Best Putters for High Handicappers
You’ve been golfing for a few years and still have a high handicap or maybe you’re a beginner. Either way you will have realized or been told how important putting is, it’s essential you find the right style, take a look at our putting tips and reviews of best putters for high handicappers to leave 3-putting behind forever!
Contents
Why Putting Is Important
If you reduce the number of 3 putts to 2 putts, you’ll quickly reduce your score for the round. Remember, every shot counts on your scorecard. A 2 foot putt counts the same as 250 yard drive. Next time you are playing a round of golf, make sure to write down the number of putts you took per hole, then you’ll realize just how important putting is. Top scratch golfers spend hours doing their drills on the putting green – how often do you see high handicappers on the putting green at your club? Hmmm…
Which shot should be easier to improve? A 5 iron out of a poor lie or a 12 foot putt on a level green. Obviously, the putt. If you can 2 putt (or even hole!) those 12 footers, you’re going to save tons of strokes, giving you a big advantage. Practicing your putting is easy but many high handicappers neglect this side of the game.
Putting is different from most other golf strokes. Fairway shots move the ball through the air, putting rolls the ball along the green. The fairway clubs are part of the golf swing, whereas putting is all hand and eye and above all, feel. The biggest problem high handicappers have is getting the distance, and therefore speed right. Devote time to practice.
Things Beginners Should Be Aware Of Putting
Golf is a fabulous game, very satisfying if you can play well. But getting started as a beginner can be daunting and often intimidating. Standing on the first tee for your first round with half the club members queuing up behind you to play, and you play an air shot! See what I mean?
Start on the practice range, not on the golf course. No pressure. On the range, ignore what everybody else is doing – they all had to start somewhere.
Get some lessons with a professional, not your next door neighbor. Learn from him about the importance of the grip, the stance, bend from the hips and all the basics.
Invest in proper shoes, glove, equipment and golf attire. Show others you are serious.
Here’s something that some people ignore… it is very important to take time to learn the rules and etiquette. If you don’t do this, you’ll soon become pretty unpopular in the clubhouse.
On the course, be ready to take your shot when it is your turn. Always replace your divots, rake a disturbed bunker and fix ball marks on the green.
Remember the good shots not the bad ones and have fun!
Drawing a line on your ball for better alignment
You’ve probably seen the pros do this, they will have drawn a straight line on their ball before the start of the round. On the green, having placed a marker where the ball ended up, they will establish the correct line they want the ball to roll by viewing the green from all angles, then they will replace the ball so that the line on the ball is aligned with the direction they are going to putt.
There are even gadgets you can buy which are sold for the express purpose of helping the golfer draw a straight line around the circumference of the ball.
You should remember that if you don’t follow the procedure of marking and lifting your ball first, and rotate the ball on the green, then you will incur a 1-stroke penalty.
To establish the correct route of your ball to the hole, you will have viewed and assessed all the humps and slopes and borrows first, then line up you ball, get the speed right. In the hole!
Here Are Our 5 Picks For The Best Putters For High Handicappers!
1. Pinemeadow Golf Men’s PGX
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The Pinemeadow Golf Men’s PGX Putter offers high quality for optimal performance and is one of the best putters on the market today for beginners. The brand name isn’t well known to the casual golfer, but the quality of the putter is respected within the industry. Surprisingly, it’s one of the few steel shafts still available in a day of graphite or composite sticks.
Heavier, mallet head putters are recommended for beginners as it helps the correct pendulum swing needed during the backstroke, ball contact and follow through.
Using the line marking on this putter, it is very easy to align the mallet clubhead and stroke the ball squarely.
- White finish stands out when in address position
- Tour weighted, 380g
- Length 34”
- Top black line for easy alignment
- Very reasonable price
- Include customer head cover
Verdict
Very good value for the beginner.
2. TaylorMade Big Red OSCB Daytona Putter
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In golf club design, bigger means more forgiving, which is the philosophy behind the TaylorMade OS range of putters. The larger head increases the stability at impact which means that if you hit your putt away from the center of the clubface, it will not lose as much speed or deviate as much from the intended line and therefore you are more likely to hole it.
This works in tandem with the larger head moving more weight to the perimeter of the club and to this end the OS putters feature a cavity that is filled with lightweight thermoplastic foam and sealed with the red bar you can see at the back of the head.
Main features
- Easy alignment, raised high-contrast sightline makes alignment easy
- Beautiful finish
- Include head cover
Verdict
A really nice putter. Nice weight. Super grip. Very popular.
3. Wilson Staff Men’s Harmonized M5 Mallet Golf Putter
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Easy alignment and game improvement technology makes this Wilson Harmonized putter a great putter for mid-high handicap golfers with fantastic value.
The eye-catching vertical seam grip is designed with a slightly larger diameter for improved feel.
Wilson have also fitted the Harmonized M5 putter with a slightly thicker putter grip to quieten the hands and wrists during your stroke.
Main features
- Mallet style putter
- Larger diameter grip size
- Multiple density areas in the Micro injection face insert
- The soft feel grip designed exclusively for Wilson
Verdict
Inexpensive but great value. The weight, grip and balance are perfect. High quality.
4. Callaway Odyssey White Hot Pro 2.0
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This is the best blade putter according to thousands of golfers. This blade putter comes with an improved version of their White Hot inserts, and the company uses a laser milling cutting process to make sure the inserts provide a tight tolerance so that golfers always get consistent performance. It is because of these inserts and other features like the heel/toe weight placement that you will always get a consistent sound, feel and performance across the face of this club.
Main features
- Tour proven design
- Squared off heel
- Center shaft
- Zero offset
- Lengths: 33”, 34” and 35”
Verdict
Top rated putter, suits amateurs and the pros. Very well balanced, a soft touch, great accuracy. Highly recommended.
5. Wilson Harmonized Square Heel/Toe
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Wilson’s Harmonized Square Heel/Toe model is an excellent choice that will work well for all types of golfers. This putter features microinjection polymer inserts that ensure an exceptional feel on contact and an oversize grip with a vertical seam for maximum comfort. Wilson gives it heel/toe weighting for maximum inertia and some horizontal lines and contrasting gray and black head to make alignment easy. This 35-inch putter is also available in both left and right-hand orientation.
It features a heel/toe weighting that ensures that you always get a maximum moment of inertia. This putter also has a plumber offset hosel that ensures that the hands remain ahead of the ball through the stroke.
Main features
- Square heel/toe putter
- Eye catching vertical seam grip
- Alignment aids
- All weather, oversize 3 piece paddle grip
- Multiple density micro injections on the club face
Verdict
Excellent value.
Conclusion
While the mallet head putters are more forgiving and assist the required pendulum movement, they tend to be more complicated. However, when you swing these putters, you will probably feel more confident that the ball will go where you want it to go.
The best putters for high handicappers usually will be a little heavier than, say, tour putters and will have easy-to-use alignment guides.
Another obvious criterion is the price. Putters can be sold at a range of prices. Beginners should buy a cheaper putter to start.
If possible, try different types, mallet headed, head and toe, blade, and see what suits you. Your friends and some clubs and shops will lend putters before you buy.
Whichever putter you choose, practice, practice, practice.. take a look at the video below for one of the easiest and most effective techniques for putting, combine that with your new putter and the strokes will disappear!
Great video, huh!
Good luck on the greens! Rob.
