Single Bend vs Double Bend Putter
Hey, weekend warriors, let’s face the facts about our putting.
We all want to make more putts, but dozens of new putters hit the market each year, causing greater confusion among casual players.
Perhaps the biggest disruption to the putter market is the invention of double-bend putter shafts.
Offering a unique look at address, the double-bend shaft has grown in popularity over the past few years, but is it a fad or here to stay?
So, which putter is better between the single bend shaft and the double bend model?
In this article, we’ll answer the question and provide the latest information to help you make the best choice for your game on the greens.
2 Types of Putter Shafts
When looking at the putter, you’ll find two different types of shafts.
The first is a single-bend putter shaft, which offers a less complicated approach to putting for low handicappers.
A double-bend putter shaft offers more offset for the higher handicappers to help with forgiveness.
Here’s more detail on both shafts to help you better understand the benefits of each putter style.
Single Bend Putter Shaft
A single-bend putter shaft has only one bend before it enters the putter head. While not as extreme as a plumber’s neck connection, the single-bend putter shaft offers toe hang with minimal offset.
If you like a minimal offset design, the single-bend shaft works best for golfers who want an arc stroke with their putters.
This offset is the main difference between single-bend putter shafts and double-bend putter options.
Due to their less forgiving nature, you’ll find a single bend shaft in far more blade putters than mallet putters.
Skilled golfers with consistent putting strokes find the single bend putter shaft delivers a more reliable roll to help their overall putting performance.
Double Bend Putter Shaft
The double-bend putter shaft carries two bends along the shaft before entering the putter head.
The design offers a face-balanced putter with more offset, perfect for higher handicappers who want to play with mallet putters and a straight putting stroke that stays directly behind the golf ball.
Golfers with inconsistent putting strokes find the double-bend shaft provides far more stability and forgiveness along the putter face, helping them maintain ball speed even when the impact point drifts off-center.
Since the double-bend putter shaft primarily resides in the best mallet putters, amateur golfers find these putters offer better distance control and alignment help than other putter shaft options.
Who should use a single-bend putter?
Low handicappers who prefer an arcing stroke on the putting green should consider playing with a single-bend putter.
The single bend is best for blade putters and works well for golfers who want a straight-neck hosel with minimal offset.
Although these putters are not face-balanced, they provide a more versatile option than the double-bend putter’s face-balanced design.
The lighter, freer feeling of playing with a single-bend putter shaft certainly helps when you can rely upon your ability to judge distance and speed with the putter on long and short putts.
If you struggle to find consistency on the greens and want to go from the mid-to-low handicap level, a single-bend putter could provide better control over your long-range putting stroke.
What putter bend is best?
The best putter bend shaft for your game depends solely upon your handicap.
Single Bend vs Double Bend Putter
Double bend shafts offer the right putter for mid and high handicappers who prefer a mallet putter head that promotes stability with straight putting strokes.
On the other hand, if your handicap is below 10, the single-bend putter shaft provides the most versatility for controlling distance and ball speed with an arc stroke.
For many golfers, the double-bend putter shaft offers the most forgiveness.
That remains a huge factor when looking to save strokes on the putting surface because a mallet putter with a long face can help with off-center strikes by keeping the putt on line and with the proper speed to reach the hole.
If you are looking at a putter fitting and deciding between the double-bend and single-bend putter head options, we suggest going with what works best to help you find the right putter for your game.
What is the angle of a single-bend putter shaft?
The angle of a single-bend putter depends solely on the offset design of the shaft itself.
Since there’s only one angle of the bend before the shaft goes into the putter head, manufacturers can create whatever shaft angle they want for their putter.
Typically, the angle of the bend will rest somewhere around 70-to-80 degrees.
Single-bend shafts carry this angle because they provide a better offset design, help golfers position their eyes over the ball, offer a more appealing look at address, and deliver the most consistent putting stroke for single-digit handicappers.
Just like lie angle, the angle of the bend could ultimately distract the golfer from making more putts. The difference here is how the putter feels in the hands and the number of putts it makes from mid-range distances.
In the end, you need to feel secure with the putter before you become concerned with the finer points, such as lie angle and shaft angle.
With all putters, the angle of the bend works best for the golfers that feel most comfortable with that lie angle that the single bend creates with their flatstick.
What is the advantage of a slant neck putter?
The slant neck putter’s most beneficial feature is how it stays out of the golfer’s line of sight and provides a clean look to the golf ball at address.
Rather than bending itself over the face, the slant neck stays out of the way.
It helps with alignment, offering golfers the ability to forward press the putter over the ball to promote a smooth forward roll without skidding or bouncing.
Golfers who need more stability will find that the straight shaft that becomes slanted helps with slight arc strokes.
That certainly allows golfers who remain undecided if they want a modified mallet or traditional blade putter for their golf bag.
Also, we feel that the slant neck offers some advantages for golfers looking for confidence when standing over the ball.
The unique angle of the single bend shaft helps amateurs feel more confident at address because they can clearly see the ball.
There are no distractions with the slant neck shaft. Instead, golfers are focused on hitting the putt with clean alignment and total connection to the putt.
What does a double bend hosel do?
The double-bend putter shaft offers an offset design that allows you to literally stand over the ball with your line of sight.
The shaft can run parallel to the club face, bend back to the putter, and bend once more to enter the head.
The unique double bend allows you to address the ball directly over your eyes rather than standing slightly behind it at address.
For high handicappers, this particular putter shaft works extremely well at improving your putter performance because you can better visualize the path of the putt before you start your stroke.
The double bend putter shafts are routinely found in mallet putters accompanied by a large putter head that provides a wide alignment guide.
The offset design of double bends shafts works very well with putting strokes that move straight back and straight through the golf ball due to its alignment and its significant stability.
Another unique characteristic of a double-bend hosel is when balancing the putter on your finger. You’ll discover that the club face will point to the sky when balanced.