Ten mallet putters compared on head stability, alignment aid and the feel each face gives on longer putts.
Every putter in this list is in stock on Amazon right now, and every specification below comes from the manufacturer. The field runs from a 30 dollar perimeter-weighted head to a 250 dollar multi-material tour putter, and all ten are mallets, so the question is not blade or mallet but how much stability you need and what you are willing to pay for a face insert.
Best mallet putters: the ten picks at a glance
A mallet putter moves mass back and out to the perimeter, which raises the moment of inertia and keeps the face from twisting when you miss the center. That is the whole argument for the shape, and every head here is built around it, from the 30 dollar PowerBilt to the aluminum and steel Spider.
Below you get the short version first: three picks for the most common cases, then the full table with all ten, then every putter in detail with specs, strengths and weaknesses.
- The most stable head hereTaylorMade Spider RED
- Best roll off the faceOdyssey Microhinge Seven
- Fitted to your stroke shapeCleveland HB Soft 2
- The cheapest real malletPowerBilt TPS X-Type M600
| Putter | Face | Head | Alignment | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TaylorMade Spider REDbest overall | Pure Roll insert | Aluminum core in a steel frame | Sightline on the crown | Off-center strikes and distance control |
| Odyssey Microhinge Sevenbest roll | Microhinge insert | Seven mallet, slant neck | Versa silver and black | Getting the ball rolling immediately |
| Cleveland HB Soft 2fitted to your stroke | Speed Optimized Face milling | Model 11, single bend | Model-specific | Matching hosel and toe hang to your stroke |
| Wilson Infinite Bucktownbest alignment lines | Double-milled face | PVD anti-glare, 35 inches | Three parallel focus lines | Players who aim badly |
| GoSports GS2 Tourthickest grip | Milled stainless face | Stainless head, 34 inches | Classic single line | Reducing hand rotation |
| Pinemeadow PGX MBquietest look | Matte black head | Mallet body with headcover | Minimal | Golfers distracted by glare |
| PGM Old Gloryboldest markings | Zinc alloy head | Oversized mallet, 34 inches | Red, white and blue lines | High contrast at address |
| Aspire PRO-Xmost weighting detail | Precision face | Heel and toe weighted mallet | Bold contrasting sight aids | Twisting on off-center hits |
| Orlimar Tangent T1softest insert | Soft TPU insert | High MOI mallet, 35 inches | Bi-color sightline | Fast greens and a light touch |
| PowerBilt TPS X-Type M600best budget | Soft grooved insert | Perimeter weighted, 35 inches | Contrasting color scheme | A first mallet at the lowest price |
The ten mallet putters in detail
- Constructionmulti-material, 6061 aluminum core with a 304 stainless steel frame
- Stabilityhigh MOI to keep the face square to the path
- InsertPure Roll for topspin and forward roll
- DampingPU foam between body and frame
- Shapemodern mallet, number 3 hosel
- Extrasheadcover included
Best for: Golfers who miss the center of the face and lose distance control because of it
The Spider is the putter that made high MOI mallets mainstream, and the construction explains why. A lightweight 6061 aluminum core sits inside a heavy 304 stainless steel frame, so almost all the mass ends up at the edges of the head. That is what resists twisting when the ball catches the toe.
TaylorMade pairs it with the Pure Roll insert, a grooved face designed to impart topspin so the ball starts rolling rather than skidding across the first foot of green. The one thing multi-material heads traditionally get wrong is sound, and the PU foam damping between the body and frame is the answer to that. If you want the most forgiving putter in this list and the price is not an obstacle, this is it.
Pros
- A light aluminum core inside a heavy steel frame is the most effective way to move mass to the perimeter
- TaylorMade cites robot testing of the Pure Roll grooves against a solid face for topspin, not just marketing copy
- PU foam between the two materials fixes the metallic sound multi-material heads usually have
- The Spider is the most copied mallet shape in golf, and this is the original
Cons
- At around 250 dollars it is the second most expensive putter here
- A large modern mallet looks nothing like a classic putter at address
- The number 3 hosel suits one stroke shape, so check yours before ordering
- Head shapeSeven, one of the classic Odyssey mallets
- Hoselslant neck
- Length35 inches, right hand
- InsertMicrohinge, hinges that lift the ball into immediate topspin
- AlignmentVersa in silver and black
- GripOdyssey Pistol
Best for: Golfers who see the ball bounce and skid in the first foot after impact
Odyssey builds this one around a specific problem: a putt that skids before it rolls never holds its line. The Microhinge insert has small hinges across the face that lift the ball fractionally and put immediate topspin on it, which is why Odyssey calls it their best rolling insert.
The Seven is a wide, twin-wing mallet with high stability and a strong alignment platform, here finished in the Versa silver and black scheme so the sightline reads as contrast rather than a stripe. The slant neck gives it toe hang, so it favors a stroke that arcs slightly rather than one that goes straight back and straight through. Check that before you buy, because at this price a mismatch is expensive.
Pros
- The Microhinge insert attacks skid directly by getting the ball rolling forward at once
- Versa alignment uses high contrast blocks rather than a thin line, which is easier to square
- The Seven head shape has been in the Odyssey range for years, so there is a fitted version of everything
- The Pistol grip is the standard shape most golfers already putt with
Cons
- At around 230 dollars it is expensive for a putter with no adjustable weighting
- Slant neck means toe hang, which suits an arcing stroke rather than a straight one
- Silver and black is a loud look at address if you prefer a plain crown
- FaceSpeed Optimized Face Technology, dynamic groove milling
- HeadModel 11 mallet, silver
- Hoselsingle bend
- Length35 inches, right hand
- Gripoversized
- Balance20 gram counterweight in the butt end
Best for: Golfers who know whether their stroke is straight or slightly arcing and want the putter to match
The HB Soft 2 line is built on the argument that a putter should be chosen the way an iron is fitted. Cleveland offers nine heads, and each one pairs a shape with the hosel style, toe hang and alignment aid that suits either a straight stroke or a slightly arcing one. Model 11 with the single bend hosel is the face-balanced option, which is the straight stroke end.
The face is the other half. A dynamic groove milling pattern that Cleveland calls Speed Optimized Face Technology normalizes ball speed across an enlarged strike area, so a putt caught slightly toward the toe travels close to the distance you intended. The 20 gram counterweight inside the butt of the grip keeps the swing weight consistent between shaft lengths.
Pros
- Cleveland builds nine models, each with a hosel and toe hang matched to a stroke type, which is fitting without a fitter
- The face milling normalizes ball speed across a wider strike area, so heel and toe misses roll a similar distance
- A 20 gram weight in the grip end keeps swing feel identical whichever shaft length you pick
- A single bend hosel is face balanced, which suits a straight back and through stroke
Cons
- At around 154 dollars it costs more than every budget mallet here combined
- Nine models is a lot of choice, and picking the wrong one wastes the whole idea
- The oversized grip is not to everyone's taste and swapping it costs extra
- Facedouble-milled pattern
- AlignmentFocus Activation parallel lines, one thick with two thin supports
- Finishtwo tone PVD anti-glare
- Length35 inches, right hand
- Model year2024
- Typemallet
Best for: Golfers whose putts start offline because the face was never square at address
Wilson's Infinite range is the value end of putters built to a proper specification, and the Bucktown is the mallet in it. The alignment system is the selling point: a thick center line with two thinner support lines either side, which frames the ball instead of simply pointing forward. Aiming becomes a matter of seeing the ball sit centered rather than judging a single stripe.
The double-milled face keeps roll and distance control consistent across the strike area, and the two tone PVD anti-glare finish exists so the lines stay readable in bright sun rather than disappearing into a reflection. What you do not get at this price is a soft insert, so the feel is firmer than the Odyssey or the Orlimar.
Pros
- Three parallel lines frame the ball rather than pointing at it, which is easier to check than a single stripe
- The double-milled face is aimed at consistent roll regardless of where on the face you strike
- A PVD anti-glare finish removes the reflection that makes sightlines hard to read in sun
- At around 140 dollars it undercuts the tour brands by a wide margin
Cons
- No published insert, so feel comes from milled metal rather than a soft face
- One length and one hand in this listing
- Wilson does not publish the head weight or toe hang
- Headstainless steel with a milled face
- Length34 inches, right hand
- Grip1.3 inch diameter textured Fat Grip
- Shapeclassic mallet
- Extraspadded headcover included
- Designdeveloped and tested in California
Best for: Golfers whose hands rotate through the stroke and pull or push short putts
The GS2 Tour is built around its grip. At 1.3 inches in diameter the Fat Grip is a lot of rubber, and the reason is mechanical: a thick grip makes it harder for the hands to rotate through impact, so the face stays squarer for longer. That is the standard fix for a golfer who pushes and pulls short putts.
The rest is a straightforward stainless mallet with a milled face, which is the part that surprises at this price. Milling makes the contact and the roll more repeatable than the cast faces you normally get for 80 dollars. It comes in one length, 34 inches, so tall players should look at the 35 inch options elsewhere in this list.
Pros
- A 1.3 inch grip is genuinely oversized, and the point is to stop the hands from rotating
- A milled stainless face is unusual at this price and it rolls the ball more consistently than a cast face
- The padded cover protects the other clubs in the bag as much as the putter
- Around 80 dollars for a milled face is the value point of this list
Cons
- One length only, and 34 inches is short for taller players
- The oversized grip removes feel as well as rotation, which some golfers dislike
- No published weight, toe hang or loft figures
- Finishmatte black
- Headmallet body
- GripPinemeadow Spider grip
- Includedputter and matching black headcover
- Handright hand
- FamilyPGX line
Best for: Golfers who find bright crowns and busy alignment art distracting over the ball
Pinemeadow made its name with the white PGX head, on the theory that white contrasts against green grass and helps you focus on the alignment lines. The MB is the opposite argument: a matte black finish that reflects nothing and leaves you with a clean shape and no visual noise.
Which one suits you is a matter of eyesight and preference, not performance. What is common to both is the package: a mallet body, a soft Pinemeadow Spider grip and a matching headcover for around 75 dollars. The weakness is information, because Pinemeadow publishes very little about this model beyond the finish, the grip and what is in the box.
Pros
- Matte black kills reflection completely, which is the opposite approach to the white PGX heads Pinemeadow is known for
- The Spider grip is soft and forgiving on the hands, which matters on a club you hold most often
- A matching headcover is included rather than sold separately
- Around 75 dollars puts it in the middle of the budget field
Cons
- Pinemeadow publishes almost no specifications for this model, not even the length
- A plain crown gives you less alignment help than the Wilson or the PGM
- No face insert, so the feel is whatever the milled head gives you
- Headoversized zinc alloy, high MOI mallet
- Length34 inches
- Alignmentcontrasting red, white and blue lines
- Shaftseamless stainless steel
- Gripdurable PU
- Handright hand, men and women
Best for: Golfers who want the largest possible alignment contrast on the crown
The Old Glory is the loudest putter in this list and the reason is functional as well as decorative. Alignment lines work by contrast, and three colors on a wide crown give you more of it than a single white stripe on black. If your putts start offline because you never quite squared the face, this is the most visible answer here.
Underneath the finish is a conventional oversized mallet: a zinc alloy head with the mass pushed to the perimeter, a seamless stainless shaft and a PU grip, at 34 inches. Zinc alloy is the giveaway for the price, since it is less dense than the stainless and aluminum used further up the list, but in a head this large that is not a practical problem.
Pros
- An oversized zinc alloy head puts real mass at the perimeter for off-center strikes
- Three-color alignment lines give more contrast than any single stripe here
- A seamless stainless shaft rather than a chromed budget shaft
- Around 75 dollars including the shaft and grip specification
Cons
- The patriotic finish is a strong look that will not suit every bag
- Zinc alloy is softer and less dense than the stainless heads at the top of this list
- PGM does not publish head weight, loft or toe hang
- Headhigh MOI mallet with perimeter weighting
- Weightingheel and toe weights to resist twisting
- Faceengineered for a soft but responsive feel
- Alignmentbold lines with contrasting sight aids
- Extrasmatching headcover included
- Finishblack
Best for: Golfers who strike the heel or toe often and want the head to fight the twist
The PRO-X is Aspire's take on the standard budget mallet formula, and the difference is where the weight sits. Rather than relying on a large head alone, Aspire places distinct heel and toe weights so the head resists twisting when the strike drifts away from center. That is the same principle the Spider uses, executed for a fraction of the price.
The face is described as delivering a soft but responsive feel, which is the useful compromise: soft enough that long putts do not jump off the face, firm enough that you can tell a toe strike from a center one. Alignment is handled with bold lines and contrasting sight aids, and a matching headcover is in the box. The listing is thin on specification, which is the price of the price.
Pros
- Heel and toe weighting is described as a separate feature rather than folded into the head casting
- Bold sightlines with contrasting aids cover the aim problem as well as the strike problem
- A face tuned for feedback rather than pure softness, so you can feel where you struck it
- Around 70 dollars including a matching headcover
Cons
- Stock has been down to single digits on this listing
- Aspire publishes no length, weight or loft figures
- A house brand with no fitting options and no model variants
- Insertsoft TPU face insert
- Designhigh MOI mallet
- Hoselplumber neck with offset
- Alignmentcontrasting bi-color sightline
- Length35 inches, right hand
- Extrasfree headcover
Best for: Golfers on fast greens who need the face to absorb pace rather than add it
The Tangent T1 is the soft-feel option at the budget end. The TPU insert is a genuinely soft polymer rather than a thin coating, and the practical effect shows up on fast greens, where a firm face sends a lag putt eight feet past and a soft one leaves it close.
The rest is standard and sensible. A high MOI mallet head for stability, an offset plumber neck hosel that puts your hands ahead of the ball at impact so the putter delivers a touch of forward roll, and a bi-color sightline for alignment. At 35 inches it is one of the few budget mallets here built for taller players.
Pros
- A TPU insert is the softest face material in this list, which slows the ball off the face on quick greens
- The offset plumber neck puts the hands ahead of the head at impact, which helps forward roll
- Thirty-five inches suits taller players, and most budget mallets only come at 34
- Around 50 dollars with a headcover included
Cons
- A soft insert gives less feedback on strike quality than a milled face
- Orlimar does not publish head weight or toe hang
- Right hand only in this listing
- Designmallet with perimeter weighting for off-center strikes
- Insertsoft grooved face insert
- Hoseloffset plumber neck, heel shafted
- Alignmentcontrasting color scheme
- Length35 inches, right hand
- GripPowerBilt custom putter grip
Best for: A first mallet, a spare putter or a cheap way to test whether the shape suits you
The M600 is the argument that the mallet shape does the work, not the price tag. Perimeter weighting, a soft grooved face insert and an offset plumber neck hosel are the same three ideas the 250 dollar putters in this list are built on, executed in cheaper materials for around 30 dollars.
Where it saves money is in the details. There is no headcover in the box, no published head weight and no sightline beyond the contrasting color scheme on the crown. If you have never used a mallet and want to find out whether the extra stability suits your stroke before spending real money, this is the club to find out with.
Pros
- Around 30 dollars, the cheapest club in this entire list by a wide margin
- A grooved soft insert at this price, where most budget putters use a bare cast face
- Perimeter weighting is real here, not just a large-looking head
- Thirty-five inches, so it fits taller golfers without a shaft swap
Cons
- No headcover is included, which is unusual even at this price
- PowerBilt publishes no head weight, loft or toe hang
- The contrasting finish is the only alignment aid, with no sightline detail
Checklist: What Makes a Great Mallet Putter
- Weight Distribution: Examine the head weight and overall balance of the putter. A well-distributed weight enhances stability and control during the putting stroke, contributing to more consistent putts.
- Moment of Inertia (MOI): Look for a high MOI design that offers greater forgiveness on off-center hits. This feature stabilizes the putter head during the stroke, allowing for improved accuracy on the greens.
- Alignment Aids: Consider putters with clear alignment features such as contrast color schemes, sight lines, or shapes that assist in aiming and help you achieve a square stance to the target.
- Face Technology: Investigate the putter's face insert or milling pattern, which affects ball contact and roll. Advanced face technologies, such as micro-milling or unique face inserts, provide a soft feel and consistent roll.
- Shaft Length and Grip: Ensure the shaft length is appropriate for your height and posture, and assess the grip for comfort and size. These elements should promote a natural and stable putting motion without strain.
- Head Design: The head shape impacts playability and personal preference. Mallet putters come in various head designs, each offering different visual appeals and technical benefits, like additional weight for faster greens.
FAQ
Why should golfers consider mallet putters?
Mallet putters provide stability, forgiveness, and precision, especially beneficial for improving consistency and accuracy on the greens.
What features make a mallet putter effective for golfers?
An effective mallet putter has a high MOI design, alignment aids, and weight distribution that together enhance stability and improve putting accuracy.
How do face inserts or milling patterns on a mallet putter impact performance?
Face technology in a mallet putter affects the quality of ball contact and roll, with advanced inserts or milling offering a more consistent, soft feel upon impact.
