Broomstick putters aren’t very easy to find in this day and age. Even though there are a fair number of professionals that use a long putter, in most cases, they use a custom-made prototype that typically isn’t made available to the general public.
Nevertheless, there are some options available, especially if you are willing to use a second hand version.
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Odyssey 2-Ball Ten Broomstick Tour Lined Putter
The Odyssey 2-Ball Putter is one of the most popular putters on the PGA tour. Thankfully, there is a broomstick version that is currently available for sale on the PGA SuperStore.
LAB Golf Mezz.1 Max Custom
You may have noticed the putter that both Adam Scott and Charl Schwartzel have recently converted to. It’s called the LAB Golf Mezz.1 Max custom butter. The defining feature of the Mezz.1 Max is that it leverages lie angle balance technology. This literally means that it is designed to stay square, relative to the arc of your putting stroke (usually around 70 degrees).
Unlike the other Lab Golf Broomstick Putters in this buyer’s guide, the Mezz.1 Max is actually quite attractive. Some players have compared it to the look of the Tesla cybertruck, and in a way, that comparison is apt. It looks like it was designed by someone who knows or thing or two about engineering. Also, if the improved putting stats of Adam Scott and Charl Schwartzel, there’s a good chance it can improve your performance on the greens as well.
LAB Golf Directed Force 2.1 Broomstick Putter
The LAB Golf Directed Force 2.1 Putter can be ordered in broomstick length on the LAB Golf Website. In order to unlock the broomstick length, you need to select the ‘custom build’ option when browsing their product page.
One of the standout features of the Directed Force 2.1 Putter is that it is classified as torque free. This means that there is no rotational force applied to the putter face during the backswing and the follow-through, provided you make a good stroke. It also worth noting that the DF 2.1 is a center shaft putter.
Ping Karsten B90 Broomstick Putter
Although the Ping Karsten B90 Broomstick Putter is no longer manufactured, there are plenty of second hand versions available on eBay.
If you are unsure about investing in a Broomstick Putter, the Karsten B90 is a good option, because the second hand versions aren’t crazy expensive.
As you can see in the images below, the Karsten B90 is also a center shafted putter.
Scotty Cameron Kombi Long Putter
With the Scotty Cameron Kombi Long Putter you will also have to accept that your only choice is to go second hand. It was released all the way back in 2013, but thankfully there are still some available on eBay.
At this moment in time, Scotty Cameron are not manufacturing Broomstick Putters for the mass market, presumably because they don’t sell well enough.
At this point, it should be pretty clear that finding a broomstick putter for sale actually isn’t that easy.
If you want anything other than Odyssey 2 Ball Ten Broomstick Putter or the LAB Golf Directed Force 2.1, you basically have to accept that you are going to have to buy a second-hand model.
To this end, there are a few ways of searching on eBay that can increase the likelihood of you finding a broomstick putter for sale.
- Search Method 1: 48″ Putter
- Search Method 2: 50″ Putter
When looking through the available options, anything which mentions ‘split grip’ or ‘long putter’ is usually worth investigating further.
Advantages of using a Broomstick Putter
1. Broomstick Putters Encourage A Near Perfect Pendulum
The main reason it is easier to achieve a near-perfect pendulum with a broomstick putter is that you can address the ball with the putter almost perpendicular to the target. This makes it significantly easier to take the putter back straight back and straight through.
2. Massive Lie Angle Advantage
There is one equipment rule that 99.9% of all golfers know nothing about. Under USGA Rules, the lie angle of a putter must be less than 80 degrees. This is primarily because if a putter were to be built with a 90-degree lie angle, it would make it much easier to point the putter directly downward and implement a straight-back, straight-through stroke consistently.
However, when you hold a broomstick putter, the effective lie angle is almost perpendicular to the ground, and it is common to set the putter against the ground with a lie angle that exceeds 80 degrees. So, even though the putter has a lie angle that is less than 80 degrees, you can effectively work around this limitation by setting the putter in an extremely upright position, which is very easy to do with a broomstick putter in your hands.
3. It takes your hands out of the stroke
Most players that resort to a broomstick putter have some variant of the putting yips.
In most cases, these players have involuntary twitches that run through their hands when they become anxious over short putts. The combination of twitchy hands and intense anxiety can generate mental scar tissue that is almost impossible to repair. It can kill professional golf careers and cause amateurs to give up on the game entirely.
Fortunately, Broomstick putters take the hands out of the stroke. Instead, your shoulders become the primary driver of the putting motion, while the hands just keep the putter stable.
In essence, broomstick putting is one of the most effective antidotes for a handsy and twitchy stroke. You basically just hold the putter in your hands and rock it back and through with your shoulders. It’s a very simple motion that can potentially cure the yips if you suffer from that particular affliction.
Disadvantages of using a Broomstick Putter
1. Judging Distance On Long Putts Can Be Difficult
While broomstick putters tend to be very reliable over short-range and mid-length putts, it can be tricky to judge distance with any putt longer than 20 feet.
This is partly because it’s harder to intuitively accelerate the club in order to hit the ball the correct distance on long putts.
Said another way, on long putts it can feel like you have to take a ridiculously long backswing and then still accelerate through impact in order to get the ball to the hole. If you decide to switch to a broomstick putter, it might take you a few months to recalibrate your distance control.
2. You Can Lose Some Of Your Natural Feel
Truth be told, broomstick putting is a little bit robotic. When you first make the switch, you might find that it simplifies your putting stroke, while still feeling overly mechanical. You are basically trading ‘feel’ for ‘consistency’. This is a trade-off that almost anyone with the yips will be willing to consider.
3. It can be a bit embarrassing to game a broomstick putter
When you pull a broomstick putter out of the bag, you are basically admitting to the world that you are a seriously bad putter with a standard-length flatstick. It’s the opposite of a badge of honor.
Personally, I still feel a slight twinge of embarrassment when I take the LAB Golf Directed Force 2.1 putter out of the bag. Although it isn’t a long putter, it looks very strange, and the putter head borders on gigantic.
You can expect a small amount of embarrassment every time you play with someone new. Thankfully you can silence any smirks and playful banter by holing more putts than your playing partners. That is usually the best way to silence your critics.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the broomstick putter legal?
Technically speaking, broomstick putters are 100% legal in tournament play. This applies to professionals and amateurs. However, there is a slight catch. You are no longer allowed to ‘anchor’ broomstick putters against your chest.
It is important to recognize that the underlying goal of the USGA was to eliminate any form of ‘anchoring against a fixed’ point during a putting stroke.
Before rule 14.1-b was implemented, players were allowed to press the top of the putter handle against their chest, effectively creating an anchored pivot point. This also applied to belly putters, where players would press the top of the handle into their belly, also creating a fixed pivot point.
After the anchor ban rule was implemented on the 1st of January 2016, all forms of fixed anchoring became illegal. This quickly eliminated belly putters from the game of golf, but broomstick putters survived, because you can still use one provided you don’t anchor it against your chest.
How long should a broomstick putter be?
A men’s broomstick putter is typically between 48-52 inches long. A women’s broomstick putter is usually between 46-50 inches long. Admittedly women’s broomstick putters can be harder to find for sale.
What are long handled putters called?
Long-handled putters are called ‘broomstick putters’.
However, it is worth noting that there are actually 3 different types of long-handled putters, namely:
1. Broomstick Putters – These are the longest putters in the game of golf. They are typically between 48-52″ long, and the grip usually has two distinct sections, one section for the left hand, and one section for the right hand.
2. Arm Lock Putters – Arm Lock Putters are generally between 4 to 6 inches longer than a standard putter. The grip is considerably bigger than a standard putter because it is designed to sit against the inside of your left (leading) forearm.
3. Belly Putters – These putters are no longer legal in tournament play. It simply doesn’t make sense to use a belly putter without anchoring it into your stomach. The anchoring ban in 2016 effectively eliminated belly putters from the game of golf.
What Tour Pros use a broomstick Putter
- Adam Scott
- Bernhard Langer
- Shaun Norris
- Justin Harding
- Aaron Wise
- Scott McCarron
- Charl Schwartzel
On this point, it’s worth noting that broomstick putters are totally different to arm lock putters. Players like Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Kuchar, Ryan Fox, Keegan Bradley, and Webb Simpson all use arm lock putters rather than Broomstick putters.