I like my mallet (EXO stroke lab marksman), but feel it is a fight to go straight back-straight through. I think my natural putting stroke wants some arc. I have never tried a toe-hang mallet and think that is the direction I really need to look at going.

I have never had a putter fitting and am just going off of feel at the store. I went to the golf store yesterday and was really getting along well with the 2 ball TT blade putter. I didn’t love the look, but it was working so well and I didn’t hate the look either.

I think I will stick with my face-balanced mallet until I get an actual putter fitting. I have always loved the look of blades more than mallets but feel a mallet just offers me more forgiveness.
 
If my alignment is off, the mallets often have a longer sight line on them which can help. Craz-e and #7 are my "alignment aids."
Knowing a preferred head weight, etc is good to start with, regardless of head shape.
Anything takes a little practice and time. A change to "shock" the brain can work, but don't just show up at the scramble with a new putter and expect miracles every time. :ROFLMAO:
 
I’ve always been drawn to mallets for some reason. My first one was a Ping b60 and have owned 10 or more in my lifetime. Standing over the ball it gives me more confidence to end up in fewer shots . But blades do look so sexy
 
Out of necessity, I changed from a blade to a mallet quite a while ago.

After the break in period of getting use to the mallet, I'm rolling the ball about the same. Still making putts.
 
I know many people say mallets are better than blades. I got the bright idea today to play a mallet instead of my preferred blade. Let’s just say I won’t make that mistake again. I was terrible with speed control.

This is sort of fun to read because I have been experimenting with a borrowed a stock Odyssey Stroke Lab mallet putter that I borrowed from a friend this week.

My findings

1. The stroke with the mallet seamed more simple. I made a lot more of the 3'-4' range putts that have been killing me lately.

2. The head of the Stroke Lab putter felt straight down at address like I was holding it with a piece of line, where my blade head weight felt like I was holding the club head outward and away and any jitters in my fingers was magnified down through the entire putter.

3. My arms, hands, and fingers were much more relaxed with the mallet, and for some reason I found myself getting my shoulders into the stroke more naturally

4. Like you, I did fight with distance control with putts over 20' or so. I ran a few past the cup that should have gotten a speeding ticket. My Ping Pal 4 is much easier to control with longer putts. I don't think it's anything that can't be worked out though.

5. Like many insert faced putters, the Stroke Lab feedback sucks compared to my Ping Pal. It takes a little getting used to.


Overall, I can see why mallet putter owners love them. I am going to pick one up, but without the face insert.
 
2. The head of the Stroke Lab putter felt straight down at address like I was holding it with a piece of line, where my blade head weight felt like I was holding the club head outward and away and any jitters in my fingers was magnified down through the entire putter.

This sounds like a difference in the way you were putting, not necessarily specific to the putter. What's the reason you can't leg your normal putter like you were holding the Stroke Lab.

Many years ago, everybody supported the putter to hold the clubhead up and away from them. Just like they'd hold an iron or wedge. Putting was a smaller chipping stroke which in turn wasn't all that different than a tiny partial swing. There was no concept of "dead hands" or using the shoulders to rock the putter back and through. That is a "modern" technique popular for the past 30 years or so.

Today there's still a whole school of putting thought that says you need a flat lie angle, your hand position is low and you support the weight of the putter so that you can feel the face fanning through an arc and control the rate of toe closure during the stroke. If I tried to putt that way, honestly I'd have 50 putts a round. Just can't do it. But it works for some of the best golfers in the world (who to be fair are a lot more talented than me!).

There's nothing about blades vs. mallets or toe hang vs. face balance or heavy vs. light that determines how you set up and hold the putter or whether you rock the shoulders only (letting the clubface stay square to path) vs. swing the putter like a opening and closing gate. But it sounds like you normally do the active hands and swinging gate but for whatever reason you tried the rocking shoulders with that borrowed mallet.

If you really feel it was an advantage putting that way just get your hands higher and let your blade putter hang straight down. Don't worry about whether the toe points down (like Steve Striker) or anything like that. Get your eyes up over the ball, let the putter hang behind the ball and keep a very soft grip without making your hands do all that work to support the putter out away from you.
 
I don’t care what anyone says, if you don’t like it after 1 putt, 5 holes, 1 round, get rid of it. I’ve sold a club mid round before.
For me the mallet experiment recently was a total fail. But hey it was a good thing, I tried and it sucked and I have since forgotten about it and since by doing that experiment it’s made me appreciate the blade more than ever. I got something really dumb stuck in my head and felt the absolute need to try it because I was right and ended up being wrong. It’s forgotten, poof!
 
I always played blade style putters and never even bothered with mallets. Then at the Grandaddy I grabbed my Tank #7, immediately loved it and 6 years on, I don’t ever plan to play anything else.

It’s all personal, but when you find the one, nothing will take it away from you.
 
I know many people say mallets are better than blades. I got the bright idea today to play a mallet instead of my preferred blade. Let’s just say I won’t make that mistake again. I was terrible with speed control.
Im the opposite now, have gamed a mid mallet for a few years now. Took out the blade yesterday and was all over the place.
Back in the closet it goes.
 
Im the opposite now, have gamed a mid mallet for a few years now. Took out the blade yesterday and was all over the place.
Back in the closet it goes.
I understand. Blade was back in action today and it paid off. What we are used to make a big difference.
 
I started out with a mallet, but switched to a blade at the end of last season. I am liking the blade a lot more!!
 
Could that have happened if switching to a different style blade or something though? It's one day with a new putter.
 
Same. I hate mallets and always have. I really want to like them because people say they are more forgiving but I just struggle with distance control and confidence with them.
People can say that mallets are, "better" all they want but I'll keep my blade.
 
Play what works best for you. For me, it's a high MOI mallet(right now).
 
In this thread there are several comments about "blade" putters. The photo below is a blade style putter, and I don't see anybody using these on the courses I play.

blade putter.jpg
 
I like a blade for longer putts and a mallet for the shorties. It has nothing to do with the characteristics of each kind, whatever that means, but the look of them just gives me more confidence that in each case I have right tool for the job.
 
I have an arc stroke, and have always been told I needed to play a blade putter for the toe hang. I have never been a great putter, mostly just adequate, in the 34 to 38 putt range. Getting through a round without a 3 putt was rare.
I have tried multiple mallets, starting with the Odyssey 2 ball, and a dozen since then. I would putt okay with them for a couple of rounds, and then it would go back to just adequate. The face balanced putter just doesn't work for my stroke, and trying to change my stroke wasn't working either.

About 4 months ago I was fooling around in our pro shop and picked up the Odyssey Stroke Lab Ten mallet putter. If felt great in my hand. With the counter weight in the grip end, the putter head does not feel heavy at all. Not sure what caused me to check, but I rested the shaft on my fingers, expecting to see face balance. Instead, what I found was about 30* of toe hang!! I practically ran to the practice green. I made quite a few putts, and then had a good putting round on the course with the putter, so I bought it.

After a couple of rounds, it started missing putts again. It was still better than any putter I had, but not as great as it had been. Then I ran across a putting tip that said it was okay if your eyes were not over the ball. That as long as your eyes were inside the line someplace, that may work better for some people. So I started setting up with the ball outside my eyes. I have not measured it, but I would guess it is 2"-4" away from directly below my eyes. I also started standing a bit more erect.

I am killing it! I oscillate between a 6 to 9 hdcp, mostly decided by my driver hitting fairways, and the quality of my chipping. With this putter I am still getting good putting results after 4 months. I am down to the 32 - 36 putt range, and have had some great results, notable one was 4 birdies in the first 6 holes last month. It is a sad story though. 2 doubles on the front, and 4 more on the back (damn driver) ruined what should have been a great card.

In summary, just because you need a toe hang putter for your stroke, does not mean you must play a blade putter. I wasn't aware they existed, but it turns out you can find a mallet putter with toe hang.
 
Yup distance control and lag putting is out the window if I even think about a mallet.
Your not doing it right then. Your supposed to put it in the hole with a mallet.:ROFLMAO:

I've got a mallet that I've had for almost 20 years now. I'm sure if I posted picks and people saw all the dings and paint chips they would be like WTF. It was only $30 though and it works great for me. I've been putting lights out here lately.
 
1710875644910.png

I'm surprised more of the top pros do not use blades. I thought blades had less forgiveness (lower MOI). Am I wrong?
 
I'll chip in here........
......
......


anyway... mallet here for me at the moment. Had played a mallet since I bought a Zebra way back (still have it mint condition, up for sale - but in the UK :cool: ). Currently on a Stroke Lab 2-ball #10 which I picked up last year and really like it. Tried to usurp it with the "Tommy Fleetwood" White Hot Pro #3 blade which I acquired in a set of clubs on FB at a silly cheap price to flip and having made a profit just on the irons considered keeping it.

It wasn't bad, but just not as consistent, particularly close up, as my #10 and so after a while I gave up one it and sold it on. That cash is likely going to go towards either a Toulon mallet or a Jailbird Cruiser (which I'm going to try early next week) - I'll see if I can get a fitting but reality is I'll probably make a few putts on a practice green and buy it on a whim.
 
Try a blade and a mallet with the same neck and watch the fun begin.
 
I know many people say mallets are better than blades. I got the bright idea today to play a mallet instead of my preferred blade. Let’s just say I won’t make that mistake again. I was terrible with speed control.
The opposite would also be true! If you are going to change putters--much less go from lower mass blades to higher mass mallets or visa versa you've got to spend some time practicing. Years ago I went from a standard-length mallet to a long putter with a mallet head I literally practiced over 5,000 putts before I dared to take it out to the course. I eventually got very good with it. But you've got to put in the time!
 
Love the look of a nice blade putter but struggled for years with consistency. Mallets just looked way too big for my taste and I couldn’t get past it.

Finally found a small-ish head, center shaft mallet (Huntington Beach 10.5c) that adopted me a year (or two?)ago. It has performed well and I really do putt better with it.
 
Back
Top