Golf Glossary
Putter
In short
The putter is the golf club you use to roll the ball into the hole on the green. Its face is almost vertical, typically with only about 2 to 4 degrees of loft, so the ball starts rolling straight away instead of flying. There are two main designs: the slim blade putter and the larger mallet putter.
What is a putter? Design and purpose
Like every golf club, a putter consists of a grip, a shaft and a head. Its job is special, though: it should not lift the ball into the air. Instead, the ball should roll smoothly across the green while holding its line and pace.
That is why a putter has very little loft, typically about 2 to 4 degrees depending on model and manufacturer. This small angle lifts the ball briefly out of the slight dip it sits in on the grass. After that it quickly settles into a clean roll.
The putter is the club you use most often in a round. The par of a hole normally allows for two putts. On a par-72 course that means 36 of the 72 strokes are, on paper, played on the green. In practice, depending on ability, roughly a third to just over 40 per cent of all strokes are putts. Good putting can therefore often save more shots than a long drive.
The word comes from Scots and is related to the English verb to put. The stroke played with a putter is called a putt, and the verb is to putt.
Types of putter: blade and mallet
Putters differ mainly in the shape of the head.
- Blade putter: a slim, elongated head and the classic design. Many blade putters show toe hang, which means the toe points down when you balance the shaft horizontally. They suit players whose stroke moves on a slight arc.
- Mallet putter: a large, often semicircular or angular head with weight positioned further out. The head twists less on off-centre strikes. Many mallets are face-balanced, so the face points upwards when balanced. They suit a straight-back, straight-through stroke.
- Mid-mallet: an in-between design with a slightly larger head than a blade.
No design is better in principle. What matters is which putter lets you start the ball consistently on your chosen line.
Choosing the right putter length
Most adult putters are about 33 to 35 inches long, roughly 84 to 89 centimetres. The right putter length depends less on your height than on your posture.
Here is a simple guide. Take your putting stance. Your eyes should be roughly over the ball or just inside it, and your arms should hang loosely from your shoulders. The putter should be long enough to hold in this position without bending over a lot or bending your arms. The sole of the putter should sit flat on the ground.
If the putter is too long, you often stand too upright and the toe lifts off the ground. If it is too short, you hunch your back. Both make a steady stroke harder. A fitting with a coach can sort out length, lie and loft within a few minutes.
What the Rules of Golf say about putters
Your putter counts towards the maximum of 14 clubs allowed under Rule 4.1b. A few further points apply to it.
Anchoring is not allowed: under Rule 10.1b you may not brace the club or a gripping hand against your body to create a fixed pivot point. Long putters are still permitted, just not anchored against the belly or chest. Holding the grip against your forearm is allowed.
The putter is the only club that may have a non-circular grip, for example with a flat top for the thumbs. It may also be used anywhere on the course, and many players putt from the fringe when the grass is short.
Since 2019 you may also putt with the flagstick left in the hole. If the ball hits the flagstick, there is no penalty.
Example: two putts on a par-4 hole
You are playing a par-4 hole. Your tee shot finds the fairway and your second shot with an iron reaches the green. The ball now lies about 8 metres from the hole. Reaching the green in two on a par 4 counts as a green in regulation.
The first putt from this distance is often called a lag putt. Its main aim is the right length: the ball should finish as close to the hole as possible, ideally within one metre. Before you putt, you read the slope of the green and choose a line that allows for the break.
Your lag putt stops 50 centimetres short. You hole the second, short putt. Result: four strokes, which is par. Had you needed three putts from 8 metres, you would have written a bogey on the scorecard. This shows why distance control matters so much on the green.
Putter, chipper and Texas wedge compared
Some clubs look like a putter or are used in a similar way. A chipper has a putter-like head but clearly more loft, usually over ten degrees, and is designed for short shots from off the green. Under the equipment rules it counts as an iron, so its grip must be circular and it may have only one grip.
A wedge, by contrast, lifts the ball clearly into the air. From the fringe the putter is often the safer choice because a rolling ball is easier to judge. When golfers deliberately putt from off the green, they jokingly call it the Texas wedge. It is fully within the Rules and makes most sense on firm, short grass.
Common putting mistakes and tips
Many missed putts come down to the same causes. These tips help:
- Keep your wrists quiet: the stroke comes mainly from the shoulders. If the wrists break, the strike point varies.
- Do not decelerate: the putter should accelerate through the ball. A long backswing followed by slowing down leads to short and off-line putts.
- Keep your head still: do not look up after the ball straight away. On short putts it helps to look up only after impact.
- Ball position: the ball usually sits slightly ahead of centre in your stance, with your eyes roughly over it.
- Practise distance: place balls at 3, 6 and 9 metres on the practice green and try to stop each one in a small zone just past the hole.
Short ten-minute sessions before each round often achieve more than long practice without a plan.
Try it at Golf Lounge
You can practise putting in several places at Golf Lounge Resort. On the putting green by the Elb-Lodge and in the putting and chipping area you work on pace and line. On the 6-hole short course ‘Red’ you then put it into practice on the course. You do not need a DGV playing permit for it, a round takes under an hour and up to four people can play together. If you want to work on your putting in detail, you can add the PuttView green after a lesson or booking. It projects the putting line and pace straight onto the green.
Frequently asked questions
What is a putter?
A putter is the golf club for the green, used to roll the ball into the hole. Its face is almost vertical with typically only about 2 to 4 degrees of loft, so the ball rolls straight after impact. It is the club golfers use most often during a round.
What is the difference between a mallet putter and a blade putter?
A blade putter has a slim, classic head and often suits a slightly arcing stroke. A mallet putter has a large head with weight further out. It is a little more forgiving on off-centre strikes and suits a straight stroke. Which one is better depends on your stroke and personal feel.
What putter length is right for me?
Most putters are about 33 to 35 inches, roughly 84 to 89 centimetres. The right length lets you stand with relaxed arms and your eyes over the ball while the sole sits flat on the ground. A putter that is too long or too short changes your posture and stroke. A short fitting removes the guesswork.
Can you use a putter off the green?
Yes. The Rules of Golf allow the putter anywhere on the course. Many players putt from the fringe or from closely mown fairway when there is no long grass or hazard between ball and green. This is often safer than a chip because a rolling ball is easier to judge.
As of: October 2026