As the leader of the Golf Instructor team here at Tell Me More Golf, I’m going to do my best at getting you the Best Putter for a Mid-Handicapper from our review list!

These expert review guidelines are used by Tell Me More Golf’s review team in order to complete the findings:

• Consistent Distance Control
• Simple Aim and Alignment
• Feel of the Ball Off the Putter’s Face

#1. Scotty Cameron Select Newport – Best Blade Putter for Mid Handicappers

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There’s just something about holding Scotty Cameron putters that feels good when you have one in your hands. Our testers commented on how every putt they hit with the Scotty Cameron Select Newport putter felt like it was going into the hole. 

The Benefits:

The 2018 Scotty Cameron Select Newport is a modern heel-to-toe weighted blade style putter with a 303 stainless steel inlay and a 303 stainless steel body. It has four-way sole balancing that balances the putter from the toe to the heel and from the heel to the cavity. 

In addition, the Newport sits perfectly square at address, making it easy to align from virtually any lie.

Even our testers who dislike blade putters liked how the ball rolled on putts with the Newport.

The only gripe about the Select Newport was the midsize grip. They thought the chunkier grip took away some of the putter’s feel.

#2. Odyssey Golf Ten – Best Putter for Average Golfers

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The Odyssey Golf 2021 Ten impressed our testers regarding lining-up putts with two-ball and triple-track putter options that seemed like they aimed their putts for them.

The Benefits:

The Odyssey Ten Putter head has been updated to be sleeker and more forgiving on mishits. The two-ball and the triple-track alignment aids make lining up putts a snap. In addition, the Microhinge insert helps the ball roll forward directly off the putter face for repeatable distance control.

The lighter yet stiffer StrokeLabs shaft provides a lot of feel for a mallet-style putter.

The only real drawback with the Ten putters was some of our testers thought that the insert made a “clacky” sound when putting.

#3. Cobra Golf King 3D Printed Agera – Most Forgiving Putter for Mid Handicappers

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With 3D printed parts and SIK face technology, Cobra putters impressed our testers with their exceptional feel and forgiveness.

The Benefits:

The Cobra King 3d Printer Agera is a giant, modern mallet putter built for ultimate forgiveness. Its 3-D printer lattice in the middle of the putter acts as a simple yet effective alignment aid. The SIK face has four lofts that provide a consistent launch angle and roll for constant distance control. 

Our testers liked the solid sound the putter made at contact and were surprised at how much feel they had with a putter head that large.

Some of our testers thought the putter head was too large and distracting, even if the ball did roll well.

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#4. TaylorMade Spider EX (#9) – Best Putter for Mid to High Handicappers

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The TaylorMade Spider EX putter gets rave reviews from our testers for its ease of alignment and excellent feel on every putt.

The Benefits:

The TaylorMade Spider EX putter features True Path Alignment reflective white coloring combined with two rails and three aiming dots. These features frame the ball nicely to make it easy to address it consistently. 

It also features a Fluted-Feel steel shaft that gives the Spider EX feel and stability in the putting stroke. In addition, pure Roll technology, which features eight co-molded grooves, produces topspin for consistent distance control.

The only negative our testers found with the Spider EX was the reflective white surface that some found too bright on sunny days.

#5. Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft 11 – Best Cheap Putter for Mid Handicappers

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The Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft 11 Putter made many of our testers fans with its wingback look, feel and distance control.

The Benefits:

The Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft 11 Putter, with its wingback design and simple, single-black line alignment aid, makes aiming your putts simple. In addition, it has a diamond milling pattern on the putting face that promotes accurate rolls on putts with excellent feedback for feel and great distance control.

Some testers found that the ball felt a little soft coming off the milled putter face, but once they got used to it, they were impressed with how consistent it was, even on mishits.

How to Choose The Best Putter For Your Mid-Handicap Putting Stroke – Buying Guide

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One of the fundamental elements of the golf game that many golfers overlook is their putting stroke. Most people have a natural putting stroke that they do without thinking about it.

There are two types of putting strokes: straight-back, straight-through and arced.

Straight-Back Straight Through Putting Stroke

Using a yardstick with a straight-back and straight-through putting stroke, the head of the putter will go straight back down the yardstick on the takeaway and then stay straight on the yardstick during the follow-through.

If you’re naturally a straight-back putter, you’ll probably stand with your eyes directly over the ball and see the putter square to the putting line.

Straight-back putters do not open and close the putter during their stroke; it stays square to the ball on the takeaway and square after contact is made into the release.

Because there is no opening and closing of the putter head, this style of putting is simpler to use for most golfers. Because they only have to focus on keeping the putter square to the target line.

The Best Putter Head Shape For Straight Back Putting Strokes

Straight-back putters should look at mallet-style putters because they are typically face-balanced. You can tell if a putter is face-balanced when you balance it on the balancing point of the shaft and the putter’s face is facing straight up.

Mallet and half-mallet style putters have larger putter heads with an increased MOI, so they tend to be more forgiving on mishits than blade putters. They also typically have visually appealing aiming aids like two-ball, triple-track, and True Path alignment that help golfers get lined up quickly.

There are versions of blade putters that are face-balanced for players who prefer the look of a blade putter.

Arced Putting Stroke

Using the yardstick test, you’re a natural arc putter if you bring the putter head back, and it comes to the inside of the yardstick. Then, when you release the club after impact, it also goes inside. 

If you have a natural arced putting stroke, you’ll probably line up with your eyes looking at the inside of the golf ball.

The putter face will open on the backswing and close when you hit through the ball on your putts which adds an element of timing to the arced stroke that you won’t need with a straight-back stroke. 

Many golfers believe that because of the engagement of the hands and the natural opening and closing of the putter head that the arced stroke has more feel to it. 

The Best Putter Head Shape for Arced Putting Strokes

Arc putters should look at blade-style putters or putters with a toe hang. When you balance a toe-hang putter at the balancing point on the shaft, the toe will point toward the ground. The further the toe points, the more of a toe-hang the club has, and the more arc it will require to swing correctly.

One of the most significant changes in new putters is hosel options that can add toe-hang to mallet putters. This option is one of the reasons that PGA golfers have started to turn more to mallet-style putters over traditional blades. Now they can get the forgiveness of a mallet while using their natural, arc style putting stroke.

Which Putting Style is Better for Mid-Handicappers?

From a purely mechanical perspective, the simplicity of the straight-back and straight-through putting stroke makes it a better style for most mid-handicap golfers. In addition, keeping the putter face square on the takeaway and square through impact is a more straightforward, more repeatable move that doesn’t require the timing of the arced putting stroke.

However, if your natural putting stroke is an arced one and you’re comfortable putting it that way, there’s no reason to try and change it.

What’s more important is matching up your natural putting stroke with the style of putter that caters better to that style of stroke. 

Face-balanced putters are designed for a straight-back and straight-through stroke. Toe-hang putters are designed for an arced takeaway and follow-through as the putter opens and closes on the release.
If you use the wrong style putter for your stroke, you may find yourself blocking or pulling putts. In essence, the natural balance of the club and the natural tendency of your stroke are evening each other out.

Tell Me More Golf – Frequently Asked Questions

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What’s a good putter for average golfers?

Mallet or semi-mallet putters are good putters for average golfers. The head designs of mallet putters have better alignment aids, more prominent sweet spots, and higher MOI, so they are more forgiving than blade putters.

What matters more is understanding your natural putting stroke, straight-back, straight-through, or arc, so that you can find the proper putter style for your stroke. 

Typically straight-back and straight-through putters do better with face-balanced putters and arced putters with toe-hang putters.

Should a putter be light or heavy?

One of the first things you want to look at when choosing a light or heavy golf putter is the speed of the greens you typically play. The slower and larger the greens, the heavier the putter you’ll want so you can roll the ball more easily on them.

The faster and smaller the greens, the lighter the putter, as it will take less effort to roll the ball, and you’ll want as much control and a soft feel as possible.

Is blade or mallet putter better?

For beginners, when looking at what type of putter is better, blade or mallet, the mallet style putter is better. Because a mallet putter has a larger, forgiving head and better alignment lines.

Everyone has a natural putting stroke. Some people will naturally take the putter straight back and putt straight through the ball. Others will arc the putter head to the inside, open the club on the back, and close it on the follow-through.

What type of putter is more popular on the PGA tour?

Mallet putters have overtaken blade putters as the more popular style of the putter in recent years. Because professional golfers change putters frequently, the numbers vary, but it’s consistently between 55-45% to 60-40% in favor of mallet putters. 

Even professionals enjoy the high MOI, or moment of inertia, that mallet putters provide, which makes them more forgiving than blade-style putters.

In addition to the high MOI, manufacturers of high-quality putters like Ping, Callaway, and Titleist now have hosels that promote the toe hang with mallet putters.

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Every golfer wants to be a great putter. The best putter for mid-handicap golfers will be the one that matches best with their natural putting stroke, straight-back, straight-through, or arc. 

Because of their larger head size and designs, mallet-style putters have better alignment aids and a higher MOI and are more forgiving than blade-style putters. 

In the past, most mallets were face-balanced. However, with new hosel designs, you can find mallet putters with a toe-hang that lets arc putters use their natural strokes and get the benefits of the club. This innovation is one of the reasons that mallet-style putters have grown in popularity in recent years with PGA players.

However, even with all of the “advantages” of mallet putters, almost half of tour professionals use blade-style putters because they like their look and feel better. 
Once you know your putting stroke, go out and look for face-balanced or toe-hang putters and hit putts with them. You’ll know when you pick the right one because it will feel natural, and the ball will keep going in the hole.