I’ve had the yips. I was standing over a 2 foot putt and had no confidence that it would go in the hole. My problems went deep and I had to overhaul many aspects of my game from my psychological approach to my technique and equipment.
Something I really struggled with was my alignment. I grew up playing bent grass greens, and when i moved to Asia where we play on mostly bermuda grass, I was dead in the water. The best putter for alignment can come in different shapes and sizes and needs to work for YOU.
Best Putter For Alignment 2023
- Ping Fetch Mallet Putter (best for slow greens)
- S7K Standing Putter (best for lining up long putts)
- Odyssey Golf 2021 Ten Putter (best for framing the ball)
- Evnroll ER5 Hatchback Mallet Putter (best quality materials)
- TaylorMade Spider EX Putter (most forgiving putter)
- Waddaplaya Zenlightenment Alignment Marker (essential alignment tool)
There are many options out there which are designed to make your stroke more consistent, with countless features like perimeter weighting and face inserts as well as with long alignment aids in the back of the putter. Try a few and see which feels right.
Best putter for slower greens
Ping Fetch putters are just beautiful. I loved the Sigma II version and this matte black update is sensual to look at. When it comes to alignment, the color is more than just a style choice. It's anti glare and contrasts with the ball and grass giving you laser like focus on the leading edge of the putter face.
It's incredibly easy to align this putter and if I didn't putt with an EVNROLL, I would have a Ping Fetch in my hands.
The fetch system is a standout feature as it saves your back from reaching down to pick up the ball. It’s a small thing to some but MASSIVE for those with a bad back.
I like this putter on quick greens as well as slower greens. I would say though, if you play on greens below 9 on the stimp meter, then this is going to a very easy putter to use. The power generated from a small stroke is excellent and the insert gives such a silky feeling off the face.
100% this is my 2nd choice after my EVNROLL blade.
Pros
Cons
Yes it's gimmicky but this is an alignment guide
Your playing partners will not enjoy watching you do it, but you can stand this putter up and get setup, then literally let go of the putter, walk away and the putter stays where you left it. It just stands there.
If there is any way to make certain of your alignment, that's the only way. It is a bit gimmicky but it works. It is the best stand alone putter on the market today.
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Cons
Triple Track is the best alignment aid in years
Steve from my channel has been using the Triple Track putter with a Triple Track Callaway ERC Soft since 2020 and he has become unbeatable inside 6 feet.
That is not a coincidence as he bought this specific putter after 5 visits to the store to make sure it was what he thought it was. He wanted something to be able to give him confidence to bash the ball at least 2 or 3 feet past the hole on his birdie putts.
Never up never in is what they say, so he was tired of hitting them short leaving tap-ins like a scared person. Now he hits them past the hole, KNOWING that he will jam the returning 2, 3 or 4 footer.
The triple track on the back of the club, combined with the line on the Callaway golf balls means that if you can get them lined up together, on the correct line on the putting green, it's going in.
You'll lose all the doubt about being aligned correctly.
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Cons
Evnroll quality with arm lock benefits
Fang style putters work for alignment. I get ciliary spasm in my eyes from too much computer work and alignment of the putter can be tough on the next rounds back. Regardless of the manufacturer, these fang style putters are some of the easiest to align in the game.
The EVNROLL has a small dot on the top line, a white line extending back and the fang portion hollowed out so you have 3 alignment tools to get set for your putt. EVNROLL black putters are easier to align because of the high contrast.
If you prefer chrome finish though, their entire range comes in chrome. The function of the face which is the main selling point of EVNROLL is also consistent throughout the range of putters. The ridges in the face help to realign your mis strikes and get them closer to the hole instead of leaving them 2-3 feet short.
I used my EVNROLL with a thin grip to start with but upgraded to the Gravity Grip and it changes the feel of the putter completely. I'd say that it activates cheat codes to hole more putts.
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Cons
Popular tour level putter with high level of forgiveness
There’s a number of reasons the TaylorMade Spider X is so popular on tour. They look great, and they have a reputation of being really stable and forgiving, things that even the best players in the world want from their short stick.
The Spider X is the compact model in the Spider range and this short slanted version gives you a great amount of feel through the putting stroke. The face on these putters is a little shallower than other brands and I find it makes you really focus on your putts, ensuring the ball comes off the face as smoothly as possible.
The high MOI design means that off centre strikes still perform really well and I really like the clean alignment aids on the top of the head.
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Not a putter but an essential piece of equipment for any player
I’m biased as I designed this alignment marker, but I truly believe it is one of the best golf products on the market. I like taking time over reading my putts, but I don’t want to hold up play. This marker means I can make a preliminary gut based read when I mark my ball, leaving me to make a minor adjustment when it’s my turn to play.
It’s a beautiful size and weight and the detailing is mesmerising. If you don’t want to change your putter, consider this as the next best thing to enhance your putting game.
Pros
How to align the ball on the greens
Putter alignment lines
The lines you have on your putter will make a big difference to how well you can align the putter to the intended target. Two key concepts decide if you make putts and it's very simple.
Line
The line is the first aspect of the putt that you will assess as you walk to the green. You'll start to get a feel for the slope, and observe how the green will affect the direction the ball will move on the green toward or away from the hole.
When your brain sees a line, remember that generally, it's already taken into account a pace. You do not need to worry about the pace of the putt since the line your brain has shown you is factoring in that speed. You just need to focus on hitting the ball starting on the target line.
Pace
Speed of the putt is important to match the line you chose.
Too hard, right line
When the ball finishes behind the hole, but in line with the cup, it means you hit it on the right line, just too hard.
Too soft, right line
If you hit it too soft on the correct line, then the ball will finish in line with the hole, but short of the cup
Too hard, wrong line
If you hit your putt too hard and finish beyond the hole, but the ball is either right or left of the cup when it settles, it means your line was incorrect
Too soft, wrong line
Usually we hit the putt too soft and do not take enough break so we finish in front of the cup, toward the side the ball is breaking. This is the weakest, most fearful style of putt and should be avoided at all costs.
How to start a putt on the target line
When you decide on your line, and see the patch that the call will take to the hole, find a piece of grass or a blemish on the line you chose, in line with the hole. So if your line is 6 inches right of the cup, select a piece of grass or ball mark 6 inches to the right of the cup and try to make your putt a straight putt to that point.
You can align your putter face to the small target near the hole, but it is quite difficult. you should find something 1-2 feet in front of the ball to align your putter face to. From there you can be very sure that the face is starting in the correct position for the putting line you chose. Make the correct stroke with the correct pace, starting the ball on your line, and you'll improve very quickly.
How to improve your putting alignment
You can watch my Youtube video where I give you in depth details on how to start the putt online and putt and how to align your putter to the correct line you chose. Also check out the Waddaplaya ball marker above to see how the marker you use can affect lining up your golf ball.
Your eyes, brain and body must all agree. There is only 100% commitment with putting. That means you must feel comfortable that your brain is telling your eyes that you are aligned. When your eyes agree, your body must accept it and allow you to make a pure stroke. If you have any doubt in your brain or body or eyes, you will make compromises and adjustments. This is the end of your alignment. You must be perfectly in sync with yourself. Check out the video below.
Which putters are best for hitting your target line?
Whether you're a low, high or medium handicapper, improving your putting is how you SLASH strokes from your game.
The best putters for you to improve your lining up are a) Mallet putters if you have a straight back and through stroke and b) blade putters are best for players who arc their putting stroke.
Mallet putters
Mallet putters can give you the advantage because of the extended rear part of the putter which contains very easy to use alignment lines. They are usually very bold and stand out in contrast to the color of the putter and because of the length of the rear of the putter, can really help your eyes line up.
Blade putters
If your swing is not straight and comes down and you have an arc to your swing, the blade is best. But you will find it more difficult to align your eyes with the alignment aid on these putters on the greens. The alignment aids are usually a single line, or maybe 2 lines and they are generally less than 1.5 inches in length.
Center shaft putter
These putters are the best for alignment if you're struggling to find the line with your eyes. The promote a more eye-over-ball putting stance which allows your eyes to track much easier along the line. Beware though that you need a a very sturdy stroke.
A loopy stroke means you can often rotate your wrists and hands which, because the shaft is attached to the sweet spot, means you can open and close the face super easily. You can negate this with a thicker grip like a Super Stroke or a Fat Cat.
Putters to avoid for alignment
Avoid the old school blades with only a single dot on the top line for alignment. They are not the ones with the plumbers neck hosel. I am talking about the ones that look like an iron or a hockey stick like in the picture below. This are very difficult to align.
Are these the best putters for the yips?
They yips can find any one of us at any time, but sometime changing your putter can make the yips go away. There are many causes, by finding a good alignment putter can help remove another thing from your mind when you're on the greens. Find the best putter for the yips and stick with it!
Conclusion
When aligning your ball on the green, you need the right line and then you need help to make sure you roll the ball on the correct starting line. if your stroke is pure enough, half the battle is won just by being aligned.
The feeling of relief knowing you're aligned allows you to focus just on the pace of the putt. With a decent putter specifically made for alignment, you can be sure of it. Couple that with a ball that either has a line drawn on it or preprinted on the ball, and you're rolling it end over end like a pro.
Whatever you choose, make sure you swing the putter a few times. The one you love the feeling of in your hands, is the one you WILL putt better with.