its performance traits to a wider array of visual profiles. Following the launch of the Link 2.1 and 2.2 earlier in the year, we’re now treated to a mid-mallet profile in the shape of the VZN.1i - a putter that takes alignment and feel to an entirely new level.

As someone who tests the best putters released as and when they come to the market, I’ve been privy to all the latest designs, inserts, and milling patterns on faces offering a fairly large variety in feel and acoustics.

The DF3i and the OZ.1i thoroughly impressed me with the addition of their stainless-steel milled inserts, however, when I learned about the newly optimized design of the VZN.1i and a refined deep milled face, I couldn't have been more excited to get it out on the course and see how it performed on the greens.

Visually, the VZN.1i is a futuristic mallet that boasts a fairly substantial footprint, but it’s the clever geometry that sets this model apart from many other zero-torque putters on the market. Sitting behind the ball, there is a little square cutout that acts as a visual cue, and is something I found that makes squaring the face at address feel nearly automatic.

When you combine that cutout with the parallel and perpendicular crown lines, you have a putter that feels really easy to line up to your target when rested down at address. I found the head framed the ball perfectly, and the T-bar alignment aid on the top of the head made centering the ball seem effortless. It removed all the guesswork from my setup, allowing me to trust my lines instantly and free up my stroke.

The VZN.1i putter features a deeper mill on its insert than what we see on either the DF3i or the OZ.1i, and while I liked the previous insert, it felt a little firm and fiery off the face at times.

Typically, when you go to a deeper mill, the ball feels softer due to less surface area making contact with the golf ball, and while this was the case with this putter, it got the ball rolling quickly enough and meant I didn’t feel as though I had to consciously smash longer putts to get them to the hole.

My pace control from 20 to 30 feet was exceptional right out of the gate, and it felt like the ball hugged the green as soon as it left the face rather than bobbling before skidding. This was even the case on putts struck towards the heel and toe, making it one of the most forgiving putters I've had the chance to test recently.

Of course, the engine of the VZN.1i remains as L.A.B. Golf's patented Lie Angle Balance technology. The putter simply wants to stay square throughout the stroke, which meant I could rely on using my larger muscles and simply rock my shoulders to set the stroke in motion.

This provided solid consistency, especially on straight putts inside 10 feet, and gave me a genuine feeling of confidence despite it being my first time with this putter on the golf course.

As is standard with L.A.B. Golf, the putters are meticulously hand-balanced. Stock models are generally available for $499/£499, while taking advantage of the brilliant custom options (including specific alignment cues, head colors, and upgraded shafts) starts at $599.

The precision craftsmanship does mean slightly longer lead times than buying off the rack, but trust me, getting a putter perfectly tailored to your stroke is absolutely worth the wait.

When it comes to the premium putter market, there is no shortage of beautifully crafted models, but the new Odyssey Damascus Milled One Wide SB putter has seriously raised the bar.

After spending a couple of years perfecting the design and receiving feedback from PGA and LPGA Tour players, Odyssey has released the limited-edition Damascus Milled collection ($699/£569). I took the One Wide SB model out onto the golf course to see if it delivers the performance you'd expect from its premium price tag.

Out of the box, I think it's right up there with one of the best-looking putters I've ever seen, with the face being the real talking point. The Damascus steel starts with 61 sheets of two different types of steel (one softer and one firmer) that are stacked into a box. They are then pressed and rolled at extremely high temperatures until they stretch out to the length of two football fields, before being cut and twisted - yes, you read that correctly!

This intensive process is what creates the mesmerizing visual layer pattern that you see on the face, which I think looks absolutely incredible in the sunlight. What’s incredible is that where these layers are cut dictates the pattern, meaning no two inserts are the same, and every putter is unique, so you really do have a one-of-one putter.

While a putter can boast incredible aesthetics, it’s not going to make it into the bag of many golfers unless it performs on the greens. Odyssey wanted to deliver its most premium, performance-driven putter ever, and I genuinely think they have achieved that with this Damascus One Wide model.

The premium aesthetics are matched with an unbelievable feel from the Damascus milled face, something designed around tour players expressing the need for it to sound louder, firmer, and more solid than recent product releases such as the Ai-One milled range. By combining a softer steel and a higher-strength firmer steel, you get the benefits of both, resulting in the firmer sound and feel that traditionalists love from a milled putter.

In terms of performance, the One Wide SB shape is one that I particularly love, providing the feel and creativity of a blade while offering a touch more forgiveness in a larger footprint - closer to that of a mallet putter. The widened profile frames the ball perfectly at address, and the single dot sightline on the top is ideal for centering the ball at address.

The SB (Single Bend) design provides minimal toe hang (10°) with a half-shaft of offset, which I found worked beautifully for a stroke with a minimal arc and will suit those who like to feel the putter working on a straighter path.

Hidden behind the stunning Damascus face is Odyssey's modern Ai topology, strategically designed on the back of the face to improve ball speed across the insert and improve pace control. On long lag putts, I found this technology really shone, giving me a pure roll even when I didn't find the dead center of the blade and regularly had the ball finishing within gimmee range, much like some of the most forgiving putters.

This putter features an SL90 steel shaft with a 20-gram counterbalance weight in the butt end, which noticeably smoothed out my tempo and allowed my stroke to feel balanced even when put under a little pressure when using it in a match I played. The whole Damascus range is paired with a new Rubber Tour Pistol Grip developed in collaboration with Golf Pride, which feels incredibly secure and locked-in in the hands.

Yes, £569 is a premium investment, but considering the bespoke craftsmanship, the Tour-validated performance, and the fact we tend to use our putter for around 50 percent of the shots we hit on the golf course, it feels as though it’s worth it. If you want one of the best putters on the market that looks and feels incredible, the Damascus One Wide is easily one of the standout releases of the year.

Odyssey has long been at the forefront of innovation, producing many of the best putters for the last 20+ years, but with the new S2S Tri-Hot SB line, it looks to have really stepped up the level of technology and performance in the mallet putter category.

I took the S2S Tri-Hot SB Jailbird model onto the golf course to see if the performance matched the bold aesthetics and to find out if it could be considered one of the best zero-torque putters on the market.

At first glance, I wasn't sure of the red and black colorway and thought I preferred the white and navy blue finish on the Ai-One range, but I have to admit, it really has grown on me the longer I’ve used it.

The high-contrast red and black horizontal blocks on the Jailbird crown stand out well, and they also help square the face really easily behind the ball, all while looking really premium in a satin finish.

The real magic of the S2S Tri-Hot SB Jailbird, however, lies in its internal engineering, whereby this putter helps redefine the zero torque category from both a looks and feels perspective.

Odyssey has achieved a breakthrough by eliminating shaft lean and positioning the hosel entry directly on the topline, closer to the face than typical zero-torque putters, through the use of a multi-material construction.

What I love most is the benefit of zero torque, all while it looks like a normal, heel-shafted putter at address, following a similar design to the L.A.B. Golf Oz.1i HS putter. The SB (Single Bend) configuration shifts the shaft toward the heel, delivering a more familiar appearance and an unobstructed view of the sightline while fully preserving the zero-torque performance found in the S2S Tri-Hot range.

For players who have avoided zero-torque putters because they dislike the look of center-shafted setups, this is a really appealing prospect.

When it comes to the strike, this putter features Odyssey's new Ai-Dual insert, a dual-layer urethane insert with a soft outer layer and a firm inner layer with variable face thickness to improve ball speed across the whole of the face.

I loved the soft feel from the Ai-Dual insert, and while it may take a little time to dial in your distance control if you're used to a firmer milled putter, once you do, you'll love it and the consistent ball speed it delivers.

To enhance the roll of the ball further, Odyssey utilises a new F.R.D. (Forward Roll Design) groove pattern, which offers more depth between each groove and has a 19-degree slope on them to get the ball rolling end-over-end almost immediately.

It’s really something I noticed on putts of around the 30ft range, where I didn’t feel as though I had to hit it quite as hard, as the ball got rolling immediately after impact.

Odyssey surveyed the most popular putter grips used on professional golf tours around the world to design the new Pistol Plus grip, which I think feels superb. It slotted perfectly into my hands, with the crisp edges helping with ideal hand placement and keeping the face lined to the target throughout your stroke.

To top it off, the heavier and stiffer Black SL 120 PVD shaft perfectly suits this style of putter and feels beautifully balanced throughout the stroke.

Available in 33", 34", and 35" standard lengths with a 365g head weight, the S2S Tri-Hot SB Jailbird is a really strong, forgiving putter option from Odyssey that combines all of the brand's latest technology in one package. With an RRP of £499, it sits very much at the premium end of the market, but the performance and clean aesthetics on offer, I think, just about justify the investment.

At Toulon Golf, there is a clear obsession with producing high-quality putters with no stone left unturned. The premium, major-winning putter manufacturer has built a reputation on the belief that beauty and performance go hand-in-hand, and their all-new 2026 Collection Series is arguably their most complete lineup to date.

Inspired by the model that secured two major victories in 2024 by Xander Schauffele and is hugely popular on Tour, I took the new Las Vegas model onto the golf course to see if the performance of this new putter matches the stunning looks.

First impressions are everything, and the 2026 Collection introduces a breathtaking new Midnight Blue finish. I was a huge fan of the anthracite, smoky grey finish on the 25 Las Vegas, but I think this new look may just have outdone it.

It highlights the softened design beautifully while eliminating any unwanted glare in the sun. The only thing worth noting is that this putter quickly shows any dust or dirt on the head, so if, like me, you like seeing a spotless head, you’ll be kept busy constantly wiping it down.

The final touches include a stunning ice blue and white color scheme alongside silver sole plates and weights. The Las Vegas features a rounded top line, softened wing edges, and refined flange shaping that gives it a wonderfully flowing look.

I genuinely love how the Las Vegas sits at address, framing the golf ball perfectly, and the three-lined alignment feature on this mallet putter is very prominent. However, while I could see how this would heavily benefit those who struggle with aiming the putter, I personally found it to be a little too busy on the crown, especially when combined with the alignment line on my golf ball.

I found myself becoming very technical with my putting stroke and focusing too much on the visuals and keeping the lines straight, rather than reacting athletically to the target.

Where this putter excels is in its feel and sound, with Toulon focusing heavily on face design for 2026, refining their widely recognized Deep Diamond Mill pattern. By tweaking the groove shape and depth and introducing new horizontal grooves, they have created a blend between feel, sound, speed, and roll that will please the majority of golfers who love a milled mallet putter.

The feedback through the hands is responsive yet soft, and the sound matches the impact perfectly - something overlooked in putters and is a crucial factor for dialing in distance control on long lag putts. I will say the ball shot off the face a little quicker than with some other milled putters I have used recently, such as the Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.2R, so this is something to bear in mind, and it took me some getting used to.

From a performance standpoint, the Las Vegas is incredibly stable and was fairly reliable when it came to mis-struck putts. A milled 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum sole plate removes mass from the center and redistributes it to the perimeter, increasing the MOI and offering added forgiveness when you don't find the center of the face, making it one of the most forgiving putters I have tested this year.

Depending on your stroke type, you can opt for the H1 model with a tour-inspired plumber’s neck or the H7 model featuring a flow neck like I tested, designed with 33° of toe hang for a stroke with a moderate arc. I found this gave me the mallet stability with the natural face rotation and feel of a blade.

With an RRP of $834/£599 (or $903/£649 if you opt for the Heavy Spec models, featuring heavier head weights and a 15-inch grip), the 2026 Toulon Collection Las Vegas sits firmly at the ultra-premium end of the market.

While for some that may not be an issue, I see it as a major issue when there are so many other competitors producing some of the best putters on the market for up to half the price.

However, if you are looking for a flatstick with world-class craftsmanship, impressive feel, tour validation, and you have no budget, the Toulon Las Vegas remains one of the most compelling options money can buy.

Scotty Cameron putters are and have been some of the most sought-after on the market for some time now. While they have rarely strayed from a classic, timeless look, the desire to own one of the brand’s putters may have just risen thanks to the release of the Phantom 9.2R putter.

WATCH: Why the Phantom 9.2R was selected for Editor's Choice in 2026

With a diverse array of models in the new Phantom family, there is a shape and style for everyone, but it was the Phantom 9.2R model ($499/£449) that really caught my eye, and so I took it out onto the course to put it through its paces and see if it could be truly considered one of the best mallet putters on the market.

The Phantom 9.2R is what I would call a futuristic mallet, with the head shape being the thing that immediately stands out. It’s a model that has been refined by direct tour player feedback from the original Phantom 9 head. The result is a profile with much more rounded edges that really soften the overall look at address, which I personally love as I struggle when a putter looks too linear or ‘boxy’.

As someone who appreciates a clean, confidence-inspiring aesthetic behind the golf ball, I found these smoothed-out lines to be a massive upgrade. It manages to deliver the substantial footprint you want from a forgiving putter without ever looking clunky or over-engineered.

It certainly helps to know that the most in-form player in professional golf right now, Cameron Young, uses a Tour Only Phantom 9 model, as does the number one amateur in the world, Jackson Koivun. Knowing that players of this caliber trust the Phantom 9 shape - albeit custom tour putters with slightly different hosels, when the pressure is at its absolute highest, speaks volumes about its performance and stability.

New for this Phantom range is a completely re-engineered full-face insert milled from Studio Carbon Steel, which is ridiculously soft through impact. Scotty Cameron achieves this not only with the softer carbon steel material but also via an intricate chain-link milling pattern on the face, which reduces vibration and gets the ball rolling beautifully.

So how did this putter perform when I put it to the test? Very well. In fact, I was so impressed with the feel and how it framed the ball at address, it’s a serious contender for my bag this season. The combination of the carbon steel and that deep chain-link milling produced a buttery-soft audible click, while feeling very responsive.

My distance control on long lag putts from the 30-50ft range was certainly above average, and the ball started rolling end-over-end almost immediately after leaving the face, which was a big factor in finishing the ball inside ‘gimmee’ range.

It was on the shorter putts, however, where the Phantom 9.2R really shone for me, thanks to the blend of alignment aids that made squaring the face up to my target at address seem effortless. The short sight line on the top of the head is something I prefer compared to the full-length line that was on the previous Phantom 9 model, although this is very much a matter of personal preference.

Furthermore, the ‘2’ in the 9.2R name indicates a plumbers-style neck, which, for those of us who putt with a slight arc to our stroke, provides just the right amount of toe flow to allow the face to open and close naturally, giving the putter the feel of a blade but the forgiveness of a high-MOI mallet.

One of the most underappreciated aspects when it comes to buying one of the best putters is the grip, and Scotty Cameron certainly hasn't overlooked this, providing a stock, pistol-style grip that sits in the hands very comfortably, allowing my thumbs to run straight down the flat front edge and keeping my hands in a perfectly neutral position throughout the stroke.

While some may prefer the upgraded Superstroke grip a lot of manufacturers offer, I personally feel a pistol grip like this offers a little more feel.

If you're in the market for a new putter and want a combination of the toe flow that the best blade putters offer with the stability of the most forgiving mallets, the Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.2R is one you should definitely be checking out.

Yes, its premium price tag does make it a significant investment, but considering the expert craftsmanship, the visual refinements, and the Tour-validated performance, I believe it goes a long way to justifying the cost. There’s every chance you’ll see me with this in my bag this season!

It’s not often that a brand emerges to successfully challenge the golf equipment status quo. But Sausage Golf - a boutique manufacturer designing and assembling putters on the Côte d'Azur in France - managed exactly that with its Boudin Noir mallet (£369).

Now, the brand has returned with the Design No. 2 (£332), bringing its unique modular technology to a more traditional blade profile, in the hope of being recognized as one of the best putters on the market.

Out of the box, the Design No. 2 looks beautifully refined thanks to its brushed satin finish. While I appreciated the innovation behind the brand's original mallet, I have to say I find the milled look of the Design No. 2 much more comfortable to my eye than the all black Boudin Noir model.

Setting it down behind the ball, it presents a flowing, timeless blade shape that traditionalists will instantly warm to. I really like the small alignment features on the flange, which provide just enough assistance without becoming overly distracting, creating a perfect visual anchor to help quiet the eyes and square the putter up to your target line.

There is a small dot closer to the face, however, it’s so subtle you can barely see it down at address - I feel as though it could definitely be more prominent.

The headline story here, however, is the modularity, where the ability to adjust and change the characteristics of this putter is the real talking point and likely the reason you would invest in one of these putters. Just like we saw with the Boudin Noir, you can alter the set up to fit your stroke.

During my testing, I absolutely loved how I could easily unscrew this putter in its center-shafted, face-balanced setting and, within minutes, move the modular components to make it play like a heel-shafted putter with some toe hang. Having the freedom to match the putter to my specific stroke without needing to purchase an entirely new club is a huge win for any golfer who likes to tinker with their putting mechanics.

In terms of feel, the Design No. 2 delivers everything you would expect from a premium flatstick that is CNC-milled from 303 stainless steel. It produces a really satisfying, responsive feedback at impact that blade users typically crave, and the milled groove face offers a pure roll that keeps the ball nicely on your target line.

However, if I were to criticize anything, it would be the overall weight of the club. Coming in with an assembled head weight of 360g (paired with a 120g steel shaft), the putter feels exceptionally heavy in the hands.

During my first few rounds, I found it took a little time to dial in my pace control, particularly on longer, sweeping lag putts where a lighter touch is often required. Strangely, I noticed this much more in the heel-shafted setting compared to when the shaft ran through the center of the blade.

That being said, once you adjust your stroke to accommodate the extra mass, that weight does a great job in resisting twisting on off-center strikes, making it a blade that matches the stability of some of the most forgiving putters on the market.

If you're a golfer who loves the timeless look of a traditional blade but wants the adaptable balance that modern modular engineering provides, the Sausage Golf Design No. 2 could very well be the missing piece of the jigsaw in your bag.

Choosing a new putter is rarely just about performance, as a lot of putting is about confidence - something often achieved by the look of a putter. It’s about that immediate reaction when you set it down behind the ball and with the Vice Golf VGP04 ZT (£209), that reaction is likely to be one of intrigue.

It’s safe to say Vice has never been a brand to play it safe, pushing eccentric club and ball designs into the market, and its venture into the 'Zero Twist' market is no different.

The VGP04 ZT is a fang-style mallet that looks like it’s been plucked straight from a sci-fi movie set. It boasts very futuristic looks, resembling an aircraft straight out of Star Trek - aggressive lines and a high-MOI silhouette that screams stability. However, while the shape is modern and purposeful, the finish is where I find myself slightly at odds with the design team.

The putter features Vice’s signature black and lime-green detailing, and while this neon pop is clearly part of the brand’s standout DNA, I can’t help but feel it looks just a tad cheap and downplays what is otherwise a very smart-looking, well-engineered putter.

To my eye, this putter would look far more premium with subtle grey detailing or even a sleek, monochrome gloss black finish. On a club designed to help you focus, the lime green can feel a little distracting at address.

The ‘ZT’ in the name stands for Zero Twist (a play on zero torque putters), and Vice achieves this by aligning the shaft axis directly through the head's center of gravity, much like some of the best zero torque putters I have recently tested.

At address, this creates an onset look, where the shaft enters the head slightly behind the face. If you are coming from a traditional offset plumber's neck, it takes a few holes to get your eyes accustomed to the odd look at address, but it’s easy to see the appeal of this style of putter, once you get a little more used to the aesthetics.

The benefit of zero torque putters like this one is clear - the face wants to stay square to the arc throughout the stroke. Much like the L.A.B. Golf DF3i, the VGP04 ZT fights the urge to rotate, making it a fantastic option for golfers who struggle with an inconsistent face angle at impact.

The parallel alignment lines on the fangs are excellent, framing the ball and simplifying the task of aiming on shorter, must-make putts. I found I was able to set up exactly where I wanted to, more often than not, and I was holing those crucial putts. If I’m being picky, I would like to see the alignment lines a touch bolder to make them stand out a little more, but that’s just personal preference.

When putting from range, I found the performance to be a little bit of a mixed bag. The CNC-milled grooves on the face are a highlight, helping produce a really solid, end-over-end roll with almost zero skidding, which was particularly noticeable. Even on slightly off-center strikes, the wing weighting keeps the head remarkably stable, and I found the distance control on long lags to be surprisingly intuitive.

However, the feel and audible feedback didn't quite match the premium roll I was seeing. Despite the solid steel construction, the feel and sound felt a little hollow at impact, and instead of a soft ‘thud’ or a crisp ‘click’, it produces a fairly high-pitched 'tink' through impact, which I wasn’t such a fan of.

It’s a sound that lacks the dampened, premium feel found in some of the best putters on the market, and so if you prefer a muted, soft-feeling putter, this might be a sticking point. But if you use a soft feeling golf ball, it could be a winning combination to get a bit more feedback that you're used to.

Overall, the Vice Golf VGP04 ZT putter is a great value putter option for those wanting to move into a zero-torque putter without committing to some of the more premium-priced options on the market. The looks may be conflicting, but the performance was solid, and if you start holing putts with this flatsick, I can see it being easy to overlook the controversial aesthetics.

Cobra has never been a brand to shy away from pushing the boundaries of golf club engineering, and its latest dive into the world of 3D printing is no exception. It absolutely nailed it with the 3DP Tour irons this year, but Cobra has never really hit the nail on the head when it comes to putters. However, the brand will be hoping the 3DP Agera RS putter ($379/£299) will be the model to turn this around.

To see how this striking technology performs on the greens, I took the Cobra 3DP Tour Agera RS putter out onto the golf course to put it through its paces and see if it deserves a spot among the best mallet putters on the market this season.

Right out of the box, the first thing you notice about the 3DP Tour Agera RS is the aesthetics. The putter looks very futuristic, and to be completely honest, I just can't make up my mind on whether it looks ultra-premium or just a little tacky with the gold and matte carbon combination. Breaking in amongst the best putters is tricky, and so I at least applaud the effort for creating something aesthetically unique.

It is a bold visual statement that will undoubtedly be a conversation starter on the practice putting green and with anyone you play with. The large mallet shape is combined with an intricate 3D printed lattice structure, which Cobra says is designed to save weight and significantly increase the MOI for improved stability.

Despite my slight reservations about the busy colorway, sitting it behind the ball at address tells a different story. The footprint is confidence-inspiring without feeling overly large, and the single-bend shaft profile is perfectly tailored for golfers who putt with a relatively neutral, straight-back-and-through stroke, although there are different necks and styles available for those who prefer more toe-hang or a counterbalance design.

So how did it perform when I put it to the test? In short, remarkably well. One of my biggest worries with multi-material, 3D-printed putters is the sacrifice of feel through the hands, but Cobra has equipped the Agera RS with a 100% milled MIM 304 stainless steel face, which I loved. It provides a beautifully crisp, responsive feel that elevates feedback and distance control, and I got a satisfying, muted click through impact that I felt helped my pace control on longer lag putts.

Where I truly began to appreciate this putter was the roll on offer. The Agera RS features LA Golf’s Descending Loft Technology integrated into the face, which utilizes four descending face lofts (4°, 3°, 2°, and 1° from top to bottom) to optimize launch regardless of your shaft lean or head position at impact.

During my round, I noticed that whether I inadvertently pressed my hands slightly forward or hung back a fraction, the ball launched fairly consistently and got into a true, end-over-end roll almost immediately - I was thoroughly impressed. This, alongside the high MOI head design, meant that inside 15 feet, the resistance to twisting on off-center strikes was exceptionally noticeable, and I found the ball wanting to stay on my intended line.

For the gear tinkerers out there (myself included), Cobra hasn't overlooked customization and actually offers an adjustable weighting system on the sole, to give you the ability to interchange to a lighter or heavier weight (with additional weights from 5g up to 30g sold separately) to achieve the feel of your preference.

If you are in the market for a highly forgiving putter and you don't mind stepping away from traditional putter aesthetics, the Cobra 3DP Tour Agera RS is well worth taking a look at.

When you think of Ping putters, you usually think of classic designs like the Anser in matte black or classic satin silver. Pulling the Scottsdale TEC Ketsch Onset ($399/£375) out of the box, the first thing that hits you is the bold white finish - reminiscent of the TaylorMade Corza Ghost from 2010.

It’s a bold departure from tradition that immediately distinguishes this range, but with good reason, so Ping says. But will it perform as well as some of the best putters on the market? I took it to the course to find out.

The putter certainly boasts shelf appeal thanks to its eye-catching aesthetics. The new Eye-Q technology felt intentionally designed to grab my attention the moment I set it behind the ball and it certainly did in practice. The Ketsch is what I would call a compact mallet putter, and it sits nice and flush to the ground behind the ball.

The headline story here is ‘Quiet Eye’ technology, which the Ping R&D team has introduced after using eye-tracking techniques to study how players fixate on the ball. I was eager to see if it actually changed my perception when on the greens.

The result is Eye-Q - a small dot on the top of the putter, behind the face, that acts as a visual anchor. In my testing, I found this tiny detail surprisingly effective, giving me somewhere to hone my focus once I had lined the putter up to the line on my ball.

This helped me to quieten my eyes and maintain a fixed body position throughout the stroke, without wanting to lift my head and follow the ball too early.

The Onset hosel is another new addition to Ping putters. Placing the shaft behind the top rail and near the center line provides you with a clear view of the ball, which takes some getting used to, but I actually think it helped with my alignment once I did.

Because the CG sits behind the shaft axis, the head felt like it was being pulled through the stroke rather than pushed, which added a noticeable layer of stability that kept my slight-arc stroke on a very consistent path. It’s worth noting that there are two other new models in this range, as well as the Ketsch.

The Ally Blue Onset, which has a similar centre shafted design and is made for straighter arc types, and the Hayden, which is a heel shafted, face-balanced putter for straight arc types. The Ketsch, albeit onset and center shafted, is designed for those with a slight arc to their stroke.

In terms of feel, the one-piece Pebax insert was a standout for me and something I have loved in previous Ping putter designs, such as the Scottdale Anser. This material, often found in high-performance athletic shoes, delivered a soft, muted knock at impact.

It felt soft without being overly squidgy, offering me the kind of responsive feedback that made distance control feel easy when putting from range as well as on those nervy downhill six-footers.

The body of the Ketsch is made from 100% milled 6061 aluminum and is paired with a dense 304 stainless steel sole plate, which allows the weight to be pushed low and to the perimeter for as much stability and forgiveness as possible, much like in some of the most forgiving putters on the market.

I noticed that even when I caught one slightly off the heel or toe, the putter resisted twisting remarkably well and saw my ball roll up much closer to the holes than I thought it would.

At 350g, it’s a well-balanced mallet that feels as though it swings easily throughout the stroke. During my round, the combination of the Eye-Q dot and the three prominent alignment lines made squaring the face feel almost automatic, and I actually holed a decent amount of putts within the 10ft range.

There was little to dislike about this putter, but the white finish did pick up stains and dirt very easily, so if you’re someone who likes their equipment squeaky clean, you’ll find yourself having to wipe it down regularly.

Overall, though the performance was strong, and if you’re after a bold-looking putter that features some of the newest technology on the putter market, the Scottsdale Tec Ketsch Onset putter could be what you’ve been looking for.

It is no secret that TaylorMade is dominating on Tour with its iconic Spider Tour mallet range but not wanting to be known as a one-trick pony, TaylorMade now offers something different for golfers with its new Systm2 range.

With the Spider racking up the wins in 2026 as one of the best putters on the market, making a new family stand out was always going to be difficult. However, after taking the new Systm2 Bandon putter out onto the golf course, it is clear it has created a premium milled putter that demands a place in the conversation, all while coming to the market at a more affordable price of £219.

The new Systm2 putters are expertly crafted from a soft 304 stainless steel, which is a really soft steel to give golfers a much more responsive feel - something I loved in the likes of the Kevin Burns 9307 putter I tested a while back.

Setting the Bandon model down behind the ball, the striking two-tone finish immediately catches your eye due to the contrast between the satin silver front section, which features a durable hydro-blasted finish, against the black PVD rear section. While I don't mind dashes of colour on metalwoods, I think the blue on the sole cheapens the look just a touch.

I do think the Systm2 lineup looks a little more budget than the Spider range, which you would expect given the price, but it's the small things, such as the colored pistol grip, which I think takes away from the premium aesthetic, especially when compared to the likes of the SuperStroke grip you receive as the stock option on a Spider.

I thought the fangs and the alignment line on the rear flange made it incredibly easy to set the putter up square to my target, perfectly utilizing the clear color separation to frame the ball at address. Although I personally would have preferred a short line on the top line of the putter instead, to help center the ball. But this is very much personal preference!

The standout feature for me, without a doubt, is the impact feel and sound. I’ll be honest, knowing this was the brand's more cost-effective option, I wasn’t expecting this putter to feel as good as it does - I really was taken aback.

The precision-milled face actually provides a really soft, buttery feel, something achieved by fly-cutting the entire face and then scoring it with a saw-cutter to create grooves at a specific depth. I found that these grooves get the ball rolling really well, which helped massively with distance control, regardless of whether I struck the center or not.

Whether I was lagging from 40 feet or trying to confidently knock it in from inside 10 feet, the roll was incredibly pure, and the ball finished in the hole or in the scoring zone more often than not.

In terms of stability, TaylorMade engineers used advanced Metal Injection Molding to strategically remove mass behind the face and push it toward the toe and heel. This has increased the MOI and the stability of the putter, so even when I missed the middle of the face, the putter delivered a consistent performance across the face.

The Bandon is a traditional mid-mallet design available in either an L-Neck for toe hang, or a Single Bend for face-balanced performance, allowing you to match it to your specific stroke style. Every Systm2 putter head is beautifully crafted, right down to the visible milled connection points and the dual-screw fastening system on the face.

There is another mallet option in the range - the Ardmore - and a few blade options such as the Soto, Juno, and Del Monte, all recognizable shapes and models used in some of the best TaylorMade putters.

If you are looking for a milled mallet that pairs world-class feel with modern forgiveness, the Systm2 Bandon is definitely worth considering for a place in your bag. At just £219, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the feel and the milling on offer. It's not a Spider, and you're unlikely to see Systm2 putters in the hands of tour players, but it's a refreshing alternative at a much more palatable price point.

Tiny-headed putters have been around for a while, but largely as training aids. I started taking them seriously when I was introduced to the original IB Sweet Spot putter - a miniature flatstick that gave you absolutely zero margin for error. It forces you to lock in on your stroke and concentrate purely on finding the middle of the face to get a solid roll.

Naturally, when the brand’s newest iteration, the IB Sweet Spot Quaternion, arrived on my desk, I was excited to take it on the course and see if this is the model that will see the brand break through and be recognized for producing some of the best putters on the market.

This putter was brought to life by Ivan Ballesteros (nephew of the legendary Seve), hoping to bring the short-game magic of a 5-time major champion to amateur golfers. The Quaternion takes the center-shafted, zero-torque DNA of the original and evolves it into something that looks like it belongs in space.

The putter has caught the eye of a DP World Tour winer though, as Eugenio Chacarra has been experimenting with the putter, although it is yet to make it in his bag for a tournament. It is undeniably striking, but unless it performs, it simply won’t make it into people's bags based on looks alone.

The first thing you notice is the size and shape of the head when removing it from the headcover. The small head won't suit those who are less confident down behind the ball, even though it’s designed to hone your focus.

Where modern high-MOI mallets offer a forgiving footprint, the Quaternion's compact design demands precision. I like the alignment aids on the head and think they make it very easy to align to your target, specifically from close range, although when hitting putts from range, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think I was going to miss the ball a couple of times.

One of the major talking points of the Quaternion is its symmetry, with a selling point being that it can be used left or right-handed, but if you're buying it for this reason, I think you'd best invest your money in some putting lessons instead! It’s a brilliant engineering trick to achieve perfect balance and zero torque through impact, but functionally, very few of us are switching dexterities mid-round.

Out on the greens, the performance was very much a mixed bag. It actually feels nice off the face, offering a crisp, responsive pop that provides excellent feedback on strike quality. But it is interesting how there is no milling on this face to help with the roll or improve sound.

In an era where almost every premium putter boasts milled face grooves or inserts to optimize forward roll and skid-distance, the flat face of the Quaternion relies entirely on the pure, square pendulum stroke that the putter's balance promotes, and I feel they may have missed a trick.

In the hand, the stitched leather grip offers a premium feel, but it doesn't boast the same tackiness in your hands as some rubber grips. On a damp morning, I found myself gripping a fraction tighter than I normally would with my rubber pistol grip, though the luxurious aesthetic certainly matches the premium nature of the club.

Ultimately, the Quaternion is a well-executed, physics-driven piece of equipment that genuinely resists face rotation and forces a better, straighter stroke - much like the original tiny putter did, but in a slightly more playable package. However, at £349, I feel most golfers will stick to brands and head styles they already know.

It's a significant investment for a putter that strays so far from the norm, but for the brave few willing to embrace the zero-torque revolution and its unique quirks, it might just be the secret weapon they need to tidy up from inside 10 feet.

Ever since L.A.B. Golf burst onto the scene, its Lie Angle Balance technology has been heralded as a game-changer for golfers who want to simplify their putting stroke by minimizing face rotation. But for blade enthusiasts, the options have always felt very limited.

There have been models such as the original Link.1 or the Bettinardi Antidote SB1, but their center-shafted design, with the shaft running directly through the CG, behind the center of the face, still looked too unconventional for some.

However, the brand new L.A.B. Golf Link 2.1 represents the first-ever heel-shafted putter in the Link family, merging the brand's patented Lie Angle Balanced technology with a much more traditional blade putter design.

Out of the box, the Link 2.1 looks notably industrial while still possessing a premium aura. It’s a narrow-body blade design, offering a far more classic appearance than the likes of the OZ.1i model and the DF3.i. The head is 100% CNC milled from 303 stainless steel and is finished in a gorgeous, sleek black PVD, which I think looks great.

However, setting it down behind the ball is where my traditionalist brain had to adjust a little, as despite testing numerous zero-torque putter options over the last few years, I always always revert back to a standard blade or mallet putter when competing. Which means the onset and shaft lean in play here takes some getting used to.

I struggled with shorter putts because of this initially, but the way the putter's shoulders round off onto the flange, and with the addition of a single alignment line, I could see why some golfers may love this from short range.

For those who prefer a slightly more substantial footprint, it's worth touching on the fact that L.A.B. Golf has also launched the Link 2.2 model alongside it. The Link 2.2 is a square back blade that delivers a wider profile and slightly larger footprint. It has a slightly more boxy look, almost like a stretched blade, which should inspire a bit more confidence for those needing a larger visual aid and more stability.

Where the Link 2.1 excels is its feel through impact, producing a really responsive yet satisfyingly soft 'click' that blade users typically crave, and I have to say, it's right on par with some of the best putters on the market.

It feels incredibly premium and provides excellent feedback across the face, which I felt enhanced my pace control on longer putts.

The Link 2.1 operates just like its larger, more elaborate-looking siblings - it wants to keep the face square to your path throughout the stroke. Bringing that Lie Angle Balance stability into a heel-shafted profile without the putter twisting in your hands is a clever concept and may just be what traditionalists looking for a more automatic squaring of the face have been waiting for.

The stock model comes in at $499, with fully custom versions starting at $599. If you've been holding out for L.A.B. Golf tech in the shape of a traditional blade, this could well be the missing piece of the jigsaw that makes you bit the bullet. You won't be disappointed.

Zero-torque putters have been gaining serious popularity over the past couple of years, with more and more manufacturers releasing their own iterations. Normally, the latest and greatest in golf technology usually comes with a fairly punchy price tag, but Wilson has entered the zero-torque conversation at a much more affordable price point ($199/£229).

The zero-torque Infinite lineup has two models, the Lakeview, which is a mid-mallet design, and the 606, which was the model I took to the course to see if it would improve my performance on the greens at half the price of some of its competitors.

At address, The 606 features a compact winged-mallet profile design that should inspire confidence, although the footprint could have been a little larger. The models are produced using Metal Injection Molding (MIM) - an advanced manufacturing technique, and so the shaping is beautifully refined and has allowed precise mass positioning for increased MOI and stability.

For me, the visual setup is fine, but I can’t help but feel the two alignment lines and single alignment dot behind on the top of the face could have been a little more prominent.

The two-tone PVD anti-glare finish, satin black finish, is something I really like and does give this putter a premium feel. On the course, I found that this coating really does suppress reflections from any light, reducing glare, creating a clean look down behind the ball.

When it comes to feel, the double-milled face pattern was something I absolutely loved and produced a solid yet responsive feel through impact. Often, I find mallets can minimise the feel, but this milling results in reliable distance control and produces a consistent roll, even on miss-hit putts.

Wilson has precisely positioned the CG so that the shaft axis passes directly through it - the way the majority of manufacturers are designing zero torque putters. This ensures somewhat of a ‘toe-up’ approach, eliminating twisting and torque in the putter head.

I'll admit, as someone used to putters with more traditional toe-hang, this zero torque nature takes a little getting used to, but after 18 holes or so, you’ll get the hang of things pretty quickly.

The design kept the putter face square to the target for longer throughout my stroke, drastically reducing unwanted rotation, although as someone who usually aims a little right and pulls putts, I did notice I missed putts right of the hole initially as the face didn’t close as I’m used to with my Toulon Las Vegas. Once I learnt to aim straighter and trust the technology, I became really solid from inside 10ft.

The 1^° of forward shaft lean subtly promotes proper hand positioning, helping you deliver a square face through impact while maintaining a completely natural feel. This is much easier to adapt to than the likes of say the L.A.B. Golf DF3i and the PXG Hot Rod, which has 3°.

Overall, the combination of stability, alignment clarity, and zero torque performance makes the 606 ideal for players seeking additional help and simplicity on the greens.

Available in 34” and 35” lengths with a Wilson Premium Midsize grip, the fact that it comes in at just $199.99 makes it one of the most affordable zero torque putters on the market and would be a great putter for beginners or higher handicappers wanting to try the latest in putter technology.

Bettinardi has been a heavyweight in the premium putter market, consistently producing milled masterpieces that are regularly considered some of the best putters on the market. For 2026, the brand has refined its much-loved BB Series, and I couldn't have been more excited to get my hands on the new BB49 model ($495/£479) to see how it performs out on the golf course.

The BB49 is designed for players seeking a compact mallet with a moderate arc in their putting stroke - it reminds me a lot of an Odyssey Rossie, used by the likes of Jon Rahm. The slant neck design really stands out as something I particularly like, offering a slight toe hang and minimal offset (three-quarters of a shaft) at address.

The looks of this putter are definitely a talking point, with the head coated in what the brand calls a Savannah Blue finish. It instantly reminds me of a satin oil can-style design that used to be on some old Scotty Cameron putters, and while it may not be to everyone's preference, I think it gives a real premium look that stands out even more when caught in the sun.

I also really like how that unique head finish contrasts with a brushed nickel shaft - similar to that of a KBS C-Taper iron shaft. To complete the aesthetic, the light grey pistol grip rounds off the product excellently, making the whole package feel incredibly high-end.

Setting the BB49 down behind the ball, I found it offered a confidence-inspiring look of a mallet, while allowing me to express enough creativity and feel, similar to that of a blade putter. The putter is created with a smooth transition from the topline to the shoulders that seamlessly melts into the flange at the rear.

The BB49 head has been designed to evenly distribute the 355g weight around the perimeter of the head, providing exceptional balance and control, while framing the ball beautifully, providing a clear sightline and a rounded nature that will appeal to those with a slight arc to their stroke.

The standout technological upgrade for the 2026 BB series is the new VDF (Variable Depth Flymill) Face. Bettinardi has engineered nine individually tuned, precision-milled zones right across the face, which means you get deeper grooves in the center where you need more control and shallower grooves toward the heel and toe, providing more energy transfer for consistent speed on miss-hit putts.

I found this provided incredibly consistent ball speed and distance control, especially on those slightly off-center strikes, and something I would usually see from some of the larger, higher MOI, forgiving putters. Whether I was lag putting from 40 feet or trying to confidently knock it in from inside 10 feet, the roll was consistent and actually had me tracking my ball down my start line more often than not.

The Bettinardi BB putters are precision-milled from a single block of 303 stainless steel, and so the feedback is exactly what you want and expect from a premium milled flat stick. The impact delivers an audible click that perfectly balances a muted, buttery feel with enough responsiveness to let you know exactly where you struck the ball.

The Bettinardi BB49 offers timeless shaping with the latest in modern milling technology, packaged in a highly desirable, premium aesthetic. If you are a golfer with a slight arc in your stroke who is looking for tour-proven feel, forgiveness, and a putter that truly stands out in the bag, the BB49 is worth considering for a place in your bag.

As interest in zero-torque technology continues to grow among golfers seeking more consistency on the greens, the Hot Rod ZT represents PXG’s latest attempt to cement its position as a maker of some of the best putters on the market.

While PXG has dabbled in high-stability designs before, the Hot Rod ZT is the brand's first zero-torque putter released with a conventional (by zero-torque standards) neck configuration, marking a step change from previous models like the Allan putter and the Mustang.

The Hot Rod ZT has already gone straight into the bag of the big-hitting Marco Penge following his move to PXG's PGA Tour roster at the start of this season. Curious to see if it lived up to the tour-level hype, I took the Hot Rod ZT out on the course to analyse its performance.

Straight out of the headcover, the Hot Rod ZT poses a striking look, featuring a modern precision-milled 6061 aluminium head with a sleek black finish. The head distributes mass through a high-MOI mallet shape that frames the ball cleanly at address and the overall size, along with the alignment cues, will inspire confidence over a putt for those who need it.

While there aren’t anywhere near as many custom options as with competitors such as L.A.B. Golf and the DF3i and Oz.1i, I like that PXG hasn't forced golfers into a single visual box, offering this putter in two distinct alignment options. I tested the SL2, which features an elongated sightline, but there is also an SL1 option that offers a clean line from the face and a blank back cavity for those who prefer a less busy look.

The Hot Rod ZT features a new center-shafted setup with an integrated forward press that naturally positions your hands at address, albeit a little too much for my liking on the model I tested. The putter is engineered with 6° of measured loft, although it only plays around 3° thanks to the integrated forward press grip on the putter.

It’s a large, box-like forward press grip that helps neutralise the loft, but I found it to be fairly uncomfortable in my hands and would definitely opt for one of the other custom options if I were ordering one from the website.

Out on the greens, the stability was instantly noticeable when putting from inside 10 feet. The Hot Rod ZT felt almost automatic, and thanks to the easy alignment and zero-torque design, it allowed me to just rock my shoulders and trust the face to return squarely to the ball. Off-center strikes were also incredibly forgiving, largely thanks to the concealed tungsten and four interchangeable sole weights, which raise the MOI significantly in this large mallet.

In fact, this putter impressed from all distances and it certainly freed me up to think about fewer things over the ball, relying on my subconscious to the ball to (and into) the hole at a above-average rate.

Sound and feel are often where zero-torque putters divide opinion, but PXG’s Pyramid Milled Face Pattern is one of the things that I love on this putter. The face minimizes the amount of face in contact with the ball, delivering the satisfyingly soft sound and feel players typically associate with insert putters, all without sacrificing the premium feedback and responsiveness of a fully milled face.

Every detail of the Hot Rod ZT feels as though it’s shaped around confidence, both visually and within its performance. If you are looking for a switch-up with your flatstick and want to embrace the zero-torque revolution without compromising on premium feel, the PXG Hot Rod ZT is one of the putters you should test this year.

L.A.B. Golf has undeniably become a major player in the putter market challenging established brands like Odyssey and Scotty Cameron, especially after J.J. Spaun captured the 2025 U.S. Open by sinking a 64-foot monster putt with his DF3. Building on that momentum, the brand has introduced the new DF3i.

While it’s certainly a unique putter, the only real criticism of the original DF3 was that the ball came off a bit soft and slow for some. The DF3i has been designed to correct this by replacing the face with a fly-milled stainless-steel insert bonded to the 6061 aircraft aluminum body, the same one found in the Oz.1i putter.

I have always used a milled face putter, so I couldn't have been more excited to test the DF3i and get a true understanding of the responsive feedback at impact. However, I’ve typically used a blade, so going from just a mallet to an extremely large zero-torque putter was a huge aesthetic change and one that took some getting used to.

It took at least 9 holes to get over the looks at address, but taking advantage of L.A.B. Golf's extensive customization options (from $599) helped. I opted for a custom sight dot and another line running across the top line of the putter.

These specific alignment aids really helped me retain the creative feel I typically get when using a standard blade, making the large footprint far less intimidating over time.

When it comes to feel, the DF3i delivers exactly what is promised thanks to the new stainless-steel insert. It's much faster off the face than the original model - something I felt was needed, and provided an extra pop, allowing me to have really impressive distance control when putting from longer range by not having to swing the putter back ludicrously far.

It was on shorter distances that the patented Lie Angle Balance technology truly shone. The notion of just aiming and rocking my shoulders when putting from 10ft and in was something I enjoyed, and I saw great success on straighter putts. The putter simply wants to stay square, and I felt simply putting with the ‘larger muscles’ was the best way I could complement it.

However, this rigid stability proved to be a double-edged sword on trickier reads, as I found that I struggled with putts with lots of break, due to how straight the stroke feels. The putter fights any manipulation or face rotation, which made feeding the ball into the break feel less intuitive than it does with a blade, and I felt it took away some creativity from my stroke and putting as a whole.

If you loved the shape and design of the DF3 but craved a firmer, more responsive impact, the DF3i is the answer. It may take a round or two to adjust your eyes, but the consistency it brought, primarily to my close-range putting, is hard to argue with.

I’ve always seen Odyssey as front-runners when it comes to implementing new technology and ideas into putters, and recently, it has been pushing the boundaries using Artificial Intelligence to create putters that help stay ahead of the competition.

Following the massive success of the Ai-One and Ai-One Milled lines, which were deemed some of the best putters on the market, the brand has returned with the new Ai-Dual range. I took the Ai-Dual 1/2 Ball Double Wide DB ($349/£299) out on the course to see if the new technology lives up to the hype.

The headline feature (aside from the necessarily long name) is undoubtedly the Ai-Dual Insert, which is designed using A.I. to create a variable face thickness - the goal being to deliver consistent ball speed across the face while enhancing the feel. This insert is a dual-layer urethane construction featuring a soft outer layer and a firm inner layer, which has undoubtedly formed what I believe is the softest feeling putter face on the market.

Odyssey has paired this with a new FRD (Forward Roll Design) Groove. It features a deeper, more aggressive 19° slope that works in conjunction with the insert to get the ball rolling forward almost immediately, reducing skid and bounce. This worked particularly well on the fast greens of Terre Blanche (France), where I took this putter for a spin.

This putter is finished with the SL 90 Shaft, a lightweight steel shaft with 20-30 grams of counterbalance weight in the butt end (depending on the grip) that we have seen in previous Odyssey putters. The idea is to quieten the hands and improve tempo, which I certainly found the latter to be true.

For those wanting even more stability and a true counterbalance feeling, these putters are also available in a Cruiser option ($399/£339) that comes with a heavier 140g shaft and 17” grip.

This shaft offered a smoothness throughout the stroke, which, alongside the clever face design, helped me with my distance control and allowed me to consistently roll my ball up within ‘gimme’ range. I wouldn’t quite classify this putter as one of the most forgiving putters on the market, but some of the larger mallet putters in this range certainly could be.

The Double Wide DB is a shape that boasts some popularity on tour, offering the forgiveness of a mallet with the toe flow of a blade. Alex Noren uses an older Double Wide model, while Min Woo Lee recently made the switch away from a Double Wide and into a new S2S Jailbird putter. However, it’s the new 1/2 Ball Alignment option that is what really stands out with this Double Wide model.

Odyssey frames this as its next revolutionary alignment technology, designed to center impacts and improve aim, however, being honest, the new 1/2 ball alignment just doesn't suit my eye with this particular model, eating too much into the head of the putter.

That’s not saying I hate this alignment aid in general, and the line through the middle certainly helps, I just much prefer the look of this alignment system in the larger mallets, such as the #7 and Jailbird heads. With these, there is more real estate for the design to stand on its own and contribute to the look of the putter rather than detract from the aesthetics.

The Odyssey Ai-Dual 1/2 Ball Double Wide DB is very much a tale of two halves for me. The performance of the Ai-DUAL insert is really impressive, and if you chase a soft feel in the ilk of the legendery White Hot status and true roll, this putter is right up there with the best.

However, you need to make sure the 1/2 Ball alignment system fits your eye. On this specific head shape, I found it to be a little too busy, but everyone is different and there are four other shapes should you want it on a larger head.

Mizuno's M.Craft franchise has experienced a steady progression since its inception in 2021, moving from the original M.Craft to the heavy-headed OMOI family and onto the M.Craft X, all of which performed admirably. However, the new Nagoya and the entire M.Craft City Series (which features four new models) represents a new era for Mizuno flat sticks in an effort to challenge the established leaders in the category.

Mizuno describes this release as a tie to its Japanese heritage - a thought designed to see the brand's putters firmly establish themselves among the best putters on the market, on a pedestal similar to that of Mizuno irons.

It certainly feels like a reset button has been pressed at Mizuno across the board, shifting focus towards a blend of classic craftsmanship and modern technology. I took the Nagoya model out on the golf course to see if the new look translates to performance.

The Nagoya model oozes premium and quality as soon as you take the headcover off. The detailing on the head is superb, with the deep face milling immediately catching the eye and giving the putter a high-end aesthetic that I think rivals anything else in the milled mallet putter market.

When you set it down behind the ball, the profile is fairly unique in the fact it almost looks a little squashed due to the camber on the Roll Up cavity. The sole sits perfectly flush on the green and reminds me a little of if someone had trodden on the Scotty Cameron GoLo during the moulding process. That’s not to say I think it looks bad, just different to anything on the market, and it turns out there’s a reason behind the look.

The Nagoya Roll-Up cavity is the standout tech story with this putter. By rolling up the cavity, Mizuno has minimised sole displacement, all while maintaining perimeter weighting for increased MOI. This helps with forgiveness on off-center strikes and was something I noticed particularly when hitting putts between the 20-40 foot range.

While the ‘squashed’ look took a few putts to get used to, the performance benefits of that rigid, weighted head were undeniable, and I actually loved how it got the ball rolling surprisingly quickly off the face and on my target line on more makeable putts - those inside 10ft.

I think the alignment features are excellent and certainly made holing those shorter putts seem easier. There is a new alignment aid placed on the top of the head - a thin, singular line, which I absolutely loved. It’s subtle but effective and suits my eye far better than a line on the flange, although some of you may disagree.

Furthermore, the smooth shoulders on the rear of the putter really frame the ball nicely, working in tandem with the top line to assist with alignment, all without cluttering the view.

I found the M.Craft Nagoya feels superb, largely thanks to the addition of a copper underlay beneath the chrome (or ion black finish), which creates what I would class as the softest feel I’ve experienced in any Mizuno M.Craft putter to date.

Combined with the deep face milling, the impact is muted yet responsive due to the minimal time the ball is in contact with the face and while providing immediate feedback on strike location.

Ultimately, the Mizuno M.Craft Nagoya looks, feels and performs like a premium putter for the player who values feel above all else, all for a more than respectable £299 RRP. It breaks from the recent heavyweight trend of the OMOI range to offer something that feels a little more traditional.

Toulon Golf has long been synonymous with exquisite milling, premium feel, and classic aesthetics. However, in recent years, the conversation in the putter world has shifted towards stability, zero-torque designs and inserts, pushing traditionalists out of their comfort zone.

Toulon’s answer to this trend is the Formula Series ($865/£649), and with three models in the lineup, the brand has finally delivered a high-MOI, toe-up design that maintains the superb feel we’ve come to expect. I took the Toulon Formula 90 onto the golf course to see what performance can be expected on the greens.

The Formula Series is built around the concept of matching torque profiles to a golfer’s stroke, offering three distinct options rather than forcing every player into one mould - something I love and I think other manufacturers should be taking notice of.

While the Formula (low-torque, face-balanced) and the Formula (super-low torque, 45° of toe hang) cater to those with a slight arc, the Formula 90 is the true zero-torque putter, designed with 90° of toe hang. This club is engineered to keep the face square to the path of the stroke, attempting to return the face at impact back to where it started at address.

The head is a shape that really suits my eye, and I think aesthetically it is right up there with some of the best putters on the market. It’s a fairly compact, wide-bodied mallet that sits beautifully behind the ball at address.

For me, one of the biggest wins is the aesthetic nature of the crown. I absolutely loved the alignment cues on top of the Formula 90. The combination of the deep black finish and the three crisp white sight lines provided an immediate visual confirmation that you are perfectly aimed and really helped my putting from short range. It removes any doubt and allowed me to focus purely on pace, which is exactly what a great mallet putter should do.

Despite the larger footprint, it avoids the oversized look that can deter some golfers, instead using its footprint to deliver serious stability, boasting an MOI of over 6,000 - a number that rivals the most forgiving putters on the market.

Where many high-MOI, zero-torque putters sacrifice feel through the hands and audibly, I found the Formula 90 excels. It’s here that Toulon’s pedigree shines through, and this putter provides a soft, yet responsive feel from the face.

The brand’s classic deep milling technology delivers a pleasant feel through impact, providing that satisfying, muted click that translates perfectly to pace control. There were very few vibrations through the head and shaft, yet it delivered enough feedback that control distance with longer putts was not affected.

On the greens, the zero-torque design is immediately noticeable from inside the 15ft mark. For a player who prefers a minimal arc, the Formula 90 is a revelation; the head resists twisting really well, resulting in putts that hug the intended line.

As someone who typically plays a blade putter with substantially more toe-hang, it took a little getting used to, but once I got the hang of things, I felt as though I couldn’t miss on shorter putts. The stability of off-centre hits is also better than expected, given that the majority of the weight and CG is shifted forward in the head.

Crucially, Toulon offers this incredible technology without completely dictating your setup. Compared to the forward-press grips found on other zero-torque putters, such as some L.A.B. Golf putters and the PXG Allan putter, I love the standard pistol-style grip that comes stock on the Formula 90. It allowed me to adopt my natural, comfortable putting grip without feeling forced into an unnatural shaft lean or hand position.

This blend of cutting-edge stability and traditional milling on the face makes the Formula 90 instantly playable for anyone looking to switch into the zero-torque putter space. The premium price point will have golfers questioning whether to pull the trigger, but if you are serious about purchasing a zero-torque putter that offers arguably the best aesthetics and feel on the market, then the Toulon Formula 90 is worth taking the plunge.

Despite seemingly every manufacturer having released a zero-torque putter option over the past couple of years and Scotty Cameron teasing us with Tour Only low-torque options, it’s only now that the brand introduces us to what they are calling OC low-torque putters. To see if these new models deserve a place among some of the best zero-torque putters on the market, I put the Phantom 11R OC putter to the test to analyze its performance.

At address, the Phantom 11R OC is a sleek, high-MOI mallet that boasts an exceptionally clean aesthetic. The single, short sight line offers clean alignment, and I felt it helped match the putter face up square to my target, particularly when using a line on the ball as well.

The minimal one-degree of shaft lean is something that I love with this putter, as I found other zero torque putters, such as the L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i and the PXG Allan putter, have far more shaft lean, putting your hands in an unorthodox position.

The Phantom 11R OC promotes a natural hand position and a clear, unimpeded view of the topline. The ‘R’ in its name signifies softer, more rounded edges than the standard Phantom 11, which is far more linear and sharper, creating a flowing and confidence-inspiring profile.

For many golfers seeking to quiet their hands and minimize face rotation, low-torque putters are where they have turned, but listening to feedback from golfers and experiencing it myself, these putters have often resulted in sacrificing feel. The OC (Onset Center) name refers to the fact that the shaft is set back from the leading edge and enters the head directly through the head's center of gravity, delivering maximum stability for a square-to-the-path stroke.

What really helps this putter stand out against others in the same category is the weight of the head and, therefore, the feel you receive back from it. This feedback is also a product of the club's entire body construction due to the head weighing 15 grams heavier than standard models, all while balanced by a custom black shaft and a tapered Scotty Cameron Matador Mid grip, ensuring the putter feels connected in your hands.

The grip for me fitted in my hands perfectly and gave me immediate feedback when rolling the rock. It was clear Scotty Cameron's R&D team made responsiveness a clear priority and the addition of a full chain-link milling pattern - the same one we saw in the newest Studio Line, providing a soft-yet-solid feel at impact, and really helped me with my distance control.

The Phantom 11R OC delivers a satisfying, muted ‘click’ without feeling too dull, the perfect amount to provide good feedback on strike and distance control, without being overly intrusive.

The performance is something to admire for anyone who fights an overactive putter face and wants a premium-looking putter that provides the same feel and feedback as some of the best putters on the market. The Onset Center technology is immediately noticeable with the putter head simply not wanting to twist, although it does take a little time to get used to if moving from a conventional putting style.

The Scotty Cameron Phantom 11R OC putter promotes a straight-back-and-through motion with almost no effort, calming the hands and letting the bigger muscles control the stroke by simply rocking your shoulders. This stability is already tour-proven with the likes of Australian Elvis Smylie, winning his first two events immediately after switching to the 11R OC, citing its setup for improving his consistency.

At £499, the Scotty Cameron Phantom 11R OC putter is at the higher end of the scale when it comes to price, but I truly think it’s justified due to the blend of premium aesthetics and top-quality performance and feel.

It’s been fascinating to see the development of the zero torque putter category over the past few of years but for many, including myself, it always came with a catch - I’ve struggled with the awkward setup and amount of onset required to make them playable.

Early zero-torque or toe-up models from each of the major manufacturers often required a significant and fairly unnatural forward press grip in order to sit square. Odyssey's new S2S Tri-Hot line has been introduced as a solution to this, and so I took the classic #7 model onto the course to see if this is truly the case.

The #7 is one of three putters in the new S2S Tri-hot lineup (4 if you include the Jailbird Cruiser option), all of which are designed with the brand’s philosophy in mind - "We've moved Zero Torque Forward". This has been achieved through a complex multi-material construction head, unlocking the ability to have the shaft enter the head far closer the the face.

From using lightweight aluminum and steel as well as over 140 grams of tungsten (which is a lot!), Odyssey moved the CG so far forward that over 80 percent of the weight now sits below the topline of the putter. To produce a putter that has zero torque, the shaft must be positioned directly above the center of gravity, creating what is otherwise known as a toe-up balance point.

With the head weight so far forward, the shaft can also enter the head right above the topline, meaning these putters look much more like conventional center-shafted putters rather than zero-torque putters at address. This is something that has bothered me with other zero-torque putters I have tested, so when I first looked down on the putters in this range, I was extremely excited to test them out.

At address, the difference is night and day from the previous S2S range. The putter just sits perfectly square and flush to the ground with no manipulation, and the red and black color scheme looks really clean thanks to the matte finish. This new, cleaner look is a huge visual upgrade and makes alignment effortless, particularly in the #7 shape that I tested.

The "fangs" are already a superb alignment tool, but combined with the new cross-hair system, I found it very straightforward to set up to my intended target. The reduction in shaft lean meant I wasn’t fixated on my hand positioning, and I could just let the putter fall into place, and I was good to go.

The feel is the other major story (and upgrade) over the previous Square 2 Square design, thanks to a new Ai-dual insert that is noticeably softer and more responsive than the previous generation. It truly brought back the nostalgia of the original White Hot insert and how cushioned that felt.

This AI-designed, dual-layer insert has a soft outer layer and a firm inner layer, creating a soft, yet responsive sensation. It gives you the plush feel of urethane but with a positive, responsive roll. This is largely down to the new F.R.D. Groove Design, which gets the ball turning end-over-end immediately, thanks to grooves that are positioned at a 19° angle to promote forward roll and consistency.

The entire putter gives off a premium aura, and while they do come to retail at a fairly premium price point ($549/£499), everything I saw and felt when testing goes a long way to justifying it given how many shots are hit with a putter during a round.

The whole lineup features a heavier and stiffer Black SL 120 shaft and a new Pistol Plus grip, which I was a massive fan of. It sat in my hands perfectly and reminded me of a Super Stroke Pistol 2.0 - another putter grip I’ve used regularly over the past few years.

The S2S Tri-Hot #7 and the other putters in the lineup get a double thumbs up from me. It takes the cheat-code stability of "zero torque" and puts it into an intuitive, great-feeling, and confidence-inspiring package that finally feels natural at address and produced a consistent performance when I put it to the test out on the course.

Few brands have a zero torque putter line-up quite like PXG. The new Mustang ZT is the fourth in the family, joining the Bat Attack ZT, Allan ZT and Hellcat ZT. But what is a zero torque putter, I hear you ask? The premise of a zero torque putter is a relatively simple one. Essentially, it is a design that allows the face of the putter to stay square relative to the path of your stroke rather than the natural opening and closing of the face that traditional putters tend to encourage.

The new Mustang is one of the best zero-torque putters that isn't a mallet design. Indeed, it sits somewhere between an Anser and a fang shape. Milled from 303 stainless steel, it's got the classic Anser-style shape, with mini wings on each bumper offering a little more stability than the Hellcat ZT, and something visually a little different, too.

Behind the ball, despite it being an Anser-style shape, I found it very easy to line up. A small, white alignment line runs through the rear of the chassis (though not all the way up to the front edge), while a very pronounced leading edge makes it easy to make sure the face is square to target.

I tested the Mustang ZT out at Scottsdale National Golf Club on greens that can only be described as quick. Running at 11.5 on the stimp meter, it was a long way from the fluffy autumnal greens I'm used to here in the UK. The Mustang benefits from PXG's ultra-thin face, measuring at 0.055 inches. This is coupled with the brand's now-signature Pyramid Face Pattern, which is engineered to provide consistent interaction with golf ball dimples and enhance initial ball skid and roll.

This is certainly one of the firmer feeling putters on the market, one that was quite a jump from the Spider Tour X I've been using for the better part of two years now. Compared to that, the Mustang feels a little harsh, but I am comparing it to one of the softest putter inserts on the market here, versus a milled model. If you miss the face's centre, you know about it. For those with a confident, repeatable stroke, this is valuable to help you understand where you went right (or wrong) at the point of contact. For those without that luxury, finding much rhythm with a putter that lets you know when you've messed up can be tough.

During my testing, I holed precisely nothing from distance, but felt bulletproof inside 8-10ft. To me, this is where zero torque putters come into their own. Those who struggle holing important putts from short distances should look to at least try a style of putter like this. I found distance control tough with the firm face, but hopefully I can learn to better myself with the putter from distance - and perhaps I hadn't adjusted all that well to the fast greens at Scottsdale National.

I was custom fit for my Mustang ZT, and there are plenty of ways to help dial this putter in. Whether it's through length, the adjustable weights in the sole or by tweaking lie angle, I'd recommend stopping by for a fitting for this putter to make sure it is just right for you, rather than going stock.

I'd heard about the 'reverse honeymoon' period that some experience when trying a zero-torque putter for the first time. This is the phenomenon whereby you actually get a little worse with your new putter before it gets better, all while you get used to the sensation of zero torque. Normally, this is due to the unique looks of some of the best zero-torque putters, but the design of the Mustang doesn't scream zero torque, despite the 1° of forward press pre-built in. Despite the disguised looks, I suspect, having only used it for three rounds thus far, I am in the reverse honeymoon phase with the Mustang ZT.

If you're an Anser-style or traditional blade fan, and have yet to be won over by the plethora of mallet zero torque putters, the Mustang ZT (which is a more premium offering compared to the Hellcat ZT) should be on your list of putters to try. Don't expect immediate results, but those who persist should reap the rewards from this well-crafted and unique putter design.

It’s not often in the golf equipment space that a new brand emerges with a product that genuinely challenges core industry thinking, but that is precisely what Sausage Golf has done with the Boudin Noir putter.

In fact, such is the buzz around the Boudin Noir, I honestly don’t think I have ever been contacted as much on social media, being asked to get hold of a new product and put it through its paces.

Born from a unique background of golf passion and precision yacht design in the Côte d’Azur, this putter is an engineering statement. As an equipment tester, it is incredibly refreshing to test a product that is so different and has been approached from such a unique thought process and angle. So, let’s see if the Boudin Noir can scare some of the best putters in the game…

The Boudin Noir’s technology centers entirely on modularity and player flexibility, a concept that is patent pending.

The putter head, machined from aerospace-grade 6061 aluminium and finished in a sleek anodised matte black, features an interchangeable shaft module system, allowing the golfer to change the entire torque profile of the putter to their stroke preference, switching between toe hang, face balanced, or low torque configurations.

There will be some people out there (I can think of a couple of putter coaches I know for sure) who will argue it is frivolous or unnecessary to have a putter that can be moved into three different torque profiles, claiming players only fit into one specific style. I happen to entirely disagree with that sentiment.

I don't think a required torque profile for a golfer's putting stroke is like someone's DNA or fingerprint; I believe it is far more fluid than that and can alter with a slight technique change or simply organically over time.

I also think it is a fantastic option for players to be able to dip in and out of slightly different torque profiles and even looks, without having to purchase an entirely new putter, and all while maintaining all other variables like grip, length, weight, and overall aesthetic.

Be honest, who among you hasn’t come off a round of golf having holed absolutely nothing and wished you could change things up a little with the putter? With the Boudin Noir, you can do precisely that, and crucially for me, without the added complication of affecting variables such as different lengths, swing weights, total weights, lie angles, and lofts that often occur by switching putters.

Heck, you can even switch from right to left-handed if it’s really drastic!

The process of changing the screws over is, in truth, a touch fiddly, as you need to fully remove them and hold onto them while moving parts about; however, it took even someone like me with clumsy 'sausage fingers' less than two minutes each time. Hardly a big ask for the benefit of three putters in one.

The overall aesthetic is superb, featuring a fully ‘blacked out’ look with the head, shaft, and grip. The head is beautifully finished with soft curves on all the edges, which look fantastic. Due to the flat crown, it sits beautifully flush with the ground, promoting real confidence and stability at address.

The alignment cues are both brilliantly simple and visually effective in equal measure. A white line parallel to the face pops superbly against the all-black finish of the rest of the putter, and there is also a solid flange line forming a T-shape for those who prefer rear alignment.

Due to it being made from the same 6061 aluminium as L.A.B. putters, the basic feel is very similar. However, there is a touch more of a vibration and ringing to the strike of the Boudin Noir, possibly due to the minuscule air gaps that will inevitably be present from the modular design. That is in no way a criticism, I actually really liked the feel, giving the Boudin Noir potentially a touch more life to it at strike than the L.A.B. feel (which I also really like in fairness).

In its 'low torque' setting, as Sausage Golf calls it, it features a two-degree forward shaft lean, and Sausage has cleverly added a small white dot on the base of the grip that needs to line up with the white bar of the leading edge for it to play its true loft and shaft lean.

I have to say, I absolutely love the modular putter concept, and it has been brilliantly executed here. This putter is not just one for the tinkerer or hobbyist; it is absolutely a high-quality putter in its own right, even without factoring in the clever modular design.

The Boudin Noir delivers on looks, performance, stability, and an exceptional feel.

I think and hope that modular design could well be here to stay, giving golfers unprecedented control over their most personal club.

In a world of mass-produced golf equipment, T Squared Putters offers an alternative rooted in precision and passion. Born in a family-owned machine shop south of Buffalo, NY, founder Tony Tuber and his father craft their putters with an obsessive attention to detail. With a lineup that includes everything from timeless blades to modern, high-MOI mallets, like the TS-1104 that I put to the test, and a full custom program, T-Squared provides golfers the opportunity to own a truly master-crafted putter.

From an aesthetic standpoint, the T-Squared TS-1104 putter presents a clean, minimalist design, featuring chrome screws that contrast with the satin black body. While this can be interpreted as ‘cheap’, it’s actually a style that I enjoy. The shape of the putter is a ‘fang’ mallet-style putter, similar to that of the Scotty Cameron 5.5 or the Toulon Las Vegas H1 25 - some of the best putters on the market, albeit with slightly elongated wings.

The hosel features a flow neck design engineered to produce 30° of toe hang through a patented ‘Built-Not-Bent’ technology. Speaking to Tony Tuber, he states, “We can achieve toe-hang and face balance on any of our putter models while getting the golfer their desired loft and lie without compromising the integrity of the club.” When out on the golf course testing this putter, I felt it sat down behind the ball beautifully and swung with superb balance throughout my stroke.

While choice is abundant when fully customizing a T-Squared Putter, even when selecting a ‘stock’ model, you have the choice of head color, neck color, and alignment aids. I opted for the dual alignment system, which sees a small line on the top of the head, alongside a line on the flange.

I was a little sceptical that this might get me focusing too much on my mechanics throughout the stroke, but instead, matching up the lines gave me full confidence in my setup and allowed me to make a free stroke while focusing on my pace.

Truth be told, I was expecting a slightly softer feel from the TS-1104 putter due to the fairly deep milling on the 6061 aircraft-grade aluminium insert, and while it wasn’t necessarily firm, it wasn’t as soft as other milled putters I have tested this year. The sound through impact is also something that caught me off guard, with the TS-1104 putter producing a fairly loud ‘tinny’ sound - reminiscent of an original Ping anser.

I have traditionally always played a milled putter, whether that be a mallet or blade style putter, but for some reason, I really struggled with my pace control when testing the T-Squared TS-1104 putter. I do think part of the reason would be the firmer feel and higher-pitched sound, as well as the large Flat-Cat putter grip, I’m sure, was also a factor.

I actually liked how this grip sat in my hands, and with a little more time to get used to it, I think it could really help my game, but where I’ve previously gravitated towards using a standard pistol grip, I just felt as though I lost a good amount of feel.

The grip did, however, help with alignment on the shorter putts, and I felt as though I could barely miss from inside 8ft. The dual alignment system worked perfectly in setting up my putter at my target, although I did find it slightly odd to look down on when putting on severe slopes where the lines didn’t match up.

Overall, I was genuinely impressed by the looks, weighting, and overall performance of a T-Squared putter. I wouldn’t quite put them on the same pedestal as some other premium putter brands in terms of their sound and feel, but it was clear that once you get a T-Squared putter in your hands, you can tell how meticulously crafted these putters are.

Retailing at $499, these putters are a pretty serious investment, and you have to be certain about making your custom color and alignment choices, as well as being sure you prefer a firmer feel and slightly louder sound through impact.

L.A.B. Golf putters have taken the golf world by storm over the past couple of years and while the shaping of the original models was a little unconventional, the OZ.1i was the shape that first started luring people into trying their patented Lie Angle Balance Technology.

While the OZ.1i presents itself in a more compact, mid-mallet shape, the thing I feel deters golfers from moving into one of the L.A.B. putters is the fact that they are all center-shafted. Or at least they were, until now.

If you’ve been wanting to try the technology on offer from a zero-torque putter but haven’t been able to overlook the funky aesthetics, the new L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i HS may just be what you’ve been waiting for. Featuring the same aluminium body as the original OZ.1i, the name HS stands for the fact that this putter is heel shafted.

This new look is something I absolutely love and is certainly a design that I think will get golfers who prefer a traditional-looking putter, tempted into trying this zero torque design. L.A.B. has managed to achieve this look while making sure the putter still stays balanced to the lie angle by using what the brand is calling a proprietary aluminium riser.

This riser is available in 10 configurations, ranging from 64° to 74°, to allow for complete customization on each golfer’s individual lie angle. When on the L.A.B. Golf website, golfers will be able to choose other design features for their putter, such as weight, head color, alignment markings, shaft, shaft lean, and grip.

Since the aluminium riser enters the head towards the heel, the top line along the head is much thinner and offers a slightly shorter alignment aid above the head compared to the regular OZ.1i model. This is something that I actually like and allows you to see the whole face at address.

From a performance standpoint, I saw much of the same as when I tested the original OZ.1i - a putter which I considered one of the best putters released in 2025. The fly-milled 303 stainless steel insert provides a solid feel with plenty of feedback, something you would expect from a premium milled putter.

Due to the heel-shafted design suiting my eye a lot more than the standard OZ.1i design, I felt more confident when standing over the ball and subsequently found I was holing a lot of putts inside the 10ft range.

I noticed that my distance control was also much more solid than with other L.A.B. putters I have tested. I’m not entirely sure why this would be, but I felt the HS design just offered a smidge more forgiveness on off-center strikes compared to the standard center shafted design.

For those who haven’t used a putter with shaft lean before, it’s something you have to play around with and become comfortable with over time. I’ve recently been using a more conventional putter design, so when testing the OZ.1i HS, which has 2° of shaft lean and a press grip, I found it took a good 30 minutes on the putting green to get comfortable and back in a good setup before I hit the course.

Overall, the sound and feel of the L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i HS was very familiar and similar to that of the original OZ.1i due to the use of the same head materials both on the body and the face. The updated aesthetics gave me a confidence boost behind the ball, and I felt the head framed the ball much better than the original model, thanks to the heel-shafted design. This new model is perfect for those who want to try the latest invention in putter technology, while keeping a fairly traditional look at address.

The L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i HS putter is now available online and at authorized retailers. The stock model comes to retail at $499 with custom models starting at $599.

The PXG Hellcat ZT is the third zero torque putter released by PXG, following on from the Allan and the Bat Attack ZT. This new model features an enlarged blade design, as opposed to the two large mallet footprints of the other models, and comes to retail for $200 less ($249/£239).

So, the question is, is the performance still on a similar level to some of the best putters on the market, considering the substantial savings? I recently took it out on the golf course to find out.

Before diving into the performance, it’s worth touching more on the aesthetics of this putter, and for me, this is a real mixed bag. I like the simplicity of the design down behind the ball and the fact that PXG is finally offering a zero torque blade model, similar to that of the Bettinardi Antidote SB1 putter.

However, I can’t help but think the chrome detailing on the sole, contrasting with the satin head, just looks a little cheap compared to the gorgeous matte black finish on the Allan and Bat Attack ZT models.

PXG has stuck with the same S-hosel design in the Hellcat ZT that was first used in the Allan putter and negates torque without the shaft directly running into the central position in the head. I think this provides a clean look at the address and doesn’t obstruct your view of the sightline, which I heavily rely on when putting. This hosel also incorporates a 1° forward shaft lean, which allows the 4° loft on the head to play at 3° (the standard loft on most putters at retail).

While I liked how this putter set up and performed from inside 15ft, I struggled with the feel and acoustics of this putter, particularly when striking the putt with a bit of force from outside of 30ft.

Despite the 303 stainless steel head and pyramid face technology that was designed to reduce vibration through surface time and interaction, the Hellcat ZT felt very firm off the face and produced a fairly high-pitched sound through impact, which reminded me of the original Ping Anser.

While hitting a series of putts from varying distances, I just felt as though this putter wasn’t as stable as some of the most forgiving putters on the market or the other putters in the PXG zero torque stable. Miss-struck putts resulted in putts falling quite a long way short of their intended target, and meant I was having to hoover up a lot of five-footers for par. Luckily, it was over the shorter, somewhat uncomfortable putts where I thought this putter performed well.

The larger box-style grip is rather unconventional, but once you get used to how it fits in your palms, you notice how quiet it keeps your wrists and hands during the stroke, allowing you to simply aim and rock your shoulders. If you get nervous over those putts inside 5ft, then the Hellcat ZT would very much be worth considering.

Overall, I think the PXG Hellcat ZT is right up there with some of the best zero torque putters on the market and is a good option for those wanting a zero torque putter that still somewhat resembles a standard blade-style putter at address. What it lacks in stability, it makes up for in precision, and so if knocking the ball in from close range is your kryptonite, then the Hellcat ZT should be added to your shopping list this summer.

As the putter tester at Golf Monthly, I’m always excited when manufacturers release limited-edition products, particularly when they boast truly standout designs. I had previously seen the Odyssey Ai-One Giraffe Beam putters online, when some had been spotted on the DP World and Asian Tours, and so when I heard they were coming to retail in the UK and US, I knew I had to get my hands on one. These putters look the part, but how do they perform on the greens? I took the Giraffe Beam Jailbird Mini out on the golf course to find out if it can be considered one of the best putters on the market.

Right out of the gate, the Jailbird Mini shape immediately felt familiar, having used this shape a couple of times. It's a classic Odyssey design, but the "Mini" sizing is perfect – compact enough to encourage putting with feel, but still offering that iconic and popular look. What really caught my eye, and immediately made alignment a breeze, was the Versa alignment system. I find the contrasting sections running parallel to the face make it extremely easy to set the face square to your target at address.

There are a few things that make this putter stand out from the standard Ai-One putter range. The standout feature has to be the Giraffe Beam Hosel. This longer plumber's neck hosel design is genius and is what gives the putter its name. I love the traditional, aesthetically-pleasing look of a crank hosel design, but you get that with the performance benefits of a face-balanced putter. For someone like me who has a putting stroke with minimal face rotation and arc, this is a dream come true. The putter naturally stays square through the stroke, which translated into more putts starting on their intended line. It also rivalled the stability of any of the best mallet putters I have recently tested.

Speaking of performance, the Ai-One insert is something that impresses me every time I use a putter with it. Odyssey’s use of Artificial Intelligence to create an insert with variable face thickness and to promote consistent ball speed, even on mishits, is truly impressive. I noticed a remarkable consistency in ball speed, even on putts hit slightly out of the heel and toe. That means fewer putts coming up short or rolling too far past the hole and minimizing the chances of three-putting. Plus, they've co-molded it with the classic White Hot Urethane design, so you get that buttery, soft feel that we all love. As is the case with all of the Ai-One putters, you can actually see the unique topology of the insert through the Ai Window, which is made from a unique automotive-grade polymer. It's a nice touch that showcases the tech within.

The SL 90 Shaft is another subtle but significant innovation that makes a big difference in the putter's performance. It's a lightweight steel shaft that possesses a counterbalance weight (20-30 grams depending on the grip) in the butt end. This helps promote a smoother, more controlled stroke, and I felt like it really helped my tempo and pace control, particularly on putts from outside 30ft.

Finally, the aesthetics are something to behold. The putter boasts a beautiful copper PVD finish. This finish, contrasted with the white on the rest of the head, provides a look that will certainly grab attention as soon as you remove the headcover. If you look closely, there’s a subtle giraffe pattern on the sole that ties into the "Giraffe Beam" name. The shaft band, grip, and headcover also feature giraffe print with copper and gold tones, which only add to the premium finish of this limited-edition flatstick.

Overall, the Odyssey Ai-One Giraffe Beam Jailbird Mini ($399/£339) is a superb putter for golfers who prefer a face-balanced design with the look of a traditional plumber's hosel and have a stroke with minimal face rotation. The combination of the consistent Ai-One insert, the stable SL 90 shaft, and the stunning copper finish makes this a truly impressive piece of engineering. I'm genuinely excited to keep testing this product and see if I can hole even more putts. If you think one of these may be good for your game or it will simply look great as a collectible in the office or at home, you’ll want to move quickly, as these are likely to fly off the shelf!

The TaylorMade Spider Tour putter has seen resounding success across all professional tours and is widely regarded as one of the best putters on the market, but how will the new Spider 5K-ZT putter stack up against other zero torque putter models? I took it out onto the golf course to analyse its performance.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Spider 5K-ZT is the electric blue premium headcover and, while it may sound odd, I think that sets the tone for the rest of the putter. Peel this headcover off and you’re left with one of the most eye-catching putters I have tested this year. The reimagined Spider logo and scripting look superb on the sole of this cleverly-designed putter and the blue contrasts perfectly against the silver and black body of the putter. The name of the putter stands for 5K MOI, making it one of the most forgiving putters money can buy, and the 'ZT' indicates that it is a zero torque putter.

The toe-up design of this putter has been crafted through 303 stainless steel in the front and a low-density 6061 aluminum in the back. By moving the CG and weight forward, it allowed the TaylorMade R&D team to actually place the shaft closer to the face (only 25mm behind), reducing the on-set and therefore the putter only needs 1° of shaft lean, compared to some competitors that have up to 3°. I think this will be a big factor when it comes to golfers who have used traditional putters and want to move into the zero torque market, as it looks far more familiar than the likes of the L.A.B. DF3 or Odyssey Square 2 Square Max 1.

With how successful the Spider Tour putter has been over the past couple of years in the hands of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Nelly Korda it would have been nonsensical for TaylorMade to have made drastic changes when introducing the 5K-ZT model to the family. As a result, many of the same features remain. The 5K-ZT boasts the Pure Roll insert as well as a milled version of the True Path alignment aid. The milling, which is the exact width of a golf ball, alongside a top sightline, particularly impressed me, framing the ball well at address and had me holing my fair share of putts from inside 15ft.

The Pure Roll insert gets the ball hugging the surface much quicker than standard milled putters, which, for the most part, is a great thing but if you’re not used to this, then it will take a couple of practice sessions or rounds for you to gauge your pace on the greens. I struggled with the distance control on my first nine holes using this putter, however, it improved significantly as the round progressed.

As someone who has traditionally played a putter with a lot of toe-flow, I found I missed a lot of putts to the right, purely due to the fact I was naturally opening the face up throughout the stroke and not able to close it back down through impact, so I do think this putter would lend itself better to those who already use either a mallet of face balanced putter.

While some of the tech has remained the same, the new and improved sole camber has made a huge difference. The putter seemed to rest in a far more neutral position behind the ball and feels as though it lies flat against the ground, regardless of your set-up style. This helped to address the ball consistently and is one of the main reasons why I had a lot of confidence when using this putter.

The TaylorMade Spider 5K-ZT is certainly one of the best-looking putters on the market and I think will gain a lot of traction from players on tour who currently play a Spider, but may want to delve into the zero torque putter space. The soft yet spring-like feeling from the face will take some getting used to, but I think this, combined with the large, confidence-inspiring head, will appeal to all golfers, from high-handicappers and beginners to better players looking to improve their performance on the greens.

The regular Spider 5K-ZT (£449) will be available in lengths of 33”, 34” and 35” but will also be offered in counterbalance options as well as a long-design option. The TaylorMade Spider 5K-ZT putters will be available to pre-order from May 29th and for purchase in stores and online from June 19th.

The zero torque putter space seems to be perpetually building momentum and PXG is the latest brand to add to its offering in this particular niche. The Bat Attack ZT putter offers the brand's popular winged mallet shape in a zero torque design. But how will it compare to some of the best putters on the market? I took it out onto the golf course to find out.

The Allan putter was PXG’s first zero torque design, and while I enjoyed the feel off the face and I thought it was extremely easy to align, I just couldn’t quite get comfortable with the looks of the large mallet head. The Bat Attack ZT possesses the same S-hosel as the Allan, ensuring the shaft axis sits directly above the CG to create a toe-up balance point that resists any twisting of the head throughout the stroke.

Because of the unique hosel design, this putter boasts a rather unfamiliar look at address, and I think that is amplified through the 5° of loft the putter has as standard. The shaft lean combined with forward press grip then allows you to set your hands in the correct position, and therefore has the putter play closer to 3° of loft which comes as standard on most traditional.

After rolling a few long-distance putts, I loved how soft the ball felt off the face, even when I had to give the putt a firm hit uphill, and noticed my distance control was very good, often rolling the ball within ‘gimme’ range from 40ft. The Bat Attack ZT features the brand's S-COR technology, which gives this soft sensation. A 303 stainless steel hollow body design has a proprietary lightweight polymer injected behind the ultra-thin face to help dampen vibrations and provide one of the softest feels from any putter I have tested this year. Naturally, this will change depending on what golf ball you use, but that is what I felt with the TaylorMade TP5 that I tested this putter with.

From inside the 15ft mark, I found the Bat Attack ZT to be fairly reliable. The single dot on top of the face, followed by a long line through the flange, offers a nice combination of alignment aids that I thought helped provide a center-strike more often than not - which is where the best zero torque putters often excel. I did find sometimes that I couldn’t quite square the face up through impact on down-hill, quicker putts, but I think that’s down to the fact I have been using a blade putter that offers a lot of face rotation.

Overall, I think the PXG Bat Attack ZT putter offers a premium aesthetic that is matched with very solid performance from all distances on the greens. While the looks and design of this putter may take a little bit of time to get used to, I do feel that golfers struggling with their performance on the greens would benefit from adding one of these putters to their bag. The soft face will help with distance control, and the zero torque technology will help eliminate any extra wrist movement that may alter the path or face. At $449/£429, these putters are towards the higher end of the price spectrum, but the premium components and performance I saw while testing, I feel, justify the price tag.

Despite having released the majority of its Square 2 Square putter range towards the back end of 2024, Odyssey has just extended the family with the most stable putter yet. The Ai-One Square 2 Square Max 1 putter is one of the largest putters on the market, but does that equate to it being one of the most forgiving putters money can buy? I put it through its paces on the putting green and out on the golf course to see if this is a putter you should consider if you’re struggling on the greens.

The Square 2 Square putter family certainly divides opinion when it comes to looks but I think that’s just zero torque putters as a whole. The center-shafted design and on-set nature of these putters certainly take a little getting used to. That said, the Max 1 putter raises eyebrows due to its branding iron-style shape which, it has to be said, resembles that of the popular L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter.

While I’m someone who has typically always gravitated towards a blade putter design, I liked how the Square 2 Square Max 1 putter sat at address and framed the ball. The head itself dwarfs the ball a little, but the single sightline at the front of the head really helped me set the putter up precisely alongside the alignment mark on my ball. For those seeking even more help with aiming the putter, the Max 1 Stripe is worth considering. It features the same head as the Max 1, just with the addition of the Versa 90 alignment technology, which sees a white strip run from the face to the rear of the putter.

The thing I was most surprised by with the Square 2 Square Max 1 putter was how well weighted it felt and how smoothly it swung. The Strokelab shafts that have been used in previous Odyssey putters continue in the Max 1, and alongside the Ai-One smart face, the two dramatically helped with distance control on longer putts. I ran through a series of long putting tests on the putting green, dialling in my pace, and felt as though this putter took hardly any time to get used to.

The Ai-One smart face has been designed thanks to thousands of data points collected to determine where golfers are regularly striking the ball on the putter face. The face is then designed with varying thickness to allow the ball to bounce from the face at the same speed, regardless of whether that’s from the middle of the face, towards the heel or the toe.

When testing putters, I usually find those that are better at controlling speed from long range aren’t quite as accurate when used nearer the hole, but the Square 2 Square Max 1 excelled when I was faced with what I would call ‘makeable’ putts. Because of the larger mallet head and zero torque design, you have to be assured on where you’re aiming as the face doesn’t want to deviate throughout the stroke. However, once you’ve nailed down your reads on the green, you’ll likely see yourself become a lot more consistent from putts inside 10ft.

At $399/£369 the Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Max 1 putter is what I would consider great value for money. Considering the price of some of the best putters on the market at the moment, this putter falls in the middle ground in regards to price, but when you consider the amount of technology packed within this putter and how well it performed from long and short range, I think it’s well worth the investment.

Scotty Cameron putters are some of the most sought-after on the market, and with the release of the new Studio Style line, the desire to own one of these putters may have just reached new heights. With twelve models in the 2025 Studio Style family, there is a shape and style for everyone but it was the Squareback model that caught my eye. So I took it out on the course to put it through its paces and see if it could be truly considered one of the best putters on the market.

The Studio Style Squareback is one of the mid-mallet models available in the range, offering a slightly larger footprint compared to the more rounded Fastback model. From a looks standpoint, the Squareback is much more linear in design and that is accentuated through the use of a new high-contrast, multi-material alignment system. This is a form of alignment technology that has been used by other brands and is something that I feel really helps line the face up square to my target at address, instilling a lot of confidence before I make my stroke.

Aside from the new technology and top sight line, the Studio Style Squareback putter boasts the same premium look golfers have come to expect from Scotty Cameron putters. Made from 303 stainless steel and 6061 Aircraft aluminum, these putters look and feel exceptional and all feature an adjustable dual-weighting system on the sole for those that like to get dialled in to the nth degree.

New for this Studio Style range is the chain-link face milling. which has been implemented to provide a softer feel and sound through impact. This is not only done through a deeper milling pattern, reducing the amount of face on the ball and therefore reducing vibration through the head, but also because it is crafted from carbon steel - a much softer metal than stainless steel.

So how did this putter perform when I put it to the test? Very well. In fact, I was so impressed with the feel and how it framed the ball at address, it’s a contender for my bag this season. The softer insert face provided a beautiful sensation off the face which meant my distance control was above average from putts in the 30-50ft range and the chain-link milling got the ball rolling on the green almost immediately after leaving the face.

It was the shorter putts where I felt the Studio Style Squareback shone. The copious amounts of alignment aids and sharp-lines on this putter helped with my initial aim and starting the ball on line almost every time. The angular design almost forced me to putt on a straighter arc, which is perfect for those using the single bend shaft option but if you opt for the plumber's neck option, you’ll find the face open and close on a stronger arc.

One of the most underappreciated aspects when it comes to buying a putter is the grip and that’s something that Scotty Cameron certainly hasn’t overlooked. The new pistol grip on offer with all of the new Studio Line putters sat in my hands very comfortably and the flat front edge allowed my thumbs to run straight down the shaft and keep my hands in a neutral position throughout the stroke.

If you’re in the market for a new putter and want a combination of the feel that some of the best blade putters offer and the stability of some of the most forgiving putters, then the Scotty Cameron Studio Style Squareback putter is one that you should be checking out. These putters do come with a fairly punchy price tag of $499/£449, but considering the addition of new technology both from a visual standpoint and with the new tour-inspired face, I do feel as though these putters are worth splashing the cash on.

New releases of blade putters have been few and far between over the past six months, with zero torque putters seemingly demanding the spotlight followed closely by traditional mallets. The majority of these putters have been presented in larger head designs that some may feel aren't the most aesthetically pleasing, so I was delighted to see Bettinardi had released a more blade-like zero torque putter in the shape of the Antidote SB1 putter.

While putter trends come and go, I do feel like zero torque putters are here to stay and so seeing more compact head shapes introduced into a brand's lineup, such as the Antidote SB1 ($430), is what I think will have more golfers tempted into trying the new concept. While I understand these specific putters are designed to make putting easier by keeping the face square to the path, they certainly take a while to get used to how they look and perform.

To create a zero torque putter, the shaft axis has to run directly through the CG placement. This has resulted in most of the putters benefitting from this technology to be center-shafted with a good amount of onset. While I can’t say I’m a huge fan of this look, the Bettinardi Antidote SB1 oozes a level of class thanks to the precision milling and diamond blast finish across the head.

The ‘T’ alignment aid stood out to me on this putter. Despite being considerably smaller than most of the best zero torque putters, I found it particularly easy to set up to my target and the milled 303 stainless steel face, featuring the Bettinardi F.I.T. (Feel Impact Technology) resulted in an extremely soft feel and sound through impact. Designed by removing 55 percent of the face surface through a deep groove pattern, this putter sees less of the ball hit the face at impact, reducing vibrations and therefore producing the remarkably smooth feel that you would expect from a premium milled putter.

My distance control was superb with this putter, particularly from 30-plus feet. This surprised me a little as I’ve found there is often not as much forgiveness on off-center hits with center-shafted putters, particularly those as compact as the Antidote SB1, but this was right up there with some of the most forgiving putters I have tested. I struggled a little more from inside 15 feet, but I’m putting that down to slower, winter greens and the extremely soft feel from the face. I felt as though I had the right line on a lot of putts, yet struggled a little getting the ball to the hole.

Overall, I was really impressed with what the Bettinardi Antidote SB1 putter had to offer. A zero-torque blade putter design, complemented by stunning aesthetics and the precision milling we’ve come to expect of a Bettinardi putter. For those seeking a mixture of looks, feel and performance with the latest in putter technology, the Bettinardi Antidote SB1 is a great option.

Karsten Solheim first designed the Ping Anser putter back in 1966 and it has grown to become one of the most iconic putter models of all time. Such is the case that when golfers talk about blade putters, the words ‘Anser-style’ are often used to describe their appearance. The new Ping Scottsdale Anser Putter carries on the familiar shape but features some new technology said to improve the feel and help golfers hole more putts.

While I’ve dabbled in the mallet and zero-torque putter space trying to find my gamer for this year, I always seem to revert back to a blade as I prefer both the looks and feel on offer. However, to make sure I got the perfect Scottsdale putter for me, I used the Ping WebFit Putter app, which gets you to answer a series of questions about what you look for in a putter, such as shape, weight, feel and your regular miss. From here, you’re given your top three matches and of course, mine came out as the Anser!

There are 9 models in the Ping Scottsdale family, ranging from counter-balance mallets, to mid-mallets and more blade offerings, so you can be rest assured, no matter what shape you prefer, there is something in the range for you.

As you would expect, the Ping Scottsdale Anser boasts the same classic profile as all the other iterations that came before. You wouldn't repaint the Mona Lisa, would you? The smooth shoulders fall onto rounded bumpers at the rear, creating a traditional and timeless look behind the ball at address. I feel as though this model is slightly thicker than say the Anser PLD putter and while I’m someone who typically prefers either a sight dot or alignment cues at all, the white line stands out nicely against the black nickel finish. The electric blue on the sole and surrounding the bottom of face slightly cheapens the look in my opinion, but that’s a matter of personal preference.

The topline on this putter is a darker grey, which blends nicely with the black nickel body yet is prominent enough to help with alignment of the putter face. Where the looks differ from the PLD models, so does the feel. The new one-piece Pebax insert is one of the softest feeling faces on any putter I have ever tested. While I can imagine this is perfect for those playing on faster greens, it certainly took some getting used to on the slower greens I'm currently facing. My only qualm with the new insert is the lack of grooves, which meant when moisture, sand or any dirt got between the ball and the face, the feel and roll looked a little inconsistent at times.

As expected from a blade putter, my feel and distance control were superb with this putter. Most of the putts I hit during my round from outside of 30ft I managed to roll within three feet of the hole, meaning I was able to escape every one without having a three-putt. I wasn't as solid from inside 15ft using the Anser, largely down to the line on the flange of the putter. As mentioned earlier, I prefer to use putters with no alignment feature or just a dot as a central reference. I find myself putting with too much of a straight arc when using a larger line on the putter and therefore don't open and close the face properly. But this is of course player dependent and there's a case for the majority of players to benefit from having the line there.

One thing to note if you’re considering pulling the trigger on this beautiful-looking putter is the fact it’s certainly on the lighter side of putters I have recently tested. It’s balanced well with a new SuperStroke 2.0 Pistol Tour grip, which allows for a comfortable hold, yet with a head weight of 345g it’s 15g lighter than the likes of the Kevin Burns 9307 putter - another blade putter I have recently tested.

Overall, I think the Ping Scottsdale Anser putter is a great option for anyone considering upgrading their bladed flatstick. It offers a modern take on the iconic Anser blade with some added technology to help the consistency of performance. At $255/£250 these putters are reasonably affordable compared to other recent competitor releases, so for that reason I feel the Ping Scottsdale range offers competitive value for money.

The Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square range has been the brand's entry into the zero-torque putter space. While I enjoyed the performance of the standard Jailbird Square 2 Square model, I was particularly eager to get to the course when the Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Jailbird Cruiser putter landed on my doorstep to see if it could outperform the original and be considered one of the best putters on the market.

While I was skeptical about the benefits of a zero-torque putter, since testing out a few different models I’ve noticed the added consistency in hitting my start line long term, particularly when within 10ft of the hole. I’ve tested all the leading putters released over the past couple of years and the Ai-One range has consistently ranked among the best. The Cruiser range in particular, was extremely stable and forgiving, so when I found out the Square 2 Square was going to be offered in this longer length option, I was excited to see how it performed.

At address, this putter looks the same as the standard length Jailbird Square 2 Square. The larger mallet design with Versa technology frames the ball well and makes lining the putter face up square to your target a breeze thanks to the highly contrasting sections and the three dots near the face.

I found the longer playing length of 38 inches and heavier head weight of 380g made it feel comfortable over the ball. The longer 17” grip allows for a counterbalance weighting and the ability to grip down and hold a putter like you normally would. Not only did I find this helped the tempo of my putting stroke but by keeping the excess grip above my hands pointing back at center of my body, I felt far more locked in and it almost acted as a training aid to help me release the putter correctly through impact.

As stable and solid as this putter felt on the shorter putts, It took some getting used to when putting from range. I’ve always typically played a 34” blade putter, so the larger counterbalance mallet putter felt alien at first but eventually got me rocking my shoulders better than I ever have before. The Ai-One insert with variable face thickness certainly seemed to help with distance control as well, keeping my mishits rolling off the face at a similar speed to my putts hit from the center - my roll out consistency in terms of both distance and accuracy was certainly above average.

In a test to determine which was the most stable zero-torque putter on the market, I took all of the models I had in my possession over to Custom Golf Works in Woking. I was set up on Capto putting technology to hit six putts with each model to get data for the putter face with the least amount face twist relative to the path. Anything within 60°/S is seen as very stable, so as you can see in the chart above, all the latest models performed well but the Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Jailbird Cruiser putter was a clear standout.

The White Hot Urethane insert offers a soft feel through impact, and the little grooves across the face help the ball to roll straight off the face rather than skidding excessively after the strike. While I usually prefer the firmer feeling of a milled putter such as the L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i, the more I got used to the insert, the more the softer feel grew on me and it was to the great detriment of speed.

Out of all of the zero-torque putters, the Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Jailbird Cruiser Putter was by far the most consistent I have tested. At $349, I think this putter offers exceptional value for money and comes to retail for far less than some of it’s competitors. The stability on shorter putts combined with the balance provided on lag putts, makes this putter a must-try if you’re in the market for a new flatstick ahead of the season.

Over the past year, the topic of zero torque putters has dominated the conversation around golf equipment and given the added interest, the majority of established putter makers have launched their own iterations, with Evnroll being one of the latest adopters. To see how the brand's Zero Z5s putter fares compared to some of the best zero-torque putters, I took it out on the golf course to put it through its paces and analyze the performance.

One of the first things that caught my attention about the Zero Z5s was the fact that, unlike the majority of other zero-torque models, this putter isn’t center-shafted. Instead, this putter is designed with a patented reverse offset hosel, which is essentially a plumbers or ‘L’ neck hosel the opposite way around. This then sees the angle of the shaft run directly through the center of gravity (CG) rather than entering the head through it . It does create a slightly odd look down at the address but it’s something your eyes become accustomed to when transitioning between any of the best putters into a zero-torque putter.

The whole idea behind a zero-torque putter is to eliminate twisting and face rotation, keeping the putter face square to the path of your stroke throughout its journey as opposed to opening and closing like most conventional mallet or blade putters. The result should be that putts that start on your intended line more often.

This winged, full-size mallet putter is connected with a back alignment bar, which reminds me a lot of the the Odyssey Jailbird - another putter now offered in a zero-torque option. As you would expect from an Evnroll putter, the Zero Z5s is 100 percent milled from 303 stainless steel and features the brand's SweetFace technology, which sees closely spaced V-shape channels applied across the hitting area so ball speeds remain consistent even on miss-struck putts. However, all of the technology in this putter is reflected in the lofty price tag of $449, so it’s worth testing these putters before you fully commit to making a purchase.

After hitting multiple long-distance putts on the golf course, I was impressed with the consistency of the roll this putter produced and would argue the stability was on par with some of the most forgiving putters on the market. The milled nature of this putter produced an extremely soft feel through impact, which I loved, although the acoustics were slightly louder and more high-pitched than I prefer. I found this to be an odd combination of sound and feel, which took me a while to get used to as I would normally associate a soft feel with a more muted sound but that was not the case with the Zero Z5s.

The Evnroll Zero Z5s is a great option for those seeking a more traditional-feeling putter with the added stability a zero torque putter offers. While I don’t feel as though the alignment features were as strong and prominent as some of the best L.A.B Golf putters, for example, the larger head will certainly inspire confidence when down behind the ball at address.

The Toulon name has been associated with some of the best golf clubs ever made in the last couple of decades, but particularly some of the best putters. After a stint at TaylorMade and seven years with Callaway and Odyssey Golf, Sean Toulon, his eldest son Tony and long-time friend Toru Kamatari, founded Toulon Golf (in partnership with Callaway) in 2023.

Since the first time I ever saw a Toulon putter, I have marvelled at the quality at the craftsmanship on offer and the new 2025 series of putters is no different. I took the Las Vegas H1 model onto the golf course to see if the performance matched the clean aesthetics and to find out if it could be considered one of the best mallet putters on the market.

This putter is by far one of the best-looking putters I have ever seen in recent times, thanks to a new Anthracite finish that has been introduced that provides a real premium look via the charcoal and grey tones. The flashes of racing red and Italian heritage blue give this putter a pop of color to help it stand out on the shelf. I’m always a little skeptical over putters with this style of finish as I’ve tested some in the past where it wears off and can look a little scruffy - only more time will tell if that applies here too but it certainly looks robust and durable on first inspection.

The goal for the Toulon 25 series putters was to create putters that were deemed ‘soft’ in every sense of the word. These putters have been milled from a ultra-soft 304 stainless steel and although the Deep Tuna Face Mill is marginally deeper than the 24’ collection of putters, the Toulon team has incorporated a patented Small Tuna over-mill to ensure a buttery-soft feeling through impact. I recently tested a Kevin Burns 9307 putter with a unique pyramid face design and while I labeled that as the softest milled face I had ever used, the Toulon Las Vegas 25 series putter certainly gives it a run for its money.

It’s not just in the feel off the face where Toulon wants this putter to be regarded as soft, but also in its appearance. The plumbers neck hosel has been refined, there is a slightly more rounded top-line and the edges of the wings on this mallet have been softened, creating a more traditional look. Having tested so many zero torque putters recently, it was a breath of fresh air to look down on something a little more conventional in appearance.

The two weights situated on the sole of the putter help improve ball speed consistency on putts struck away from the center and this was particularly noticeable for me when testing on the slower greens I'm currently putting on where I'm having to hit putts hard, particularly from long range. The milled aluminum sole plate also helps distribute weight toward the perimeter of this putter, increasing the MOI and offering added stability I really noticed when I struck the heel or toe.

While I was impressed with Toulon Las Vegas 25 series when putting from a distance, it was the putts inside 10ft I was most impressed by. The small line on the top of the face was ideal for centering the ball and squaring the face up to my target but the wings at the rear also made aiming the putter correctly seem effortless. While it could have just been a good day on the greens, I feel as though I certainly holed my fair share of putts with this putter in hand.

With an RRP of $600/£599 these putters are certainly more towards the very top end of the price spectrum and while there are similar looking putters much more competitively priced, I believe the expert craftsmanship, feel and aesthetics go a long way to justifying the price-tag. It's just one of those putters you need to experience for yourself before making your mind up on - I'm confident you won't be disappointed!

Kevin Burns entered the golf industry offering club repairs from his Californian garage in 1989 but just two years later he set his sights on designing and creating some of the best putters in the world. While Kevin Burns Golf may not be a household name, the brand has seen plenty of success on tour with the putter used to claim multiple PGA Tour victories and notably the 1999 Masters, where Jose Maria Olazabal used the Signature Series 9304 putter to help slide on the coveted green jacket.

While the company's putter designs and the materials used have moved on a little in the last 25 years, can they be used in another major championship and how do they fare against some of the best putters I have recently tested? I took the 9307 putter to the course to put it through its paces and find out.

While it feels like the majority of putters launched within the last year have been larger mallet putters, I’ve always loved a bladed putter and over the past 15 years of my golfing career, I would say just two of those years I have had a mallet putter in play. It’s purely a matter of personal preference on what suits my eye and feels good in my hands. You may think because of its smaller size creating a good-looking bladed putter would be easy but ensuring the proportions are right with the shoulders, bumpers and blade length is not an easy task. Kevin Burns appears to have mastered this, however, and this 9307 putter may be one of the best-looking wands I’ve ever had the pleasure of looking down on behind the ball.

As someone who relies on the topline of a putter for alignment, I was pleased to see it was fairly thick without shrinking the flange behind the ball. I opted for a single sightline on the top which is one of the options when designing a fully custom build on the Kevin Burns website. There is the ability to choose length, loft, head weight as well as neck style, face style and even logo and engraving options.

These putters are the true definition of custom-built and you can tell from the beautiful precision-milling how much time and effort is spent on each one. As the necks are screwed into the head, you can purchase additional neck styles later down the line if your stroke changes or you want to eliminate a consistent miss without having to purchase a whole new putter.

While I love the concept of this, I can’t help but feel the screw on the bottom detracts from the looks of the sole ever so slightly, resembling the looks of demo putters I have seen in the past. The good news is that from every other angle that matters, while you are playing or looking at the putter, you would have no idea this is the case.

Each putter in the 2025 Kevin Burns putter lineup is precision-milled from a single piece of 303 stainless steel and for an extra $100 you can choose to have the pyramid groove design put on your putter. The brand claims these grooves create the smallest impact ratio of any putter on the market, which promotes a near immediate roll and reduces energy transfer to the ball. The result - probably the best feeling putter I have ever rolled. It’s like butter through impact, impeccably soft and because of the rapid roll rather than any initial skid, my putts seemed to be extremely accurate.

The standard milled version is similar too but still softer than the likes of a Scotty Cameron Newport or Odyssey Ai-One Milled putter, yet slightly more clicky in sound than the pyramid groove design. Burns was the first person to incorporate a copper insert into putters in 1996 and so this new groove design is his modern alternative to create the same feel but in a far more durable design.

I tested putts from all ranges and while I felt as though I was able to hit my start line regularly from inside 15ft, it was the beautiful balance and weighting of the putter that meant my tempo remained consistent and allowed for better distance control with my lag putting. The ability to expertly balance putters goes right back to Kevin’s start in putter design, acting as a pioneer in utilizing tungsten weighting in putters. In his 2024 lineup, the putters feature removable weights so you continue to dial in your putter after purchasing the head. While the 9307 putter doesn’t feature dual-weighting, some of the other blade offerings such as the 9306 do. The toe weight is slightly heavier than the heel weight to ensure the sweet spot is perfectly center-balanced.

It’s been hard to fault the Kevin Burns 9307 putter in any way. The sensational feel and feedback from the face and precise weighting allow for ultimate performance while the exceptional craftsmanship and design of the putters provide an ultra-premium look. The design of my putter came to a total of $599/£484 and while that may seem a lot for a putter, remember on average half our shots taken on the course occur on the greens and the price is comparable with some of the best golf drivers released this year.

The Kalea Gold Spider S putter completes the line up in TaylorMade’s latest range of clubs that are designed by women for women. By enlisting the help of four cohorts of female golfers, they provided feedback on what women like and dislike to help engineers create the best women’s golf clubs for players of all abilities.

I’ve tested the Kalea Gold driver, Kalea Gold fairway wood and Kalea Gold rescue with pleasing results, so I was interested to find out how the putter shaped up against the best women’s putters on the market.

The Kalea Gold putter uses TaylorMade’s popular Spider multi-material construction for a double bend mallet design. This has a large footprint and will initially look a little overwhelming if you’re not used to this type of putter design. It looks striking though, with contrasting colours including a blue body, a silvery grey alignment aid and contrasting colours of dark blue, navy and gold.

I used this putter over a few rounds, first in the US on slick greens, and in the UK on much slower greens in winter conditions. I was pleased how easy I found consistency using this putter from different lengths when adapting to different paced greens.

However, because of my putting style, I had to adjust my hands slightly to prevent the trailing edge from popping up. I had to focus on doing so, but once I’d got used to it, I really enjoyed the solid feel of this putter and the benefits of its high-stability design. This is due to the tungsten weight at the back of the putter that creates a more stable hitting area, so this is what helps to deliver better paced putts with noticeable forgiveness.

I like the sound off the face, which has a white TPU insert with grooves at a 45-degree angle to provide a soft feel and forward roll. Also, the ball is nicely framed by the rectangle shape formed by the cavity and lining up is made easy. The cavity also allows you to pick up the ball, so no bending down is required!

It’s also worth mentioning the grip, which is a SuperStroke Pistol Tour. It’s flat-fronted and has a tacky feel and this contributed to the overall control I felt with this putter in my hands, which obviously helped a number of putts drop into the hole from various distances. All in all, this is a putter worth considering if you struggle with distance control and consistency on the greens.

There’s no denying that zero-torque putters have been the center of attention in the market over the last few years. When I heard Mizuno was releasing a new putter, I automatically assumed it was going to follow suit. I was wrong. In fact, the new Mizuno M.Craft X 6 putter is somewhat revolutionary in its own way.

The Mizuno M.Craft X putter range will come to retail at a fairly punchy $399/£429, which may initially deter a lot of golfers but there is more to this putter and the M.Craft X range than meets the eye. I see a lot of golfers searching for bargains when it comes to a flatstick. Despite putting on average making up at least 50 per cent of our score every round we play, most golfers neglect spending money on a new putter or having a putter fitting, yet will willingly pay a decent sum towards one of the best golf drivers on the market. Well, Mizuno has just introduced a way in which you can now essentially change your putter, without changing your putter - it’s not as complicated as it sounds.

Mizuno has launched the M.Craft X putters - of which there are three mallet models ( the 4, 5 and 6) with customization at the forefront. There are three hosel types - a double-bend, plumber's neck and short slant - to cater to different strokes and alignment preferences. The hosel is attached to the face so ensuring what hosel will suit you best is important before you place your order. The clever part about these putters is despite the face the hosel is not removable from the face, the back of the putters, which provide the shape can be.

Golfers can fine-tune their setup by purchasing additional backs (£100) and weight kits (£40) to dial in their putter to their exact specifications. The backs and weights simply screw out from the sole of the putter and can be reconfigured within a minute. There is the option to also purchase a new face and hosel configuration if, for example, your stroke changes or you want a different look, although this will set you back another £289.

The pick of the bunch for me is the M.Craft X 6 model which is fang shaped, boasting two wings that run perpendicular to the putter face creating a high MOI and stable head while producing the feel of some of the best blade putters. The 4 and 5 models are both more rounded mallets with mildly different slight lines. All the putters possess a fairly deep CNC milled face, forged from a single piece of 1025 steel. I have to say I was expecting a slightly softer feel from the face but instead, they offered more of a ‘clicky’ feel through impact. Feel from a putter face is very much personal preference and many of the best putters that are popular among amateur and professional golfers are a mixture of insert and milled putter faces.

As someone who has played a milled putter face for most of my golfing career, I actually really enjoyed the acoustics and feel the M.Craft X 6 putter produced. I found my distance control was, for the most part, pretty solid and as someone who often struggles with alignment aids on putters, I was delighted by the fact this model had no sight-line on the top of the putter.

The all black heads with black putter shafts give the M.Craft X range a premium, stealthy look that I love and a huge shout out needs to go to the Lamkin Sink Fit grip that not only feels great but has 1906 etched in the pattern - a nice nod to the year Mizuno was founded.

If you’re someone who is looking to upgrade your putter this year and want a solid, robust feeling mallet putter to add to your arsenal, the Mizuno M.Craft X range is worth looking into. If you’re someone like me, who likes to tinker with their putter or try something new, the ability to order a new back piece to change up the look or order some new weights to create a different feel is an innovative solution to having to buy a new putter, which could save you money in the long run.

It’s fair to say that L.A.B. Golf has truly shaken up the golf industry over the past few years since the inception of the DF3 and MEZZ.1 MAX putters. Subsequently, other brands have attempted to create their own version of zero torque, or at least very low torque putters, such as Odyssey with the Square 2 Square range as well as Evnroll and Bettinardi.

While the tech story behind L.A.B. Golf is sound, many golfers struggle to buy into them because of how they look. However, thanks to the introduction of the compact mid-mallet OZ.1i putter, designed in collaboration with Adam Scott, I have a feeling we’re about to see more L.A.B. Golf putters on golf courses than ever before.

As someone who tests some of the best putters in the world, I’ve become fairly picky when it comes to choosing a gamer - a putter that blends style, alignment cues and feel. While I have to admit I was impressed with the Mezz.1 Max putter upon initial testing and how stable the head felt through the stroke, I just felt the all-aluminum face didn’t offer me the sensation that I wanted. When I found out the new OZ model was going to be offered with a milled insert I couldn’t have been more excited to get my hands on one and put it to the test.

While the OZ.1i model is a completely different head shape from anything the brand has created before, it’s also the first time a fly-milled, medium-depth stainless steel insert has been incorporated into the lineup. This enhances the impact experience for me but there will still be the option of the standard full aluminum face for those who prefer a slightly softer feel.

I found the insert provides a lot more feedback than the standard aluminum face. My pace control improved dramatically when using the new OZ.1i, however, this could be largely due to the fact I have used a milled putter face for as long as I can remember and have become accustomed to the ball speed they offer. I tested this putter with my current ball of choice - the 2025 Titleist Pro V1x and loved the clicky acoustics and feel this club and ball combination produced. It reminded me of the likes of a Scotty Cameron Phantom or Odyssey Ai-One Milled putter - widely considered some of the best putters on the market.

It’s not just the face and beautiful half-moon, solid body construction that is new with the L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i putter but also the fact it will be available in a new 0° shaft lean option that helps give golfers a vertical view of the shaft at address. The same 2° shaft lean option with forward press grip that has been available in previous L.A.B. Golf designs remains but if you’re new to the low torque putter game, you may find the 0° option a little more comfortable on the eye. For those unfamiliar with L.A.B. Golf, the shaft enters the head of the putter heads in a way that reduces torque and helps keep the putter face square to the path throughout the stroke.

When first testing putters with built-in shaft lean I found the face appeared fairly closed, which caused me to manipulate my stroke in order to try and hit the target. As soon as I got used to how this looked at address and trusted the design, my stroke became more free and my performance on the greens was better than it had been in a long time.

As always with the best mallet putters, the OZ.1i putter felt extremely well balanced. A big reason behind that is that every L.A.B. Golf putter is meticulously hand-balanced at its HQ in Oregon, so you can rest assured that your putter is being made to the tightest tolerances. This does create a slightly longer lead time than when ordering a stock putter from anywhere else but the precise craftsmanship is worth the wait.

Stock L.A.B. OZ.1i putters are available to purchase via the L.A.B. Golf website for $499. If you want to spice up your putter and add some custom features such as head color, sight lines and aftermarket putter shafts, the starting price for custom orders rises to $599.

When L.A.B. Golf first came to market with its DF (Directed Force) and more recently the DF3 putters, the technology was often overlooked due to the oversized and elaborate footprint. The company certainly took this on board and shortly after released the LINK.1 and then the MEZZ.1 models. Despite still looking slightly unconventional, these two models are far easier on the eye than the DF3 and subsequently L.A.B Golf started to gain some major traction on recognized professional tours with Adam Scott becoming an earlier adopter of a MEZZ.1 broomstick model.

After a few PGA Tour players started taking note of the MEZZ.1 model when out at events, L.A.B. Golf CEO Sam Hahn decided to broaden its appeal by increasing the head size by 20 percent and therefore improving the stability and forgiveness on offer. The main body of the MEZZ.1 MAX is fully CNC Milled from 6061 aircraft aluminum with the face CNC machined from 303 stainless steel for maximum feel.

Personally, I wasn’t expecting to like the MEZZ.1 MAX putter at all as someone who has traditionally always played a blade style putter but it was the patented Lie Angle Balance technology and a lot of persuasion from my colleague Joe ‘The Pro’ Ferguson, who often sings the praises of L.A.B. putters on the Kick Point golf gear show, to give this putter a whirl. It took me a practice session and a few holes on the course to get used to the on-set design of this putter but I'd fallen in love with it by the time I hit the turn. It started to feel a little like a cheat-code and the only way at the time I could describe it to my playing partners was that it felt as easy as ‘point and shoot’.

Of course, good putting mechanics, gauging pace and reading greens also play a part in sinking putts. However, it was only after experiencing the Lie Angle Balance technology in real time that I understood and appreciated the concept in action - it really works. It's by no means a gimmick like some may think and is one of the best putters I have used to date.

This cutting-edge technology isn’t cheap and so the MEZZ.1 MAX putter does come with a premium price tag. The stock offering comes to retail at $469 with the custom option starting from $559. The custom option allows the ability to choose color, sight lines as well a choice of aftermarket shafts but the price does rack up pretty quickly if you choose to go down this route.

This cleverly thought out idea is designed around returning the putter square at impact. The catch - L.A.B. Golf putters never actually move away from square. The MEZZ.1 MAX and all the other L.A.B. Golf putters are designed with the shaft entering the head in a way that removes torque and neutralizes gravity in order to have the putter head remain square to the path of the putter throughout the stroke. The shaft is angled with a slight shaft lean which is then counteracted by the on-set of the head as well as a grip that has a built-in forward press so you don’t have to manipulate your hands at address.

The stability and forgiveness of the MEZZ.1 MAX was seriously impressive, equal to if not more forgiving than some of the best mallet putters on the market. The putter feels somewhat soft and slightly hollow due to the grooves on the face but this provided exceptional roll on the ball and therefore impressive consistency when putting from range. The alignment feature on the top of the face certainly helped with aim and there's no question that I holed more putts from inside 10ft than I had done for a long time.

If putting is the part of the game that is holding you back right now, I’d strongly urge you to test the L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX putter. There are an increasing number of alternatives out there, like the recently launched Odyssey Square 2 Square Jailbird or PXG Allan putter, which claim to feature similar zero torque technology - although this is something L.A.B Golf disputes. The heightened levels of stability and natural urge to stay square to the target throughout the stroke will certainly help you start the ball on line more often with the MEZZ.1 MAX putter. Yes it comes with a premium price tag, but total confidence from short range on the greens is a near priceless commodity.

Odyssey has been producing some of the best putters on the market for some time now but it’s the success Wyndham Clark, Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley have experienced using the Jailbird model that makes it stand out from its comprehensive range. If you like this head design but are looking for even more face stability then you’re in luck thanks to the launch of the Odyssey Square 2 Square range - a stroke balanced collection of putters designed to minimize face rotation.

Putters that don't want to rotate away from square, lie the lie angle balanced L.A.B. Golf DF3 and the zero torque technology found on the PXG Allan putter more recently certainly seem to be the start of something bigger in putter design. They are intended to help golfers start the ball on their intended line more often and it now looks like Odyssey has joined the party with its unique approach to the principle.

Credit where it’s due, Odyssey has done a great job with the Square 2 Square Jailbird design. It hasn't strayed too far from the original head design but managed to build it in a way that incorporates a 'stroke balanced' design. I really like the Versa-style colouring on these putters and found the blocks of highly contrasting colors in black and white extremely helpful when setting my putter face square to target at address.

The modern centre shafted design on this putter certainly takes some getting used to at first given the on set at address and built in 3.3° of shaft lean, which encourages a forward press. By placing the shaft in the centre of the head directly through the balance point and CG, the putter then sits with the toe up and in a reverse torque position. This reverse torque position is the complete opposite of what you would find in a traditional bladed putter which typically possesses a large amount of toe hang, and therefore makes the face want to stay square relative to the path of the stroke.

I was really impressed with this putter upon initial testing. Not only does it feature this new stroke balanced face design, it comes with all the technology found in the Ai-One putter range. The computer-powered White Hot insert has variable face thickness to produce consistent ball speeds and it was certainly working for me out on the golf course - I barely had any of those nervy five footers coming back for par when putting from long range. The odd one I did leave myself just outside the pick-up range, I nailed home with confidence thanks to the easy alignment this putter offers and the way the face wants to almost return to square automatically at impact.

This Jailbird is one of three Odyssey Square 2 Square putters available, with the other two coming by way of the popular #7 model and the Double Wide. This variety of head allows golfers to pick a model that suits their eye the best without having to sacrifice any of the clever technology packed into these putters.

All of the putters come with a slightly larger oversize grip compared to the standard Ai-One models and personally I loved it. It just felt as though it fitted in my hands much more naturally - this is very much a matter of personal preference admittedly. As if there wasn’t already enough technology packed into the head, the Square 2 Square putters will also come fitted with a Stroke Lab steel shaft to ensure perfect balance is created in conjunction with the head and grip.

If you find yourself struggling with distance control or more importantly starting the ball on line from shorter range, then this Odyssey Square 2 Square Jailbird is certainly worth your consideration. Coming to retail at $299/£289, the Sqaure 2 Sqaure putters enter the market considerably cheaper than their two current competitors in this emerging category of putter design. If you’re looking to hole more puts and get great value for money, you may not need to look any further than this putter.

Scotty Cameron is known for making some of the most sought-after putters ever. Tiger Woods’ iconic Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter is known throughout the world of golf and Woods’ success with that model is one of the main reasons the Newport in particular is regarded as one of the best putters ever designed by the master craftsman from California.

While I’ve always been someone who tends to sway more towards the looks and feel of a blade putter, I’ve recently been having a hard time with my stroke. So I took the Scotty Cameron Long Design Phantom 11 putter onto the golf course to see if I could regain some confidence with the flat stick on the greens.

While we have seen some more obscure mallet style putters released by Scotty Cameron over the past few years, the brand is known for its traditional looks while introducing technology as the R&D team see fit. The new Long Design putters come in the way of the Phantom 11 mallet which I have tested and a Squareback 2 model - both of which are longer, counterbalanced alternatives to the original version of those particular putters.

The Long Design Phantom 11 is certainly a step outside the norm when it comes to Scotty Cameron putters. The Long Design name is fairly self explanatory, with this putter measuring in at 38”. The longer shaft plays slightly stiffer than that of a regular putter shaft and the counterbalanced design has been implemented to quieten a players hands during the putting stroke and to encourage a stroke made from the larger muscles in the shoulders.

I found this worked wonders for me almost instantly and I saw a dramatic increase in holed putts from inside 10ft. The increase in length means this putter comes with a 17” grip that feels amazing in the hands and I naturally felt my wrists become less active throughout my stroke. As someone who typically plays with a 34” putter and traditional pistol grip, the feel of the Long Design Phantom 11 did take some getting used to. The heavier and much larger head made distance control fairly difficult initially but I did see this improve as the round progressed. The 303 stainless steel is the same used in the Scotty Cameron Select putters that I love, so that was a nice, familiar feeling when out on the course.

The improved stability on offer from this mallet style putter largely comes from the heavier, removable 25g weights screwed into the sole helping increase MOI and forgiveness but it was the large arrow style alignment aid on the top of the putter that I noticed had a large effect on my aim inside 10ft. I often struggle to match up a line on my ball and a single line on a putter but for some reason my eyes really resonated with this twin-milled sight line design and I started to find the bottom of the cup more often from not when within a 10ft radius.

While I do think this putter will massively help those struggling with their putting particularly from close range, I found it certainly took time to match up distance and speed control. If you struggle in those areas already, it may be worth considering some of the most forgiving putters and a conventional grip for a mixture of technology and feel. But for an alternative method, the Scotty Cameron Long Design is well worth considering if you're seeking a change in fortunes on the greens.

The PXG Allan putter was named in memory of PXG founder and CEO, Bob Parsons younger brother Allan who was known for saying “we’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time”. Bob Parsons wanted to create a putter that made golfers have more fun on the course and a key way of doing that is by designing a forgiving putter that he hopes will help golfers hole more putts.

WATCH: We run through the best putters of 2024

Personally, I tend to sway more towards the more conventional side of things when it comes to putting, preferring the look of a bladed putter over a mallet putter and a putter with little to no alignment features. But when I saw the technology and design of the PXG Allan putter, I couldn’t help but feel intrigued.

Lie angle balanced putters have seen a huge rise in popularity over the past couple of years and are no doubt considered some of the best putters on the market. The L.A.B. Golf DF3 and Mezz 1 putters are used by the the likes of Adam Scott, Lucas Glover and Will Zalatoris who have all seen success with one in the bag. The Allan is PXG's own spin on the concept with something called Zero Torque Balance Technology. The idea behind it is to keep the face of the putter staying square to the path of the putting stroke through its entirety. By eliminating twisting and torque, golfers can focus much more on aiming, rather than the mechanics of the stroke.

If you’re someone who likes the look of a blade or even a traditional looking mallet, the Allan putter will take some getting used to when sat behind the ball. It features a new ‘S’ hosel design, which allows the shaft axis to be positioned directly above the center of gravity, which in turn creates a toe-up balance point said to reduce twisting and enhance stability. Because of the unique placement of the hosel, the putter does sit with the face looking significantly onset, which was something I really struggled to come to terms with, but because of the shaft leaning forward, your hands are placed automatically into a natural forward press position and not behind the ball as it initially feels like.

Like with the Battle Ready II putters, a multi-material M16 putter shaft option is available in the Allan putter at an upcharge, which I personally feel is worth it but does add to the cost of an already pricey putter ($449). The Multi-material shaft is designed to improve balance and a smoother stroke. The face is a refined version of the pyramid face pattern found on the Battle Ready II putters. When testing the Battle Ready II Bat Attack putter, I found the face far too harsh and firm and so I was pleasantly surprised when feeling how soft and different the Allan putter felt through impact. 

The face itself is what PXG are calling the thinnest face ever in a putter. At just 0.055 inches thick, it would be hard to argue. This thin face design has a S COR Polymer injected behind it to help dampen vibrations and improve acoustics. With this clever design, you receive the feel of a premium milled putter which sounds and feels great and rolls the ball very well.

The large mallet is made from a few different components in order to make it one of the most effective and most forgiving putters money can buy. The bulk of the putter is made from 303 stainless steel hollow body construction which is then combined with a lightweight aluminium alignment aid and sole. The weight has been redistributed towards the perimeter of the head and the two adjustable weights on the sole increase MOI and allow golfers to dial in a preferred swing weight.

The aluminium alignment feature on the top frames the ball nicely and certainly helped starting the ball on line from 10ft and in. The lack of alignment features is where you could argue LAB putters like the DF3 putter fall down, but there's plenty on offer with the Allan. I found the combination of the onset head design and large alignment aid a little too distracting on big breaking putts or when trying to focus on lag putting but that is something I’m sure would improve the longer I use the putter for. 

I holed a surprising amount of mid range putts with the Allan on initial testing. There's no question that very little manipulation was required to get the face back to square. Overall it feels comfortable in your hands and you soon become familiar with how it swings. The feel is one the firm side but you really notice the stability on offer when the strike pattern moves around - it's undoubtedly a user-friendly putter.

On the sole there is a pick-up pocket which allows golfers to retrieve the ball from the playing surface without having to bend down - a handy feature for those like myself with lower back problems.

So who would really benefit from this putter? The best putters in the world at any level of the game are exceptional at knocking in those nervy short putts, so if you find yourself missing the majority of those the Allan putter is certainly worth checking out. Price wise, they come in similar to a LAB Golf putter and the extra aim assistance could certainly help inconsistent golfers a little more visually.

It's hard to say with any certainty if the Allan is as good as or better than the DF3 - they've certainly gone about it in significantly different ways to achieve a similar end result. If you just want to try something completely different and that looks like nothing you’ve probably tried before, then the PXG Allan putter may be a great putter to reset your approach on the greens.

For golfers of a certain generation, the mention of Zebra putters will conjure up memories of the Zimbabwean Nick Price rolling in putt after putt on his way to becoming Open Champion (and indeed World Number One) in 1994. The Ram Zebra made famous by Price and Raymond Floyd was one of the best putters of its era and featured on our list of the 10 best putter designs of all time.

These days, however, Ram and Zebra are two separate entities. Ram has been rebranded recently as a budget friendly option while Zebra sit closer to the other end of the price scale, while still remaining affordable. I recently tested the Ram FX-01 blade putter and it certainly lived up to its billing as one of the best value putters on the market, but the Zebra Milled Series 002 is a different animal entirely (see what I did there?) and is very much a premium product.

My first impression of the Zebra Milled Series 002 out of the box was very positive. It's a nice looking golf club, no question. It comes with a luxurious leather head cover featuring the Zebra logo and the premium mid-size Winn grip also carries some cool looking Zebra branding.

After removing the head cover the first thing that struck me was the number of alignment lines. There are lots of them, but it’s a Zebra so stripes go with the territory I guess. The 002 is a fang shaped mallet putter with a single white alignment line on each fang as well as one in the center of the crown. Either side of that center line are six grey lines (three on each side) which add to the aesthetic and in theory could help some golfers line up their putts correctly. Personally I’m not sure how much performance benefit there is to the “zebra stripes” but they do look good.

The head is precision milled from a single billet of carbon steel which the brand claims ensures purity and consistency in both feel and performance. There is a ‘Z’ on the heel of the milled face and another logo on the sole, making the putter unmistakably Zebra. Adjustable heel and toe weighting is another premium feature that helps boost performance.

I should also mention at this point that there are three other models in the Milled Series. Two are blade putters (one is a wide model) and the other is a rounded mallet shape. All four putters in the Milled Series family have adjustable weights in the heel and toe, which come with 10g as standard but if you wish you can add lighter or heavier weights to dial in your preferred setting. 

I was happy to be testing the 002 model as I find that as a general rule fang shaped heads really suit my eye as well as my putting stroke. Thankfully this was no exception. I tested the 002 for a couple of weeks at home on my artificial turf putting green and played two full rounds at Berrington Hall Golf Club in St Helens. I also used it extensively on the practice green at my local golf club, Hurlston Hall, Ormskirk, to get a feel for how it performed on different greens and in various weather conditions. 

The first thing I noticed was how squarely it sits to the ground behind the ball. Straight away that promotes confidence. It’s also very well balanced and feels nice in the hands. The forgiveness on offer was impressive as the weighting in the heel and toe helped to ensure solid results even on off-center strikes, making this a contender for one of the most forgiving putters I've tested this year. 

The feel out of the sweet spot was very pleasing but the acoustics were more high pitched than I had expected. Less so when the ball comes off the sweet spot, but when you do miss it you can immediately tell by the sound. It was quite unique in that if you miss the center of the face by even a fraction you may not even know by the feel, but the difference in sound is clear. I don't want to overstate this as it definitely wasn’t a high enough pitch to turn me off, but if you like a soft feeling, muted sounding putter then this is probably not for you.

Based on my testing, I felt that the Milled Series 002 was a good all around putter that really came into its own from inside six feet, which is a range I usually struggle from. It performed very well for me from close in, which I put down to the stability and balance as well as the alignment assistance. I felt like it was easy to keep the head on the right path throughout the stroke which is obviously of extra importance on those short ones.  

If I'm nit-picking then I would say that I would prefer a thicker grip but that’s just personal preference and the mid-size is pretty standard on these type of mid-mallet putters. I’m not in love with the sound either but overall those are two very minor gripes and this is an excellent putter that represents good value at the price point of around $300.

Ram was once one of the leading manufacturers in golf and in the company’s heyday it had more than 50 PGA and LPGA Tour pros in its stable, headlined by the great Tom Watson. In Europe, up-and-coming young superstars Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros were both using Ram equipment.

The company would eventually fall upon hard times though as the golfing equipment landscape changed, and after being bought and sold several times and briefly disappearing completely, Ram has been reintroduced as a performance/value brand.

Previously, the only Ram putter I’d ever used was the classic Ram Zebra which featured on our list of the 10 best putter designs of all time. The original Ram Zebra putter was huge in the 1990s and was used by Nick Price and Raymond Floyd amongst others. It has since been rebooted as a premium putter under the Zebra umbrella rather than Ram. 

Ram’s new putter line up is considerably less expensive than Zebra and when it comes to quality combined with price, the latest Ram offerings compare favorably with any the best value putters out there. The Ram FX-01 is a CNC Milled blade putter that retails for just £79.99, which is certainly on the low side for a milled face blade putter. 

My first impression of the FX-01 when I took it out of the box was very favourable. I liked the jumbo style black grip and the matching graphite shaft, while the leather head cover was really nice. It looked much nicer than I would expect from something in this price range. Upon taking the head cover off I was further impressed by the quality of the head. The black finish genuinely looks great and I liked the branding on the sole too. So in terms of looks, Ram has smashed this one out of the park.

When it comes to the tech side of things, in this price range I am not expecting A.I. generated face inserts and adjustable weighting like you’ll find in the ultra premium Odyssey Ai-One Milled Two T putter. Sure enough, there is none of that here as it’s a fairly simple wide blade design with no fancy tech other than the face milling.

In terms of performance, I tested the FX-01 extensively at home on my artificial turf putting green as well as on the practice green at Hurlston Hall Golf Club before then taking it for a spin over 18 holes at Berrington Hall Golf Course in St Helens. I used the best golf balls and given how many putts I struck with it, I believe I got a really good handle on how this putter performs. 

Firstly I’ll address the one negative and get that out of the way. The sound of this putter is definitely not going to appeal to everybody. The noise was so high pitched and jarring that took me by surprise. What made it seem worse was that I’d spent the previous few days testing the Teardrop TD-7 putter which is one of the softest feeling and nicest sounding putters I’ve used this year, so that did the FX-01 no favors!

Onto the positives now though, and there are plenty. I’ve mentioned the aesthetics already, but I also liked how the FX-01 framed the ball at address. It’s wider than a standard blade (but not exaggerated like a 'double wide' design) and it seems to have more offset than I’m used to in a blade, but I liked that as it suited my eye. That’s very much subjective though.

The grip felt nice in my hands too and my overall experience with the FX-01 was a good one. The feel out of the center was nice and solid but off center strikes (particularly on the heel) did not feel particularly good, but then I would argue that they aren’t supposed to so I’m not viewing that as a negative. 

It isn’t especially forgiving though and if you are someone who tends to miss the sweet spot quite often then you may get quite inconsistent results, but the flip side to that is it should encourage you to work on finding the middle more often, where you will definitely be rewarded. This makes it a good putter for beginner golfers who are looking to improve their stroke.

I terms of distance control, initially I had a lot of difficulty in reaching the hole as the FX-01 isn’t particularly fast off the face. That’s not a problem in the long term as all putters take some getting used to. I had to hit this a little harder than I usually would but with practice I became more comfortable with it and began to judge the speed much better. When I struck it well the roll was very true and consistent and as I‘ve already mentioned, the feel when it comes out of the sweet spot is pleasant enough. Eventually I even got used to the sound and stopped noticing it. It is very high pitched though, especially with premium golf balls such as a Titleist Pro V1 or a Callaway Chrome Tour. 

Overall I think this is a great putter for the price point it comes in at. There are other head shapes in the range to cater for most tastes and I also got to try out the FX-05 mallet design which had an even higher pitched sound but performed really well for me. Neither would make our list of the most forgiving putters but a milled face and a premium look isn’t to be sniffed at for under 100 bucks and Ram has done a good job here creating a nice product at a very competitive price.

The new 2024 range of Teardrop putters consists of three head shapes, all inspired by the brand’s classic putters from the 1990s, which changed the face of putting with their "Roll Face" design. Before Teardrop came on the scene, putter faces were flat. Roll Face was a game changer back then and now for 2024 the brand is back with "Radial Face", which is designed to help golfers who apply too much or too little loft to their putter face at impact.   

While the shape of the heads in the new range are all very different, the styling on all three is more or less the same with a fetching, clean black finish complimented nicely with white branding and multiple sight lines. The TD-1 is a classic blade design, the TD-5 is a rounded mallet and the TD-7 - the subject of this review - is a high MOI, face-balanced mallet. 

In terms of the tech, the multi-material construction combines steel and aluminium for exceptional feel while the winged design increases the MOI to make the TD-7 the most forgiving putter in the Teardrop range. Because it is a face-balanced putter it suits the golfer who has a straight back and through putting stroke with minimal face rotation. 

The main tech story of these putters though is the Radial Face Design. Teardop engineered an 8-inch radius face that gradually changes from 0 degrees on the bottom of the putter to 4.6 degrees at the top. Essentially this compensates for the increase or decrease of loft applied by a golfer's putting stroke, creating an ideal launch angle and spin rate for a smooth and consistent roll regardless of where you strike your putts.

The brand claims: "The precisely machined grooves on the new TearDrop putters provide just the right amount of friction between the face and ball at impact to get the ball tumbling down the line. Better distance control. A smooth and consistent roll. All thanks to friction."

Sounds good, but did it deliver?

The first thing you'll notice are the four sightlines on top of the putter - three parallel ones that run along or adjacent to the ball-to-target line, and another perpendicular to this along the leading edge. This is a really powerful system that helps you see where the face is pointing as well as the path of your stroke.

I tested the TD-7 extensively over 18 holes at Southport Links as well as at home on my artificial turf putting surface and on the practice green at Hurston Hall Golf Club. I used the best golf balls and struck hundreds of putts with it to get a comprehensive feel for how it performed on all manner of putts, and the first thing to say is that it did what it said on the tin, so to speak. Smooth and consistent roll? Check. Better distance control? Check. 

I had never used a Teardrop putter before so I had no idea what to expect. From the very first putt with it I was immediately struck by the lovely feel off the face. To look at the face you might be forgiven for thinking it would produce a somewhat firm feel. Certainly most putters I’ve used without face inserts tend to err towards the side of firm rather than soft, but this had such a pleasing feel it reminded me of the TaylorMade Spider Tour with the TPU Pure Roll insert. 

The more I used it the more I then noticed how impressive my distance control seemed to be with it. This is quite difficult to quantify as you can’t always tell if it's the putter or if you just happen to be stroking it particularly well on that given day. I wasn’t holing more putts than I’d normally expect but it was noticeable how the distance seemed to be spot on so often. I suspect this is down to the consistently good roll I was getting from the Radial Face Design.

In terms of forgiveness, overall I was impressed. There was a drop off on heel strikes but toe strikes (something I suffer from quite a bit) generally still made it to the hole, which is particularly helpful for me, if not for those who tend to miss on the heel.

It would not be too much of a stretch to include this one our guide to the most forgiving putters but forgiveness isn’t the first thing that immediately jumps out at me when I think of the TD-7. The biggest standout for me with this putter is the lovely feel and the fantastic alignment lines, which both really go a long way to promoting confidence over the ball, making this an ideal putter for beginner golfers who want to upgrade from their introductory putter to something in the mid-price bracket. Golfers of all skill levels could benefit from using the TD-7 though, so if you are in the market for a new mallet add this to your short list.

Evnroll putters have held a special place in my heart (and my golf bag) for a long time now - for whatever reason, I have always got on with them. While the LAB Golf DF3 is getting its chance currently, Evnroll remain one of the best premium putters money can buy.

The new Neo Classic ER2 differs from previous iterations most notably because of its polymer aluminium insert, which is said to enhance the feel. While the all metal faces used on the ER2V putter last year weren’t overly firm or harsh, this new version certainly feels softer. The acoustics are marginally less noticeable, especially on longer putts, and the sensation overall is just more premium.

Looks wise, the address profile hasn’t changed much - although the eagle eyed will notice the white sight line on the flange which has changed from black and you could argue doesn’t stand out as much. The hosel is also a single bend rather than a short slant neck, which makes the head face balanced rather than having some toe hang. This won’t suit everyone’s stroke and it’s a big change from the short slant neck the previous iteration had, so it takes some getting used to how the face squares up through impact.

Make no mistake, this putter is the complete package and sits firmly among the best putters of 2024. Despite the softer feel, the face is responsive and the ball speed feels controlled and consistent. It still boasts the closely spaced variable width channels that help putts start straighter if you mishit the ball and roll out the same distance. It’s a wide blade design, but you could argue it has the corrective qualities of some of the best mallet putters. 

The two sole weights in the rear of the head definitely add to the stable feel you experience and you really notice it on long putts, where you need it most. It comes with two 27.5g weights as standard but you can custom order weights ($25 uncharge) as low as 12.5g or up to 42.5g if you need to make it one of the most forgiving putters or just like the feel of a much heavier head.

Evnroll has really nailed the grip too - this 90g Neo grip feels buttery soft in your hands and delivers a really comfortable and secure hold. The wide front section helps get both thumbs on easily and feel where the face is pointing, plus the texture just gives you a little more control - especially when your hands get a little sweaty. I also love the retro font used for the logo on the grip and headcover - it provides a proper vintage look which is very on trend.

Wilson’s hardware is underrated in quite a few categories but arguably the putter sector is where it offers the best value for money, especially with its more entry level Infinite range - which has been revamped for 2024 with nine new models.

Where the Staff Model putters have been designed to offer the more discerning golfer a more premium look and feel, the Infinite line up is geared more at the casual player. The first impressions of the Bucktown mallet putter we tried were very good. The oversize stock Pistol Karakal flat-sided grip is very large, which felt comfortable in our hands and while it could have been a touch softer, it certainly helped quieten down any unwanted wrist action during the stroke. I don't enjoy the ribbed feeling down the spine of the grip, but for some this well help with consistent hand placement.

Down at address, the fang-shape frames the ball nicely and it sits very low to the ground flush to the grass. The three short white lines contrast vividly with the black head to assist with alignment. Interestingly, the middle of the three lines is slightly thicker, which helps center the ball on the face at address and return it there to impact. It’s not a visual package that will work for everyone, but we found it easy to set the putter square to our target consistently. The two-tone PVD anti-glare finish certainly creates a visually-appealing look that adds to the premium feel.

Off the face, this putter has a solid, stable feel - like all of the best putters offer. There is a subtle double mill pattern on the face but the acoustics overall are quite noticeable, especially on longer putts.  This firm sensation would marry well with a soft, low compression golf ball and the ball speed was quick and consistent - ideal for slower greens. There’s undoubtedly plenty of help at hand when the strike pattern moves around, which will music to the ears of the mid-to-high handicapper this putter is almost certainly aimed at.

Overall this putter feels very well balanced and I putted surprisingly well with it given I am not used to using face-balanced putters. I think it is from long range that golfers will see the benefits of this type of putter. While the three sightlines wouldn't be my preference (I find them a little distracting), for others it could be a very powerful system that certainly helps golfers set the face square and see the path of their stroke more clearly.

It’s quite rare for a new line of putters to not have some catchy, cool name that was no doubt the result of several brainstorming sessions by a brand’s marketing team, but in 2023 Ping launched a family of putters that they simply referred to as “New Ping Putters”. In May 2024 six more models were added to the line up including the subject of this review; the Ketsch G, a mallet design with a large footprint designed to make this one of the most forgiving putters in the Ping line up. I tested both the new Anser D and the Ketsch G putters to see how they compare to the best Ping putters. 

Considering they are from the same line up it is interesting to see how completely different they are (see image above). To look at them you’d never know that they were from the same range as they are totally different in looks, style and branding. One has a milled face, one has an insert. One has a composite shaft, the other has steel. One has a black clubhead, the other is metallic. The only similarity really is the mid-size, classic 'Ping Man' putter grip. This is because the “New Ping Putters” have been developed individually so there is no uniform design. 

Full disclosure, I’m a Ping putter obsessive and have a sizeable collection of vintage Pings. My current gamer putter is a Ping too, the PLD Oslo 3 model which I was custom fit for last year. There is nothing in my collection with a similar head shape to the Ketsch though, so I was excited to give it a try, particularly when I removed the classic looking head cover and saw it for the first time. 

Aesthetically it ticks every box for me. I absolutely love how it looks. I love the traditional grip, I love the PEBAX face insert, I love the alignment markings on the crown as well as the deep footprint which really promotes confidence over the ball. How can you look at all that real estate behind the ball and not think you are getting maximum forgiveness? The plain, traditional design of the head cover is very appealing too and in terms of the visuals I can’t fault this putter at all. It looks great in every way.

How did it perform though? I tested the Ketsch G extensively over 18 holes at Bootle Golf Course as well as at home on my artificial turf putting surface. I also spent time on the practice green at my local club, Hurlston Hall. I used the best golf balls and struck hundreds of putts with it to get a comprehensive feel for how it performed on all manner of putts.

The first thing to say is that it was as forgiving as I had expected. With my normal putting stroke I was only finding the sweet spot maybe twice every five putts. I’m not sure why as I liked how it sat behind the ball and it felt very stable when I took the putter head back, but coming through to hit the ball just wasn’t quite right. The feeling was similar to when you catch an iron shot a bit thin.

I think the loft and lie may be a little unsuited to me so I had to adjust my stroke slightly (moving my hands forward a touch) to start middling it more frequently. That made a big difference and when I found the center more frequently which really showed off the benefit of the insert, which gives it a softer feel than the milled face of my PLD Oslo 3. It’s a pleasing sound too.

The ball retriever is a useful feature and serves a dual purpose as the weight taken out is redistributed to the perimeter to help with MOI and boost forgiveness. I don’t think there’s much use for it out on the course though as you can only really use it to pick the ball up for gimmes or when you aren’t putting out. Other putters, such as the Cleveland HB Soft 2 Retreve, can pick the ball out of the hole which is great for golfers with back trouble who struggle to bend. The large head of the Ketsch means it is too big to fit in the hole though, which kind of defeats the point.

Overall though this putter brings a lot to the table. It looks great in and out of the bag, it has high levels of forgiveness and the alignment aid is first class and will really help golfers who struggle to get their putts on line. This makes it an excellent putter for beginner golfers or those who just need that bit of forgiveness and a larger footprint to inspire confident when addressing the ball.