Best face balanced putters: Top 5 face balanced putters

Face balanced putters have taken the golfing world by storm, showing up in the bags of golfing greats such as Rory Mcllory and Dustin Johnson. Although used by many PGA winners, these clubs are great for players of all levels as well. They excel in hitting the straight back straight forward putting style. While there are many golf clubs out there, only a few deserve the title of best face balanced putter. Our choice for best face balanced putter is the TaylorMade Spider GT putter.

To save you time, our team of golf experts reviewed dozens of the best putters out there. Furthermore, we applied a rigorous criteria to specifically select the best face balanced putters. The final 5 putters were then reviewed in head to head matchups to determine the ranking of the 5 best face balanced putters.

The right putter can change your short game from a hassle to a complete breeze. Our top choices have the right balance of power, control, comfort, and ease of use. Learning to golf can be challenging enough, let our experts help you pick the best standing putter for your game.

TLDR: Our top choice is the TaylorMade Spider GT putter, for its surprising combination of power and control, as well as an ease of use and grip that makes it a joy to use.

Short on time? Here are the best face balanced putters out right now:

  1. Best Overall – TaylorMade Spider GT
  2. Best Alignment – Callaway Odyssey 11 Triple Track Putter
  3. Best Premium Putter – Titleist Scotty Cameron Phantom X11
  4. Best Craftsmanship – Mizuno M Craft 6
  5. Best Customizable Features – Ping Tomcat 14

Best Face Balanced Putter – Full Analysis

TaylorMade Spider GT

Best Overall

#1 Pick - Best Face Balanced Putters
#1 Choice – Best Face Balanced Putters

Overview

Over the past few years, TaylorMade made has become one of the biggest brands in putters. A big reason for this is its flagship putter, the Spider GT series. These large and forgiving mallet putters are showing up in the bags of many golf pros, such as Dustin Johnson and Jason Day. The spider GT is not only a great choice for high handicap golfers, but golfers of all ages and abilities.

Pros – Why we like it

  • This putter’s stability and consistency are unmatched. Its lightweight aluminum and steel construction allows you to strike a putt from any angle with almost no pushback.
  • The Pure Roll face insert uses aluminum beams set at a 45 degree angle, significantly improving top spin. This gives your balls a consistent roll, keeping your putts on their target line.
  • The lightweight aluminum and steel build means that the putter feels comfortable and light in your hand.
  • The Spider GT boasts a streamlined, compact style. It combines the performance of a modern putter with a more traditional look.
  • The Spider GT maintains its sleek look with a simple and unobtrusive alignment.
  • With the adjustable hosel configuration, you can hit an arc putting stroke or straight through shot. Just adjust the hosel to fit your game play style.

Cons – Drawbacks to consider

  • The spider GT putter is a high end putter. This makes it more expensive than some budgets can accommodate. A slightly more budget friendly version of this putter is the Taylormade Spider X putter.
  • Its default putter grip may be a bit smaller than some players would like. Some players may prefer larger putter grip that is easier on their hands.

Why we recommend it

The Spider GT is our top face balanced putter choice. Despite its lightweight and streamlined construction, the Spider GT offers top of the line stability and consistency. It also has a great look that will stand out on any golf course.

The adjustable putter head allows golfers to hit either arc stroke or head-on putting stroke. This is unique for mallet style putters, which usually make you hit the golf ball with a straight stroke.

While some players might want a golf putter with a larger grip, it’s easy to switch out these grips to customize your club.

Overall, the Spider GT is one of the best putters we’ve ever tried.

Callaway Odyssey 11 Triple Track Putter

Best Alignment

Overview

The Triple Track Putter is part of the very popular Odyssey putter series from Callaway. These putters are easy to identify due to their “Triple Track” technology, which consists of three prominent lines on the putter head.

This alignment system is a standout feature that makes it incredibly easy for you to line up head-on shots. It’s based off of a theory called Vernier hyper acuity, which is the same visual technology used to land planes on aircraft carriers.

This alignment system, as well as the overall quality construction and performance of these putters, make them some of the best putters out there.

Pros – Why we like it

  • Using this putter is like bringing a training aid onto the golf course, great if you want a more consistent stroke.
  • The alignment system is incredibly simple to set up, just match the lines on the putter with the ones on a Callaway golf ball.
  • Our tests show that their system does work, and Callaway claims that it can help increase your accuracy up to 11%.
  • The club head lines up beautifully square, and hits very sturdy with very little face rotation. This makes it a great mallet style putter for hitting the ball head-on.
  • The microhinge start insert provides consistent topspin and roll when striking.

Cons – Drawbacks to consider

  • Some people may prefer to use an arc stroke, but this putter is designed only for a straight back and forward shot.
  • Some people may prefer not to rely on alignment aids, and may find it distracting.
  • The system requires using a special lined ball from Callaway, and may slow down the pace of play when setting-up.

Why we recommend it

This club is our favorite for any player that struggles with their alignment. The mallet construction combines amazingly with its alignment technology and face control, to produce an offset putter that’s easy and consistent for players to use.

Due to their ease of swing, we recommend these mallet putters for players of nearly all levels of play. The straight back motion of these putters is easier to learn and master than a traditional blade style putter.

Titleist Scotty Cameron Phantom x11

Best Premium Putter

Overview

Titleist clubs have a well deserved reputation for being a premium brand. Their “no compromises” approach to quality makes them favorite clubs of many golf pros. In fact, over half of all players on the PGA tour use have at least one titlist club in their bag.

These clubs may be used by many professionals, but how accessible are they for the average player? The truth is that many players could benefit from using a club of this caliber. The Phantom x12 shows that Titlist Scotty Cameron putters are a great choice regardless of skill level.

This Scotty Cameron putter has a high MOI offset putter designed specifically of a straight on putting stroke. This makes them unbelievably simple for many players to use. While this putter may be out of budget for some, players looking for a premium brand should consider adding this club to their rotation.

Pros – Why we like it

  • This mallet style putter has the biggest club head in the Scotty Cameron line. Combined with expertly balanced weighting and a high MOI, this club is the most forgiving putter we’ve tested so far.
  • The steel reinforced putter head resists twisting at impact, ensuring that your club face hits the ball straight on.
  • The alignment is a simple line on the club head, which is convenient yet unobtrusive when lining up your shots.
  • The “Pistolo Plus” grip, developed by Scotty Cameron in conjunction with Golf Pride, keeps your upper hand in place and provides a comfortable and soft feel.

Cons – Drawbacks to consider

  • This golf club is the most expensive out of all the clubs we tested. Some golfers may want a more budget friendly golf putter.
  • The large club head and high MOI design may take some adjusting for some golfers.
  • This club is mainly suited for a straight back and forward golf stroke, golfers who prefer an arc stroke may want a blade style putter.

Why we recommend it

The Phantom X11 is an impressive putter suited for all skill levels. This is one of the best golf putters available for a player that wants a Titleist quality club.

As a high handicap golfer, you want a putter that not only has a soft feel, but one that is forgiving on your putting stroke. The Phantom X11 is the most forgiving putter that we’ve ever tried.

Its well crafted and steel reinforced head resists bending and makes it easy to hit head on. This is the highest MOI club that Titleist makes, and its swing momentum makes putting easier than ever before.

Mizuno M Craft 6

Best Craftsmanship

Overview and Features

Mizuno is a Japanese golf club company with a strong reputation for quality and craftsmanship. While they’re best known for their forged golf irons, their M-craft putter line shows that they can make impressive putters as well.

Mizuno is famous for their superior craftsmanship. They forge their golf clubs from 1025 mild carbon steel, and then CNC mill them by hand to shape them. This ensures precision and consistency in their construction, and a finish that provides great performance. The result is a club that allows you to strike your ball with soft feel and great topspin for a consistent roll.

While Mizuno makes several types of putters, we consider the M.6 mallet putters to be their best for high handicap players. This is due to their slightly heavier club head, which provides increased stability and swing accuracy.

PRos – Why we like it

  • The forging and precision milling process gives this milled steel putter a firm, responsive feel similar to their forged irons.
  • Mizuno putters have a slightly heavier weight than standard putters, which allows for an accurate putting stroke with controlled distance.
  • They make a pleasing sound when striking the ball.
  • These mallet putters work great for a straight forward stroke with no arc, which we highly recommend for most high handicap golfers.

Cons – Drawbacks to consider

  • Any golfer who often hits short may want to use a lighter putter.
  • Golfers who don’t like a mallet style may need a different type of putter.
  • There are higher MOI options out there for players who want an even more forgiving club.

Why we recommend it

Golfers looking for something different will appreciate Mizuno’s unique approach to crafting putters. The carbon steel forging and and hand CNC milling process is something that only Mizuno offers.

The mallet head and heavy weighting will help ensure a controlled and steady putter swing. These putters hit true and accurate.

These forged putters hit with a satisfying feel and sound that makes them a pleasure to use. This responsive feel will certainly be appreciated by those familiar with Mizuno’s well known and highly endorsed iron set.

The bottom line is that Mizuno now makes some of the best face balanced putters out there.

Ping Heppler Tomcat 14

Best Customizable Features

Overview

The Ping Heppler Tomcat 14 is a great midrange putter with several customizable features. Named after the late Ping employee Rick Heppler, these mallet putters are set using a precision aluminum casting process. They boast a high MOI and an alignment system that’s great for creating a clean straight swing.

This putter is made with an eye catching copper and black scheme. The top of the head has two runway-style sets of dots. These dots work as an effective alignment that guides your putter for better strokes.

This putter has several adjustable parts, which is great for players who want a golf putter customized to their exact specifications. The length of the putter length adjustable between 32″ and 36″, making it suitable for almost all heights and body types. There are also several grips to choose from as well, which is great for players who may need a specialized grip.

Pros – Why we like it

  • The high MOI of this mallet style putter makes it a very forgiving club. With very little twisting on hit, it’s very hard to mishit when using this putter.
  • The customizable features are a nice touch, and ensure that this club can be fit for players with almost any physical needs.
  • Slightly less expensive than many of the top putters, this may better fit for some golfers’ budgets.
  • The flat putter face is designed and optimized to make a satisfying sound when it makes contact with the ball.

Cons – Drawbacks to consider

  • While less expensive than the top putters on this list, it still may be unappealing to more price conscious consumers.
  • This club is very firm, and some golfers may prefer a club with a softer feel.
  • We would prefer a milled putter face for added topspin and an even more consistent roll.

Why we recommend it

The adjustability of the Ping Tomcat 14 makes it one of the best face balanced putters for players who value customizability. This offset putter is a very solid pick, and a great value. It’s look, sound, and feel will appeal to many players.

Top face balanced putters – A quick comparison table

Golf ClubLowest PriceClub TypeBiggest ProBiggest Con
Taylormade Spider GT$300High MOIBest striking and topspinDefault grip could be larger
Callaway Odyssey 11 Triple Track Putter$300High MOIGreat alignment systemHave to set up alignment each hit
Titleist Scotty Cameron Phantom x12$400High MOIMost forgivingHighest Price
Mizuno M Craft 6$300High MOIFully forged Club’s a bit heavier than average
Ping Tomcat 14$250High MOIGreat customizabilityMay be too firm for some

How to choose the best putter for you

While we can bring our research and our favorite picks to you, ultimately you’re the one that needs to decide what putter suits you best. The truth is that there are many good putters out there. Ultimately, you have to make your own decision based on your own personal needs and preferences.

Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding on your putter:

Identify your play style

First, take an inventory of how you approach your putting tame. How exactly do you like to play your putts? Do you use a straight forward putt, or do you use an arc stroke? What is your level of experience with golfing? These are the types of questions that you need to ask yourself as you research your putter choices.

Decide what features are most important

Once you’ve considered how you play, next decide what features in a golf club would best compliment your play. Do you like an alignment system that can help you hit head-on? Do you want a soft feel or firm feel when you hit the ball? How much MOI do you want in a putter? Make sure you prioritize your favorite features first.

Determine your budget

Next, determine what budget constraints and preferences you have. Are you interested in investing in high end equipment, or would you like to save more money? Do you need a golf club that will need replacing in a couple of years, or do you want something that will serve you for a long time? We purposefully included a wide range of price points in our list, to ensure that everyone can select a quality putter.

Our selection criteria – how we select face balanced putters

When testing so many different putters, we needed a system to pick out the best of the best. To do this, our team of experts prioritized our most important criteria when selecting the right putter. Then we used this criteria to create a simple and clear system to pick the best putters out there.

Our criteria for selecting face balanced putters are:

High MOI

High MOI is one of our most important criteria when selecting face balanced putters. The MOI, or “Moment of intertia” is the momentum that a club has right when it hits the ball. Clubs with high MOI tend resist face twisting when the ball is hit off center. This helps you to prevent mishits, and resist pushback from the ball.

Face balanced mallet putters tend to always be high MOI. This is a great combination for hitting a straight back straight through putting stroke. However, many high MOI mallets also have a toe balanced putter version, so make sure to select the correct model when shopping.

Forgiveness when hitting the golf ball

Forgiving putters simply work better for most golfers. A forgiving golf club will hit well even for newer players, or for players having a off day. Mallet putters tend to be the most forgiving, due to their broad face and large “sweet spot” in the middle of the club head.

Forgiving clubs also tend to have a lot of topspin. A club that easily generates topspin will hit the ball true over longer distances and resist any imperfections in the putting green.

Ease of Use

One of the most important considerations for ease of use is a club’s alignment. Many golfers find it easier to hit the ball when their club has a good alignment system. A good alignment system can really help players to line up their shots and sink more putts.

Toe Hang vs Face Balanced putters

Types of putters - putter weighting

Putters can generally be grouped into two categories:

  • Toe balanced putters
  • Face balanced putters

These two groups are based on the weighting of the clubhead, which impacts how much arc the club’s swing will naturally have.

To determine what type of balance your putter has, rest the shaft of putter horizontally on your hand or a tabletop. If the face points up, your have a face balanced putter. If instead, the toe points down, you have a toe balanced putter.

Toe balanced putter

Toe balanced putters are heavily weighted towards the toe of the club. This weighting causes the club face to open slightly during the start of a swing and close towards the golf ball at the end of the swing. This design promotes an arc putting stroke.

It’s possible to have different degrees of toe weighting, meaning that some putters will only have a slight natural arc and some putters will have a much more pronounced arc to their swing. See our list of best toe hang putters for our favorite putters with toe flow.

Face balanced putter

Face balanced putters have a weight that’s evenly distributed through the face of the club. This means that these clubs will naturally have no arc, and will instead favor a straight back and straight forward putting stroke.

Face balanced putters are heavily favored by newer players, as the straight back and straight forward stroke is much easier to learn.

FAQ

Are Bettinardi putters face balanced?

No, almost all Bettinardi putters have some degree of toe hang and therefore are not face balanced.

Which Scotty Cameron putters are face balanced?

The Scotty Cameron Phantom series offers many face balanced putters. Putters without a .5 at the end, such as the Phantom 5, 7, 9, 11, and 12 are face balanced. Putters such as the Phantom 5.5, 7.5 9.5, and 11.5 are toe hang putters.

Is Odyssey 7 face balanced?

Yes the Odyssey 7 is a face balanced putter.

Do any pros use face balanced putters?

Yes, most current pros use face balanced putters on tour. Face balanced putters such as the Taylormade Spider series, the Callaway Odyssey series, and the Scotty Cameron Phantom series currently dominate PGA tournaments.

To summarize, these are our top face balanced putters

RankGolf ClubOur ScoreVisit Website
1Taylormade Spider GT9.9/10Check Price
2Callaway Odyssey 11 Triple Track Putter9.8/10Check Price
3Titleist Scotty Cameron Phantom x119.8/10Check Price
4Mizuno M Craft 69.7/10Check Price
5Ping Tomcat 149.6/10Check Price

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