PXG Allan Putter Life-Tested Review

Zero torque putters represent a small but growing share of the putter market. Until recently only a couple of specialized manufacturers offered zero torque putters, but nothing that could pass the eye test as a normal-looking putter. 

That segment is about to explode, and the PXG Allan putter is the first modern zero torque putter from a manufacturer that makes every club in the bag. Since Odyssey’s Backstryke in 2010, all the modern zero torque putters have come from manufacturers who make nothing but putters, the likes of L.A.B, Axis1 and Evnroll.

The deal with zero torque putters is simple. Regardless of whether you have a straight back, straight through putting stroke, or an arced stroke, the putter head is designed to naturally stay square to your stroke, and therefore square at impact. This also ensures that a zero torque putter fits your stroke even if your stroke changes over time.

I’ve been testing the PXG Allan putter over the last several weeks on the course and on the practice green. I also spoke with a few experts, including PXG design engineer Matt Andrews, who helped design the Allan putter, to find out if the Allan putter really can improve your putting. Let’s check it out.

Pros:

• Easy to hit intended start line
• Fits any stroke
• Front to back sightline looks great at address
• Satisfying feel
• Looks more like a normal putter than most zero torque options
• Pick up pocket is pretty nifty

Cons:

• Distance control was a tough adjustment coming from a one-piece, toe hang blade
• Learning to remove your hands from the stroke may be another necessary adjustment
• Top end price makes it a significant investment

If you only look at the head, the Allan is actually a pretty standard-looking mallet putter, which is an improvement over competitors in the space. L.A.B is known for large heads and non-traditional shapes, and Axis1 has more traditional-looking heads but a hosel situation that is simply a non-starter for some players.

Zero torque does not mean zero misses, but it can certainly give you an advantage on the greens. 

When I first started practicing with the Allan, I noticed that I wasn’t starting putts online as easily as I anticipated. After a half-dozen unsatisfactory rolls, I pulled out my favorite putting tool, a metal yardstick, to pinpoint exactly what was going wrong. 

Coming from a toe-hang blade, I tended to subtly close the face of the Allan before impact, resulting in slight pulls with the Allan in my hands. After rolling a few balls down the yardstick, I learned the feel of removing my hands from the stroke, and began rolling balls straight down the stick, and off the other end, consistently.

I share this anecdote to illustrate that you shouldn’t expect to make every putt just because the putter is designed to stay square. If you’re currently struggling because you rely on your hands to square the putter face at impact, whether you realize it or not, there could be an adjustment to removing your hands from the stroke, which will ultimately result in improved consistency. 

If you’re not struggling and you use your hands in the stroke, a zero torque putter might not be for you, although if that’s the case you probably aren’t looking to replace your flatstick.

“If you're a good putter and you are very manipulative of your hands during the putting stroke, those people have a hard time picking up this putter and seeing a benefit,” Andrews said. “You really have to let the putter swing itself.”

Another benefit I found with the Allan was that it highlighted the accuracy (or lack thereof) of my green reading. I previously struggled to accurately assign blame for missed putts to stroke or read. With the Allan, it’s easy to hit the intended line, which then illustrates how accurate my read was.

That brings us to my final point that putting is a three-part recipe. You have to get a good read and judge the speed accurately, in addition to making a quality stroke that goes where you want it to. Using a zero torque putter like the Allan makes hitting the putt where you want to much easier, but you still have to win the other battles to make putts.

Three things stand out to me about the look and feel of the Allan putter. From a feel perspective, it’s softer-feeling at impact thanks to the ultra-thin face, S-COR polymer, and PXG’s pyramid face pattern. There is also a stiffer, premium multi-material shaft upgrade available with the Allan putter, which provides extra stability and feel. I had the opportunity to hit putts with both the stock and the multi-material shaft, and it’s easy to feel the difference between the two. I prefer the feel from the premium shaft, but it’ll be up to you to decide whether or not it’s worth the extra $89.

From a looks perspective, we’ve got the front-to-back sightline and the S-hosel. 

I really like the high-contrast alignment line that runs through the putter head. It’s easy to get comfortable over the ball with that sightline, especially If you use an alignment line on your ball.

Although Andrews called the S-hosel “goofy looking” I found it a rather unobtrusive method to building a zero torque putter. Sure, it’s untraditional compared to the putters we’re used to looking down at, but compared to other zero torque putters out there, it’s decidedly boring, in a good way.

The first thing I noticed with S-hosel and its orientation behind the face was how it impacts ball position in setup. When you set the putter in its natural position on the ground and take your stance, the ball ends up farther forward in your stance than it would when you’re using a putter with the face behind the shaft. 

Since I had the benefit of working with a PXG fitter my first time experimenting with the Allan putter, I brought this up, and he simply advised following the putter’s lead to a more forward ball position.