Putting is, arguably, the most personal area of golf. Watch any golf event and you’re bound to see at least half a dozen ways to grip a club. The grips themselves vary in size. Pay really close attention and you’ll notice even more variance on the hosels or necks of putters, especially with the rising popularity of zero torque lines.
One area that has become a bit homogenous, especially on the PGA Tour, is more and more of the best players in the world opting for mallets over blades. Of the 36 events on the PGA Tour schedule in 2026, 31 were won by a player using a mallet putter. Matt Fitzpatrick, the only player in the top 10 of the World Ranking who uses a blade, won three times, and one of those times, he shared the win with his brother Alex, who was using a mallet.
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What we see here is an example of the top level of golf’s so-called Pyramid of Influence, which is, essentially, the best players in the world influencing “lesser” players all the way down to hackers who seldom pick up a club. Playing on golf’s aspirational nature, the theory is everybody wants to play the stuff better players are gaming. Whether it’s Justin Thomas saying “Just give me Cam [Young]’s putter,” at Quail Hollow or Rory McIlroy accidentally sparking Scottie Scheffler’s generational run of play with his suggestion the Texan switch to a mallet, the best in the world have exhibited a herd mentality over the past few years when it comes to putters.
Naturally, we at Golf Digest thought it would be useful to see what our Hot List testers who consider putting a strength thought. Interestingly, our results don’t exactly jive with the Pyramid of Influence; you won’t see many Meridian Milled putters on tour. In fact, several gold-medal-winning mallet putters on the 2026 Hot List get little to no tour play. That’s because the Hot List is not for tour pros, it’s for you. But this list also seems especially meaningful because if we’re talking about a group of players who already are very happy with their putting, the fact that they might find a completely new model of putter interesting is intriguing. Our theory: It’s got to be a good club if it’s going to make an already highly skilled putter think he or she might want to change to this new model. That point rings especially true in this category, as more than 80% of these players game a mallet outside of Hot List testing.
At the end of each testing session, players are asked to assess the field of clubs they just hit and rank their Top 5. Based on those rankings combined and weighted with players’ performance, look, sound and feel score, here are the best mallet putters on the 2026 Hot List, as determined by players who consider putting a strength (clubs are listed in alphabetical order):
Bettinardi BB Series:Jason Guss, 49, 0-handicap: This is a great transitional putter for someone who’s always used a blade but who’s afraid to go into a mallet. Much shallower face.
false Bettinardi BB Series $495 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $495 These milled stainless-steel models retain a classic look while delivering a performance upgrade through variable-depth face milling that improves distance consistency on mis-hits. The deep-fly milling pattern varies depth and spacing across nine zones from heel to toe, regulating energy transfer so that toe and heel strikes rebound more uniformly. Heads are milled from tour-preferred 303 stainless steel. Shapes include a classic half-shell mallet (BB-49), a winged mallet in spud and plumber’s necks (BB 6.0) and an hour-glass-shaped design for clearer stability and larger alignment features (BB 7.0). Three grip options (standard, oversize and 17-inch for overlength counterbalanced versions) help players fit their stroke to each model. Top 5 in Look, middle- and high-handicaps Models: BB-49, BB 6.0, BB 7.0. Head weights: 355 grams. Lengths: 33-38 inches. Loft: 3 degrees. BUY NOW DETAILS
L.A.B. Golf DF3i:Alejandra Bedoya, 27, 6-handicap: Once you get over how it looks, it’s really good fun. I don’t quite understand the technology behind the shape, but something’s working. It’s powerful yet soft. Enough sound to let me know I’m hitting a solid stroke but muted enough to where it will never distract you. The more I used it, the more confidence I gained.
false L.A.B. Golf DF3i $500 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $500 Built on the familiar platform of the company’s original Directed Force putter, this gently downsized version maintains the zero-torque technology weighting that keeps the putter square to its lie angle through the stroke. Each putter is balanced individually through a collection of screw weights in the sole. The intent is to coordinate the putter’s center of gravity to the lie angle so that there’s minimal manipulation of the head required during the stroke to bring the face back to square. Milled from select aluminum for overall softness, this new version adds a stainless-steel face insert for improved sound and roll velocity. Those face inserts come in different milling patterns based on a player’s preference for feel and roll. The loop shape in the back, including the collection of six heel and toe weights, adds off-center hit stability. Top 5 in Performance, low- and middle-handicaps Models: DF3i. Head weights: 310-420 grams. Lengths: 32-38 inches. Loft: 2-3 degrees BUY NOW DETAILS
Meridian Milled Series:Megan Padua Buzza, 40, 0-handicap: I love the look of this one. It’s a really simple and traditional putter, but it’s appealing and effective in its performance. I really like the blue line visual. I like that the head weight is a bit heavier at 370 grams. It reeks of stability.
false Meridian Milled Series $280 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $280 These traditional, customizable one-piece millings are produced using electrical-discharge machining in a fully robotic manufacturing process. The production entails cutting as many as a dozen starter blanks out of a large block of stainless steel with five-axis milling machines dialing in each angle and curve to produce an affordable design. Four mallet models include multiple neck options (single bend, minimalist slant neck, tall slant neck, center shaft) to fit different stroke types. The newest model for 2026 is the classic half-shell Nassau, which is available in heel-shafted, single-bend shaft (face balanced) and center-shaft options. Players can choose from one of four face-milling patterns: the soft Meridian cut, firm Smooth cut, mid-soft Fine Fly cut and mid-firm Tack cut. The taller face encourages solid contact and consistent roll. Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps Models: Nassau, Tybee, Key West, Kiawah. Head weights: 330, 360, 370 grams. Lengths: 33-38 inches. Loft: 3 degrees BUY NOW DETAILS
Odyssey Ai-Dual Square to Square:Ryan Woyski, 47, 12-handicap: It felt like home in my hands. This one performed great. Didn’t feel like the club face moved on me. Putts were either going in or just barely missing every time. Love the offset grip on this one, just made me feel like I could make anything.
false Odyssey Ai-Dual Square 2 Square $400 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $400 Redistributed internal weighting, including a reformed sole cavity and plate, along with the angled shaft position, align the shaft 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 lean promotes consistent contact with the center of the face, a hallmark of the popular zero-torque philosophy. A 2-degree forward-press grip features a reverse taper (wider lower on the grip and narrowing at the butt end). This helps the face stay square to the target by restricting hand action and encouraging a straight-back, straight-through motion. The new insert uses two layers of urethane (firmer underneath and softer on top) and grooves angled at 19 degrees to create quicker end-over-end roll. The firmer underlayer on the insert features the amorphous thickness pattern developed with AI. The varying thick and thin regions, derived from more than 15,000 iterations, improve ball speed and backspin on mis-hits. Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps Models: Jailbird, #7. Head weights: 360 grams. Lengths: 33, 34, 35 inches. Loft: 3 degrees BUY NOW DETAILS
Odyssey Square to Square Tri-Hot:Aaron Borgmann, 45, 16-handicap: I was surprised at how consistent it was. Really enjoyed the feel of the ball coming off the face. I didn’t have to work too hard to hit distance putts, and it was accurate with tight dispersion on short putts. The biggest knock is the craziness of the design and appearance. But from a performance standpoint, it was excellent.
false Odyssey Square 2 Square Tri-Hot $550/$600 | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $550/$600 Other zero-torque putters position the shaft well back of the face to line up the shaft axis with the head’s center of gravity, but this model uses massive internal weighting to push the shaft position nearly in line with the start of the face. The front of the putter, which houses the face insert and the shaft connection, contains 141 grams of high-density tungsten to push 80 percent of the putter’s total weight in that front section. The forward center of gravity allows the hands to put the putter in a more neutral address position with minimal forward shaft lean. A thin crosshair alignment mark is designed for easier recognition of proper aim. The new insert uses two layers of urethane (firmer underneath and softer on top) and grooves angled at 19 degrees to create quicker end-over-end roll. The firmer underlayer on the insert features the amorphous thickness pattern developed with AI. The varying thick and thin regions, derived from more than 15,000 iterations, improve ball speed and backspin on mis-hits. Available in a counterbalanced 38-inch “Cruiser” version that comes with a 17-inch grip and a 380-gram head built for extra stability at impact. Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps Models: #7, Jailbird, Rossie, Jailbird Cruiser. Head weights: 365, 385 grams. Lengths: 33-35, 38 inches. Loft: 3 degrees BUY NOW DETAILS
TaylorMade Spider Tour:Gary Abbott, 38, 13-handicap: It sets down effortlessly. The proportions front to back and heel to toe sort of support the ball, and the psychology behind it suits my eye. I’m able to frame the center of the face on the ball every time. Makes it easy to get that end-over-end roll.
false TaylorMade Spider Tour $350 | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $350 The square-ish designs feature extreme heel and toe weighting for maximum forgiveness plus two neck styles and different centers of gravity to better accommodate arcing and straight strokes. The thin-wall casting method allows saved weight from the crown and sidewalls to be redistributed for more stability on off-center hits. A thermoplastic rubber positioned behind the face, previously used in TaylorMade’s irons, minimizes vibration for a cleaner, crisper sound. The lightweight Surlyn face insert features grooves that angle downward to improve initial launch and roll to control unwanted backspin and initial skidding. Among the most popular mallet designs ever, Spider putters were preferred by four of the top 10 players in the world in 2025 (Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre). The Tour S model comes in a heavier head for over-length setups, and the Black Series is now offered with a black PVD finish in the Tour, Tour X and Tour S models. Top 5 in Performance, low-, middle- and high-handicaps Models: Tour, Tour X, Tour S, Tour Z, Tour V. Head weights: 345-380 grams. Lengths: 33, 34, 35, 38 inches. Loft: 3 degrees BUY NOW DETAILS
TaylorMade Spider ZT:Robert Shaw, 29, +2-handicap: It took a few rolls to understand how the putter released, but once I got comfortable with it, I enjoyed how it gave me quality feedback when I didn’t hit it well. It was soft and very muted off the face.
false TaylorMade Spider ZT $500 | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $500 Building on the most popular mallet putter in the game, this new center-shafted model embraces the zero-torque putter trend by matching elements of the Spider’s aim, alignment and forgiveness features with weighting designed to reduce the degree your hands have to manipulate the face angle during the stroke. A massive amount of weight has been repositioned forward in the head to better line up the position of the shaft axis to the head’s center of gravity. The front of the putter is largely heavy dense steel, and the back is lightweight aluminum. In addition, heavy toe and heel weights in the sole push weight forward and to the perimeter for extra stability. A wider head size and wraparound frame increase that weighting for stability. A flatter sole, compared to the standard model’s 1-degree draft angle, enables the putter to set up square more naturally and prevent the sole from catching the turf. The face uses the familiar TaylorMade grooved insert made of 80 percent Surlyn polymer and 20 percent aluminum flakes. Those grooves angle at 45 degrees, and the insert’s aluminum beams flex freely at impact to control spin and initial launch to get putts rolling quicker with less skid. Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps Models: Spider ZT, Spider ZT CB. Head weights: 370, 395 grams. Lengths: 33, 34, 35, 36, 38 inches (standard); 36, 38 inches (counterbalanced). Loft: 3 degrees BUY NOW DETAILS
Titleist Scotty Cameron Studio Style:Anand Mudaliar, 44, 6-handicap: The putter feels hefty but in a good way. Helped me square the face at impact. Anything within six feet of the hole, I felt confident it was going in. Pure roll—the insert definitely feels soft—with less skid at contact. Good distance control on longer putts, too.
false Titleist Scotty Cameron Studio Style $500/$600 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $500/$600 The familiar Fastback mid-mallet lineup in multiple versions will appeal to players looking to transition from blades to mallets. The carbon-steel insert, fused to the milled stainless-steel body with an aerospace-level vibration-damping adhesive, provides a tour-preferred responsive feel. Although carbon steel typically degrades or corrodes over time, this insert uses a chemical process to protect the steel, enhance hardness and preserve feel. The face insert features a chain-link-style milling pattern developed with tour-player input to produce a softer feel and consistent speed off the face. As has been the case for two decades, the body is milled from 303 stainless steel. The clamshell-shaped mallet comes in a single-bend shaft or slant-neck hosel. Weight screws in the front of the sole at the heel and toe provide stability and customize the head’s weight to match shaft length and player preferences. New models include the Fastback OC, an onset, center-shafted “low-torque” version of the original. The shaft lines up with the head’s center of gravity to reduce hand action, and the black PVD coating simplifies alignment. A special hosel design on the Fastback OC sets the shaft slightly back from the face, creating a small forward lean and allowing the lie angle to be adjusted for fit. A “Long” version counterbalanced with heavier 25-gram tungsten sole weights and a 17-inch, 135-gram grip also is available. Top 5 in Performance, low- and high-handicaps. Models: Fastback 1, Fastback 1.5, Fastback 2, Fastback OC. Head weights: 345-380 grams. Lengths: 33-35, 38 inches. Loft: 3.5 degrees. BUY NOW DETAILS
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
