Centre shafted putters are not a new product in the golf world. Though recently they have seen a considerable rise in popularity.With roughly ten per cent of tour pros using these specially designed putters we thought we’d take a closer look. We hope you enjoy our list of the best centre shafted putters.
Frequently Asked Questions About Center Shafted Putters
What is a center shaft putter?
A centre shaft putter is simply a putter that has the shaft placed at the centre of the putter head. Most traditional putters tend to connect the hosel at the end of the clubface closest to you.
Centre shaft putters are built to fit into different stances and strokes that fit better with a club that has the shaft at the centre of the club.
Where Can I Buy A Center Shaft Putter?
If you are looking to try out any old center shaft putter than you will likely be able to head to your local golf store and find one there. But if you are looking for the broadest selection your best bet is to shop online.
Large online retailers offer you a much broader selection of centre shafted putters. This allows you to find the model the fits with your swing.
If you’re looking to buy the best centre shaft putter for you you’re going to want to check out some online golf stores.
Who Should Use One Of The Best Centre Shafted Putters?
Deciding if you should use a centre shafted putter is probably a bigger decision than choosing a putter itself. These putters can shave crucial strokes off your game but they must be fitted to your swing.
The reason many golfers find these putters helpful is due to the alignment. These putters offer them over the ball. Golfers are able to line up for putts while having their eyes directly over the ball.
Traditional putters connect the shaft with the near side of the head instead of in the centre. This tends to place the golfer further away from the ball. By allowing the golfers to stand directly above the ball this facilitates a different swing.
The direct stance on top of the ball gives golfers the ability to swing directly back and through the ball. This pendulum motion ensures golfers want to add the additional variable of their wrist into their putting strokes. By operating this club like a pendulum you use the weight fo the putter to guide itself through the target line.
In short, if you prefer to use a pendulum-like motion with your putts as opposed to “hitting” them then a centre shafted putter should be a great fit for your putting stroke.
If you find yourself better suited for centre shaft putters you may want to check out our list of the top counterbalance putter grips as these fit well with that same stroke.
Why Are center Shafted putters popular?
With many golfers starting to pick up on the helpfulness of center shafted putters golfers are beginning to wonder why these clubs have become so popular.
The answer is simply this, golfers tend to lose strokes especially in their short game and this is often caused from movement in their wrists or hands.
Centre shafted putters allow golfers to utilize a pendulum-like stroke that will create a stroke that eliminates the use of your hands.
This is especially helpful for beginner golfers. Many don’t realize the improper use of their hands in their putting stroke and ultimately add more strokes to their game because of it.
For this reason, many golfers look to these center shafted putters in order to increase the consistency in their putting game by eliminating the use of their hands in their putting stroke.
Milled Putter Vs Inserts
Another interesting question golfers face when choosing a putter is the decision between a milled putter and an insert putter. The majority of the putters we covered in our guide are insert putters though both styles are featured.
What you will notice about milled putters is that they are one piece of metal that is milled to create a smooth clubface. While insert putters have a metal head but have an insert placed within the clubface. Thss insert is what comes into contact with the ball.
You can quickly tell if a putter is milled or an insert by looking at the face of the club. If it is one solid piece of metal like the Huntington Beach model we mentioned previous then that is a milled putter.
An example of an insert putter can be seen by looking at the Odyssey Stroke Lab putter. The lightly coloured metal piece in the clubface is the putter insert.
The general rule that describes the difference between milled and insert putters is in the feel and sound. Insert putters tend to have a deeper quieter sound when contact is made with the ball. While milled putters tend to have a higher pitch and louder sound when contact is made.
These two types of putters previously had much more differences on the course. But due to the advancements in milling as well as putter inserts they have found themselves creating very similar results.
Styles of Putter Builds
There are three major styles of putter builds that are popular amongst golfers. First off is the blade-style putter. These styles of putters are the most common and you have likley used one in the bast.
Blade Style Putters
Due to the weight and shaft of these clubs, they are best used for arched putting strokes. This means a stroke that is not straight back and forth but rather a curve as you bring it back and forth in your swing like miniature version of swinging a baseball bat. This means that these types of putters are not used for center shafted builds.
Mallet Style Putters
Mallett putters are next our list of putter builds and if you have noticed have been mentioned several times above. These putters are another failry common build and are the mid sized putter build between blade putters and high moi putters.
These mallet-style putters fit great with the centre shafted build of putters. First off the weighting creates a pendulum effect that is used with centre shaft putters. The increased amount of weight in the putter helps the putter to swing in your hands.
These putters are used with back and forth motion swings that are used with centre shafted putters.
The final putter model we’ll cover is the high MOI models. These are the more exciting looking putter models that offer much more exciting. These vibrant models carry a little more weight than most models. They work well with the straight back and forth stroke of putting. And are also the holder of the most popular putter on tour, the Taylormade Spider.
Several on our list above include the Cleveland Huntington beach model are high MOI models. The heavier weighting and interesting designs of these putters make them a great option for many golfers. The true way to tell if you prefer mallett putters or high moi putters is to test them yourself or see a professional club fitter.
Putting Drills To Help Improve your Game
We’ve compiled a list of putting drills in order for you to get the most out of your centre shafted putters.
That’s why we’ve put together a few drills that you can use on your own time to master your putting stroke.
Clock Putting Drill
In order to do this drill, you need twelve golf balls. Place a ball around the hole as if the hole were the centre of a clock. Place each ball to represent an hour on the clock so you have made a full circle around the hole with twelve evenly placed balls.
The balls should somewhere from three to eight feet back from the hole depending on the distance you plan on practising. This practice drill is very common amongst the pros and is incredibly helpful when looking to find consistency on short putts.
Manilla Folder Putting Drill
The manilla folder drill is a great drill for honing in the weigh ton your putts. This a great for golfers that struggle to find consistency in puting the right amount of power on their putts.
To do this drill simply place a Manilla folder about eight to ten feet away on a flat putting surface. These folders are very tough stick as the surface is hard and flat.
Simply take your putts and try to stop the ball on top of the Manilla folder. This will help you find a consist stroke at that distance.
Move the Manilla folder to different locations will allow you to practice finding this consistency at different distances.
Tigers Gate Putting Drill
This drill which gained popularity from Tiger Woods is a great way to build confidence in your short putts.
Place the ball three to four feet away from the hole and place two tees into the ground a bit wider than the width of your putter.
This will ensure that you find a consistent putting stroke between the two tees. This sort of putting stroke is especially helpful for those using centre shafted putters.
The pendulum style swing is the most common when using centre shafted putters. Tiger’s gate putting drill is especially helpful for this wing. Finding a consistent straight stroke that fits cleaning between the putting gate you have made with your tees.
100 Straight Putts Putting Drill
The one hundred straight putts drill is another great way to find consistency in your putting game. This drill is quite simple but it does require a few golf balls.
Golfers should set themselves up about two or three feet from the hole. Hit your first putt and then keep going until you’ve hit all one hundred.
While making these putts be sure to focus on your putting stroke and alignment. This will ensure your putting stroke feels consistent.
By utilizing this drill you will find you will have a much more consistent setup and stroke when putting. Not to mention you will much more confident when making that three-foot putt for birdie!
Best Centre Shafted Putters 2020 – Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our list of the best centre shafted putters and were able to find the right club for you. Whether you looking to buy a higher-end model or budget we’re sure theirs something on this list for you.
If you did enjoy this list we hope you check out some of our other buying guides like our list of the top face-balanced putters.
