With putting accounting for well over 1/3 of your strokes on the golf course, it’s only natural to want to make sure you have the best possible putting equipment for your game. There are plenty of different options on the market for putters these days, but center shafted putters are often overlooked, and may actually be the perfect fit for your game.
Some of the best players in the world play with center shafted putters, notably Zach Johnson and Adam Scott on the PGA Tour. These players have won tournaments using this style putter, and have been able to improve their stroke by making the switch. While center shafted putters aren’t overwhelmingly popular on the golf course, they may be able to provide real value to you on the greens!
So what makes these clubs so special? Read our complete guide below for more information on center shafted putters!
Want to skip to the good stuff? We found the best overall center shafted putter to be the TaylorMade Truss Center Shaft Putter
What is a Center Shafted Putter?
Center shafted putters have been around for over a century, and have been considered legal putters for tournament play since the 1950’s. A center shafted putter is a putter that attaches the head and the shaft at the center of the clubhead. All other types of putters connect the shaft and the putter head near the heel of the putter. These two styles are the main choices on the market today: heel shafted and center shafted putters.
We’ve covered the market, and have compiled this guide with all the information you need on the best center shafted putters out there this year, as well as some useful information as to why they may be a good fit for you!
The Best Center Shafted Putters in 2020
Best Overall: TaylorMade Truss Center Shaft Putter
The TaylorMade Truss is our best overall pick thanks to the premium quality, design and feel this putter brings to the table. This putter is a little on the expensive side, but if you’re looking at center shafted putters, you clearly have a lot of insight to your own game and are willing to pay for quality. The TaylorMade Truss isn’t as expensive as a Scotty, but you can expect to pay about $300 for this putter.
The Truss is a new addition to the TaylorMade putter lineup, which features a unique hosel design that connects at 2 points on the putter head. This design intends to provide more stability than a traditional putter design, and overall this center shafted putter has a very clean look to it. The Truss also features a sleek looking a Cobalt Blue Pure Roll insert, made to provide an exceptional sound feel and roll off the face. TaylorMade does include adjustable heel and toe weights on this putter, allowing for customization to your preferred center of gravity.
If you’re looking for a well made center shafted putter, we love this one. It has a comfortable and high quality grip, and has great weight in your hands during a putting stroke. The sound and feel are pure, and it has a conversation starting design. This putter is available with either 34″ length, or 35″ length.
Pros:
- Well made blade style putter
- Unique technology to optimize feel, weight, center of gravity and sound
- Ideal for players who want to execute a straight putting stroke
- Adjustable weights in the putter head
Cons:
- Somewhat expensive
- Some find head design to be distracting
Best Premium Pick: Titleist Scotty Cameron Phantom X 6 STR
Titleist’s Scotty Cameron putters have long been synonymous with best in class quality, design, and feel. The Phantom X 6 STR is made with no spud, and zero offset. The straight shaft used in this putter creates a face balanced performance, along with an extremely clean and minimalist look at address.
This is easily one of the best mallet style center shafted putters that you can find. The mallet putter head includes distinct yellow sight lines that stand out when you set up to the ball. The Phantom X 6 produces a great “tock” sound when you hit it, and provides slight feedback from the hands when you hit it or mishit it. The club is pretty forgiving if you miss the center of the face, and will still produce a straight putt on an off center hit.
If you’re looking for an exceptional quality center shafted putter, this Scotty is a no brainer.
Pros:
- Exceptional quality
- Well defined sight lines
- Great sound and feel
Cons:
- Premium price tag
- Limited design options
Premium Center Shaft Alternative: Bettinardi Studio Stock 28Slotback Center
For the most part, Bettinardi isn’t widely known in the same way that Titleist, TaylorMade and other big golf brands are known. Bettinardi is a smaller brand under the Mizuno umbrella, and are positioned similarly to the Titleist Scotty Cameron putter line. Bettinardi putters are well known to be exceptionally well crafted, and come with a premium price tag.
The Bettinardi Studio Stock putter is made to be a crossover between the blade putter and a mini mallet, and the best way I can describe that is that it looks like a “double wide blade”. The Studio Stock 28 was made with precision milling and forgiveness in mind; off center hits still travel to the intended target most of the time. This center shafted putter features optimized perimeter weighting and MOI characteristics. The face is also made to produce an exceptionally soft feel at impact.
This is another great premium option for anyone who wants to invest into a top quality center shafted putter. If you want to look at options that aren’t under the Scotty Cameron umbrella, we love this pick.
Pros:
- Premium quality materials and craftsmanship
- Soft feel and great sound
- Unique double wide design
Cons:
- Premium price tag
- Only option for length is 35″
Best Value Option: Cleveland Golf Huntington Beach SOFT Putter #11
If you’re looking for a well made center shafted putter without shelling $3-400, the Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft putter is a great pick. This putter comes in 3 lengths, 33″, 34″ and 35″, and features a head shape similar to a mallet, with the fang style pieces extending off the heel and toe.
The Cleveland Huntington Beach SOFT #11 is made with the average player in mind, including a speed optimized face technology that is meant to produce consistent distance on every putt. This putter is exceptionally forgiving, making your mishits much more effective. The sight line is a simple black strip in the center of the putter head.
If you’re looking for a great value option with some of the latest technology, this is a fantastic center shafted putter that doesn’t break the bank.
Pros:
- Great feel and sound
- Good value for the quality
- Attractive CNC milled putter face
Cons:
- Only one of the putter style options has the center shaft
- No putter face inserts
Budget Pick: Pinemeadow Golf Site 2 Putter
Pinemeadow is well known to be the budget pick for nearly every golf club on the market. If price is your main criteria, you just won’t find better options for less money. The Pinemeadow Golf Site 2 is their center shafted putter option, which has a decent looking design, very similar to the Odyssey Versa putter.
The Golf Site 2 features a half mallet style putter head shape, with a clean black and white finish.This putter does come with a putter cover as well, which may be surprising for some given the price. Overall, this is a decent option for anyone who wants a center shafted putter on the cheap.
Pros:
- Very budget friendly
- Clean design
Cons:
- Low quality materials
- Questionable durability
Buyers Guide and FAQ
Who Should Use a Center Shafted Putter?
Center shafted putters are best for any golfer who needs to work on getting their putting stroke going straight back and straight through. Nearly every center shafted putter on the market is face balanced which helps produce the straighter putting motion. By definition, a face balanced putter holds equal weight between the heel and toe of the putter.
If you’re a golfer who likes a long, or belly style putter, then a center shafted putter will help you square up the putter face at impact and produce a much better stroke. Overall if you find that you have a tough time getting the putter square, and feel the natural putting arc is a disadvantage for you, a center shafted putter could really suit your game.
How Do I Choose Putter Length?
Putter length is one of the first things to consider when you’re choosing a new putter; the length of a putter will have an impact on distance control, as well as how well you control the direction of the ball. For men, most traditional heel shafted or center shafted putters are somewhere between 33″ and 35″ in length. If you’re opting for a longer belly style putter, you could be looking at anywhere between 39″ and 47″, depending on your height. The 45″+ putters are made specifically for taller golfers, who are over 6′ 2 or taller.
First, decide if you want traditional length or the longer style. Many center shafted putter players do opt for the longer length to keep the face square and going straight back and through. On the other hand, the traditional length has no disadvantages if you go for a center shafted putter; standing with your eyes over the ball will produce the same style stroke as the belly putter can.
How Much Should I Spend on a Putter?
There’s no direct answer to this question, other than it depends on what you want. If you’re on a very tight budget, you can get a putter for around $50; this will be a pretty basic no frills option, and frankly won’t be built with the best quality. At the top end of the range for a premium putter, you can easily pay $400+ for the most advanced and highest quality putters. If neither of those sound appealing, you’re certainly not alone! There are tons of options in the $100-250 range that should satisfy the majority of golfers. The mid range putter will be a good value pick offering high quality materials and feel, without blowing your whole golf club budget.
As a rule of thumb, lower handicap players tend to invest more into their putters thanks to the high quality construction, technology and feel associated with them. That said, anyone can invest in a high end putter and start reaping benefits. Decide a rough budget that works for you, and choose your weapon from there!
How Often Should I Replace My Putter?
Golf club technology seems to change and improve at a scary rate; a driver that was made before 2015 is practically obsolete and puts anyone at a distinct disadvantage when coming up against a new driver these days. With most golf clubs, you’re missing out on substantial yardage and technology if you don’t upgrade every few years. With putters, the conversation is not as simple and straight forward.
Putter technology does move forward, but the strides made aren’t substantial. Putting is all about feel, and things are either working or they aren’t. If you’re not getting along with your putter which you’ve had for years, you’re probably due for an upgrade. Base your decision to change putters on feel and quality rather than the latest technology.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve played golf for a while, you may have heard about center shafted putters. Many golfers find this style putter to be much more effective for a straight back and straight through putting stroke. Most of the time, low or mid handicap players will decide they want to take a look at one of these putters to create a little improvement in their short game. After careful review of the market, we found the TaylorMade Truss Center Shaft Putter to be the best, thanks to its exceptional quality, adjustability and solid sound and feel off the face. The Truss definitely won’t disappoint, and will last many seasons in your bag.
Thanks for reading!
