Cleveland HB Soft Milled 10.5C Putter Review

The Cleveland HB Soft Milled 10.5C putter is a compact mallet that comes in two shaft options, either the Slant Neck (S) or the Centre Shaft (C) version which is reviewed here.

I am a big fan of centre shafted putters as more often than not the feel from these is very solid as the shaft goes into the head right behind the ball. This makes them among the most forgiving putters and means that your hands are easily encouraged to be in the right position ahead of the ball.

All this is true of the Cleveland HB Soft Milled 10.5C putter and the mallet head shape is more compact than most adds to the feeling that this is a precision putter.

It features a set of three alignment lines on the head that are designed with putting guru Dave Pelz’s theory in mind that this is the best style of alignment aid. You could argue that it is 5 lines if you count the outside of the black section that the white lines sit on. Either way, the visual alignment aid on the Cleveland HB Soft Milled 10.5C is going to get you pointing in the right direction.

The leading edge is clear for alignment too and sits above the 3° loft face that features Cleveland’s Speed Optimized Face Technology. This is a fancy name for the groove lines of various depth and spacing that have been milled into the face to ensure that no matter where you stroke the ball, the speed will be more consistent. This is turn means that the ball is more likely to reach the hole on mishits and therefore you might hole a few more or be closer for your next one.

The feel from the face is very good and this is due to the milling process. Unlike some premium milled putters, the Cleveland HB Soft Milled 10.5 is cast first to reduce wasted material and get the weighting right. Then the key areas of the rear of the head and the face a milled to create the finished article at less cost, which is passed onto you with a value for money RRP of £199.

Depending on which hosel you go for there is also a choice of Golf Pride Pro Only pistol grips in square shaped Red Star or oval shaped Green Star options that are picked to fit the stroke style of that putter and will fit your hands perfectly.

If I was being picky then it would have been nice to see the HB Soft Milled 10.5 with a larger head, but then I suppose it would be like the Cleveland HB Soft Milled 14 putter. However, do not be put off by the compact size as the Cleveland HB Soft Milled 10.5C is a putter that hits the centre for feel and performance every time.