Best Putters of 2022 for Every Golfer

Once we at GolfLink embarked on a journey to identify the best putters of 2022 for every type of golfer, we realized just how sizable of an undertaking this was. Nearly 160 tested putters, and well over 3,000 putts later, we pinpointed the best blades, mallets, and face-balanced putters.  We also found the best putters for women, beginners, the most forgiving, and the best value putters.

While each of those lists are full of praise-worthy putters, these seven putters are a cut above, and hold the distinction as being the best putters of 2022. Find out which putter is the best in each category, and be sure to explore our complete list of recommended putters in the genre that fits you best.  

Our journey in finding the best putters for beginners allowed us to chat with some friends who were new to the game. We combined our ideas of what beginner golfers should look for with theirs. Our criteria in this segment included price, head shape, and forgiveness, three pillars that guided us to the putters we featured.

The Cleveland Frontline Cero is our best overall putter for beginners. Our biggest takeaway from this putter is how it promotes a consistent and fluid putting stroke. After a few rolls, we knew this one would be tough to beat, and we were happy that it came from a brand that isn’t known for great flat sticks. Cleveland’s entire Frontline lineup is worthy, but we landed on the Cero model because the mallet provided the extra bump in forgiveness that we felt beginners need. Perhaps people just getting into the game will be itchy about spending $200 on a putter, but we can assure you that it’s a better investment than spending $600 on a new driver.

RELATED: The Best Drivers for Beginners | The Best Golf Balls for Beginners

Forgiveness is highly touted in drivers, irons, and other clubs in your bag. So why not putters? Amateurs should be looking for every advantage they can find, so to find the most forgiving putters, we tested putters in some unconventional ways. This included purposely rolling putts from the toe and heel of all 158 putters we tested. Those tests revealed a number of putters that maintained good distance control and a solid feeling at impact no matter where they were struck.

We found ourselves standing over the Tour Edge Exotics Wingman 701, amazed at how fantastic this thing performed. Lag putts, short putts, off the green, through a couple of inches of rough, this mallet checked every box. There are several Wingman models in Tour Edge's second generation, so look for the version that best suits your eye. The 701 model, for us, was such a simple putter to roll with efficiency. It’s a mid-toe hang putter with a really nice contrasting sightline at the top. It may or may not have come home after we finished testing.

RELATED: The Most Forgiving Drivers | The Straightest Golf Balls

We knew we would have a category devoted to the best value putters. What we didn’t want to do was cheapen it by calling it, well, cheap. Value is relative to the player, which is why we analyzed price and performance to determine a putter's true value. If a $50 putter felt like a rubber mallet, it wasn’t even sniffing the list. We also paid close attention to the materials and construction of these putters, and the little things like the stock head cover and grip.

Dollar for dollar, the Sub 70 Sycamore 001 is hands down the best value putter. This is a very traditional blade putter that’s available in a plumber’s neck or flowneck, and has the feel of a putter that should cost a lot more than $160. The CNC milled face has a very satisfying sound at impact and at no point does the 001 feel cheap, despite Sub 70 being a direct-to-consumer company. Truthfully, Sub 70 offers its black-on-black series of putters in seven different models and any of them are worthy of this list.

RELATED: The Best Value Drivers of 2022 | The Best Value Golf Balls

When we decided to have a sub-category devoted to face-balanced putters, we wanted to do more than just throw some suggestions out there. We wanted to help educate our readers on what exactly a face-balanced putter is designed to do to help you decide if one is right for your game. Face rotation, performance, and head shape were all key elements we kept tracked during testing.

The TaylorMade Spider GT was the clear-cut winner among face-balanced putters. We tested this putter on an outdoor green and it was next level. It rolled true uphill, downhill, on big breaks, and touch putts. We became believers and fully understand why so many professionals play the Spider model on tour. For amateurs who struggle with putting alignment, it gives you great visuals. See it, hit it, drain it. We didn't find an easier putter to get lined up, which is a major win.

At GolfLink, we’re just a few guys. So in order to determine the best putters for women of 2022, we had to enlisted the right help. We bargained with four female friends who range in handicap from 7 to 22 to help us test 28 different women's putters. Price was a factor, but style and detail along with weight were the dominant criteria we judged on.

Our best 2022 putter for women is the PING GLe2 Shea. Where this model immediately stood out was its shape. A lot of women’s putters are blades and full mallets, but this mid-mallet was instantly awesome. The Shea squares up perfectly each time with no hesitation on alignment, and the feel at impact is very smooth. Even with all of that, our testers really liked the adjustable length. The GLe2 Shea comes with a small wrench so you can adjust the length of the putter from 31 to 35 inches, which is perfect for women of all heights.

RELATED: Best Drivers for Women of 2022 | The Best Golf Balls for Women

The most difficult category to hammer out was determining the best mallet putters. With so many variations, shapes, and just the sheer number of mallet putters, we really had to pay attention to the finest details in this category. Having a versatile mallet putter that can play Texas wedge shots and also deliver finesse is difficult.

The Bettinardi Inovai 6.0 stood out above all the mallet putters we tested. It’s expensive, yes. It also gives you a custom feel and is made from the very best materials. This is a putter you buy and keep in your bag for a very long time. The contrast of the silver and black is visually perfect and it looks so sleek on a winged-style putter. With a Bettinardi, you can expect fine craftsmanship and that’s what the Inovai 6.0 delivers, along with great feel and consistency. The bonus is that if you live near, or plan to visit, the Chicago area, you can make an appointment at Bettinardi’s Studio B for the best putter fitting in the game.

RELATED: Bettinardi vs. Scotty Cameron: The Head-to-Head Showdown

Blade putters find their way into amateur golfers’ bags for numerous reasons. For many, it’s the model you’re used to because you’ve always played one. For others, you’re putting stroke has an arc and you know you need a blade. Whatever the reason, we wanted to take on the best blade putters to see what kind of great feeling variations we could find, and we weren’t disappointed.

When you know, you know. And when we tested the Toulon Design San Diego, we knew we had something special in our hands. Toulon is the premium offering from Odyssey and, no offense to White Hot, is far superior in every way. If we were going off of impact feel alone, the San Diego takes the cake.