PXG M16 Putter Shaft Review

PXG M16 Putter Shaft Review

The PXG M16 is the company’s first stab at the shaft category and, just like with the best PXG golf clubs, it appears no stone has been left unturned in attempting to eke out as much extra performance on the greens as possible. 

Similar in concept to the Odyssey Stroke Lab putter shaft, the M16 features a multi-material composition, including a high modulus carbon fiber upper section and a steel lower section. It comprises twenty-two steel wires interlaid down the outer ring of the shaft, each strategically positioned to enhance stiffness. The inner-most area is filled with a high modulus, 60T carbon fiber, stiffer than the standard modulus of 24T. Two rubber sheets sit sandwiched between the steel wires and carbon fiber. Unlike typical steel putter shafts, this unique composition helps to deliver more stiffness and stability while maintaining a soft yet solid feel.  

In fact, the M16 is 26 percent stiffer than a traditional steel shaft and we certainly noticed this during testing with the Battle Ready Closer putter head, one of the best putters we've tested this year. The lighter overall feel versus a traditional, steel-shafted putter is obvious after a few practice swings and the carbon fiber top section means the putter feels more head heavy. The impact of this will vary with different golfers but for us, the head seem to swing more naturally, requiring less intervention to square up and apply the appropriate force during the stroke to create the correct speed.

Tangible gains in performance were hard to quantity or attribute to the shaft itself but we were especially consistent from that 10-20 feet range where you hope to make your fair share but inevitably hole very few. We scared the hole on most efforts and even when we mishit a putt, the ball came very close to going in and did sometime drop from the shorter efforts within this range. 

The M16 is an £85 optional upgrade on PXG’s impressive Battle Ready range, which includes the Battle Ready Brandon and Battle Ready Blackjack, as well as the 0211 putters in straight and double bend. We liked it so much, we felt compelled to include it in the 2022 edition of The Edge.