Best Mallet Putters 2026

When it comes to putters, users are truly spoilt for choice, with a variety of models available on the market. It can be difficult to work out where to start, but one aspect that is important to note is that a mallet style putter will tend to be larger and more forgiving than a blade-style putter.

Why is it, you may ask? Well, the weight in a mallet putter is often found in the club face but, because of its design, weight can then be redistributed to other parts of the head to stabilize and create balance for your stroke. Mallet designs are also the most forgiving putters because they tend to have a larger sweet spot, whilst the extra weight in the head helps to diminish twisting throughout the strike.

One final point to note is that, if you struggle with alignment, a mallet putter can really help with that and, below, we taken the best mallets from our putter reviews and created this handy guide for you! Additionally, we would also recommend checking out our specific guides on the best women's putters and best putters for beginners too.

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Best Mallet Putters 2026

The Quick List

Best firm feel

The only real criticism of the original DF3 was that the ball came off a bit soft and slow for some. The DF3i has been designed to correct this by replacing the face with a fly-milled stainless-steel insert bonded to the 6061 aircraft aluminum body, the same one found in the Oz.1i putter. So therefore what was the result of this design change?

Well from a feel perspective I must say the DF3i delivers largely thanks to the new steel insert. It's much faster off the face than the original model, something I felt was needed. This provided an extra pop, allowing me to have really impressive distance control when putting from longer range by not having to swing the putter back ludicrously far. Additionally if you are someone who prefers a firmer feeling putter, than this is the model to try because again, that steel insert delivers in this regard.

It was on shorter distances that the patented Lie Angle Balance technology truly performed as well. The notion of just aiming and rocking my shoulders when putting from 10ft and in was something I enjoyed and I saw great success on straighter putts. The putter simply wants to stay square and I felt simply putting with the ‘larger muscles’ was the best way I could complement it.

• Read our full L.A.B. Golf DF3i Putter Review

Best value

Typically, the latest innovations in golf technology come with a fairly hefty price tag, but Wilson has looked to buck that trend with the 606 pictured here, a zero-torque model putter I think more people should try. At address it features a compact winged-mallet profile that should inspire confidence, although the footprint could arguably be a little larger. Given the size of other zero-torque putters however, this is no bad thing for some.

Technology wise the 606 is manufactured with Metal Injection Molding (MIM), an advanced process that allows for beautifully refined shaping and precise mass placement to increase MOI and overall stability. The result, certainly from a feel perspective, was excellent. The putter, largely thanks to the double-milled face pattern, felt solid and yet gave a responsive sensation at impact. As a result I felt it helped me get a dependable feel for distance control, and it helped me get a consistent roll off the face too.

Overall, the combination of stability, alignment clarity, and zero torque performance makes the 606 ideal for players seeking additional help and simplicity on the greens.

• Read our full Wilson Infinite The 606 Putter Review

Best for alignment

The TaylorMade Spider is an iconic design that is now one of the most recognisable putters out there. From leading Tour pros to Sunday hackers, Spider putters are popular with golfers of all skill levels and, over the years, TaylorMade has made lots of little tweaks and added plenty of wrinkles to its ever expanding range.

To begin with, the Spider Tour putter comes into its own on off-center strikes, as it helps to maintain the direction and control of the putt. It's worth mentioning that there are four head shapes available - Tour, Tour X, Tour V and Tour Z, but all four provide a high-MOI performance, as well as stability, consistency and forgiveness in abundance.

The two areas that stood out for us were the soft feel and the high forgiveness, with our tester incredibly impressed by the performance on offer. The soft feel comes from the white TPU Pure Roll insert, which also provides a nice symmetry with the white True Path Alignment aid on the top of the crown.

• Read our full TaylorMade Spider Tour Putter Review

Best soft feel

Scotty Cameron putters are and have been some of the most sought-after on the market for some time now and the latest 9.2R model pictured here certainly continues that theme. It is what I would call a futuristic mallet, with the head shape being the thing that immediately stands out. Thanks to direct Tour feedback, it has been refined producing a more rounded profile which I'm sure you can agree, looks amazing.

New for this Phantom range is a completely re-engineered full-face insert milled from Studio Carbon Steel, which is ridiculously soft through impact. This, when combined with the intricate chain-link milling pattern on the face, resulted in vibration reduction and I thought it rolled the ball beautifully. Not to mention the buttery-soft audible click at impact which I loved. I was so impressed with the feel and how it framed the ball at address, it’s a serious contender for my bag this season.

One of the most underappreciated aspects when it comes to buying one of the best putters is the grip, and Scotty Cameron certainly hasn't overlooked this, providing a stock, pistol-style grip that sits in the hands very comfortably. It allowed my hands to sit very neutral throughout the stroke, and I think it looks great as well.

I admit it is a pricey model and a serious investment, but considering the looks, feel, craftsmanship and Tour-validated performance, I think it does justify the cost somewhat.

• Read our full Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.2R Putter Review

Best zero torque

Early zero-torque or toe-up models from each of the major manufacturers often required a significant and fairly unnatural forward press grip in order to sit square. Odyssey's new S2S Tri-Hot line has been introduced as a solution to this, and my favorite model from that line is the #7,

Designed to look a lot more like a centre-shafted putter as opposed to an out and out zero torque aesthetic, the #7 features a shaft that enters the head right above the topline. As such it sits perfectly flush to the ground and I didn't have to manipulate it at all. This really elevates the look here whilst the red and black finish pops beautfully as well. The "fangs" are already a superb alignment tool, but combined with the new cross-hair system, I found it very straightforward to set up to my intended target.

The feel is the other major story (and upgrade) over the previous Square 2 Square design, thanks to the same Ai-dual insert, which is made from a soft outer layer and firm inner layer. It resulted in a smooth, responsive roll in my testing.

Overall the S2S Tri-Hot #7 and the other putters in the lineup get a double thumbs up from me. I think it takes all the stability of zero torque and put it into a stunning package that feels more natural at address.

• Read our full Odyssey S2S Tri-Hot #7 Putter Review

Best aesthetic

I have been a fan of Toulon putters for a while now and I think the all-new 2026 Collection Series is arguably their most complete lineup to date. This new collection introduces a breathtaking new Midnight Blue finish which combines beautifully with other ice blue and white elements throughout the putter design. The Las Vegas model I tested also features a rounded top line and softened wing edges which give the overall aesthetic a stunning look.

However, arguably the place it truly excels is the feel and sound. Toulon refined the Deep Diamond Mill pattern by tweaking the groove shape and depth and introducing new horizontal grooves. The result is a blend of feel, sound, speed, and roll that will please the majority of golfers who love a milled mallet putter. It is very soft through the hands, and the sound off the face matches that feel perfectly.

Overall from a performance standpoint, the Las Vegas is incredibly stable and was fairly reliable when it came to mis-struck putts. It does sit at the ultra-premium end of the putter market, which will alienate many golfers, but it does deliver outstanding performance so there will be a market for it.

• Read our full Toulon 2026 Collection Las Vegas H7 Putter Review

Best for stability

The Hot Rod ZT is PXG's first zero-torque putter released with a conventional (by zero-torque standards) neck configuration. It poses a striking look, featuring a modern precision-milled 6061 aluminium head with a sleek black finish. The head distributes mass through a high-MOI mallet shape that frames the ball cleanly at address and the overall size, along with the alignment cues, will inspire confidence over a putt for those who need it.

Additionally, in my testing, the stability was instantly noticeable when putting from inside 10 feet. The Hot Rod ZT felt almost automatic, and thanks to the easy alignment and zero-torque design, it allowed me to just rock my shoulders and trust the face to return squarely to the ball. I thought the forgiveness was top-notch as well on off-centre strikes, largely thanks to the concealed tungsten and four interchangeable sole weights, which raise the MOI significantly in this large mallet.

If you are looking for a switch-up with your flatstick and want to embrace the zero-torque revolution without compromising on premium feel, the PXG Hot Rod ZT is one of the putters you should test this year.

• Read our full PXG Hot Rod ZT Putter Review

Best for fast greens

Pulling the Ping Scottsdale TEC Ketsch Onset out in testing I was reminded of the classic TaylorMade Corza Ghost from 2010. It certainly is eye-catching and there is technological method to the design as well.

The headline story here is ‘Quiet Eye’ technology, which the Ping R&D team has introduced after using eye-tracking techniques to study how players fixate on the ball. The result is Eye-Q, a small dot you can see on the image above that acts as a visual anchor. In my testing, I found this tiny detail surprisingly effective, giving me somewhere to hone my focus once I had lined the putter up to the line on my ball. I also thought it worked throughout the stroke as well, as I felt I wasn't trying to follow the ball too early which is particularly useful when trying to focus on technique, a key element especially on fast greens.

In terms of feel, the one-piece Pebax insert was a standout for me. It felt soft without being overly squidgy, offering me the kind of responsive feedback that made distance control feel easy.

Overall the performance here was strong. If you want an eye-catching design with new technology, then I recommend giving it a go.

• Read our full Ping Scottsdale TEC Ketsch Onset Putter Review

Best roll

Cobra has never been a brand to shy away from pushing the boundaries of golf club engineering, and the emphasis on 3D printing is a prime example with clubs like the 3DP Tour Agera RS. It looks very futuristic and the different colors may divide opinion here but what cannot be denied is it offers a confidence-inspiring footprint without feeling overly large.

One of my biggest worries with multi-material, 3D-printed putters is the sacrifice of feel through the hands, but Cobra has equipped the Agera RS with a 100% milled MIM 304 stainless steel face, which I loved. In my testing I thought it provided a crisp, responsive feel for feedback and distance control.

The Agera RS features LA Golf’s Descending Loft Technology integrated into the face, which utilizes four descending face lofts (4°, 3°, 2°, and 1° from top to bottom) to optimize launch regardless of your shaft lean or head position at impact. I must say I was impressed by this in my testing. Whether I inadvertently pressed my hands slightly forward or hung back a fraction, the ball launched fairly consistently and got into a true, end-over-end roll almost immediately.

If you are in the market for a highly forgiving putter and you don't mind stepping away from traditional putter aesthetics, the Cobra 3DP Tour Agera RS is well worth taking a look at.

• Read our full Cobra 3DP Tour Agera RS Putter Review

Best for pace control

For 2026, Bettinardi has refined its much-loved BB Series, and one of my favorites in the line is the BB49, a model designed for players seeking a compact mallet with a moderate arc in their putting stroke.

To start the looks definitely standout. The head is coated in what the brand calls a Savannah Blue finish which instantly reminded me of a satin oil can-style design. I thought it looked great and combined nicely with the light grey pistol grip to give a clean overall package. Setting the BB49 down behind the ball, I found it offered a confidence-inspiring look of a mallet, while allowing me to express enough creativity and feel, similar to that of a blade putter.

The standout technological upgrade for the 2026 BB series is the new VDF (Variable Depth Flymill) Face. I found this provided incredibly consistent ball speed and distance control, especially on those slightly off-center strikes. Additionally, because the putters are milled from a single block of 303 stainless steel, the feedback and impact feel is sensationally buttery with enough responsiveness to let you know exactly where you struck the ball.

• Read our full Bettinardi BB-49 Putter Review

How we test putters

When it comes to product testing, our reviews and buyers' guides are built upon a rigorous testing procedure as well as the knowledge and experience of the test team.

The putter section is headed up by Sam De'Ath , while other members of the Golf Monthly team regularly contribute to the putter tests as well, and all writers are able to efficiently test the vast majority of the biggest product releases and convey the pros and cons eloquently.

Getting into specifics, we test the putters outdoors on real greens with premium golf balls to get a thorough understanding of design features, feel, sound and looks. We look to test across multiple different rounds of golf across different golf courses to really put each putter through their paces and to create a fairer test when it comes to the review itself - the more use we get of a putter, the more data we have to work with and a more informative review will come as a result!

Not only do the putters get tested out on the golf course, they also get tested inside. Due to the fact Sam heads up our putters department, he also has the honor of testing the best putting mats on the market. This means Sam gets a lot of practice in from the comfort of his own home and thus, each putter he reviews gets a thorough workout both on and off the golf course.

Our goal with our testing procedure and review ideology is simple and has remained the same for many years - we feel like we owe it to our loyal readership to deliver the most informative, bias-free buying advice possible. Our level of trust we have build with our readers over years of reviews is of upmost importance to us and thus we want to keep it as high as possible. To do this, we simply call each product how we see it based on our knowledge of the club market, our experience testing these type of clubs and our passion for the game. No brand ever gets preferential treatment, nor can a manufacturer 'buy' a good review - we simply call it how we see it.

How to choose a new putter

When trying to find one of the best mallet putters, there are several things to consider...

Price

In our guide to the best putters on the market right now, we featured 18 putters that range in price. This tells you a little bit about the range of putters there are out there today but this can also help you narrow your search down a bit further. Why is there so much difference in price? This comes down to factors like technology, craftsmanship and the brand.

Size

So you want a mallet putter right? Well it is up to you what size of mallet you want because some of the models above are large to aid MOI and forgiveness, whilst some others are more mid-mallet in shape and have smaller footprints.

Looks

The putter has to inspire confidence so you have to enjoy looking down on it that's for sure. Manufacturers are aware of this and so have designed a wide range of looks to choose from and therefore you just need to look at the designs you like the aesthetics of.

Feel

This is a really important factor to consider because on the market right now are a wide range of firm and soft feeling putters to choose from. One thing we do recommend is how fast or slow are the greens you play on? If you typically putt on slow greens, a firmer feeling face will suit you more whereas if you putt on ultra-fast greens a softer feel will work more efficiently and help you control distance.

Arc Strength

For some players, their stroke tends to be fairly straight back and through whereas some golfers tend to putt more in an arc. Finding out what kind of arc you have is vital to picking the right putter for your stroke.

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