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(UPDATED: March, 2025.)
Flatstick. Wand. Best friend. Worst enemy.
Golfers have complicated relationships with their putters. Some change putters like they change underwear. Others find one that works and it stays in the bag for decades.
More so than any golf equipment category other than possibly wedges, putters historically have not changed all that often. However much an equipment manufacturer may argue otherwise, lasting genuine technological improvements are rare. Even if hype does build around a new concept or design, it often fades quickly. There's a reason why practically every company makes at least one or two putter models that closely resemble the original PING Anser that company founder Karsten Solheim sketched on a 78 RPM record jacket in 1966, and why millions of golfers use some variation of this seminal design.
Mallet putters have become more popular in recent years, and Odyssey's 2-Ball and "fang" styles, as well as TaylorMade's Spider design, have sent Anser-like waves of inspiration throughout the category as well. Most recently, putters with non-traditional balance profiles have spread from the tours to local courses, with golfers becoming curious about brands like L.A.B. Golf and its odd-looking but market-disrupting designs. Time will tell whether their and other brands' novel offerings will stay relevant.
At the same time, the putter might be the most important club in the bag to be custom fitted for - yes, even more important than a driver, in my opinion. Because of the potential for a decades-long relationship with a putter, getting the right fit can unlock years of happiness on the dance floor. My current gamer - the first putter for which I was ever custom-fit - has been in my bag since 2018 and isn't leaving anytime soon.
If you're in the market for a new putter, check out this year's crop:
PING Scottsdale putters
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With nine different models - including the popular CRAZ-E - PING has revived the Scottsdale putter name for 2025. SuperStroke grips come standard in all models, and each putterface is backed by a one-piece insert - the softest PING has made yet - that also has the benefit of raising MOI.
Odyssey Ai ONE putters
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Callaway has gotten artificial intelligence input on club design for a few years, and has incorporated it into their putter designs as well. And in response to the rise of lie-angle-balanced putters, they have also added a new line called Square To Square.
TaylorMade Spider Tour putters (2024)
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The newest putter line from TaylorMade revives two popular original models while iterating on a contemporary classic with two additional new models.
Cobra 3D Printed and Vintage putters (2024)
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Cobra began tinkering with 3D-printing technology in its putters a few years ago, and the experiment continues with their latest slate of futuristic-looking flatsticks.
Cleveland HB SOFT 2 Black putters
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Cleveland has been making some of the best bang-for-your-buck putters for years, and their latest HB models continue in that tradition. Their slate of nine new 2025 models feature multi-material UST Mamiya ALL-IN shafts that provide upgraded stability.
L.A.B. Golf putters
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The hottest brand in putters is L.A.B., with increasing use among touring pros and amateurs alike, both at standard and chest-length sizes. Their "lie-angle balance" technology aims to help the putter head stay square throughout the stroke, needing no manipulation from the golfer's hands in order to keep it on target. Their newest model, OZ, moves the center of gravity forward in order to overcome some initial golfer feedback about the ball coming off the putter face too softly.
Mizuno M-Craft OMOI putters (2024)
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"Omoi" means "weighty" in Japanese and Mizuno's current line of putters features finely-tuned weighting, including milled-out ports where lighter or heavier individual weights can be inserted.
Titleist Scotty Cameron Phantom 5.2 and 7.2 mallet and Studio Style putters
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Cameron's more recent mallet-headed putters have been very popular on tour, and its two newest models expand the Titleist-backed brand's options in the category, all focused on optimized alignment, sound and feel. The new Studio Style line harkens back to the original putters of that name 20 years ago, bringing new technology like an updated carbon steel face with a new "chain link" milling pattern to dial in feel and performance.
Learn more about new golf clubs here
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