Best Center Shafted Putter in 2023

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***If you’re looking for the most recent reviews for 2023 gear, we will be updating this page in the summer after we’ve had a chance to review them!

If you’re in a hurry and just want to find the Best Center Shafted Putter in 2022, here are our recommendations:

In general, center shafted putters get a bad rap. They make up a fairly small percentage of putters overall and many golfers have never even swung one to understand the difference between them and their much more popular cousins, the heel shafted putter.

They can, however, be exactly what some golfers need when they are struggling with their putting stroke, and let’s be honest, we have all struggled with our putting stroke at one time or another. The following is a review of the best center shafted putters in 2020, and why some golfers may benefit from making the switch.

We’re going to be reviewing the following center shafted putters:

Why Choose a Center Shafted Putter?

There are 2 main reasons to choose a center shafted putter. The first and most important reason is if you prefer a straight forward/straight back putting stroke to an arced putting stroke. The second is because they are “face balanced” meaning that the weight of the putter is balanced equally between the heel and the toe

A face balance putter will not twist at impact and mishits caused by drifting will no longer happen. Whatever direction you are aiming, that is the direction that the ball will go.

Heel shafted putters, on the other hand, will suffer from twisting and your mishits will usually be in the same direction because of that. With center shafted putters, your misses will be less consistent because they will have less to do with your tendencies and more to do with your alignment which is easier to fix. 

Many golfers also believe that aligning a putt with a center shafted putter is easier because of the posture and positioning needed. If you are struggling with alignment, a center shafted putter may help.

Finally, a straight forward/back swing is shorter, simpler, and leaves less room for error than an arc swing. For most golfers, the arc is the more natural movement and even looks easier at address, but is kind of the same reason so many tennis players today hit a two-handed backhand. It is simpler and simple generally means less errors.

How To Choose The Best Center Shafted Putter

Once you have decided that you prefer the look and feel of a center shafted putter and your putting stroke is of the straight forward/back variety, it is time to choose the best putter. The next section will give you some ideas about which features differentiate putters from one another, and those are important.

In this section, however, I would encourage you to take a few putters out for a test drive if possible. Whether that means you head up to a local golf shop and use their test products or some places will let you use a club for a day on the course.

The best way to choose a putter is to use it and see how it feels. You will need more than a test drive to test results, but most of us know within a few strokes if the putter feels right. 

Attributes and Features That Differentiate Center Shafted Putters

Mallet or Blade. This refers to the shape of the clubhead of a putter. A larger percentage of golfers use blades and they are the more traditional shape, but mallet putters are becoming more and more popular. Both are available in center shafted putters.

Insert or Milled. This goes more to the feel of the putter. Many club makers put a soft insert into the face of the putter that provides additional feel and traction. Others use steel that goes through a process called “milling” where a texture is milled into the face.

Offset. Most center shafted putters have very little offset, but that is not always true. An offset allows the clubhead to sit on the turf at different angles and can make the ball easier to align and the club easier to swing.

Length. Length is a personal preference and has to do with your height, posture, arm length, and stance. Even an inch can make a huge difference, so you should try out a few different lengths at your local pro shop to decide which one suits you the best.

Price. Generally people pay a little extra for a putter and a driver because they are such specialty clubs and they are used so often. We would suggest paying a little extra to get the features and the putter that you really want. 

Who Should Play a Center Shafted Putter?

Any golfer whose putting stroke is more of a straight line than an arc will probably benefit from a center shafted putter. In addition, if you are struggling with your putting stroke and do not see any way to find improvement, changing to a center shafted putter may be exactly what you need.

While center shafted putters are not exactly “trending” they are popular amongst the people who use them and there are probably a lot of golfers out there that would benefit from making the change. 

If you are accustomed to using a heel shafted putter, there are a couple of things that will make switching difficult. The first is that a center shafted putter looks a lot different at address.

The shaft of the club will connect almost directly in line with the alignment aid of the clubhead. A heel shafted putter leads you to look at the ball from an angle, while the center shafted putter makes you look almost directly straight down at the ball.

The second is that center shafted putter feels a lot different both in your hands and when you strike the ball. If you decide that you want to make the change, take the time necessary to see if it is right for you.

Best Center Shafted Putters in 2022 Reviewed

 

Bettinardi 6.0 Center

The Bettinardi 6.0 is a high end center shafted putter aimed at top golfers. The mallet shape make it very easy to align and give it a high MOI that virtually removes the chance of a mishit. You will get a consistent speed and roll with every shot.

If you have a straight back swinging motion and a consistent putting game, the Bettinardi is made for you. 

Pros

  • A high MOI mallet putter.
  • Easy to align.
  • Weighting and shape prevents most mishits.
  • One of the most forgiving putters out there.
  • Very consistent speed and accuracy.
  • Very soft and responsive at impact because of the “Superfly Mill” milling process.
  • Regular or jumbo lamkin grip available.
  • A clean and modern look.
  • High end materials.
  • Even the contrast of the blue and silver make it visually appealing at address. 

Cons

  • One of the most expensive putters on the list.
  • A large head that may turn off some golfers.

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Seemore Si3 Black Mallet

The Seemore Si3 is a smaller mallet with an offset head. If you are more visually comfortable with a heel shafted putter but want the consistency and simplicity of a center shaft, then the offset really helps you out. The head is smaller than most mallet putters, but large enough to aid in alignment and to give you the confidence that you are starting on the correct line.

The Seemore Si3 gives you a consistent and straight roll with a high MOI. When you are standing over the ball, you know the alignment is right and that mishits are rare so you have the freedom to focus on your stroke.

Pros

  • An affordable and high quality option.
  • A milled aluminum insert that offers great feel and softness.
  • The “Rifle Scope Technology” makes alignment easy and gives you the confidence to hit a great putt.
  • Consistent distance and a pure roll.
  • Black powdercoat finish reduces glare and looks great.

Cons

  • The offset head may turn off golfers who are accustomed to a center shafted putter.
  • Almost a “hybrid” putter because of the offset and smaller mallet design.

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Ping Heppler Piper C

This is a great looking putter that performs as well as it looks. The copper and black contrast just enough to aid in alignment and reduce glare. The solid, machined face is firmer at impact and produces a great sound when you strike the ball. That firmness and design also give the club a very high MOI which reduces the chance of a mishit and makes sure the speed is consistent no matter how the ball is struck.

On top of all of that, the shaft features adjustable length and the head features adjustable weight making it one of the easiest putter on the list to customize to your game.

Pros

  • Good value for the features provided.
  • The firmer face provides a more pure and consistent roll.
  • The contrasting color and other design features aid in alignment.
  • An adjustable length shaft from 32” to 36”. Studies show that a majority of amateurs use a putter that is either too long or too short, and this putter allows you to change the length to fight that tendency.
  • An aluminum casting with steel in the face and perimeter provide greater forgiveness.

Cons

  • The feel and responsiveness at impact is not what some of the other putters on this list have.
  • Less MOI than other mallets.

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Tour Edge Road Pure Feel Template

The Tour Edge Road putter is a well designed mallet putter at a great price. It is a very easy putter to align, has a high MOI, and the CNC milled groove face promotes top spin for a straight and true roll. This putter comes standard with a jumbo grip that minimizes pressure and head rotation throughout the swing.

Tour Edge came out with an entire line of high quality, low price putters that included 6 different designs, and the “Road” design is their center shafted mallet.

Pros

  • One of the least expensive putters on this list.
  • Promotes top spin for a pure roll.
  • The CNC milled face is soft and responsive.
  • A great price.
  • The jumbo grip is great for beginners and high handicappers.

Cons

  • The quality of construction is lacking.
  • The mallet head is big and is not as visually pleasing at setup.
  • The feedback is minimal at best.
  • Made more for beginners than seasoned golfers.

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Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft #11 Center Shaft

When you stand over the ball with this putter, you have no option but to feel confident. The stability wings and other alignment aids help you to know that the ball will start off in the right direction. The high MOI and face balancing give you the confidence that the ball will travel the right distance.

The CNC milled face will give you the feedback and responsiveness to know that you hit a great shot. This is the flagship “Huntington Beach” offering from Cleveland and it does not disappoint. 

Pros

  • Fantastic distance control.
  • Aids in alignment.
  • Has design elements of both a blade and a mallet.
  • High MOI and few mishits.
  • Great value for the features.
  • A very forgiving putter both with speed and accuracy.
  • The 2 stability wings aid in alignment and accuracy.
  • CNC milled face with speed optimization face technology.
  • Great feel and softness.

Cons

  • The clubhead may be a little large for some golfers.
  • It looks like a combination between a blade and a mallet which means a purist in either direction may not like the design.

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Wilson Staff South Side Infinite

A good putter at a great price. This is what you will find with the Wilson Staff South Side Infinite. This putter performs well in almost every category. The double milled face provides distance control and feel.

The counterbalancing technology moves the balance point closer to your hands for more control. The size and weighting give the putter a high MOI. Even the anti-glare finish and oversized grip show the details and care that went into designing this putter.

Pros

  • The counterbalancing technology is unique to this putter and places the balance point closer to the hands for more control and less clubhead movement.
  • The double milled face is very soft and creates topspin that make the ball roll true.
  • The size and alignment aids make it easy to align before the shot.
  • A new oversized grip with a grip pattern that provides improved feel and control.
  • A very accurate and consistent putter.

Cons

  • Performs well in most areas but not great in any.
  • The putter looks like its price.

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Evnroll ER 2 CS

The Evnroll ER 2 CS is another one in the line of center shafted putters. This blade design looks great and is especially welcomed by golf purists.

Even though it is a blade, the MOI resembles what you find in a mallet putter so that you get the best of both worlds. This is an accurate, consistent, and great looking putter that focuses on performance.

Pros

  • One of the most consistent putters out there.
  • Very high MOI for a blade putter makes a mishit unlikely and consistent speed no matter where on the club the ball strikes.
  • The patented face milling gives the putter a soft feel and a lot of traction on the ball at impact.
  • The steel head sounds great at impact.
  • Looks great at setup.
  • A combination of traditional (blade) and less traditional (center shafted) putter design.
  • Progressive face technology means that the grooves in the milling start wide and grow progressively narrower away from the center. This increases the size of the sweet spot and enhances the feel of the club.

Cons

  • On the expensive side.
  • A heavy club head for a blade.

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Evnroll ER 5 CS

Called a “Hatchback” on the Evnroll website, this putter has a unique design that looks great and can help improve your putting. The putter looks great at address, is extremely consistent, easy to align, and produces a pure and straight roll.

This putter has a huge sweet spot, so if you miss center by a little, you will still end up with a good putt. 

Pros

  • The TR groove technology is different than anything else on the market.
  • The black shaft and head contrast with the surroundings to make alignment even easier.
  • A fairly heavy putter that aids in control and feel.
  • The CNC milling from billet which makes it one of the most technology advanced club faces on the market.
  • The winged mallet design makes alignment a breeze and also aids in confidence and weighting.
  • Consistent distance.
  • A pure roll.
  • The putter looks great at address and has a lot of alignment aids.

Cons

  • A high price point.
  • The clubhead may be a little large for some golfers.

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Evnroll ER 7 CS

The full mallet design is big enough to aid in alignment but not too big to be considered “chunky.” It is the only rear perimeter weighted mallet on this list, and many players will like the feel and results that this produces.

This rear weighting disperses the weight for greater stability of the club head and therefore a more consistent roll. The sweet face technology ensures that mishits will be few and far between, and that even slightly off-center shots will have consistent distance and accuracy. 

Pros

  • CNC milled face for enhanced quality and control.
  • A rear perimeter weighted mallet putter.
  • The progressive grooves make off-center hits almost as accurate as on-center ones.
  • Slightly offset to aid in aesthetics and setup.
  • Produces consistent speed and accuracy.
  • A nice looking putter.

Cons

  • High price.
  • Does not perform as well as the other Evnroll ER mallets.

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Our Choice

 

Best Center Shafted Putter

The Evnroll ER 5 CS is our choice for best center shafted putter in 2020. The only real weakness of this club is the high price point. The face technology is as advanced as you will find anywhere. The CNC milling process makes the club both soft and firm, gives it great feel, and produces top spin that aids in accuracy and consistency.

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The winged mallet design makes it a breeze to align and instills confidence every time you stand over the ball. A center shafted putter should help cut down on errors, give you a larger sweet spot, and make your straight swing as effective as possible. The Evnroll ER 5 does just that and more. 

Most Affordable Option

The most affordable option is the Wilson Staff South Side Infinite, and it is a good putter as well. We would suggest at least trying out the Cleveland Huntington Beach #11 as well because, while it is a little more expensive, it performs better as well.

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