Updated November 3, 2022. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Rundown:
Best Overall: Pinemeadow Golf Mens PGX Putter
“If you’re on a budget, the Pinemeadow Golf Mens PGX Putter is your best choice – at such a low price, this putter has the best value for money of any model out there.”
There’s a good reason that golf’s most famous adage is “drive for show, putt for dough”: the putter is by far the most-used club in your bag.
It’s the one club that can salvage a bad round or ruin a good one all by itself.
The legendary Harvey Penick said the three most important clubs in your bag are the putter, driver and wedge – in that order.
The best way for you to improve your scores as a beginner is to eliminate three-putts and increase your one-putt frequency.
While the best way to get better at putting is through lessons and practice, you have to start with a putter that you can aim at your target line and control the distance of the putt with. This list of the best putters for high handicappers and beginners will help you find that perfect putter.
And in case you’re wondering, we also have a list of the best putters of all time!
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Table of Contents
Things to Consider When Choosing a Putter
Looks
The way a putter sits behind the ball and sets up to the target line is of paramount importance when judging the effectiveness of a putter.
There are numerous different alignment lines/dots/aids designed with one thing in mind: hit the ball in the right direction.
Some golfers want minimal alignment aids, whereas others need big long lines or prefer a unique system like a 2-ball putter or a SeeMore offers.
My judgment on looks is based on first impressions: how it looks when you pick it up, how it looks when you set it down behind the ball, how well it helps you focus on the target line, and the craftsmanship involved in making the putter.
Feel
Feel might be the hardest element of putting to define. There are numerous different inserts and metals used in putters to offer golfers a wildly diverse array of feels at impact.
And on top of that, the type of ball you choose to use can affect feel as well! For example, a rock hard distance ball like a Top Flite will feel quite different from a soft, high-compression ball like a Wilson Staff Duo.
For these tests, I used the most popular ball on the PGA Tour, a ball that suits a wide cross-section of players: the Titleist ProV1x.
The combination of distance, feel, and spin offered by the ProV1x is the reason why it revolutionized the golf world upon its introduction and made it a great ball to test putters with.
An often-overlooked element of feel is sound, so I’ve incorporated sound into this feel rating. For example, I’ve used putters that made a lot of putts but had such an offputting sound that I had to take them out of play.
Roll Quality
One of the most essential features of a putter is its ability to get the ball rolling quickly.
This may seem like an obvious statement, but you’d be surprised at how many putters cause the ball to skid or hop before it finally starts rolling properly.
These initial skids and hops can wreak havoc both on the accuracy and speed of the putt.
The goal is to get the ball rolling smoothly as soon as possible because a rolling ball carries a good amount of inertia and is less likely to be affected by the grain and impurities of the green.
If the ball is skidding, bouncing, or just not rolling smoothly, it’s more likely to be knocked offline or come up short of the hole.
Forgiveness
You’d think that a putting stroke should be an easy, short, repeatable motion that results in sweet spot contact every time.
The putter only moves a few inches back and through, right?
Well, it’s a whole lot more complicated than that. Even the best, smoothest putting strokes in the world produce mis-hits.
And in a game where the target is a mere 4.25” in diameter, precision is the name of the game.
So we’re looking for putters that will produce good results no matter where the putt is struck on the face.
If you hit a sweet spot with one stroke and then miss it with the next, ideally, you’d still like both putts to roll the same distance and along the same line.
A putter with poor forgiveness will leave mis-hits woefully short or bending offline.
A higher level of forgiveness equals more putts made, especially in high-pressure situations when your stroke might get a little wobbly or tentative.
Value
The last criteria here is value. Many beginner and intermediate golfers are just getting into the game and need to upgrade their whole bag.
While it’s tempting to spend $600 on a driver and $400 on a putter, is it really worth it?
Scotty Cameron putters may be ubiquitous on tour, but can a $100 putter get the job done and still leave you with enough left over for a lesson or two?
With greens fees increasing every year, spending your dollars wisely is important.
If you’re playing for big money, maybe it’s worth it to splurge on a putter. But what if there’s a putter out there that fits your needs for a much lower price?
Or you may be the type of player who changes putters constantly. You’ve got one in your bag and ten in your garage.
The putter that couldn’t miss yesterday suddenly stops working, so you hop online and buy yourself a new weapon for the greens.
Either way, you’re looking for a great bang for your buck! I’ve put in the time to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
9 Best Putters For High Handicappers & Beginners
Here are the best putters for high handicappers & beginners:
- Best Overall: Odyssey White Hot OG Putter
Odyssey White Hot OG Putter
Best Overall Putters For High Handicappers And Beginners
Check Price on PGA Tour Superstore
PROS
- Outstanding White Hot insert dampens vibration and produces exceptional feel
- Wide alignment guide allows visualization of putting path
- Milled surface finish offers clean, crisp, and very appealing appearance
CONS
- Heavy head produces clunky feel
- Distance control tough on slower greens
The popular 2-ball design gets a facelift with the new White Hot OG Putter from Odyssey and Callaway.
Featuring a premium insert that produces a quick forward roll, the clear 2-ball alignment guide, and a forgiving face, the White Hot OG is easily one of the best putters for high handicappers and beginners in recent memory.
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White Hot Insert
Along the face of the 2-ball putter is Odyssey’s White Hot insert. The very popular addition to this Odyssey putter enhances feel and response. The insert runs almost the entire length of the putter face adding a wide sweet spot that is forgiving and a high-performer.
On mid-range putts from 15-25 feet, the insert really shines with dampening power that reduces vibration and keeps the ball along the target line with full strength.
From longer distances, think outside 30 feet, the insert helps control speed and distance with exciting accuracy.
2-Ball Alignment Guide
The 2-ball look has been a mainstay on the PGA Tour for a few decades. One of the biggest reasons why the 2-ball appearance has maintained a high level of popularity is due to the increased visualization the design provides professional golfers.
Rather than guessing where the putt will go, the 2-ball design offers a clear look at where the golf ball will go after it leaves the face.
The design is one of the best weapons a beginning golfer can enjoy because it increases the strikes along the center of the face. Not only does the forgiveness increase, but the quality of putts also raises for golfers.
The design is also anchored by the sole weight in the rear of the head that keeps the putter low to the ground with smoothness.
High MOI for Better Consistency
What all beginning golfers need with every aspect of their game is consistency. On the green, consistency is achieved through repetition and the ability to keep the hands calm throughout the stroke.
The White Hot OG utilizes a high performance shaft along with a gray DFX flat-front grip to reduce twisting and increase MOI as the putter passes through the golf ball. As a result, beginning golfers and high handicappers will increase accuracy and keep the ball along the target line.
A top-tier putting option that will pay immediate dividends for beginners is the Odyssey White Hot OG 2-ball putter.
SeeMore FGP Black Mallet Putter
Most Forgiving Putter: Best alignment system on the market
Check Price on Amazon
Check Price on PGA Tour Superstore
PROS
- RifleScope Technology helps aim
- White lines on black putterhead are great visuals
- Solid feel
CONS
- Some players might not like the straight shaft
- Focus on alignment distracts from distance control
- Not for players with forward press
- Slightly clunky feel
SeeMore FGP putters is that they’re face-balanced at impact; that is, they’re weighted so that when the putter is held in a normal grip, the face naturally balances square to the target line.
It’s a feature you don’t find in toe-hang or traditional “face-balanced” putters, and I found it really helped to get the clubface square at both address and impact.
Together with the high MOI of the putter, I found the face-balancing and RST to produce the best alignment and highest number of made putts of any of the putters I reviewed.
