Armlock putters are a fantastic option for golfers who struggle to keep their flatstick steady through impact, with it the club that can help you shave a few shots off your scorecard.
For those who don't know, armlock putters have a longer shaft and grip which is secured against your leading forearm. They measure around 38 to 42 inches and, because of the length, it allows you to rock your shoulders like a normal stroke and produce a more fluid movement. This method has been popularized by multiple Tour professionals, including multiple-time Major champion, Bryson DeChambeau.
Dissimilarly to some of the models featured in our best putters guide, armlock putters are weighted differently to provide a similar counterbalance and swing weight to a traditional model. In addition, they tend to have more loft on the face and the shaft leans towards the target more compared to a traditional putting stroke where it is usually vertically in line with the ball.
Most manufacturers only carry one or two models in the range that have been modified to be armlock putters and, generally, as they are very forgiving, they tend to be larger face-balanced mallets. Below, we have taken a look at best armlock putters currently on the market but, if they aren't for you, then why not check out our guides on the best Ping putters, the best TaylorMade putters and the best Odyssey putters.
The Quick List
The Evnroll ER11vx Putter is crammed with technology, such as Sweet Face grooves and a forgiving head that many users will absolutely adore!
Providing users with a number of alignment aids that stand out at address, the 2-Ball Ten is an all-round great mallet putter that will help your game.
One of the most forgiving putters we've ever tested, the Agera performs incredibly consistently on short and long range putts, with it a great option for lowering your score on the golf course.
An elegant looking putter that minimizes the effects of mis-hits, the ER2V provided a controlled and consistent roll which excelled in every department.
Not only does the Inovai 8 have a clean head with good alignment lines, the compact shape produces exceptional performance.
Providing excellent forgiveness for a blade-style putter, the Grandsport-35 is very confidence-inspiring at address and available in armlock and standard.
Best Armlock Putters
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Top pick
An update on its predecessor, the Evnroll ER11v, the ER11vx putter is designed to increase the MOI, provide greater stability, and make it more forgiving on off-centered hits. Certainly, in testing, these claims were backed up as, on impact, we found the ER11vx had one of the best faces on the market!
It comes with 2º of loft and, in testing, it provided a solid feel through impact and a smooth roll. It also features an Evnroll Sweet Face design, which uses variable width and depth of grooves on its clubface to reduce the dispersion in distance and accuracy that can occur if you don't strike the ball on the sweet spot of the club.
Along with the Sweet Face design, we also noticed the hollow circle on the bottom that not only helps to move the weight of the club head to its extremities, but is a way to pick up the ball without bending down. For that reason, the armlock version, or as Evnroll call it, their Midlock version, would be a great putter for senior golfers, or anyone struggling with a sore back to help reduce the amount you're bending over on the course.
- Read our full Evnroll ER11vx Putter Review
Best for alignment
Ranked amongst the best Odyssey putters money can buy, the Odyssey 2-Ball Ten Armlock Putter takes the classic 2-ball style from the high MOI Ten range to create a high MOI mallet ArmLock putter. Not only does it feature Odyssey’s famous 2-Ball alignment but, being a mallet, there's a lot of forgiveness within the head.
Starting with the 2-Ball alignment, seeing as we gave it the best alignment tag and, in testing, it really helped us to make sure the ball was lined up correctly and the face came in square at impact. It is a very useful tool for those who tend to push or pull a lot of their putts.
Along with the visual help, the feel off the face is nice and soft too and that feel is mirrored in the sound it makes, which we would describe as a gentle 'pop'. One final reason for the 2-Ball Ten's inclusion is because it's available with Odyssey’s Triple-Track alignment, which works very well with Callaway’s Triple Track golf balls if you're looking for even more help.
- Read our full Odyssey 2-Ball Ten Putters Review
Most forgiving
In Cobra’s 3D printed range there are a couple of models that feature armlock shafts and, continuing the mallet theme, another putter to mention is the Agera from Cobra. As you can see above, it has a large footprint which is a key part of the design because it has been created to offer the highest MOI possible. It does this in part because of the 3D-printed inset and tungsten weights.
It is unquestionably one of the most forgiving putters on the market and this is further aided by SIK Face Technology, which uses descending loft to produce a consistent strike through the ball. In testing, this technology was a genuine asset and, looks-wise, the different components added something unique to the design.
Because of the performance, we felt that there are very few putters out there that help players as much as this model does, which is why this armlock putter would also make a great option for high-handicap golfers.
- Read our full Cobra King 3D Printed Agera Putter Review
Best blade
Starting with the visuals which, for us, excel in every department. The ER2V has a wide blade shape that sets up perfectly and sits flush to the ground. Along with the blade length, there are also two dots at the front that encouraged us to get the shaft angle correct for more consistency.
Not only is it confidence-inspiring, but the performance matches the looks, with the roll on the ER2V superb on longer putts. It's very consistent and, by putting the ball close on the long range efforts, it meant it took the pressure off the smaller putts.
One thing to note is that the golf ball did come off the face a little slower on the ER2V than most other putters we’ve tested. This means that, if your greens are slow, or you use your putter a lot from off the green, you might find yourself coming up short a lot initially.
- Read our full Evnroll V Series ER2v Midlock Putter Review
Best for feel
The Bettinardi Inovai 8.0 putter is their milled face-balanced mallet that offers a high degree of forgiveness for the size of head. Constructed of a dark 6061 military-grade aluminum body, there are is also a chrome leading edge that combines to create some very distinctive alignment lines when at address.
As you would expect from the brand, the feel is very good thanks to the milled grooves in the face and the club's armlock editions can be customized to whatever height suits you best. This means there should be an option for your stroke or preference.
One last point to mention is that the head of the Inovai 8.0 is slightly more compact than some of the other best mallet putters. This will obviously divide opinion, but the performance is still plentiful and still up there with the best Bettinardi putters on the market.
- Read our full Bettinardi Inovai 8.0 Putter review
Best Oversized Blade
The final model on this list is another Cobra model, with the blade-style Grandsport-35 3D Printed Putter featuring in an armlock style and an oversized head that, in our testing, provided plenty of confidence when down behind the ball.
Cobra claim that the multi material 3D printed construction is designed to bring maximum stability and, when striking the ball, it's clear to see their claims are correct as, from the sweet spot, the feel was excellent and the feedback off the face was very good. What's more, the acoustics were also nice and muted, but a little more clicky on firmer covered golf balls.
Featuring interchangeable weights in the heel and toe that allowed us to personalize the putter to find the desired feel and control, the main stand out of the Grandsport-35 came from the stability. Not only was the Grandsport easy to square up and easy to consistently start putts on the desired target line, but the roll was true and the distance control was impressive!
- Read our full Cobra King Grandsport-35 3D Printed 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.
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. Ultimately, we aim to be as insightful and honest as possible in our reviews, so it is important to acknowledge that no manufacturer can buy a good review. This is because our team tells it how it is.
Seeing as this is a guide on the best armlock putters, we have also created this handy piece on them and if your game may be suited so, if you want, feel free to take a look at this guide assessing whether armlock putters are the future of golf.
How to choose a putter
There's no doubt that a lot of high-handicap golfers can benefit from the attributes that armlock putters have. The putter is probably the most important club in the bag because it can save so many shots off your scorecard. For that reason, it is very important when purchasing an armlock putter to keep in mind the following considerations to ensure you get the right club for your needs.
Head Design
Putters come in a traditional blade, mid-mallet, or mallet design. All three styles have positives and negatives to them for every player and luckily lots of brands implement technologies across all three. Typically armlock putters will come in a mallet design, which is built to add more weight onto the end of the club to give the golfer a steadier swing to keep the club steady through impact.
Mallet putters tend to be much larger than blades and they usually come in various shapes and sizes. This helps in a number of ways. A lot of the time most of the weight in a mallet putter can be found in the clubface however because of its design, weight can then be redistributed to other parts of the head which can help stabilize your stroke. The weight of the putter in the perimeter of the club-head offers better balance than what can be offered from a blade putter.
Mallet putters tend to also have a larger sweet spot which can be beneficial if you are a player who struggles to consistently strike your putts out of the middle of the face. The weight in the clubhead also helps here because it diminishes the twisting of the putter throughout the stroke too.
Additionally, if you struggle with alignment, a mallet putter could be the way to go. Alignment plays a crucial part in putting because it is all about accuracy and a mallet putter can be beneficial here by helping your eyes line up the putt. A blade putter is a lot simpler in terms of design and will suit the traditionalists among you a lot more than some of the mallet putters pictured above. Blade putters also tend to suit players with an arc in their putting stroke because of the toe-weighted nature of the club-head.
Feel
This is a very important factor to consider because when putting, feel is everything. Some putters offer a firmer feel off the face whilst others are soft, some are heavier than others too so you need to find a model that fits well in your hands. The putter grip plays a huge part in the confidence you feel with a putter, particularly when playing with an armlock putter.
Pick an armlock putter with a grip that feels right and sits comfortably in your hands and presses nicely against your arm. You may also want to think about the shaft too, for example, think about how much vibration you get from the shaft, whether you like the feel of the ball reverberating along the shaft, or prefer that to be nerfed.
Looks
You have to like what you are putting with because this will give you confidence when you're standing over the ball. In terms of armlock putters, there are loads of classic and futuristic designs above so it is purely a case of finding a model you like the look of.
Alignment tools
It's also worth thinking about the alignment tools the putter can offer you. While some golfers may not prefer to have any aiming guides on the back of their putters, most players can seriously benefit from having an aiming line on the back of their putter which can also help to improve your focus on the ball and help you strike through the shot more square.
Price
Our final tip is to think about price because while there are some premium designs out there, there are also some models which offer excellent value, as the selections above show. Sometimes less experienced players should steer clear of the more expensive offerings currently on the market which may actually not be very forgiving and may not be suitable for your swing style.
But if you're still stuck on what putter to choose, why not take a look at what some different brands have to offer and check out our best women's putters buying guide or our best Scotty Cameron putters guide for more information on the types of clubs different manufacturers can offer.
FAQs
Who should use an armlock putter?
Players who get the yips on the putting greens should use an armlock putter. If you struggle to control your hands and keep them smooth through impact, armlock putters can help you. Armlock putters can also help you produce more fluid and sweeter strokes as proper loft and alignment are achieved when the club is resting on your arm.
Which professional golfers use armlock putters?
Several PGA Tour professionals including, Bryson DeChambeau, Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson, Xander Schauffele and Matt Kuchar have all used armlock putters at one time.
Are armlock putters legal?
Any putter that is anchored to any part of your body, for example, a chest putter is banned. Armlock putters are not anchored to your body so are legal and okay to use in golf. This is because the club rests against an arm, which is moving independently of your body.
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