Guide

Blade vs mallet putters

A mallet forgives more. Its big head moves weight back from the face and out to the edges, so a putt struck off the toe or the heel twists the face less and keeps more of its speed. A blade is a narrow head with its weight close to the face: it gives a clear feel of where you struck the ball, and it rewards a golfer who strikes it from the middle every time. If your putts finish short or long more often than off line, start with a mallet.

BladeMallet
Seen from above, face at the top (dashed line). Left, a blade: a narrow head with its weight at the heel and toe, close to the face. Right, a mallet: a deep head with its weight far back at the edges, which is what keeps an off-centre putt from twisting the face.

What is different

Which one suits you

Roll ten putts from six feet and watch where they miss.

A beginner should start with a mallet: the putters for beginners page picks one by price, length and hand.

The putters we cover

Lowest price first. We leave out plain blades, because a blade is not a forgiving head. 11 of the 21 are zero-torque or low-torque builds, and the Vice Golf VGP03 ZT is the one blade: its maker builds the zero-torque idea into a classic blade shape.

The putters we cover: head, stock lengths, hands and price
PutterHeadStock lengthsHandsPrice
Wilson Infinite Buckingham Mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right; 33" right-handed only $139.99, checked 2 Nov
Wilson Infinite Bucktown Mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right; 33" right-handed only $139.99, checked 2 Nov
Wilson Infinite Bean Mallet 33", 34", 35" Right only $139.99, checked 2 Nov
Wilson Infinite The L Mallet 34", 35" Right only $139.99, checked 2 Nov
Wilson Infinite South Side Mallet 34", 35" Right only $139.99, checked 2 Nov
Wilson Infinite Grant Park Mallet 34", 35" Right only $139.99, checked 2 Nov
Cleveland HB Soft 2 Model 11 Mallet 34", 35" Left or right $159.99, checked 2 Nov
Vice Golf VGP03 ZT Zero-torque blade 34" Right only $199, checked 2 Nov
Wilson Infinite Zero Torque The 606 Zero-torque mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right; 33" right-handed only $199.99, checked 2 Nov
Wilson Infinite Zero Torque Lakeview Zero-torque mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right; 33" right-handed only $199.99, checked 2 Nov
Vice Golf VGP04 ZT Zero-torque mallet 34" Right only $239, checked 2 Nov
Odyssey Ai-DUAL #7 DB Mallet 33", 34", 35" Right only $249.99 at Golf Discount, checked 17 Oct
Odyssey Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square MAX 1/2 Ball Center Shaft Zero-torque mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right $299.99 at Golf Discount, checked 2 Nov
Odyssey Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square Jailbird Center Shaft Zero-torque mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right $299.99 at Golf Discount, checked 2 Nov
Cobra 3DP Tour Agera Mallet 34", 35" Left or right $379, checked 2 Nov
PING Scottsdale TEC Ketsch Onset Mallet 35" Right only $397 at Golf Discount, checked 2 Nov
L.A.B. Golf DF3 Stock Zero-torque mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right $399, checked 2 Nov
Evnroll ZERO Z1cs Mallet Zero-torque mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right $449, checked 2 Nov
TaylorMade Spider ZT Max Zero-torque mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right $449.99, checked 2 Nov
L.A.B. Golf VZN.1i Stock Zero-torque mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right $499 at L.A.B. Golf, checked 2 Nov
Scotty Cameron Phantom 11R OC Low-torque mallet 33", 34", 35" Left or right $549 at Golf Discount, checked 2 Nov

13 of the 21 are sold left-handed. The forgiving putters page filters them by head, hand and budget.

Questions golfers ask

Is a mallet putter easier to use?

For most golfers, yes: it is easier to aim and it keeps a mishit closer to the right distance. It can feel heavier and less lively, which some golfers dislike at first.

Why do some good players still use a blade?

They strike the ball from the middle of the face almost every time, so they give up little forgiveness, and they like the feel and the look of a small head behind the ball.

Is a mallet better on slow or fast greens?

The head shape does not decide that; your stroke and the putter's loft and weight do. Choose the shape for your misses, then the length for your posture.