Best Putter for Alignment
Being able to correctly align your putt is clearly important, so the idea of there being a putter that helps you with this job is pretty cool. It becomes even more important to know which putters are best when you struggle with your alignment, and need all the help you can get.
So, we are going to check out several options on the market that we think are best before telling you more about what to look for when you are in the market for a brand new putter.
Table of Contents
- 1. Best Balanced Club - Odyssey Stroke Lab Versa Putter
- 2. Best Bargain Basement Putter - Ray Cook Silver Ray SR500 Putter
- 3. Best Pro Club - TaylorMade Spider Putter
- 4. Best Overall Putter - Cleveland Golf Frontline Elevado Putter
- 5. Best for Innovation - Callaway Odyssey Red Ball Putter
- What to Look For in a Putter
- Key Points
- What to Avoid With Your Putter
- Correctly Using the Alignment Aid
- Overall Conclusion
1. Best Balanced Club - Odyssey Stroke Lab Versa Putter
- 33” length putter
- Available in both pistol grip and oversized grip
- 3 degrees of loft
- Tip heavy graphite shaft
- Weight in both the sole and butt end of grip
The Odyssey Stroke Lab Versa Putter by Callaway looks like a serious club, and this is certainly a putter that is not going to let you down in any department.
Callaway has stated that this putter has a new way of distributing the weight through it, and that it’s going to help with not only alignment, but overall control.
But the main issue here is the alignment, and what you get is a crystal clear line to follow, and this clarity makes all the difference. The white lines on top of the club head really do help. They stand out in all conditions making it easier for you to check your lines before making that swing.
The club itself also feels very well balanced. It sits well in your hand when taking your shot, and this feeling does help you with the control over your putt.
If you go for the center shaft version, then what you get is a club that is very much face-balanced. Also, there’s no toe-line here, and that does mean the club is far more forgiving in nature compared to others thanks to the opening up of the sweet spot.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
This putter is going to be a wonderful addition to your bag if struggling with the alignment aspect of your putt. The white marks on top of the clubhead are a great idea, and they will make a difference once you get used to them.
However, the club does lose half a point due to the cost. But if you are serious about working on your putting game, then it could be well worth the investment.
2. Best Bargain Basement Putter - Ray Cook Silver Ray SR500 Putter
- Mallet style putter
- 3 degrees loft
- Weighted head to improve stroke
- Mid-size paddle grip
This putter by Ray Cook is one of the cheapest out there, but don’t think that this means it’s an inferior putter, as that’s not the case. Instead, this putter will excel in ways that will surprise you.
It’s viewed as being the perfect putter for those individuals that prefer to have something that is of a medium weight, so it may end up being a bit on the heavy side for some individuals.
The putter is an offset putter as the head is pushed back off the shaft, but what this does is it pushes your hands forward. This in itself helps with alignment as you know where your hands are positioned and how it fits into the shot itself.
The alignment lines that come with the putter are also exceptionally clear. It’s going to be tough to miss those guys, and that does help when it comes to lining up the putt. Also, that offset clubhead does mean that nothing will get in your way when it comes to lining things up.
The putter is perhaps best for people that struggle with long putts either through the weight of the putt as well as the alignment. The heavier than normal head should make a difference, but as with any putter, it’s going to take some getting used to.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
This putter is inexpensive, but it’s also highly effective at what it does. This is going to be one of the perfect putters as a way of introducing someone to a design that sets out to help them with their shots.
It’s ideal for people starting out, but if you want a putter with a lighter touch, then this is not the one for you. In saying that, we are giving it 5 out of 5 simply because it is low-cost and it will certainly help those with a high handicap to begin to master the art of putting.
3. Best Pro Club - TaylorMade Spider Putter
- 34” length
- High MOI and offers amazing stability
- Vibration dampner included
- Includes Pure Roll groove
The TaylorMade Spider putter has some different technology included in its design, and the overall aim is to make it easier for you to get some control over your putt.
First, there’s their Truth Path alignment system, and the modern version of this putter not only comes with the clubhead having been redesigned to aid with lining it up, but the markings are also crystal clear.
Then there’s the Pure Roll face. TaylorMade states that this has been shown to improve accuracy with your putts as it means the ball comes off the face as you would expect rather than having to deal with any nasty surprise jumps.
To help with the control, the weight distribution has been done in such a way that twisting of the club in your hand is practically eliminated as a problem. This means the ball will stay true to the line rather than going off course thanks to that additional movement.
The club also has a lightweight aluminum core along with a stainless steel frame, and this leads to that high MOI. The ball is going to just spring off the face, but thanks to the overall control you have with the shot, this won’t be an issue.
Overall, this club by TaylorMade looks the part, and it also plays the part too.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
This putter is making waves on the professional tour, and it’s easy to see why when you get your hands on one. It does feel good in your hand, and it simplifies the putt when it comes to being able to line everything up. Overall, this is an excellent putter.
But it does lose half a mark, and it’s all thanks to the price. You are buying a putter that the pros use, so that’s not going to come cheap. However, you may end up thinking it’s value for money when you see how your putting game is transformed.
4. Best Overall Putter - Cleveland Golf Frontline Elevado Putter
- Available in both single bend and slant style
- Speed optimized face technology included
- Alignment technology included in putter
- Tungsten forward weighting
- Available in both left and right hand
Cleveland Golf has been making a real name for itself in recent years, and their Frontline Elevado putter is going to help them to continue to build that reputation.
First, let’s look at the weighting as they have put a lot of thought into its development.
Not only does it come with Tungsten forward weighting, but then you have the two wings to compliment this. The two wings are designed to bring a certain sense of stability to proceedings, and that does offer you greater control over your putt.
But then there’s their speed optimized technology on the face. This provides you with a larger than normal sweet spot, and this putter is probably one of the most forgiving on the market.
However, there’s also the alignment aspect, and Cleveland has gone about things slightly differently to most. Their putter is at a height that they say provides the optimum level of help when it comes to lining up a putt. Also, there’s the customary markings on top for added interest as well.
Overall, Cleveland has gone for a balanced putter that is smooth through the stoke and provides you with a reasonable amount of feel in the shot. Also, with that large sweet spot, it does mean it’s perfect for high handicap players who are losing shots on the green.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
Cleveland has certainly managed to pull something else out of the bag here with this putter, and the chances of it improving your game are high. It’s less expensive than others, but what you get is a putter that has had a lot of thought put into its design.
Its weight distribution, balance, and that sweet spot makes this the perfect putter for people starting out. The alignment aids will also make a significant difference. This club gets full marks as there is really not that much wrong with it at all.
5. Best for Innovation - Callaway Odyssey Red Ball Putter
- Red ball design helps with the alignment
- Far more forgiving than other designs in Callaway range
- 34” length putter, which is standard
- Large MOI
At first, you may wonder what’s going on with this Red Ball putter from Callaway, but once you get used to it, then it all falls into place.
The red ball is designed to help you see that you are striking the ball in the heart of the face. Another other than the heart of the face is going to push your ball off line, so it makes sense to use something to draw you to that correct spot.
The shape of the clubhead is also seen as being more forgiving than the normal mallet style, and even if you are new to this shape, it won’t take long to adjust.
With the weight, then it’s pretty evenly spread around the club, and this helps with the general balance. It does also have a high MOI, so the ball will ping off the face, but as long as you have that alignment sorted out, then this shouldn’t be a problem.
Finally, there is a slight toe overhang with this putter. That’s going to help if you have more of an arc to your putting swing as it should bring the club back in level with the ball and won’t affect your shot.
Overall, Callaway has produced another quality putter. The Red Ball putter really does focus on helping you to line up your putt, so it’s perfect for those really struggling with this part of their game.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
Callaway has a habit of producing amazing clubs, and the Red Ball putter is going to help you when trying to come to terms with your putting game. You do need to keep the clubhead flat to the ground for it to work well, but that’s not a huge deal, and overall it should become easier to line things up and give you confidence in your putts.
However, it still loses half a point simply because of the price, but it could very well be worth it.
What to Look For in a Putter
So, why should you focus on a putter that helps with alignment? Well, the answer is easy to understand.
The putters that we have listed above will all go out of their way to make it easier for you to line up the putt, and increase the chance of you making the shot. This is particularly helpful for those individuals still trying to master their putting game.
Accuracy and alignment are the two key fundamental aspects of putting. One without the other will result in a serious struggle to take control of the shot and get the sort of outcome you were hoping for.
Key Points
Let’s forget about the alignment aspect for one second, and focus more on the key points to keep in mind when buying a putter in general.
You want to make sure you have the correct length of putter, and that also applies to the grip. If your putter is either too long or too short, it’s going to affect your swing. You are thrown off-balance, and that’s not a good thing for the end result.
Also if the grip is too small, then your going to clasp your hands too tight. That will also throw off your putt, and considering you are probably already struggling in that area, then this is also not a good thing to happen.
Another point is your stroke.
If you have an arc to your stroke, then having a putter that comes with a slight toe overhang is going to counteract that arc. This is key as it will help pull the club straight at the point of impact, and that’s going to help reduce the chances of you pulling the shot off its alignment.
If you have a problem with getting the club face to hit the ball square on, then you will be wanting to go for a putter that has face-balanced technology. This holds it straight on, and it gives you a cleaner connection on a large sweet spot.
So, while getting help with alignment is a great thing, spending time thinking about these other key points will also prove to be important.
What to Avoid With Your Putter
So, we have mentioned what you should look for, but what should you avoid?
Well, you need to think about the hosel set up that you prefer. If you want to get that straight through putt, then a center hosel is best. This tends to come with face-balanced putters, and we mentioned those earlier when it comes to pulling the putter straight onto the ball.
Basically, you want to make sure the hosel fits in with your swing. If not, it can make matters worse. Seek advice from your local club pro who can study your swing and point you in the direction of the best solution.
Another thing to avoid is getting a club that is too long, or too short. This will change how you stand over the ball, and getting that balance wrong is a huge no-no.
If you are unable to stand over the ball correctly, then you will automatically be pushing the ball off-line as your alignment will be wrong. It won’t line up from the moment you check out the line from behind the ball, to when you stand over it to address it.
Correctly Using the Alignment Aid
The final point we will look at here is how to use the alignment aid itself. Now, the way in which you use it won’t really vary that much according to the style of aid. Whether you are talking about two circles on top of the clubhead, or lines, the overall aim is for you to know you are striking the ball in the middle of the face.
The key here is with the middle line, or mark. This is to help you to know that you are hitting the ball square on, and that should mean the ball goes off in the direction you are hoping for.
The difference between circles and dots and lines is merely a design aspect. The key will always be getting the ball at the heart of the club, and that applies no matter what you are using on top of the clubhead.
All you want to do is to check that the putter is lined up behind the ball before you produce your back stroke. As long as you then have a smooth stroke, there’s no reason why the club won’t strike the ball in the middle of the face.
But then, that’s why we have mentioned the need for you to understand your stroke, and to use a putter that has technology built into it that will address any issues. From face-balance to toe overhangs, the aim is to keep that club square on at the point of contact, or the alignment aid has no chance of being able to help you out.
Overall Conclusion
When it comes to balancing out the alignment aspect along with the price, then the Cleveland Golf Frontline Elevado putter represents the best value for money. This is a well-balanced putter, and it can make a difference to your game without breaking the bank.
However, a worthy mention also goes to the SR500 putter by Ray Cook. This is a real bargain basement putter, but it looks the part, and it will go a certain distance when it comes to helping you line up those putts.
If you are struggling with your putting game, then getting one of these putters should make a difference. Even if it shaves a couple of strokes off a round, what will that do for your overall confidence?
