What is a torque balanced putter?
With a torque balanced putter, the weight of the putter head is perfectly balanced with the lie angle. This eliminates the torque (rotational force) that is applied to almost all standard putters. The net result is that the putter face doesn’t open during the backswing. Instead, it remains square to the target, during the backswing and the follow through.
Best Torque Free Putters
Axis1 Torque Free Putters
Axis1 Rose Black
Co-designed and developed in collaboration with US Open and Olympic Champion Justin Rose. The Axis1 Rose is the world’s first “Perfectly Balanced/Torque-free” putter, designed to ensure the clubface will not open up.
Axis1 Tour-HM Putter
A modern half mallet putter. The Tour-HM combines the alignment features of a mallet with the flow of a blade, utilizing our “Perfectly Balanced/ Torque-free” tech platform which takes the timing out of toe-hang and keeps the heel and toe parallel to your path through the stroke resulting in a squarer face at impact for improved directional consistency and distance control.
Axis1 Tour Silver
Inspired and developed in consultation with PGA TOUR Professionals. The Axis1 Tour-S combines our “Perfectly Balanced / Torque-Free” technology with a smaller patented heel counter-weight for a more traditional look. The Axis1 Tour-S is a beautifully all milled 304 Stainless Steel putter, providing incredible balance, feel and feedback.
LAB Golf Torque Free Putters
LAB Golf Directed Force 2.1 Black
The DF 2.1 can do amazing things other putters can’t because of Lie Angle Balance, or L.A.B. for short. Lie Angle Balance gives every golfer the ability to consistently repeat the putting stroke with far less effort than with other putters. And it does this by eliminating torque.
To find out more about this putter, check out our LAB Golf Directed Force 2.1 Putter Review.
Edel Torque Free Putters
Edel EAS 1.0 Putter
The EAS 1.0 head shape is designed with parallel lines and tends to help right aimers aim left. The interchangeable alignment plates help these focus patterns. Lines on the top help you focus forward and move your aim to the right; while lines on the bottom move your focus backwards and aim more left.
Edel EAS 2.0 Putter
The EAS 2.0 head shape gives you the look of a blade coupled with a concave radius on the back edge of the putter; shifting your focus to the middle of the putter, and is a neutral aiming putter ideal for many golfers. The interchangeable alignment plates help these focus patterns. Lines on the top help you focus forward and move your aim to the right; while lines on the bottom move your focus backwards and aim more left.
Edel EAS 4.0 Putter
The EAS 4.0 head shape is designed with the radius features of a mallet and the most internal perpendicular lines of our models. This can help both left and right aimers. The interchangeable alignment plates help these focus patterns. Lines on the top help you focus forward and move your aim to the right; while lines on the bottom move your focus backwards and aim more left.
Edel EAS 5.0 Putter
The EAS 5.0 head shape is designed as a true mallet shape that shifts your focus forward and help left aimers aim to the right. The interchangeable alignment plates help these focus patterns. Lines on the top help you focus forward and move your aim to the right; while lines on the bottom move your focus backwards and aim more left.
Advantages of Torque Free Putters
They Eliminate Torque (Rotational Force) From The Stroke
As mentioned earlier, “in physics, torque is the tendency of a force to turn or twist. Just as a linear force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist to an object around a specific axis”.
Based on this definition, it makes sense to create putters that eliminate rotational force from the face of the putter. It is actually surprising that more golf companies haven’t produced putters with this technology.
Keep The Putter Head Square To the Target Throughout The Stroke
The primary benefit of eliminating torque is that it should make it easier for you to keep the club square to the target during the backswing and the follow-through.
Provided you keep the putter moving in accordance with the lie angle set at address, the putter head should have a natural tendency to stay perpendicular to the target throughout the stroke. In other words, instead of having to rotate the face of the putter from ‘open’ to ‘square’, there should be no need to rotate the putter face at all.
Could Be The Missing Piece Of Your Short Game
The truth is that if you read the reviews and research the forum sites, golfers either have a love or hate relationship with torque free putters.
For some players, it feels very unnatural, and this actually makes a lot of sense. If you’ve been playing face-balanced or toe hang putters your whole life, there’s a strong chance that a lie angle balanced putter could feel bizarre when placed in your hands.
However, there are number of players out there that have instant success when they put a torque free putter in the bag. These quotes from GOLFWRX and a few other golf forums sum it up quite nicely:
I bagged one back in August after struggling mightily all summer with my Epon Newport style putter. Immediately made a huge improvement in all aspects of my putting. Two weeks later my Calcutta team named me MVP of our second place team because my putting carried us down the stretch. Still in love with it. It just works for me. Just take a light easy grip and it will swing itself square. My distance control has been unbelievable with it too.
All that said 3 rounds in, this Axis 1 Rose putter is likely the easiest putter I've had in getting a consistent stroke on the ball with. It feels good, lines up well for me and controlling speed is great. Hard to for me to think this technology, design whatever you want to call it doesn't make a difference.
After stroking a few with this and not liking it I handed it to my buddy with the words: " Try this; I hate it." He proceeded to put the best putting strokes I've ever seen him put on a ball ever and he was smitten. This putter didn't work for me but was the best putter for my friend he has ever put his hand on.
Disadvantages of Torque Free Putters
Frightfully Expensive
It seems that only highly specialized golf companies actually produce these putters. This is problematic, because none of these companies create enough volume to bring the product price down. The end result is that you are looking at a minimum of $400, with $450 being the more common price for a new Edel, LAB Golf, or Axis 1 Putter.
Even though most golfers have no problem spending that amount on a new driver, it seems that $350 is the maximum price that most golfers are open to spending on a new putter.
Sadly, the hefty price tag is hugely limiting. It drastically reduces the likelihood of torque free putters becoming mainstream. They just aren’t affordable for most golfers. The only thing that could potentially change this would be more pros using them. Right now, Justin Rose is the only high-profile professional that actually uses one consistently.
Some people may struggle with alignment
Edel was the first torque free putter company to discover that most golfers actually aim left of the target when they set up to putt.
This is primarily because face-balanced and toe hang putters have a built-in tendency to open during the backswing. As a direct consequence, it is extremely common for golfers to aim left of the target, without even realizing it.
This is why Odyssey’s entry into the toe up, torque free putter market failed horribly. They produced a single putter with this technology, and sales were ice cold because people felt that it setup closed, and they couldn’t stop themselves from hitting the ball left of the target.
Fortunately, this particular issue has been addressed by all the companies that still produce lie-angle balanced putters. Ensuring that the putter appears ‘square’ is a key design component at Edel, LAB Golf and Axis1.
Not that easy to find or test without buying one
This is another annoying feature of lie angle balanced putters.If you cruise into your local golf shop, there’s a strong chance that they won’t stock any Edel, LAB golf or Axis1 putters.
This further limits the number of sales, because you have to take such a huge risk when purchasing a torque free putter. After all, there’s no guarantee that this type of putter will be congruent with your current putting style. On the other hand, it could also be the best thing that ever happens to your putting game. Ultimately it’s a gamble that you have to be willing to take, and right now there’s no way around this.
