mallet vs blade putter

[jas13]

why do you play one over the other

thinking of making switch from scotty newport 2 to a mallet. suggestions please.

[2puttbirdie]

The type of putter you play really depends on your stroke. Blade putters are generally toe balanced where as mallet putters are usually faced balance. The toe balanced putters work for a gated (inside to inside) putting stroke. The face balanced putters work for a straight back straight through putting stroke. Mallet putters also have more moi than blade style putters.

 

I have played with both types of putters and have putted with both strokes. I prefer the gated putting stroke with a blade putter as it is more consistent for me and I gain better distance control using a blade. To each his own. :drinks:

[jas13]

thanks. guess i just have to spend a couple hours with putters to determine which is best for me.

[RobotDoctor]

I have played both and for me the blade works best. I have a gate stroke and the blade is suited best for this type of stroke.

[Rabidpenguin45]

I used to game a blade putter for a year, then i went to a mallet for a year. I liked how easy they are to lign up on short ones, knock em' dead!!! But on long ones, i couldnt get the right line... i could get distance, but not the right path. Now i switched to a circa(blade) and feel on long putts that i can put the ball on the correct line with the right distance.

[DavidR]

I have played both and prefer the blade. I just feel more comfortable with these putters in my hands.

[skgolf]

I play mallet putters. I did try a Scotty Pro Platinum blade for a round and couldn't get it to work for me so went back to the mallet. Better for my stroke and I like the increased MOI, particularily on downhill putts when I want to putt off the toe.

[Robert Brown]

Good question: I believe that the mallet style is more forgiving than a blade. Having said that, most of the "great" putters seem to use a blade. I am using a Daito Stealth.... give it a look. Bob 6hdcp.

[RobotDoctor]

That is the beauty of each style, they cover nearly the whole spectrum of putter styles out there. The best advice for each of us is to determine how we put (gate stroke or straight back/straight through) and use the putter that works best with that stroke and what is most pleasing to our eyes.

[8thehardway]

There are many types of malletx - semi-mallets like the Byron AS-3 and the old Odyssey DF992 - neo-mallets (smaller ones) like the Gauge Design Eldik-M, Odyssey XG #7 or the YES Victoria and full-blown mallets like the Rossa Inza, Rife Barbados, Cameron Futura or my fav, the Slighter Needle.

 

IMO, a mallet makes it easier to use a pendulum stroke but works just as well for a gated stroke as a blade. Mallets are high MOI and more forgiving, and their larger depth makes for a momentum-driven putt.

 

It would be helpful to know why you want to switch - for me, the larger head is more reassuring had harder to manipulate during my swing.

[Hairpie]

While I tend to love blades I always keep a mallet around...Sometimes when my stroke gets a little loose and I start having alignment issues the mallet tends to fix it...After a few rounds with the mallet I go back to the blade...

[sfdoddsy]

After extensive experimentation I finally worked out that I putter equally badly with both.

 

So I figured I might as well choose one that looks cool and feels cool.

 

Oddly enough, since making that decision and practicing at home with it, my putting is somewhat improved.

[Sam-Tee-Time]

I've NEVER played anything but a blade (Anser/Newport) headstyle, so I've never even considered mallet putters, as I just cannot accept the bulky look of them.

 

Also - I've been tested on various high speed cameras, the SAM putter system (I attended a GolfGalaxy event with the "Heavy Putter" and the SAM putting system, and after looking at my numbers, I suggested what about trying a center shafted/mallet/other putter, and he pretty much said "No way", this is working fine for you), and various instructors for short game/putting, and they pretty much tell me the same thing......"What you got works - so stick with it".

[jas13]

I had my putter balanced with 7 grams of weight in the handle. Seems to have quited my hands and improved my putting.

[MrJones]

My putting used to be very ,very poor. I was using a blade as I had most of my life. After trying mallet putters I've improved greatly. It took a while but the weight of the mallet putter plus the MOI helped groove a nice little arc swing path that has me putting the best I ever have. I recently picked up another putter and it's making my putting that much better. I still don't think I'm ready for a blade and to be honest I'm not one that cares how my equipment looks as far as being pleasing to the eye so I'm going to stick with my mallet until I wear it out.

[USNHack]

Both! 2-Ball Blade gives me the best of both worlds looks of a blade at setup and alignment of a mallet :bigwhack:

[yahtzee]

I picked up the new Odyssey Marxman tonight and love the alignment and feel. I am so tempted to sell my NP II XF but I cant bring myself to do it, no matter how poorly I putt with it.....

[Wookieedog]

I also just picked up the Marxman Blade. I have played 2 rounds with it so far, and love it. It is not as bulky as the Marxman mallet, and it is cleaner when setting up.

 

I use the Marxman (and/or mallets) most of the time because of one reason. They make it so easy to sink 10 foot putts, and 5 footers feel like a gimme.

 

My theory is that you are not going to make alot of 15', 20', 25' or even longer putts. You are going to lag those 99% of the time. A blade or a mallet will let you lag to within 10 feet 95% of the time and to within 5 feet 75%. So, you really need a putter that will let you sink that second putt from within 10 feet. For me, with the alignment aid, the Marxman makes it easy to 2 putt and make a par avoiding those damn bogeys.

 

That being said, a Cameron blade is a thing of beauty and does have better feel. But I miss the alignment aid that a mallet can give. I will only use my Cameron when I feel that I am really rolling the ball well, but will switch back to the mallet in no time if I start to miss those 5 footers.

 

No matter what, I will go with the accuracy and distance control of a mallet over the feel and distance control of a blade.

[yahtzee]

I also just picked up the Marxman Blade. I have played 2 rounds with it so far, and love it. It is not as bulky as the Marxman mallet, and it is cleaner when setting up.

 

I use the Marxman (and/or mallets) most of the time because of one reason. They make it so easy to sink 10 foot putts, and 5 footers feel like a gimme.

 

My theory is that you are not going to make alot of 15', 20', 25' or even longer putts. You are going to lag those 99% of the time. A blade or a mallet will let you lag to within 10 feet 95% of the time and to within 5 feet 75%. So, you really need a putter that will let you sink that second putt from within 10 feet. For me, with the alignment aid, the Marxman makes it easy to 2 putt and make a par avoiding those damn bogeys.

 

That being said, a Cameron blade is a thing of beauty and does have better feel. But I miss the alignment aid that a mallet can give. I will only use my Cameron when I feel that I am really rolling the ball well, but will switch back to the mallet in no time if I start to miss those 5 footers.

 

No matter what, I will go with the accuracy and distance control of a mallet over the feel and distance control of a blade.

 

So you like the blade Marxman better because of the way it looks at address?

[Wookieedog]

I like the Marxman because of the white lines. It is easy to align, and easy to swing, that is, to take the white lines to the hole. When I stepped up to the ball with the mallet, the ring seemed to distract from the white lines. I liked the cleaner look of the blade because the white lines are by themselves, nothing else that can pull your eye off for a second. Just my 2 cents...

[mizuno_man_mp60]

What is the easiest way to check if you have an inside inside stroke or straight back and through stroke. I am in complete indecision about keeping my 2 ball or going to a circa or some other blade. Thanks alot and any other reasons for switching or staying. Thanks again.

[CRutherford]

I play a Cameron Blade. To me, the blade just releases alot better in my stroke than a mallet does, and I've defientely tried and tried. It's actually been my gamer for a tad bit over 2 years now.

[hedge]

I go back and forth. I seem to have better distance control with a blade but can aim the mallet better. The blades do look better to my eye though and although it's stupid I like a putter than I can scoop the ball up with without bending to pick it up.