Center Shaft Putters can inspire tremendous confidence when you set up behind the ball, provided that they happen to suit your eye. Visually, center shaft putters are about as simple as it gets. The shaft connects to the center of the putter face, in such a way that removes all the clutter and complexity from the hosel. It’s a case of what you see is what you get, no gimmicks needed. If you like this visual simplicity inherent to the design, you will enjoy our round-up of the best center shafted putters currently available.
To simplify the selection, we have created 3 broad categories, namely mallet putters, fang style putters and blade putters. Now let’s get stuck in.
Table of Contents
Best Center Shaft Mallet Putters
Odyssey Stroke Lab V-Line Center Shafted Putter
The Odyssey Stroke Lab V-Line CS Putter is a centered shafted putter designed with Odyssey’s multi-material Stroke Lab shaft, V-Line alignment, and a White Hot Microhinge face insert.
MULTI-MATERIAL STROKE LAB SHAFT: The Odyssey Stroke Lab putter is built with a tip-heavy graphite and steel shaft that saves 40 grams*. This is then relocated into each end of the putter to change performance dynamics.
SLIGHTLY STIFFER AND LOWER TORQUE: The Stroke Lab putter’s shaft is slightly stiffer and has a lower torque compared to standard putter shafts. This provides increased control for the slightly heavier head.
SOLE WEIGHTS AND GRIP WEIGHT: A change to the putter’s dynamic through added weight to the sole and butt-end of the grip helps golfers to have a consistently smoother and accurate stroke.
WHITE HOT MICROHINGE FACE INSERT: The legendary White Hot feel is back, now combined with Microhinge technology. Engineered to improve sound and feel, the Odyssey Stroke Lab putter is outfitted with White Hot Microhinge technology to promote speed and control.
Evnroll ER7 Satin Full Mallet Center Shaft
The ER7 Full Mallet Centre Shafted putter by Evnroll contains a precise patented face milling. This mallet design provides more energy transfer on off-center hits to roll the ball a consistent distance with every stroke. The unique milling pattern also gears the ball back to the center. Also contains a Sweet Face Technology that delivers unprecedented accuracy.
Key Features:
- A center-shafted rear perimeter weighted full mallet.
- 303 stainless steel head material
- Right hand version only
- Face-balanced
- Standard Grip
- Putterflex
- Length: 34″
Ping Tyne C Putter
The PING 2021 Tyne C Centre Shaft Mallet Putter features multi-material construction for optimized MOI and CG, giving you incredible forgiveness. A responsive Dual-Durometer insert is made with a soft front layer for precise short putts, with a firmer back layer for better control on longer distance putts. Shallower grooves across the face offer a soft feel and consistent roll.
Key Features: Ping Tyne C Putter
- Multi-Material Construction: 17-4 Stainless Steel, Tungsten, Aluminum feature varying densities for enhanced performance.
- Dual-Durometer Insert: Soft front layer and firm back layer provide precision for short putts and control over longer distances.
- Shallow Face Grooves: Soft Feel and Consistent Roll
Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft 10.5 Center Shaft Mallet Putter OS Grip
Never leave another putt short with Speed Optimized Face Technology. The Huntington Beach Soft offers the distance control, feel, and confidence to sink more putts. The Speed Optimized Face Technology produces consistent distance on every putt. The Diamond CNC Milling Pattern is engineered with deep grooves to provide a soft feel with a true, on-line roll.
In addition, the optimized CG location offers a solid feel and stability for straighter putts through strategic weight redistribution. It features 6 unique, tour-proven head shapes that suit any golfer’s stroke and style. You can also personalize your putter with multiple color options.
Key Features: Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft 10.5 Center Shaft OS Standard Putter
- Speed Optimized Face Technology produces consistent distance on every putt, even mishits.
- Diamond CNC Milling Pattern with deep grooves provides soft feel with a true roll that starts on-line.
- Optimized CG Location through strategic weight redistribution provides solid feel and stability for straighter putts
- Oversized Grip
Ping Heppler Piper C Standard Putter
The Heppler Piper C putters by Ping provide a machined, solid face for golfers who prefer a firmer impact feel and sound. Containing multi-material (cast aluminum and steel) mallets and mid-mallets that deliver extreme forgiveness and optimal CG for accuracy and consistency. The Ping Piper C combines lighter aluminum with steel through strategic shaping and weight placement to produce extremely high MOI.
Key Features: Ping Piper C Center Shaft Putter
- Firm and Forgiving – Multi-material (cast aluminum and steel) mallets and mid-mallets to provide extreme forgiveness and optimal CG for accuracy.
- Multi-material designs – Machined-like detail and quality in multiple mid-mallets and mallets. Combined the lighter aluminum with steel through strategic shaping and weight placement to produce extremely high MOI designs.
- Adjustable-Length Shaft Adjusts 32″ to 36″
- Four grip options – Available in PP59, PP60, PP61, and PP62 grips.
Odyssey EXO Center Shaft Putter
The Odyssey EXO Putter with Stroke Lab Center Shafts is a remarkable meeting of three of Callaway’s newest innovations: EXO construction, White Hot Micro hinge Insert, and Stroke Lab Weighting. The result is a spectacular high-tech face balanced putter mallet engineered to help any golfer make more putts.
Key Features:
- Maximum Forgiveness From Multi-Material Construction
- Multiple materials concentrate weight for incredibly high MOI, with more consistent speed control and directional control.
- Legendary White Hot Feel and Immediate Roll
- Iconic White Hot sound and feel combined with consistent accuracy and distance control from Micro hinge.
- Stroke Lab Shaft Weighting To Enhance Your Performance
- Our revolutionary new multi-material Stroke Lab Shaft is designed for innovative weight distribution, dramatically changing performance dynamics to promote a smoother and more accurate stroke.
TaylorMade TRUSS TM1
The Taylormade TRUSS TM1 putter contains a Cobalt Blue PureRoll™ Insert that is designed for better sound, feel and roll characteristics. Also features a striking hosel design engineered to increase stability in classically styled putters, while looking familiar on the address.
Key Features:
- New Truss Hosel Design
- Cobalt Blue PureRoll™ Insert
- Improved Feel
- Adjustable Sole Weights
- KBS Stepless Stability Shaf
TaylorMade TRUSS TM2
By creating multiple contact points along with the topline, the Taylormade Truss TM2 hosel design reduces the amount of unsupported mass and deflection at impact. The Tour-Proven Cobalt Blue Pure Roll inserts produce better sound and feel, while 45° grooves increase topspin to help the ball start and stay on its intended line.
Key Features:
- Two Connection Points Are Better Than One: A striking hosel design engineered to increase stability in classically styled putters, while looking familiar at address
- Cobalt Blue PureRoll Insert: Designed for better sound, feel and roll characteristics
- Improved Feel: The new Truss hosel design intended to increase the stiffness/frequency for an improved sound & feel
- Adjustable Sole Weights: Adjustable sole weights for head weight and center of gravity personalization
- KBS Stepless Stability Shaft: New chrome CT Tour putter shaft at 120grams designed for less deflection
Best Center Shaft Blade Putters
Evnroll ER2 Satin MidBlade Center Shaft
The ER2 MidBlade Center Shaft blade putter by Evnroll contain a precise patented face milling. This will provide more energy transfer on off-center hits to roll the ball a consistent distance with every stroke. This unique milling pattern also gears the ball back to the center. Also contains a Sweet Face Technology that delivers unprecedented accuracy.
Key Features:
- 303 stainless steel head material.
- Center-shafted shorter, wider heel and toe weighted flange blade.
- Patented Face Milling
- Sweet Face technology for enhanced accuracy
Bettinardi 2020 Studio Stock 28 Slotback Center Shaft
The first-ever Studio Stock 28 Slot Back was designed to offer an impressive crossover between blade and mini-mallet. Robert Bettinardi worked with his PGA Tour staff to refine his popular SS28 model by finely milling a slot in the rear flange in order to frame the ball perfectly and allow for maximum forgiveness at impact.
The SS28 SB was engineered with a center shaft, adding to the square profile with greater perimeter weighting and higher MOI characteristics. With feedback from major champions, Robert Bettinardi milled his F.I.T. Face 20% deeper for an even softer feel at impact. A stunning hand-polished platinum finish gives the SS28SB Center Shaft putter a durable and clean appearance, sure to inspire confidence on the greens!
Key Features:
- Center Shafted
- 358 gram head weight
- Platinum finish
- Pistol grip
- Milled from 303 stainless steel
Ping Sigma Kushin Center Shaft Putter
This center-shafted model with added emphasis to the heel and toe ballasts will appeal to golfers drawn to the visual symmetry and stability of a face-balanced design. Prominent ball-width alignment features and micro-lines on the center cavity allow for easy alignment. The 360-gram weight and center-shaft design keep the head very stable on short putts in particular. The face-balanced design is optimized for players with very little rotation in their stroke or a push tendency.
Key Features:
- Putter Type: Mid-Blade
- Grip: PING Pistol PP60
- Adjustable-Length Shaft: 32″ to 36″ range
- Head Weight: 360g
- Stroke Type: Straight
- Lie Angle: 20° ±4°
- Loft: 3° ±2°
TaylorMade TRUSS TB2 Center Shaft
The Taylormade Truss TB2 has a striking hosel design engineered to increase stability in classically styled putters that look familiar at address. By creating multiple contact points along with the topline, the Truss hosel design reduces the amount of unsupported mass and deflection at impact.
The Truss TB2 was optically engineered to present a familiar look at address for players seeking more stability in a classic shape. Adjustable sole weights allow golfers to achieve precise head weights and CG positioning.*
Key Features:
- Two Connection Points Are Better Than One: A striking hosel design engineered to increase stability in classically styled putters, while looking familiar at address
- Cobalt Blue PureRoll Insert: Designed for better sound, feel and roll characteristics
- Improved Feel: The new Truss hosel design intended to increase the stiffness/frequency for an improved sound & feel
- Adjustable Sole Weights: Adjustable sole weights for head weight and center of gravity personalization
- KBS Stepless Stability Shaft: New chrome CT Tour putter shaft at 120grams designed for less deflection
Best Toe Hang Center Shaft Putters
Bettinardi Inovai 7.0 Center Shaft Putter
Precision milled from 303 Stainless Steel and 6061 military-grade Aluminum, the optimized weight distribution on the putter head allows mallet players to benefit from having the ultimate in forgiveness and stability throughout the putting stroke, and enhanced visual cues framing the ball perfectly at address with our striking Cobalt blue finish.
Key Features:
- Super High MOI Bi-Metal Technology
- Striking Cobalt Blue Finish
- Tour Grade Putter Shaft
- Loft: 3°
- Lie: 70°
- Toe Hang: 8°
SEEMORE Black HT Mallet
The Black PowderCoat finish of this SEEMORE Putter helps to reduce glare and enhance overall design. Alignment benefits of RifleScope Technology (RST). Straight shaft. 45 degree toe hang. Design and functionality is completely unique to SeeMore, with majority of weight behind center making it very easy to properly release the putter head.
Key Features:
- Rifle Scope Technology (RST)
- Head weight: 360 grams
- Toe Hang: 45°
- Cast 303 Stainless Steel Milled Face
SEEMORE Mini Giant FGP
The SEEMORE mini Giant Deep Flange is a variation on the classic mini Giant FGP with the profile of a deeper flange. It is created using 4 sets of non adjustable copper weights in the extreme toe and heel section as well as the perimeter of the sole, for the ultimate MOI to size ratio. Milled Aluminum head weight is 350 grams. Black Finish with a Standard RST (Two White Lines and Red Dot).
Key Features:
- Rifle Scope Technology (RST)
- Head weight: 350 grams
- Toe Hang: 40°
- Cast 303 Stainless Steel Milled Face
- Dynamically balanced to the angle you putt and naturally returns to square at impact
Advantages Of A Center Shafted Putter
Ideal For Straight Back Straight Through Putting Stroke
Broadly speaking, there are two different styles of putting
- Straight Back & Straight Through
- Inside To Inside (Arc Stroke)
Most center shaft putters are face balanced, and work very well with the straight back, straight through putting technique. Instead of actively intending to take the putter head inside during the backswing and the follow-through, it is better to think of a straight line that runs from the target, directly through the center of the putter.
With a center shafted putter in your hands, it becomes very easy to imagine this line to the target, and equally easy to feel the best way to keep the putter head moving along the target line.
Can Gel With Left Eye Dominant Golfers
According to Wikipedia, about 29% of the population is left eye dominant. To quickly test your ocular dominance, make a triangle with your hands, and choose an object to focus on about 10 meters away from you.
Image sourced from: allaboutvision.com
- First, close your right eye, and continue focusing on the object for a few seconds.
- Then close your left eye, and continue focusing on the object for a few seconds.
- You should find that your dominant eye keeps the object in focus, whereas your weaker eye is partially blocked by your hand
- If your left eye keeps the object in focus better than your right eye, you are left eye dominant
More importantly, center shafted putters tend to work particularly well with left-eye dominant, right-handed golfers.
Work Well If You Like Pointing The Nose Of The Putter Down (Like Steve Stricker)
In my experience, pointing the toe of the club slightly down (in the same way that Steve Stricker does) can feel very comfortable and repeatable. It’s like you are setting the putter in an extremely vertical position at address, and then just maintaining this angle during the backswing and follow-through.
However, one of the consequences of putting in this manner is that the heel of the putter will be slightly raised. With a center shafted putter, you can implement a Steve Stricker style stroke, without the heel of the putter lifting up in the air quite as much. Moreover, if you maintain this vertical position during your backswing and follow through, you have the making of a repeatable putting stroke within your grasp.
Can Reduce The Amount of Twist During The Stroke
For this benefit, we need to touch on some physics principles. With a normal putter, the shaft runs into the heel of the club. If you twist the shaft, it can have a major impact on the face of the putter, particularly at the toe end of the club.
It’s a bit like a merry-go-round. If you stand in the center of a merry-go-round, you don’t move particularly fast. However, if you stand on the perimeter of the merry-go-round, you move exponentially faster than when standing near the center.
With a standard putter, any twisting of the heel (where the shaft is) runs across the full diameter of the putter face, with the effect of the twist being amplified at the toe end of the putter. When you use a center shafted putter, the distance from the shaft to the toe is literally cut in half. This reduces the amount of movement in the toe of the club, relative to a heel-shafted putter.
Summary of Advantages
- Ideal For Straight Back Straight Through Putting Stroke
- Can Gel With Left Eye Dominant Golfers
- Work Well If You Putt Like Steve Stricker (ie Nose Pointing Down)
- Extremely Simple Alignment Features
- Can Reduce The Amount of Twist During The Stroke
Disadvantages Of A Center Shafted Putter
Little To No Putter Offset Can Encourage A Push Tendency
This is arguably the biggest disadvantage of a center shafted putter. Most putter these have built-in offset, which makes it easier to close/square the face at impact. Most center shafted putters have little to no offset, which can make it difficult for some players to square the face, especially if you’ve been playing with offset putters your entire life.
If you aren’t sure if this applies to you, keep in mind that plumbers neck, slant neck, and most double bend putters have built-in offset. It’s possible that moving to a center shafted putter could introduce a miss to the right that is usually nullified by the offset in your current putter.
Some people hate the look of a center shafted putter
Let’s be honest. Most people have a love-hate relationship with center putters. Personally, I think they make the whole purpose of the putter extremely simple to see, but others are not so complimentary.
The chief complaint from those who hate the look is that they find the actual shaft very distracting. For the haters, it’s like having an object in your eyeline that you can never escape. These people are better served by normal putters, where the shaft plays a much smaller role in the alignment features.
Often don't work well with an arc stroke
This is a perfectly reasonable criticism of center shaft putters. Because they tend to be face balanced, they are ideally suited to a straight-back, straight-through putting style.
If you have an arc stroke that moves inside on the way back and inside on the way through, you might find it difficult to execute your stroke consistently with a center shaft putter in your hands. With that being said, it’s worth mentioning that SEEMORE golf make several toe hang center shaft putters, which do actually work with arc stroke. This includes:
- SEEMORE PUTTER FGP20 BLACK (P1010S)
- SEEMORE BLACK HT MALLET
Summary of Disdvantages
- Lack of offset can encourage a push tendency
- Some people hate the look of a center shafted putter
- Often don't work well with an arc stroke
Final Thoughts
In the end it should be pretty clear that you are spoilt for choice if you have your heart set on a center shaft putter. They offer a completely different feel and visual setup compared to a traditional putter. Taylormade’s Truss design putters are particularly unique, while Odyssey, Evnroll, Bettinardi, and Ping have some more traditional center shaft options for you to choose from.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a golf putter that can simplify the visual dynamics of your stroke when you address the golf ball, a center shaft putter could be the perfect solution.
