We can categorise putters in certain ways—the most obvious being the shape of the putter head.

Tiger Woods has won 14 of his 15 majors with the Scotty Cameron Newport 2-blade model, while, in 2022, 62 per cent of the world’s top 50 players were using a mallet putter.

Scotty Cameron is one of the leading putter manufacturers in the world. He explains the difference in the shape of the putter head as follows…

“A blade is a traditional putter with a straight club head and a narrow, or non-existent, flange (back cavity/area of the putter). It can also have heel and toe weighting. Blade putters can be designed with various neck set-ups such as plumbing, flare, round, mid-slant or mini-slant necks. Blades are usually favoured by the player with a bit of an arced putting stroke, as they promote a swinging gate, more flowing stroke.

“The putter-making world of mallets is where designers can be the most creative with materials, shapes, sizing and set-ups. A mallet putter favours the player who is striving to make a straight-back-straight-through stroke. Usually, heavier weighting is moved to the perimeter and toward the back of the mallet to increase MOI (Moment of Inertia), stability and forgiveness.” 

Toe hang vs face-balanced putters

Another consideration you’ll often hear regarding putting is whether you’re better off with a toe hang or a face-balanced putter.

The blade putter is generally considered helpful on fast greens, good for arc stroke putters, great for feel, and for those who want a lot of precision in their putting stroke. On the downside, they aren’t as forgiving as mallets and are often harder to line up. Historically, the blade was regarded as the ‘player’s putter’ given the lack of mallet options and the success of players like Woods. 

The mallet putter is more forgiving, easier to line up, and is available in various designs. It’s easy to customise and is ideal for someone with a straight back/straight-through stroke. On the downside, though, it might not suit an arc stroke, and some players may struggle on fast greens.

What the expert says…

James Jankowski is one of the leading putting specialists in the UK and has coached a number of elite players. His job is to help golfers hole more putts, help more of us understand what we should look for in a putter, and the benefit of being fitted for what we use on the greens.

“One of the biggest myths in a putter fitting is if you have an arcing stroke, then you need toe hang, and if you have less arc and less face rotation, you need a face-balanced putter.

“But it is more about matching the torque (twist) profiles of how a player reacts when they have the putter in their hands.”

Blade vs mallet putters

“A mallet will give a player the possibility of a more in-plane stroke, and it’s going to be a bit more stable. It’s a bit like a bike with two wheels and a bike with stabilisers. Because more weight is situated around the perimeter and further away from the face, it can stay more stable. A mallet can help someone if they struggle with controlling the face, and their rotation is inconsistent. It can give them some stability here.

“Generally, we would fit more club golfers into mallets to help with a more consistent rotation and strike out the middle. Blade putters are less forgiving, but highly-skilled players might like the feel and ability to manipulate them more—that’s the theory, but it doesn’t always work like that for everyone.

“I’ve had cases where someone will come in, and their rotation will be all over the place with a blade putter. Then, you put a mallet in their hands, and the difference is huge. But it may make no difference to others. The reality is that you can have a mallet that has toe hang and a blade that is close to face-balanced, and that’ll make a difference too. All I’m trying to do in a fitting is to deliver the putter as consistently as possible.”

Dr Paul Hurrion specialises in biomechanical analysis using high-speed cameras, force platforms and computers. He works with tour golfers as well as UK Athletics, International Cricket Council and the English Cricket Board.

According to a recent study, Hurrion explains that a mishit putt with a blade putter will stay more online than with a mallet.

“It is still theoretical, but because the centre of mass is closer to the face on a blade than a mallet, when you hit it off-centre with a blade, you will lose more ball speed than with a mallet, but you don’t get the ball deflecting as far offline. It’s not the twisting that makes the ball go off line, it’s the deflection away from the centre of mass, so the ball deflects offline as a result,” Jankowski adds.

“If you mishit a short putt with a mallet, you will see the ball go further offline than you would with a blade. That will happen with any putt, but it will be more noticeable on a short putt.”

The bottom line is that you should be fitted by a putting specialist to see how it performs in your hands.

“So many golfers understand the importance of having their equipment custom fitted to suit their needs and technique. This should be no different when it comes to a putter. Using specialist software, I will help you understand your stroke and recommend on putter specifications based on your stroke consistencies and tendencies.

“It’s not as simple as ‘your stroke suits a face-balanced putter.’ Instead, we’ll measure which type of putters you aim with the best and test how your stroke reacts with different putter styles, shapes and weights.”

The pandemic was disastrous for sport, golf included—there’s no doubt about that.

Courses were closed, social mixing banned, and professional tournaments postponed left, right and centre. However, now that all of this is behind us for good (touch wood), the uptake in 9 hole golf is arguably one of the industry’s most notable trends—and it’s growing quickly.

For many people, life is a lot different now to how it was pre-Covid. Be it daily routines, how and where we work, or the time we spend with family—our priorities have changed. This means golf has also changed, and we golfers have had to adapt in order to keep on playing the game we love.

The benefits of 9 hole golf

There are many benefits to 9 hole golf, some of which you may not have necessarily considered before now. Well, that’s why you’re here, right?

Time

This is an obvious one. Playing a 9 hole round is much quicker than a full 18, and that’s arguably why it’s become so popular so quickly.

The time factor is one of the biggest benefits of playing 9 hole golf. With flexible, remote working now the norm for lots of us, a 9 hole round can be easily squeezed into a lunch break or before the work day even starts if you’re lucky enough to live near a course.

A full 18 is serious business and can take five hours plus to complete, even on a good day, once you’ve also factored in all the walking between holes. The sad reality is that most of us probably don’t have this much time spare each day.

Instead, however, a shorter round gives you your precious time back, making golf a much more feasible day-to-day option rather than just at the weekend or on special occasions.

Money

Playing 9 holes works out much cheaper than a full 18.

For a start, having new and expensive clubs and other equipment is less important on shorter rounds, especially if you’re using them for practice. Second-hand clubs will do the job here.

Also, some clubs won’t require you to be a fully paid member to play 9 holes, and there are many pay-as-you-play options out there. As we all know, yearly membership fees can be expensive, but it’s important to remember they aren’t always necessary.

Related: 15 ways to play golf on the cheap

Game improvements

Golfers tend to be less bothered by their score when playing 9 holes instead of 18, which makes it a perfect opportunity to practice and work on your weak points.

For example, let’s say you’ve been trying to perfect a tricky lob shot for a while but feel too pressured to give it a go in a full 18 setting when you’re up against it. A shorter, more relaxed round is the ideal time to bring it out.

Many golfers use a 9 hole game merely as practice, especially if squeezed into a lunchtime or even a quick after-work round—so it’s perfect for experimenting. Put in the hours on the 9 hole course, and you’ll reap the rewards the next time you play a full 18—trust us.

Beginners

A full 18 can be pretty intimidating if you’re new to golf and just starting out. If you haven’t quite caught ‘the bug’ yet either (you’ll know when you have), you might find you get bored after a while, too. However, shorter rounds are a great way to ease yourself in and stay motivated.

After all, 18 holes can be a struggle if you’re a novice.

On the other hand, 9 holes are great if you’re an experienced golfer looking to get your family more involved. Young children, for example, are far more likely to stay engaged for longer when not being dragged around a larger course.

Put it this way—you’ll probably have better luck pitching golf to the kids as a one to two-hour activity as opposed to five or six!

Scoring

We touched on this a little earlier on, but your score is less of a focus in 9 hole golf. While this is indeed true, playing 9 holes can still be highly satisfying for those who like to score well regardless.

With fewer shots and holes, the greater the opportunity to accumulate a competitive score. The average score for a typical adult playing 9 holes is around 45—or bogey golf. But, of course, scores depend on various factors, such as weather conditions and the difficulty of the course.

However, decent amateur-level golfers can expect to record scores in the 30s if they’re playing 9 hole rounds regularly, so it can be a good confidence booster.

Related: What is a good golf score for 9 holes?

Less pressure

It’s easy to feel the ‘heat’ on a full 18, especially if you’re playing in a competition, but much of this stress is eased on a 9 hole round.

Not having to constantly overthink your score on every hole allows you to feel cool, calm and collected out on the course.

How long do 9 holes of golf take?

The time it takes to complete a round of golf ultimately depends on you and your game. Some golfers like to take things slow and steady, while others will race around the course lightning quick.

You’ll know which one of those categories you fall into yourself. However, those already acquainted with 9 hole golf say completing a round in less than two hours is more than doable.

Related: How long should it take to play a 9-hole round of golf?

9 hole golf courses

In a world where a full 18 is often the norm, a 9 hole round might seem hard to find, but that’s not the case. Many full-service golf clubs and ranges now offer the option to play shorter rounds—and the choice will only grow as the trend continues.

It’s arguably never been easier to get into 9 hole golf. Check out this interactive map of some of the UK’s best 9 hole golf courses and find your nearest one.

The article below was written by Steve Carroll of National Club Golfer.

I’m ashamed to write this but this is my truth: I fear I’m becoming a fair-weather golfer.

I’ve barely set foot on a course in the last few weeks and I’m a snow shower away from packing the bag up until the winter months pass.

This was not always the case. A generation ago—it is longer than it feels—I’d have dusted off the hand warmers and been out playing golf in any weather and at any time of year. That was then.

There is a lot about winter golf I really like. A shorter course for one, but when it starts to get really inclement I can think of any number of things I’d now rather be doing than tramping round a sodden layout in the drizzle with my eyes popping out of the snood and only a pair of heavy-duty gloves stopping my fingers from succumbing to frostbite.

I won’t miss the annual Wines and Spirits competition—those Christmas presents won’t win themselves—and I do enjoy a good winter Stableford, even though I’d change the format in a second if given the chance.

But after a summer of busy competitions, which has depressingly seen my handicap notch up the best part of three and a half shots, it’s nice to put the weekly grind aside and really accentuate the off in off-season.

Some of you, though, clearly have more of a taste for it. My club have rated their winter course and, for those that want it, there is the opportunity to make general play scores count for handicap all year round.

This was one of the big things that came out of the introduction of the World Handicap System. Officially, I don’t think there’s any such thing as qualifiers anymore.

They’re just acceptable scores and there aren’t many occasions where you can’t enter one into the computer. In fact, you’re actively encouraged to do so.

It’s a long time between those back tees going away at the end of October and coming out again at the start of April. Anyone who has been hitting the driving range, or has suddenly found a secret, can improve dramatically over that time.

It’s not unusual to see the same faces sweeping early season tournaments as the system races to keep up with their improvement.

England Golf, among other governing bodies, have long encouraged clubs to take a firmer stance with winter leagues as well as those who are performing just a bit better than their index would suggest.

I get all that. I really do. And I’m on board with the sentiment. But, and I’m sorry, I just can’t muster up any enthusiasm for it. The game is hard enough as it is without adding a scorecard to the winter weather as well.

Greenkeepers perform small miracles to keep us on proper greens as much as they do through January, February, and March, but let’s not try and pretend they’re in the same league as during peak season.

Some people putt well whatever the conditions. I’m not one of them. Slow and bobbly is not what I signed up for when a card is on the line. Pop a couple of temporary greens in there as well, as you will inevitably have to, and you can just forget it right now.

I’ve said the shorter golf course suits me well, but that says somewhat more about the state of my game than the principle at stake. In winter, you take on your track with its defences lowered.

One hole at my home course, which off the back tee causes me kittens and is the second hardest in terms of stroke index, is nothing more than a hybrid and a flick at the moment. I’m genuinely disappointed when I don’t come off with a birdie.

I’m convinced any scores I’d achieve by putting winter cards in would essentially be false. Until I have to face a tight tee shot through a chute of trees again, or feel a shiver of terror as I take on 160 yards of par-3 over water, it’s basically not proper golf.

Add tee mats into the equation, and let’s be honest some of them can be of very variable quality, and you’ve got an unpleasant mix.

It’s golf, but not as it should be, and that’s OK for me in the winter. I’m happy to be out there at all – when the mood takes. So, and I’ll say this as politely as possible, you can keep your acceptable scores for the time being. I hope I don’t see a scorecard again until the spring.