Unlike most clubs, putters seem to require more of an emotional component to their evaluations from our Hot List player panel. Yes, there are elements like forgiveness and roll, and, of course, the look that a player can talk about, but the overwhelming metric in terms of performance lies in assessing how a putter feels. It might be kind of an intangible, but the responsiveness of a putter, the way it communicates the slowest impact in the game to the hands and beyond, is what separates putters from interesting to must-have.
We use our Hot List Performance Vector Rating category “Sensory” to get at that sensation. It’s not a value judgment, but rather an assessment across a spectrum of “Soft” to “Firm.” In our instructions to our players, we explain that “Soft” is cushioned, not springy, like a couch cushion that gives a bit more than you expected. Meanwhile, “Firm” is a meat tenderizer hammering away on a flank steak atop a carving board made of hornbeam. Our belief is that when a putter comes across as exceedingly soft it might require more of a hit or might be ideal on the softest greens. Conversely, when a putter is seen as extraordinarily firm, the ball leaves the face almost without the feeling of impact registering.
What follows is the putters that rated on the softer side of the spectrum, in both blades and mallets. (Putters are listed in alphabetical order.)
Blades 
Bettinardi Antidote $430 | Golf Galaxy 4.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Silver $430 With the shaft in line with the head’s center of gravity, the face angle stays square to the path of your stroke. The key to the design is how the weight is centered in the head using a lightweight, aircraft-grade aluminum insert in the pocket cavity. The body on this wider-style blade is milled from 303 stainless steel. The grooved milling pattern on the face displaces more than half of the steel from the surface, creating a more responsive feel. The blast finish reduces glare at address. Available in a longer and heavier counterbalanced version to minimize hand action during the stroke. Top 5 in Sound/Feel, high-handicaps Models: SB1. Head weights: 360, 400 grams. Lengths: 33-39 inches. Loft: 3 degrees. BUY NOW DETAILS 
Bettinardi Queen B $450 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $450 The five blade models are milled from 303 stainless steel and feature traditional and wide-body looks. The new models reposition the center of gravity for a balanced stroke with a larger, more centered sweet spot. The five models offer five necks to better match a player’s stroke pattern and preferred look at address. The face pattern uses mini-honeycomb milling marks to provide a responsive but firm feel that’s softer than Bettinardi’s traditional honeycomb pattern. The heads are finished with a “Royal Rose” PVD treatment for greater ball-putter-green contrast. Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps Models: QB6, QB8, QB6 SBS, QB8 Center, QB16. Head weights: 362 grams. Lengths: 33-38 inches. Loft: 3 degrees. BUY NOW DETAILS 
Cobra Vintage $250 | Golf Galaxy 4.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Silver $250 Used extensively in running shoes, the polymer in the face insert is known for its capacity to be soft and resilient in returning energy to the ball at impact. The insert’s low density saves weight in the face that finds its way to the heel and toe sections for additional stability on off-center hits. Four loft sections up and down the face provide consistent launch and speed. Having less loft low on the face and more loft high on the face optimizes launch whether the putter is contacting the ball on the downstroke or upswing. A clubfitter can adjust the putter’s total swingweight by altering the interchangeable weights in the heel and toe. Models: Sport 40, Sport 60, Widesport. Head weights: 330-390 grams. Lengths: 34-35 inches. Loft: 1-4 degrees. BUY NOW DETAILS 
Evnroll Zero 450 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold 450 The unique reverse plumber’s-neck hosel helps to shift the putter’s balance point between shaft and head to make it easier to square the face at impact. The benefit of the hosel is that unlike other designs that reduce or eliminate torsional resistance, this version does not force the hands forward with an angled shaft. Because the shaft is aligned with the head’s center of mass, the putter face stays square to the path of the stroke to eliminate unreliable hand action. The familiar face milling pattern features grooves that vary in width and spacing for consistent energy transfer across the face. The design of the grooves creates a wide angle that redirects heel and toe mis-hits back toward the centerline. Steel and tungsten sole weights in the heel and toe provide stability and match the head weight to each shaft length for consistent swing weight. Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps Models: Z2s. Head weights: 365, 380 grams. Lengths: 33-35 inches. Loft: 3 degrees. BUY NOW DETAILS 
Odyssey Ai-One $300 | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $300 Designers used AI and machine learning to develop the back of the insert’s asymmetrical variable-thickness pattern to improve off-center speed and roll. Designers explored more than 2,000 design versions of the insert to get the best off-center-hit consistency. The urethane coating over the soft-aluminum face insert matches that of the company’s highly favored White Hot material for soft feel. A new “Silver Series” finish joins the previously released dark blue aesthetic. Lineup includes traditional heel-toe weighted plumber’s neck blades with a wider-body option. Head shapes were developed with tour-player input and prototypes created with 3-D printing, changing the turnaround time from months to weeks. Heel and toe sole weights allow the head weight to align with shaft length and a player’s stroke type. A longer and heavier “Cruiser” version targets golfers looking to reduce hand action in their strokes. Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps Models: #1, #2, Double Wide CH, Double Wide DB. Head weights: 360 grams. Lengths: 33-35 inches. Loft: 3 degrees. BUY NOW DETAILS 
Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square $300 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $300 New weighting keeps the shaft in line with the head’s center of gravity so that the face angle naturally remains square to the stroke path. The shaft angle’s built-in forward press encourages consistent contact with the center of the face. Designers used AI and machine learning to develop the back of the insert’s asymmetrical variable-thickness pattern to improve off-center speed and roll. Designers explored more than 2,000 design versions of the insert to get the best off-center-hit consistency. The urethane coating over the soft-aluminum face insert matches that of the company’s highly favored White Hot material for soft feel. Counterbalanced “Stroke Lab” shaft improves consistency in impact location. Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps Models: Double Wide. Head weights: 360 grams. Lengths: 33-35. Loft: 3 degrees. BUY NOW DETAILS 
Ping PLD Milled $450 | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $450 Three new takes on historic Ping models, including the iconic Anser heel-toe weighted plumber’s neck blade. The designs are a product of Ping’s engineers working with the company’s tour staff. The new shallow milling pattern creates a more responsive impact while maintaining a soft feel. The precision CNC milling process takes 75 to 100 minutes per head, and the heads are made from 303 stainless steel. The plumber’s neck Anser (350 grams) and heavier, wide-sole Anser 2D (365 grams) favor arcing strokes. The double-bend shaft on the Kushin works best with straighter strokes. Top 5 in Performance, low- and high-handicaps Models: Anser 30, Anser 4D, Kushin. Head weights: 355 grams (Anser 30, Kushin), 365 grams (Anser 4D). Lengths: 34-35 inches. Loft: 3 degrees. BUY NOW DETAILS 
Ping Scottsdale $270 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $270 Compared to the single-piece milled versions in the company’s line, these models provide more forgiveness with a greater resilient face material. The polymer material in the face, known as Pebax, is found in running shoes. It stretches the width of the face to provide a consistent energy transfer and soft feel. The array of models accommodates strokes with a slight arc (Anser, Anser 2D, B63) and those with a stronger arc (Anser 4). The standard grip is the SuperStroke Tour 2.0 PT for consistent feel. Top 5 in Performance, low- and high-handicaps Models: Anser, Anser 2D, Anser 4, B63. Head weights: 345 grams (Anser, Anser 4), 350 grams (B63), 360 grams (Anser 2D). Lengths: 34-35 inches. Loft: 3 degrees BUY NOW DETAILS
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
