There’s nothing like driving a ball three hundred yards down the course. However, many golfers find that putting is the most exciting part of golf. There’s nothing like hitting the ball in the hole on your first attempt when on the greens. Conversely, it can be incredibly frustrating to see your score go higher as you continue to miss short putts.
That’s why it’s crucial that you take advantage of using the right style of putter for your needs. In this article, we’ll cover:
- Differences between blade and mallet putters
- Blade vs. mallet pros and cons
- Should I switch to a blade putter?
- Do pros use mallet putters?
- Are blade putters forgiving?
- Which is the best blade type for beginners?
- How to pick the right putter for you
Let’s begin!
Differences Between Blade and Mallet Putters
Blade putters are the traditional style of putters and have a thin rectangular style blade. It has a classic look and doesn’t have a deep back. In contrast, mallet putters have a half-round semi-circle shape. It’s much larger and does have quite a deep back. Although they have completely different shapes, the weights can be the same. The weighting is usually determined by the technology and materials of the putter.
Pros of Blade Putters
- Best suited for arc stroke putters
- Performs very well on fast greens
- Offers consistent impact
- Best suitable for players who want to maximize precision and accuracy
- Offers excellent control and feel
Cons of Blade Putters
- Harder to line up compared to mallet putters
- Not as forgiving as mallet putters
Pros of Mallet Putters
- Deep back and large sweet spot offers more forgiveness
- Easier to learn distance control
- Easy to customize
- Available in many designs
- It’s Best designed for the straight back straight through stroke
Cons of Mallet Putters
- Not suited for users with an arc style stroke
- It doesn’t perform well on speedy greens
Should I Switch to a Blade Putter?
A blade putter is designed with a traditional head shape and is quite the favorite among golf enthusiasts. Blade putters have their weight primarily shifted towards their toe along with a sweet spot that is positioned close to the heel. The sweet position occurs because the shaft connects to the clubhead or center of the blade. The heel sweet spot combined with the toe weighting means that the blade putters are best suited for golfers who use an arc in their putting stroke.
Generally, the choice of using a blade putter will come to stroke and feel. A golfer’s stroke is unique to each individual, and it will determine the style of putter that will help you efficiently perform on the greens.
You should consider switching to a blade putter if you have an arced stroke. This type of stroke occurs when the putter’s face opens and closes in relation to the target. In addition, the stroke should travel on a slight curve. The reason for using a blade-style putter is because it has a natural toe-weighting compared to a mallet putter.
Other Reasons to Switch to a Blade Putter
Besides your stroke, there are other factors you may consider when deciding what type of putter to use. You may opt for a blade-style putter if you want to feel how the ball reacts off the putter’s face. This can help you gain confidence and have more control over the stroke. Some people may even choose a blade putter because it has a more clean and sleek look.
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Do Pros Use Mallet Putters?
PGA Tour professionals are meticulous about the equipment they use. They analyze in detail the right type of putters that best suit their game on the greens. Out of the top 100 PGA tour golfers, about 65% of them use mallet putters, while 35% of them use blade putters.
Are Blade Putters Forgiving?
Blade putters only provide some forgiveness when you hold it in confession. In comparison, mallet putters have a larger clubface and larger sweet spot. With blade putters, you’ll need to be more precise with your hits. Fail to hit the middle, and you can feel a clunk and see the ball swing to a different angle.
Benefits of a Blade Putter
A blade putter is much thinner in design compared to a mallet putter. The blade only extends a little back and looks like the traditional golf putter design. Players with an arc-type putting stroke will benefit most from the blade-style putter because it helps to provide a significant increase in feel and control. They also help to improve accuracy on longer putts and fast greens.
Blade or Mallet Putter for Beginner
Putting is very individualistic, meaning there isn’t a right or wrong answer for beginners. That’s because there are different stroke types and preferences to account for. However, generally, beginners tend to use mallet putters over blade-style putters. That’s because mallet putters are more forgiving and have more slid. As a result, you can still hit accurate shots on the green despite mishits.
If you want the advantages of a mallet putter but don’t like the bulky feeling, you can consider mid-size mallet putters. The putts have a little more touch and feel so that you can still feel the impact of the ball.
How to Pick the Right Putter for You
Many golfers spend a lot of time trying to pick out the right drivers, wedges, and irons; however, they don’t spend much time on putters. Choosing the right putters can be your secret weapon to help you consistently shoot lower scores. Here are the steps to choosing the right putter for your game.
Determine Your Style of Putting
Most golfers either use an arc stroke or the straight back straight through stroke. The arc stroke is when you take the putter back inside slightly and open the face as you swing on the way back. When you follow through, you close the putter to create an arc shape. Players with an arc stroke usually go for blade putters.
Straight back straight through stroke is when the entire path is straight. This means the path of the backstroke and followthrough remains constant. The mallet-style is best suited for this stroke type because it has a balanced face and promotes a straighter stroke.
Choose the Right Head Shape
Next, when getting a putter, you want to consider the head shape: blade, mallet, and high MOI. Blade-style heads are a thin rectangle shape and perform consistently when hit in the sweet spot. Typically, blade putters are used among players with low handicaps, while players that shoot in the 80s or 90s tend to use mallet putters. Also, blade butter is toe-balanced, allowing the putter to open and close more easily during the stroke.
In comparison, the mallet putter face is much larger and more forgiving. It also has a target line located on the top to help you line up to each putt. Not to mention, it has a deep cavity back design as well.
High MOI’s are quite new in golf and have a unique design. The head weight is heavier than mallet or blade-style shapes. These are best suited for high handicap players. The heavier weight allows the put to stay straight through impact. It has the most forgiveness so that even if you mishit, it still rolls naturally.
Look for the Right Putter Shaft
Now you’ll what to choose between a center shaft or heel shaft putter. Center shaft putters have a face balance where the weight is equally balanced between the club head’s toe and heel. This is suited for golfers who keep their eyes directly above the ball and have a straight back straight through stroke. That’s because these players aim to keep the clubhead square.
The heel shaft putter is where the shaft is more towards the heel, which helps the clubhead rotate to better match your stroke. Typically, players with an arc stroke will have a heel shaft putter.
Putter Length
Most golfers forget to consider the length of the putters when making their purchases. Your height will affect which length of the putter to get.
Here are the general guidelines on which putter length to choose:
- Below 5 feet = Under 32 inches
- 5 feet to 5’4” = 33 inches
- 5’5”-5’10” = 34 inches
- Above 5’10” – 35 inches or longer
Blade vs Mallet Pros And Cons – Conclusion
When it comes to golf putting, there isn’t any one-size-fits-all option. It comes down to your unique way of playing and putter design. We recommend having both a blade head and a mallet head. That’s because you may find that you perform differently depending on the greens. For example, you may use a mallet putter for slow greens and a blade putter for fast greens.