Are you looking for a way to improve your putting? What do you know about shaft designs? If you find you’re always shanking your putts to the side, you could benefit from a center-shafted putter in your golf bag.
These putters eliminate the sideways movement in the swing, giving you a straight-through putt that stays on path and true. This review looks at the top center-shafted putters.
Our Top Picks
Contents
- Best Overall Center Shafted Putter: TaylorMade Truss Center Shaft Putter
The brand trusted by professionals on Tour TaylorMade offers you this Truss model ideal for professional or semi-professional play. - Best Premium Center Shafted Putter: Evnroll ER5cs Hatchback
This model is for the advanced golfer looking for ultimate control of their putts. You get premium finishes with custom fitting. - Best Budget Center Shafted Putter: Wilson South Side Infinite
A great choice for players looking for an affordable and forgiving club. You get premium finishes with excellent weighting and adjustable lofts.
Center Shafted Putters Reviews
Best Pick: TaylorMade Truss Center Shaft Putter
TaylorMade is a premium brand in golf trusted by pros like Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson. Take your game to the next level with this Truss center-shaft putter. You get two connection points on the putter, allowing for precision putting and a great feel when making contact with the ball.
The striking hosel design in the putter features engineering to increase stability when making your putt. The modern head design provides a classic feel at address, and the Cobalt Blue PureRoll Insert in the face tunnels through to the rear of the clubhead, resulting in an amazing sound on contact, with an excellent roll and feel.
- 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
The club feels stiff, offering you plenty of control, with the new truss hosel design increasing the feel in your hands. This putter comes with adjustable sole weights allowing you to customize the center of gravity in the club for a personalized fit.
We like the KBS Stepless Stability Shaft, featuring a chrome CT Tour shaft weighing just 120-grams. The result is less deflection and a clean putting arc that improves accuracy. You get a three-degree loft and your choice of 34” and 35” shafts to suit your setup. Overall, this TaylorMade model offers you the best center shaft putter and great value for money.
What We Liked
- Professional CT design.
- Cobalt Blue PureRoll Insert.
- Improved sound and feel.
- KBS Stepless Stability Shaft.
Premium Pick: Evnroll ER5cs Hatchback
The Evnroll ER5CS Hatchback Putter offers you the best premium model in this review. You get precision CNC milling on the head of this putter and design and construction in Carlsbad, California. This club head on the ER5cs features design and construction with premium 303 stainless steel and an attractive silver satin finish.
The ER5cs come with a 2-degree face loft from the shaft and a lie-angle of 70-degrees. This putter comes with the stock grip, featuring the custom Evnroll white TourTac grip for superior control over the putter. This putter has excellent balance, with the 25-degree toe down feeling light and functional in your hands, with a clean arc in the putt.
- ER5cs Center Shafted Hatchback
- New
Evnroll offers you a range of shafts, with our favorite being the FST stepless, offering you a .370” tip and a straight shaft design mounting over the hosel pin. You get 33”, 34”, and 35” shaft options to customize your fit. The ER5cs putter looks fantastic at presentation, with the precision milled face and contact area providing a clean look, with the red Evnroll logo positioned to the inside of the face.
Overall, this putter is a solid choice if you’re looking for top-drawer equipment. You get a 100% milled design and manufacturing in the USA. Evnroll includes a putter headcover with your purchase for safe storage.
What We Liked
- Professional design.
- Excellent shaft and fitting options.
- Clubhead cover included.
Budget Pick: Wilson South Side Infinite
If you’re looking for a high-quality center shaft putter with an affordable price tag, we recommend the Wilson “South Side” Infinite. Wilson is another leading brand in putters, with an excellent reputation for top-level manufacturing equipment.
The Wilson Infinite comes with nine head shape designs and a center shaft option. You get classic or modern options and your choice of custom shaft fittings. The Infinite features refined details with counter-balancing technology giving you total control over your putt.
- DOUBLE MILLED FACE: Promotes consistent impact, roll and distance control
- COUNTERBALANCED TECHNOLOGY: Moves the balance point closer to the hands for a smoother, more controlled putting stroke
- DARK ANTI-GLARE FINISH: New ultra dark PVD finish to reduce glare and accentuate sight-lines
- NEW GRIP: Perforated pattern for improved feel. Oversized design construction provides a stable feel and limits rotation during stroke
- Heavy grip construction, 104 grams, to create counter-balanced putter feel
Wilson got the idea for naming this range from its Chicago headquarters. Each putter in the collection features the name of a local neighborhood or landmark, with this model receiving the “South Side” moniker. The clubhead features a dark matte finish that reduces glare while accentuating the sightlines.
You get a double-milled face promoting a consistent contact, with an excellent roll and distancing control. We love the amplified alignment in the head with parallel and perpendicular sight lines allowing for the best setup on the green.
The Infinite comes with Wilson’s next-generation ultra-dark PVD finish, reducing glare while accentuating the sightlines on the clubhead. Overall, it’s hard to beat the value you get with this putter considering the affordable price tag. It’s a great choice for beginners and seasoned players, with custom fitting options for grips and shafts available.
What We Liked
- Affordable quality.
- Double-milled face.
- Nine head shape options.
- Ultra-dark PVD finish.
Evnroll ER2cs TourTac Putter
If you have the budget available, we recommend taking a step up from the ER5cs to the Evnroll ER2cs. This model gives you a professional feel, with less back than the ER5cs.
If you’re a low handicapper looking for the most control possible in your putts, the ER2cs is a great choice for your golf bag. This model comes with the same “TourTac” setup as the ER5cs and a great feel in the hands with excellent weight distribution through the head and shaft.
The Evnroll ER2CS mid-blade putter features a center-shafted design with a shorter, wider heel and a toe-weighted flange blade. The result is a fantastic putt with a clean stroke and excellent accuracy. The head features a 20-degree toe with a straight shaft-mounted over the hosel pin.
The head features design and construction with 303 stainless steel, and you get a balanced swing weight with the option for 33″, 34″, 35″ shaft lengths and a 2-degree face loft with a 70-degree shaft lie angle. The clubhead comes with three parallel lines allowing for accurate positioning of your shot.
Overall, this putter offers you the closest option to professional equipment in this review. It’s not as forgiving as the ER5cs, but lower handicappers will appreciate the design and gameplay with the ER2cs.
What We Liked
- Precision milling and construction in the USA.
- Tour-level equipment.
- 3030 stainless steel construction.
- Excellent balance.
TaylorMade Pure Roll² Spider GT
TaylorMade is one of the leading brands in golf clubs and putters, and this model is another fantastic choice for intermediate to higher handicap players. The Pure Roll² offers you the latest in the brand’s tour-proven face inserts, giving you a putter capable of draining the longest shots from the edge of the green.
This putter is the first model to receive the Pure Roll² system and the first Spider with an open-frame multi-material construction. You get a firmer co-molded insert to the clubhead, featuring black TPU urethane and silver aluminum beams with a presentation at a 45° angle.
- Pure Roll² is the latest evolution of TaylorMade’s Tour-proven face inserts
- This is the first Spider to feature an open frame multi-material design
- The new firmer co-molded insert, manufactured of black TPU urethane with silver aluminum beams at a 45° angle designed to improve topspin across the face
- Two steel side wings (90g each) push 82% of the putter’s total weight to the perimeter, allowing Spider GT to remain extremely stable on off-center strikes.
This setup in the clubhead allows for improved topspin across the clubface, giving you ultimate control in your putt. The two steel side wings on the clubhead offer more weight to the club, weighing 90-grams each. As a result of this updated design, we find that it pushes over 80% of the club head weight to the sides, resulting in excellent stability on off-center putts.
The most noticeable feature of the Spider GT is its ultra-lightweight top plate. The lightweight design complements the perimeter-weighted construction for the clubhead, resulting in a great feel in the hands, superb contact, and excellent control over the putt.
The Spider GT has a 3-degree loft, and a 71-degree lie for a more forgiving putt with all the tops[pin you need. You get a shaft in 34″ and 35″ lengths, with aluminum alloy construction and a black anodized finish.
What We Liked
- Tour-proven face inserts.
- Pure Roll² system.
- Co-molded clubhead inserts.
- Steel side wings for stability.
SeeMore GDF Mini
SeeMore brings you an update to its flagship GDF range with the Mini. This putter offers you all the design benefits of the GDF models in a compact, center-shaft design that’s ideal for lower handicap players. With this model, you get precision control over your puts and a fantastic player experience.
The GDF (Giant Deep Flange) flagship design is responsible for wins at three major championships and more than 20 PGA Tour victories. It’s a trusted brand found in the bags of leading pros like Zach Johnson and Payne Stewart. The GDF shape is a variation of the SeeMore classic mini FGP featuring a deeper flange profile on the clubhead.
The flange features design and construction with four non-adjustable copper weights in the toe and heel sections. You also get weights around the sole perimeter, providing the ultimate MOI-to-size ratio. The milled aluminum alloy head features a total weight of 350-grams, and you get an anodized black finish for a truly stunning look to the putter.
The SeeMore Mini comes with SeeMore’s patented “RifleScope Technology” (RST) alignment system. As a result, you get a perfect reference point providing the ideal setup and alignment with every putt. The “balanced to plane” face on the putter offers dynamic balancing in your hands, naturally returning the putting angle to a balanced setup. As a result, there’s less manipulation of the club required in your swing and at contact.
You get a True Temper Giant PVD-tip shaft available in 34″ and 35″ lengths for a custom fit and your choice of TouTac grips. SeeMore also includes a clubhead cover for your putter with your purchase.
What We Liked
- Giant Deep Flange flagship model.
- RifleScope Technology.
- Anodized black finish.
- Clubhead cover included.
Tour Edge Wingman
If you’re looking for an affordable and forgiving putter, we recommend the Wingman from Tour Edge. This center-shaft putter offers an MOI modern mini-mallet design, forcing the face to square up to the swing path. The result is a true path roll, thanks to the weighted wings on the Wingman.
This model features design and construction with alloy steel. You get excellent resistance to twisting, with a category-leading Moment of Inertia (MOI) compared to other clubs on the market. The putter also features outstanding “Lock-On Alignment Technology,” allowing you to dial in your pouts for amazing accuracy. This club is very forgiving, and if you’re a high handicapper looking for forgiving equipment, you can’t go wrong with the Wingman. Thanks to the 30-degree mid-toe hang, the accuracy is incredible, making it ideal for creating a slight arc with your putting stroke.
- Tour Edge Wingman 03
- LOCK-ON CONTRAST ALIGNMENT TECHNOLOGY Is a one-of-a-kind contrast alignment technology that allows the lie angle to be set perfectly square at address, further aiding overall alignment.
- INTERCHANGEABLE WEIGHT On the sole of the wingman putter come in 3, 8 and 15 grams, with the 3-gram weight being the standard set up.
- MICRO-GROOVE FACE Provides a soft, yet pure feel upon contact and the horizontal miro-grooves improve forward roll and reduce skidding off the face to create a better roll.
The forward stroke with the putter has a moderate closing angle on your forward stroke, compensating against any tendencies you have to pull the putt towards the left. The face-balanced design of the Wingman provides a straight-back pendulum swing, with the putting stroke going straight through the face, thanks to less rotation in the clubhead during your stroke.
You get an alloy steel design for the head and shaft, with a carbon toe plate and adjustable weights in the toe for a custom setup. The large white alignment area and black alignment stripe contrast well against the black clubhead for an easy setup.
What We Liked
- Ideal for high-handicappers looking for forgiving equipment.
- Lock-On Alignment Technology.
- 30-degree mid-toe hang
- Excellent alignment.
Ray Cook Golf Silver Ray SR500
Ray Cook released his first putter design, the M1, in 1963. Since Cook has come a long way to earn a reputation as one of the leaders in putter design. His latest model, the “Silver Ray SR500,” extends the legacy of the M1, which was a PGA Tour winner.
The Ray Cook Silver Series of putters offers you the same technology as you get with other premium brands, like TaylorMade, at a fraction of the price. This putter is effective and affordable, and you get a stunning anodized charcoal gray finish to reduce glare on presentation.
- Loft: 3 lie: 70
- Available in 34" or 35"
- Headcover included
The bold white alignment lines contrast against the dark head, allowing for easy setup and better putts that are on-center and on target. The head has more weight than other putters, providing a better pendulum stroke with unparallel accuracy.
The Silver Series SR500 offers you excellent distance control thanks to the soft mid-size paddle-style grip that enhances the feel and comfort of your shots. The weighted side wings provide a perfect draw and pendulum effect, and you get a 70-degree lie with a 3-degree loft for excellent topspin control with your putts.
Ray Cook includes a putter headcover with your purchase and a very affordable price tag that makes this putter a top consideration for the high-handicap player.
What We Liked
- Weighted head design for better pendulum action.
- Dark clubhead with prominent alignment lines.
- Excellent topspin control.
- Forgiving design for beginners.
- Clubhead cover included.
Other Best Selling Options
- Loft: 3 lie: 70
- Available in 34" or 35"
- Headcover included
- Compare features, performance (and price) to Odyssey(R) Versa Series Putters at 169
- High contrast alignment design
- Includes headcover
- Bazooka Pro Series putters features seven different head styles ranging from traditional to modern high-MOI designs. Every style incorporates a soft-feeling face insert with micro-groove technology. The micro-grooves reduce skidding off the face.
- Bazooka Pro Series putters also include a jumbo grip. The grip helps prevent golfers' wrists from breaking down making it easier to create a pure and fluid putting stroke. In addition, the jumbo grip reduces grip pressure and minimizes club head rotation for a softer touch and more pure putting stroke.
Center Shafted Putters Buyer’s Guide
So, why should you consider adding a center-shaft putter to your golf bag? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this equipment? Does the center-shaft putter deserve a spot in your golf bag?
This buyer’s guide unpacks everything you need to know about center-shaft putters. We’ll look at the design features and the changes they bring to your golfing experience.
What are the Advantages of Using Center Shafted Putters?
Great for Straight-Back and Straight-Through Putting
There are two generally-accepting putting styles, namely;
- Straight back and through.
- Inside-to-inside (the arc stroke).
A center-shaft putter has a face-balanced design, and they are a great choice for the straight back and straight through technique. Instead of taking the putter head inside during your backswing and follow-through, you can think of it as a straight line running from the target through the center of the putter head.
With a center shafted putter, it’s easier to visualize this imaginary line to the cup. It’s also equally easy to feel the direction of the putter’s head as it moves along the shot path to make contact.
Suitable for Left-Eye Dominance
Less than 30% of golfers are left-eye dominant. According to left-eye dominant players, the center-shaft putter design allows for better lining up with the cup and the alignment lines on the putter head. As a result, you get a cleaner, more accurate shot.
Great for Steve Stricker-Style Putting
Steve Stricker claims his 12-Tour victories come from his putting style of pointing the club toe slightly downwards during his shot. According to Steve, he finds this technique comfortable and easy to repeat, producing consistent results with his short game.
However, one of the issues involved with using this putting style is that the clubhead heel is slightly raised during the shot. A center-shafted putter lets you implement the Steve Stricker style putting stroke without the clubhead heel lifting up.
Reduces Twist During the Putt
The biggest advantage offered by the center-shaft design is its ability to remove the twisting effect in your putt. With normal putters, the shaft runs to the heel of the clubhead. If you twist the shaft during your swing, it impacts the putter face at the toe end of the clubface.
With standard putters, the twisting of the heel runs across the putter’s face, with the twist amplifying its effect at the toe-end. The center-shafted putter cuts the distance from the toe to the shaft, reducing the movement in the toe relative to a heel-shafted design.
What are the Disadvantages of Center Shafted Putters?
Low Offset Encourages Push Tendency
The biggest disadvantage to the center-shaft putter design is the built-in low offset. Some players find this design makes it easier to square and close the clubface when contacting the ball.
However, most center-shafted models have little to no offset, making it challenging for some golfers to square the face. This feature is especially true for players with a long history of using offset putters. Slant-neck, plumbers neck, and double-bend putters usually come with built-in offset.
It’s possible that transitioning to a center-shaft design could introduce misses to the right, usually nullified by offset putters.
The Looks Aren’t for Everyone
We find that most golfers have a love it or hate it mentality regarding center-shaft putter designs. Some players find they improve their putting experience, simplifying the shot while providing a more forgiving experience.
However, arc players find the shaft setup somewhat distracting. These players state using the putter is like having an intruding object in your eye line, messing up your shot alignment. If that’s the case for you, it’s better to go with a conventional shaft design instead.
Not the Best Choice for Arc Strokes
The center-shaft design isn’t a great choice if you have an arc-style putt. You’ll find that the face-balanced design of the center-shaft putter suits a straight-back, straight-through putting style, not an arcing shot.
Using an arc stroke moving inside, back, and inside on its way through makes it challenging to execute consistent strokes with a center shaft putter. That said, it’s worth noting some manufacturers design toe-hang center shaft putters that don’t interfere with the arc stroke.
Choosing the Right Shaft Length
If you want the best putting stroke and performance in your short game, you need to find the right shaft length for your putter relative to your putting style and your height. The shaft length produces consistent, quality contact and the best results with your putting.
Choosing the wrong shaft length can create bad posture in your swing and inconsistent results with your putting. You measure the putter length from the top of the shaft to the putter’s sole, below the hosel. According to the rules, the putter shaft needs to be a minimum of 18-inches in length.
Amateurs, newbies, and professional golfers all have different putting styles, and there is no one-size-fits-all shaft length. You need to find out which size is right for you, and the only way to do that is with experience.
Traditional Length (32″ to 36″)
The most common shaft length for putters is the standard 33″ to 36″ shaft length suitable for creating a pendulum-type swing in your putting stroke.
However, these putters are becoming less common in beginner markets, with long belly shafts and broom handle models offering more control and a forgiving putting experience for new players.
The traditional shaft design creates an extension of the player’s arms, allowing for a pendulum-like stroke and a true roll.
Belly Putters (41″ to 46″)
The introduction of the belly putter is sweeping the golfing world by storm, and it’s becoming a popular option for newcomers to the game. The belly putter brings more stability to your putt, creating a third contact point, namely, the hands and your belly.
You anchor the top of the shaft against your belly without the need to later your putting posture. The USGA and R&A outlawed belly putters for competition in 2013. To counter the anchoring ban by these organizations, some manufacturing brands added weight to the grip on longer putter models.
This design creates a counterbalancing performance closely mirroring the advantages you get from the anchoring technique. However, unlike the anchoring technique, it is entirely legal in competition.
Long Putters (48″ to 52″)
The “Broom handle” or “long putter” is the least common shaft design for putters. Some of the Tour pros using these putters include Adam Scott, Jim Furyk, and Fred Couples. These putters vary in shaft length and can rest at the belly button or chest level; some even go up to chin height.
Typically, these putters require a change in grip to the belly and traditional putters. You’ll grip the putter with the left hand holding it to your body with the thumb up. In a pendulum action, the right-hand works like a claw in the center of the shaft, allowing you to pull and push through your putting line. The PGA Tour banned this style of putting in 2016.
Choosing the Right Putter Grip
The center-shaft putter comes with plenty of options for grips. The number of possibilities in grips usually depends on the brand you choose. For instance, TaylorMade has far more options for grips than The Ray Cook Silver series.
According to the rules of golf, your putter is the only club in the bag allowing for a legal flat edge on the grip. The flat edge faces away from your body, guiding you to the club’s proper hand and thumb placement. The result is better control over the clubhead and a more accurate shot, which is critical in your short game.
Check the grip design from the manufacturers and the standard grips available for each model. If you purchase a club and are unhappy with the grip, take it to the pro shop. An attendant will set you up with the right grip for your putting style.
You have plenty of options in materials and the diameter, hardness, or softness of the grip. Thicker putter grips take the impact of your wrists and hands out of the stroke, allowing for a more forgiving feel for high handicappers.
However, pros and advanced players won’t appreciate the lack of feedback through the shaft when using a thicker grip. So, if you have a feel-style to your putting and rely on feedback, it’s a better choice to go with a thinner grip.
Center Shafted Putter FAQs
Q: What are the benefits of using a center-shafted putter over other shaft setups?
A: The center-shafted putter offers the golfer a free-balanced clubhead. It distributes the weight evenly between the toe and heel of the clubhead. As a result, you get a straight-back-and-through stroke motion instead of an arc, preventing the clubhead from twisting when contacting the ball.
Q: Who can benefit from a center-shaft design for their putter?
A: The center shaft suits golfers that stand and address the ball with their eyes directly over the ball. It also suits players who don’t rely on a forward press in their stroke.
Q: Is a center-shafted putter more forgiving than other designs?
A: Center-shaft putters have adjustable lofts and lie to suit your gameplay style. You can shift the weight between the toe and heel or the face and rear of the club on some models. While experts believe that the center-shaft design doesn’t add an advantage for high-handicap players, many attest to the putter style being more forgiving during gameplay.
Q: Where can I buy the best center shafted putters?
A: We recommend purchasing your putter from Amazon, the world’s largest online marketplace. Amazon has all of the putters in this review in stock and many others. You get fast, free shipping if you’re a Prime member and the best prices online. We’re confident you’ll make a huge saving by ordering their Amazon instead of a pro shop.
The Best Center Shafted Putters – The Verdict
After reading through the reviews and our buyer’s guide, you probably have your eye on a putter that’s right for your level of gameplay. However, we understand if you’re struggling with your decision. There are so many good putters in this review that it’s challenging to settle on just one for your golf bag.
If that’s the case, why not go with one of our top picks? We have a putter to suit any handicap and any budget.
- Best Overall Center Shafted Putter: TaylorMade Truss Center Shaft Putter
The brand trusted by professionals on Tour TaylorMade offers you this Truss model ideal for professional or semi-professional play. - Best Premium Center Shafted Putter: Evnroll ER5cs Hatchback
This model is for the advanced golfer looking for ultimate control of their putts. You get premium finishes with custom fitting. - Best Budget Center Shafted Putter: Wilson South Side Infinite
A great choice for players looking for an affordable and forgiving club. You get premium finishes with excellent weighting and adjustable lofts.
