Best Blade Putters: Performance
Identifying the most deserving clubs for our Hot List equipment guide requires the ability to decipher among thin lines of excellence. That’s why we commit to extensive player-testing and spend hundreds of hours meeting with manufacturer R&D teams and our academic panel of scientists to better understand the nuances that make each club special. For Performance in blade putters, our testers assess roll, consistency and forgiveness and try to answer the questions: Does the ball leave the putter face with purpose? Do off-center hits roll out farther than expected? Is the ball clearly rotating end over end? Scores are based on our 1-5 rating scale and include a second Top-5 rating that testers submit after hitting all the putters in the category. In the second step, testers compile a list of their top-rated models in order from 1 to 5. Here’s how our 32 testers evaluated blade putters based on their interpretation of Performance, with each putter earning a minimum score of 4.5 stars. Note that star rating is for the collection of models under a specific family.
Bettinardi
BB Series
$500
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$500
The classic Bettinardi milled shapes with their smooth lines are still here, but now the face has a new milling pattern to make your putts roll smoother.
The new face treatment uses a variable-depth milling pattern that changes density across nine zones from heel to toe. It’s an effort to modulate the consistency of energy transfer and control spin so that mis-hits roll out more like center hits.
Range of blades includes: the BB-1, the classic heel-toe weighted cavity blade with softer lines; BB-8W, a deeper blade shape with slightly crisper angles; and the BB-28, a wider-flanged blade that uses a single-bend shaft for the slightest of toe hang to cater to a straight-back, straight-through stroke.
The BB-28 also comes in an armlock version.
Three grip options (standard, oversize and 17 inches for overlength counterbalanced versions) help players fit their stroke to each model.
Top 5 in Performance, low- and middle-handicaps
Models: BB-1, BB-8W, BB-28. Head weights: 355-400 grams. Lengths: 33-42 inches. Loft: 3 degrees (5 degrees on armlock model)
Meridian
Milled Series
$260
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$260
These classic and customizable models use a unique electrical-discharge machining process with robotic manufacturing to lower the cost.
The process cuts as many as a dozen starter blanks out of a large block of stainless steel with five-axis milling machines dialing in each angle and curve.
The four models include the Savannah, a wide-body plumber’s neck blade with a notchback shape to its back flange, plus multiple hosel options to fit different stroke types.
Players can choose from one of four face-milling patterns: soft Meridian cut, firm Smooth face, mid-soft Fine Fly cut and mid-firm Tack cut.
The taller face height increases the likelihood of solid contact and consistent roll.
Top 5 in Performance, low- and middle-handicaps
Models: Savannah, Carolina, Charleston, Okatie. Head weights: 330, 360-370 grams. Lengths: 33-38 inches. Loft: 3 degrees
Ping
PLD Milled
$485
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$485
This line includes three fully milled takes on historic Ping models, including the iconic Anser heel-toe weighted plumber’s-neck blade.
The designs are a product of Ping’s engineers working in consultation with the company’s tour staff.
The new shallow milling pattern creates a more responsive impact while maintaining a soft feel.
The precision CNC-milling process takes four hours per head, and the heads are made from 303 stainless steel.
The plumber’s neck Anser 30 (355 grams) and heavier, wide-sole Anser 4D (365 grams) favor arcing strokes.
The double-bend shaft on the Kushin works best with straighter strokes.
Top 5 in Performance, low- and high-handicaps
Models: Anser 30, Anser 4D, Kushin. Head weights: 355 grams (Anser 30, Kushin), 365 grams (Anser 4D). Lengths: 34-35 inches. Loft: 3 degrees
Titleist
Scotty Cameron Studio Style
$500
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$500
These familiar head and hosel styles received a bold upgrade in 2025 in the form of a carbon-steel face insert for a softer feel.
The insert is fused to the 303 milled stainless-steel body and an aerospace-level vibration-damping adhesive.
Although carbon steel can typically degrade, this insert uses a chemical process to protect the steel, enhance hardness and preserve feel.
The face insert features a chain-link-style milling pattern developed with tour-player input to produce a softer feel and consistent speed off the face.
New this year is the return of the iconic Santa Fe, which matches the body of the Newport with a slanted, curved, slightly offset hosel that Scotty Cameron calls a “jet neck.” It targets players with a flowing stroke.
Top 5 in Performance, low-, middle-, high-handicaps
Models: Newport, Newport Plus, Newport 2, Newport 2 Plus, Newport 2.5 Plus, Squareback, Squareback 2, Catalina, Santa Fe. Head weights: 345, 355, 365 grams. Lengths: 33-35 inches. Loft: 3.5 degrees
Bettinardi
Antidote
$450
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$450
With the shaft in line with the head’s center of gravity, the face angle stays square to the path of your stroke in this blade embodiment of the zero-torque technology.
The key to this design is how the weight is centered in the head using a lightweight, aircraft-grade aluminum insert in the pocket cavity.
The body on this wider-style blade is milled from 303 stainless steel.
The grooved milling pattern on the face displaces more than half of the steel from the surface, creating a responsive feel.
The blast finish reduces glare at address.
Available in a longer and heavier counterbalanced version to minimize hand action during the stroke. Also includes a 17-inch grip for proper hand placement.
Top 5 in Sound/Feel, low- and high-handicaps
Models: SB1 (plus counterbalanced version). Head weights: 360, 400 grams. Lengths: 33-40 inches. Loft: 1-4 degrees
Evnroll
Origin
$450
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$450
Evnroll putters feature the first significant change to their grooved face technology, compressing and changing the grooves from parallel lines to parabolic curves to improve consistent contact.
The new face treatment packs the grooves closer together as rows of wavy lines to reduce surface contact with the ball.
The new grooves and slightly thicker face design create a softer feel.
The groove depth throughout has been cut in half to create a higher resiliency, or what’s known as reducing “dwell time” of the ball on the face of the putter, for a faster initial roll.
Wider grooves in the center narrow toward the heel and toe. This helps heel and toe hits work their way back toward the target line.
More tightly compressed grooves also mean less chance of putts starting off target by catching the edge of a dimple on the ball.
Models: ER2. Head weights: 360, 375, 390 grams. Lengths: 33, 34, 35, 38 inches. Loft: 2 degrees
Mizuno
M.Craft City Series
$300
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$300
These classic heel-toe weighted cavity-back blades use Mizuno’s proven forging techniques to produce precise shapes and soft feel.
The heads are forged from 1025E mild carbon steel and then are coated with an underlayer of copper for an extra dose of crisp softness.
A slightly thicker, wider pad on the toe side ballast shifts the center of gravity in line with the center of the face for more solid strikes and efficient energy transfer.
A deep face milling runs across the full face for consistent feel and roll on all hits.
Customizable weights for sole ports in the heel and toe let golfers change the head mass from 355 to 375 grams based on swingweight and stroke preferences.
Each of the two models is offered with plumber’s and slant-neck hosels. The slant-neck is for arcing strokes, and the plumber’s neck is for straighter strokes.
Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
Models: Kyoto.P, Kyoto.S, Osaka.P, Osaka.S. Head weights: 355, 365, 375 grams. Lengths: 33, 34, 35 inches. Loft: 3 degrees
Odyssey
Ai-Dual
$350
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$350
A new face insert has the sound and feel of Odyssey’s legendary White Hot urethane insert with better initial velocity and roll.
The new insert features two layers of urethane—a firmer layer underneath and a softer layer on top—with deeper grooves angled at 19 degrees to create a quicker end-over-end roll.
Odyssey used AI to help develop this insert and its amorphous thickness pattern, an idea that was first seen on the Ai-One lineup of putters.
Those varying thick and thin regions of the insert, derived from more than 15,000 iterations, are designed to improve ball speed and control backspin on mis-hits for less variation in energy transfer and rollout.
The Double Wide model now features the half-ball alignment feature to better cue the golfer that the face is lined up correctly.
Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
Models: #1, Double Wide, Double Wide Half-Ball. Head weights: 350, 355, 360 grams. Lengths: 33-35 inches. Loft: 3 degrees
Ping
Scottsdale
$260
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$260
Compared to the single-piece milled versions in the company’s line, these models provide greater forgiveness with a more resilient face material.
The polymer material in the face, known as Pebax, is found in running shoes. It stretches the width of the face to provide consistent contact and a soft feel.
The array of models accommodates strokes with a slight arc (Anser, Anser 2D, B63) and those with a stronger arc (Anser 4).
The standard grip is the SuperStroke Tour 2.0 PT for consistent feel.
Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
Models: Anser, Anser 2D, Anser 4, B63. Head weights: 345 grams (Anser, Anser 4), 350 grams (B63), 360 grams (Anser 2D). Lengths: 34-35 inches. Loft: 3 degrees