5 Reasons You Should Consider Using a Mallet Putter

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler uses a mallet putter and has achieved unexpected success with it.

The recent Arnold Palmer Invitational marked exactly one year since Scottie Scheffler switched from a blade putter to a mallet putter. This change has helped the American golfer secure 9 victories in 2024, including the Masters major championship, an Olympic gold medal, and domination of the FedEx Cup.

So, given Scheffler's success, is a mallet putter truly a good option for other players to consider?

Let's explore 5 benefits of a mallet putter that other players might want to consider:

1. High MOI (Moment of Inertia)

Mallet putters are more forgiving on off-center strikes, meaning mis-hits can still stay on line and achieve desired distances. This helps mitigate the impact of less-than-perfect contact.

2. Alignment Support

Many mallet putters feature longer alignment lines or visual aids, making it easier to accurately line up your putts.

3. Stability and Consistency

With their added weight and balanced design, mallet putters help create a smoother, more controlled stroke. This means you can better control the putter face angle, which is extremely important as over 90% of a putt's outcome comes from the putter face angle at impact.

4. Suitable for All Putting Strokes

Mallet putters are often face-balanced, making them ideal for players with a straight-back, straight-through putting stroke. However, with the right neck design, mallet putters can also support those with an arcing putting stroke.

5. Weight Distribution

The weight of a mallet putter is typically pushed to the perimeter, which enhances stability at impact.

Admittedly, blade putters have historically been the preferred choice for professional golfers with excellent putting skills.

However, this trend has recently shifted.

In 2022, the PGA Tour saw a significant change, with 62% of the top 50 golfers in the world beginning to use mallet putters. In March 2024, Scottie Scheffler made such a switch to a TaylorMade Spider mallet putter and immediately went on to win 9 tournaments that year.

And Scheffler isn't the only golfer to achieve significant success after switching to a mallet putter. Many other notable names like Xander Schauffele, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, and Denny McCarthy have all transitioned to mallet putters and haven't looked back. These changes have greatly improved their putting statistics.

With many of the world's top golfers now using mallet putters, why not give one a try?