The great thing about golf is it’s a game that is continually evolving. Thanks to advances in technology and design, golf is more accessible than ever before because of the huge range of game-enhancing clubs available on the market.
When it comes to putting, a beginner golfer needs a putter that combines comfort and forgiveness, along with affordability too, as you’re not going to want to invest too much for your first putter.
When you’re just starting out, you need a putter that is simply going to get you used to the game and the feel of putting. For high handicappers and beginners, a mallet-shaped putter that has longer alignment lines is preferable to help you accurately line up the ball and have better control over your distance and speed.
So, keen to find out more? We’ve scoured the internet for the best putters for beginners and have also put together a handy buyer’s guide so you know exactly what to look out for.
If you’re short on time, find our top pick below….
Top 5 Best Putters for Beginners
OUR TOP PICK
Cleveland Golf 2019 Huntington Beach SOFT Putter #1
EDITORS CHOICE
Odyssey Hot Pro 2.0 Putter (White)
BEST VALUE
TaylorMade Golf Spider X, Navy/White, #3 Hosel
OUR TOP PICK
Cleveland Golf 2019 Huntington Beach SOFT Putter #1
The Cleveland Beach range is excellent value for money, and if you go for one of these putters, you’ll be guaranteed a lot of bang for your buck.
About a year after the initial beach range was released, Cleveland followed with the soft edition, which is perfect for golfers who tend to come off the clubface too fast.
The Huntington beach soft range has a diamond CNC milling pattern on the clubface with deep grooves that provide a soft feel but add stability for a smooth, steady roll and improved accuracy every time you putt.
The key with this range is consistency, which makes it perfect for beginners who are willing to put in the practice to up their game or handicap.
The speed-optimized face technology on this putter provides consistent distance every time, while the optimized CG location and strategic weight redistribution provide this putter with a solid feel for greater stability and straighter putts.
There are 6 tour-proven shapes, so there’s one for every golfer out there.
The Cleveland Huntington Beach putters come with a midsize golf grip which will help high handicappers keep their hands out of their putting strokes. Instead, they’ll be more inclined to use their arms and shoulders which will result in a much more consistent stroke.
Pros
- Speed-optimized face technology produces consistent distance on every putt, even mishits
- 6 Tour-proven shapes will suit any golfer’s stroke and style
- Soft-feel clubhead with diamond CNC milling provides added responsiveness and forgiveness
- Midsize golf grip to improve technique for more consistent putts
Cons
- Some golfers find these too light
EDITORS CHOICE
Odyssey Hot Pro 2.0 Putter (White)
Odyssey’s putting technology is undoubtedly one of the best on the market, and each model in this range gives you trusted consistency, but for a far friendlier price than larger brands that will cost you three or four times more.
Odyssey’s hot pro 2.0 putter has consistent lag distance control and a soft-feel clubface for ultimate responsiveness and improved alignment when putting the ball. The larger clubhead on this putter provides greater stability through impact, allowing you to achieve both accuracy and distance.
The White Hot Pro is also the number one insert on tour, and the brand’s putting technology enhances the game of anyone from the amateur to the low handicapper.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Lag distance control and soft-feel clubface
- Large clubhead for greater stability
- Number one insert on tour
Cons
- Older models
BEST VALUE
TaylorMade Golf Spider X, Navy/White, #3 Hosel
A little on the expensive side, the Golf Spider X from TaylorMade is designed to provide you with ultimate stability thanks to the X-shaped head which also helps with alignment.
Its heavy 320g frame with perimeter weighting helps to eliminate twisting and provides extreme weight for improved accuracy and feel off the clubface.
The Spider X is highly customizable, so you can tailor it to your desired size and feel. The putter features three weight ports and a 2, 6, or 12-gram weight, so you can switch between these depending on what feels best for you.
Sure, there are cheaper options on the market, but in the long-run, the Spider X will save you money as this is a putter that will not only improve your game but which will last you a very long time thanks to its excellent durability and quality.
Pros
- Perimeter weighting
- 320g frame eliminates twisting
- Highly customizable
- Improved accuracy and alignment
- X-shaped head for easier putting
Cons
- It’s pretty expensive, but we think it pays off in the long run.
RUNNER UP
Pinemeadow Golf Men’s PGX Putter
At the beginning of this article we mentioned affordability, and the models we’ve discussed so far have been some of the best in terms of quality, but perhaps aren’t the best if you’re on a tight budget, or simply don’t want to invest too much for your first putter.
Enter the Pinemeadow PGX putter: it’s one of the cheapest putters on the market and features a mallet shaped club head with a face insert.
This putter also has black alignment lines to make your putts easier to line up, so it’s great for players who have a good stroke but struggle to line up. The black lines on a white background are also a great visual aid that stands out well on the green.
It weighs in at 380 grams making it a tour weighted option and has a good amount of weight in the clubhead.
Pros
- Extremely affordable option
- Black and white design for alignment aid
- 380g for a heavy, weighted feel
- Comes with a headcover for protection
- Mallet-shaped head
Cons
- This putter will chip easily, which is expected when you pay this price.
RUNNER UP
Ray Cook Golf- Ladies RC PT 02 Putter
It can be difficult to find a ladies putter that ticks all the boxes, but the Ray Cook PT 02 putter combines affordability, forgiveness, and responsiveness.
Ray Cook makes some of the most affordable putters on the market, but that doesn’t mean they compromise on quality – they’ve also had great success on the PGA Tour.
This putter has a heel-toe weighted mallet design to improve alignment and provide an effortless roll of the ball. It provides that soft-feel new golfers need, yet it doesn’t look overly amatuer thanks to the neat white, pink and black design.
Like any of the low-end golf clubs on the market, you may feel the need to upgrade your putter as your handicap improves, plus due to the cheaper design these clubs can be prone to scratches, so make use of the additional headcover.
Pros
- Extremely affordable
- Ray Cook has had great success on tour
- Weighted design for improved feel and accuracy
- Soft-feel for smooth rolling
- Attractive design
Cons
- Lower-end clubs usually don’t last as long and may chip more easily than premium ones
Best Putter for Beginners Buying Guide
When you’re starting out in golf, it can be difficult to know exactly what you need in a putter, as you probably haven’t quite figured out your desired feel, weight, or shape yet.
However, while you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of choice on the market – and the never-ending golf jargon – there are a few features you can look out for that make a putter ideal for a high handicap golfer or beginner…
Putter Shape
You may have noticed that putters come with different shaped clubheads, the two most popular being mallet or blade shapes.
Traditionally, the mallet-shaped design has been the most popular among beginners due to its larger clubhead which is generally thought to be more forgiving.
That said, face inserts and putter technology is continually evolving, it’s becoming less about whether the clubhead is a mallet or blade and more about how big the sweet spot is and whether there are alignment lines to assist you with lining up the ball.
These are generally the best features to pay attention to, rather than the shape alone.
Length
The length of the putter varies between different players and their setup, but ideally, it should be short enough to allow you to get your eyes over the golf ball for better distance control and alignment.
On the PGA Tour players are using putters that are mostly 33 and 34 inches long, but online you may find beginners putters that are 35 inches long.
The PGA gives some good advice to help you identify the right length putter for you:
“What you want to do is get into a correct address position. When you tilt from your hips, you want your eyes over the ball, hands under your shoulders, elbows bent but touching your rib cage, and hips over your heels.
The putter needs to fit this set-up. If you grip a “standard” length putter and find you’re gripping down the shaft, you will need a shorter putter. If you grip beyond the end of the putter, you will need a longer putter.
Now with the correct length putter in your hands, the shaft would be in line with your forearms.”
Brand and Price
The brand doesn’t matter when it comes to the quality of the putter; the main thing you’ll want to look out for is the length, weight, and any game-enhancement features such as lines for alignment.
Of course, there are some trusted names out there such as Callaway or Cleveland, but the main thing you want to pay attention to is the design and technology of the putter, rather than the brand alone.
The same applies to price. For your first putter, there’s no need to splash out at this stage – you’re still getting used to the game, and finding out which feel and setup best suits you while putting.
At the same time, if you go for something at the low-end of the market it’s going to be less durable than premium designs, so don’t be surprised if it chips early on.
It’s all about what you want to get from the putter: if you’re merely looking for something to try out and don’t want to spend much money, a cheaper model is probably best for you.
Whereas if you’ve tried a few putters and know what you’re looking for, it’s worth investing in a quality putter that will last you years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do putters last?
A good quality putter will last you a very long time, if not a lifetime. Whereas drivers and irons tend to be changed a lot as golfers want to keep up with the latest designs or game-enhancement technology, putters tend to have a far longer lifespan.
This is why it can be a good idea to invest in a quality putter, once you know the “feel” that best suits you, of course. Spending that extra $100 could be worth it, as cheaper designs are likely to chip a lot earlier on and may need replacing sooner.
What is the most forgiving putter?
Pretty much all beginners or high handicap putters are designed to have that little bit of forgiveness for a softer feel which makes it easier for the ball to roll off smoothly.
All of the putters we’ve featured on our list have some degree of forgiveness, it all depends on which shape and weight you’re looking for, as there’s no real one-fits-all ultimate forgiving putter out there, however, it’s worth checking out the Cleveland Huntington Beach or Odyssey Hot Pro range for better distance control and alignment.
What is a high handicapper?
Your golf handicap is a measure of how you play, on average, per round.
Many casual golfers may not even know theirs, but handicaps are required for most amateur tournaments and are useful to set fair matches.
They’re also good for tracking your progress and for purchasing game-improvement clubs.
A high handicap is anything above 18, while the lower the handicap, the better player you are.
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