High MOI Putters: Improve Your Putting Performance
Putting is the area of the game that matters the most when it comes to your score. If you can become a great putter, chances are your scores will be considerably lower.
In the pursuit of lower scores and improved putting performance, golfers are increasingly turning to high MOI (Moment of Inertia) putters. Understanding what a high MOI putter is and who benefits from it can be instrumental in selecting the right equipment to enhance your game.
What Is A High MOI Putter?
Moment of Inertia (MOI) measures a club’s resistance to twisting on off-center hits. A high MOI putter is designed to reduce the impact of mishits, providing greater forgiveness and stability. This results in more consistent distance and direction, even when the ball is not struck perfectly in the center of the putter face.
When you strike a perfect putt and hit the center of the face, forgiveness is not a concern. However, most golfers cannot do this every time. It’s common to hit the ball on the heel or toe when you take your putting stroke, so a large majority of golfers can benefit from a higher MOI in the putter head.
Who Benefits from a High MOI Putter?
Amateur Golfers: Those new to golf or with higher handicaps often benefit from the increased forgiveness of a high MOI putter. It helps compensate for inconsistent strikes, leading to more predictable results.
Players with Inconsistent Putting: Golfers struggling with consistency on the greens will find that a high MOI putter can smooth out their performance, reducing the penalties for slight mishits.
Golfers Seeking Confidence: Knowing that your putter can help correct minor errors boosts confidence, which is essential for success in putting.
We would like to say that any player can benefit from high MOI putters, but the higher handicappers and beginners certainly need this technology the most.
High MOI Putters
Some popular high MOI putters include the Wilson Infinite Bucktown Putter, TaylorMade Spider Tour X Putter, Cobra 3D Printed Supernova Putter, Callaway Odyssey Ai-ONE Rossie S Putter, and Cleveland Huntington Beach HB Soft Premier #11.
Each of these putters is designed with features that enhance forgiveness, stability, and overall putting performance.
Cleveland Huntington Beach HB Soft Premier #11 Slant Putter
The Cleveland 11 Slant Putter is specifically designed for right-handed players, offering a choice of shaft lengths in 33”, 34”, and 35”. Featuring a pistol grip, this putter incorporates several advanced technologies to enhance performance on the greens. In our view, this putter is ideally suited for mid-handicap players, but can also be a viable choice for those with a lower handicap.
Key Features
Speed Optimized Face Technology (SOFT): This innovative feature ensures consistent ball speeds across the face, allowing even off-center hits to achieve the desired distance. This technology is particularly beneficial for maintaining performance consistency under various conditions. Soft 304 Stainless Steel and Diamond CNC Milling Pattern: The putter is crafted from soft 304 stainless steel and features a diamond CNC milling pattern on the face. This combination provides exceptional feel and control, allowing golfers to make precise adjustments to their putting stroke. Optimized Center of Gravity (CG) Location: The putter’s center of gravity is strategically positioned to enhance stability and increase the moment of inertia (MOI). This improves the putter’s resistance to twisting, resulting in greater forgiveness on mishits, helping golfers achieve more consistent results. Premium Gray Satin PVD Finish: The putter is finished with a premium Gray Satin PVD coating, which not only reduces glare but also gives it a sleek, professional appearance. This finish enhances the aesthetic appeal of the putter while also providing functional benefits by minimizing distractions caused by reflections.
Design and Performance
The Cleveland Huntington Beach (HB) 11 Slant Putter features wide stabilizing bars on either side of the putter head, which contribute to its high forgiveness. This design element makes it easier for golfers to achieve consistent results by stabilizing the putter during the stroke. Additionally, the Slant Neck hosel design promotes a slight arc in the putting stroke, combining the alignment benefits of a mallet-style putter with some face rotation. This design is particularly well-suited for golfers who prefer a moderate toe hang and a combination of stability and controlled rotation. Overall, the Cleveland 11 Slant Putter combines modern technology with classic design elements to provide a high level of performance and forgiveness. We feel that this makes it an excellent choice for golfers seeking consistency and precision on the greens. By integrating features like Speed Optimized Face Technology, a soft stainless steel build, and an optimized center of gravity, this putter ensures a reliable and controlled putting experience.
HUNTINGTON BEACH SOFT PREMIER 11S PUTTER SPECS
MODEL | HOSEL TYPE | LENGTH | LIE | LOFT | HEAD WEIGHT | TOE HANG | HAND |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11S | SLANT NECK | 33″ | 70° | 3° | 370g | MODERATE | RH |
11S | SLANT NECK | 34″ | 70° | 3° | 370g | MODERATE | RH |
11S | SLANT NECK | 35″ | 70° | 3° | 370g | MODERATE | RH |
Cobra Golf Printed Supernova Putter
The Cobra 3D Printed Supernova putter features an oversized grip with an integrated Arccos sensor, providing excellent balance and weight distribution. The putter’s face, designed with Cobra’s SIK Face Technology, offers a soft yet precise roll, thanks to its multi-angle configuration that helps prevent mishits. If you find that you have a lot of bouncing and skidding in your putting, due to the ball being struck too high on the putter face, or a jerky or inconsistent putting stroke, or even an incorrect ball position in your stance, the Cobra 3D Printed Supernova putter will help eliminate that bouncing and skidding as much as possible.
In addition, the open fang design allows golfers a clear view of the alignment mark, simplifying the process of lining up putts. The Cobra 3D Supernova putter is available with three different hosels, catering to various putting styles: the Supernova for straight strokes, Supernova 20 for slight arcs, and Supernova 30 for stronger arcs. We found the alignment aid is highly effective, making it easy to line up putts, and the soft yet responsive feel of the putter face provides valuable feedback. This highly stable putter benefits from 3D printing technology, ensuring optimal weight placement for enhanced stability. The SIK Face Technology incorporates a descending loft setup (4°, 3°, 2°), guaranteeing a consistent 1.5-degree launch angle regardless of the player’s attack angle. This ensures the putter performs effectively whether the golfer has a neutral, negative, or positive attack angle.
You can customize the weight of your putter to match your preferred feel and control with interchangeable weights. The standard 15g weights can be adjusted +- 5-10g in either direction by adding or removing them. There are additional weight options available which are allowing you to achieve your ideal head weight with options ranging from 5g to 25g. But these are sold separately. The Cobra 3D Printed Supernova Putter can be customized. There are Two Shaft Options
- Standard
- Strong 1degree
- Weak 1degree
- Standard lie
- 1 degree Flat
- 1 degree Up
- 2 degree Flat
- 2 degree Up
MODEL | HOSEL | LOFT | LIE | CUT LENGTH | TOE HANG | HEAD WEIGHT | RH/LH |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SUPERNOVA | SINGLE BEND | DLT 4° ,3° ,2° ,1° | 70° | 35″ | 0° | 365 | RH/LH |
SUPERNOVA | SINGLE BEND | DLT 4° ,3° ,2° ,1° | 70° | 34″ | 0° | 375 | RH |
TaylorMade Spider Tour X Putter
TaylorMade has added a new putter to their5 model Spider Tour Series of putters.
The TaylorMade Spider has revolutionized the MOI mallet-style putter market not only for Tour players but also for us regular golfers over the past decade. Esteemed golfers like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, and Jason Day have all achieved significant victories with the Spider in recent years. The popularity of counter-balanced putters has surged, with brands racing to introduce new models to meet the growing demand. TaylorMade have taken the opportunity to introduce a bigger, heavier and counterweighted Spider S and it has quickly become a favorite among golfers.
The iconic head shape of the Spider S serves as an excellent foundation for a counter-balanced putter model, renowned for its stability due to mass relocation from the center to the perimeter. TaylorMade have taken the opportunity to introduce a bigger, heavier and counterweighted Spider S. Golfers with an arcing putting stroke (where the putter head follows a slight arc rather than a straight line) often prefer toe hang blade putters.
If you are use to a toe hang blade putter, we feel the TaylorMade Spider Tour X could be really good fit for those of you looking to transition from toe hang blades into the more forgiving MOI style putters. Experience a softer touch with TaylorMade’s White TPU Pure Roll™ insert. Made from a unique combination of Surlyn and aluminum, it includes grooves angled at 45° to promote optimal forward roll and improved overall roll performance. The white insert also complements the white True Path Alignment, ensuring visual symmetry.
To enhance MOI and forgiveness, TaylorMade has increased the footprint by 3mm from toe to heel and added 8mm from face to back. These changes are noticeable both at address and during the swing, contributing to an overall feeling of incredible stability. The Spider S is available in both 34” and 35” lengths as well as custom lengths that start at 33″ and go to 37″ in 1/4″ increments.
For golfers under six feet tall, like many of us, who have found longer putters unwieldy, the 34” option offers the perfect balance of additional stability and an MOI head shape that is unmatched.
Available for men women and juniors the customized lengths should accommodate all whether the golfer is right or left handed. Likewise, with 22 custom grip options, you are bound to find the perfect grip for your game.
The TaylorMade Spider putters have some of the best stability and feel in the game. The Spider line of putters is tour proven and known for being incredibly stable.
Many golfers struggle with vibration at impact resulting in issues with the feel. The HYBRAR ECHO Damper on the club is positioned behind the face to help remove unwanted vibrations and deliver premium sound and feel on all your putts. Additional features of the Spider S include a long alignment line which TaylorMade calls TRUE PATH™ Alignment that pairs well with an alignment stripe on golf balls, a responsive face insert that ensures a smooth roll, and a durable gunmetal PVD finish.
These elements combine to create one of the best MOI counter-balanced putters of 2024. Golfers seeking a more stable putter in 2024 should start with the Spider S. We believe it will not disappoint.
HOSEL | HAND | TOE HANG | LENGTH | LOFT | LIE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Small Slant #3 | RH/LH | 30° | 34″,35″ | 3° | 70° |
Callaway Odyssey Ai-ONE Rossie S Putter
The Callaway Odyssey Ai-ONE Rossie DB Putter stands out in the market for several compelling reasons, making it a top choice for golfers aiming to enhance their performance on the greens. The S in the name for the Odyssey Ai-One Rossie S putter is for its slant neck. The Odyssey Ai-ONE putters line offers a number of different head shape putters:
Currently, you can get the Double Wide DB (double bend), Rossie S, the #7 with the S (short slant) or CH (plumbers neck) hosels, the #2 and Double Wide CH, the Rossie DB, #7 DB, 2-Ball DB, 2-Ball CH, Jailbird Mini CH, and Jailbird Mini DB. These covers a wide range of shapes and toe hangs so no matter your game, you are sure to find one of the Odyssey Ai-ONE putters perfect for your game.
However in this post about high MOI putters, we will be discussing only one putter: the Callaway Odyssey Ai-ONE Rossie S putter.
The Ai-ONE Rossie DB Putter incorporates some of the most advanced technology we have found in this mid priced putter. Its multi-material construction features unique face contours designed to minimize ball speed losses on off-center hits. This means you’ll experience more consistent performance, even when your stroke isn’t perfect. The increased sweet spot makes this putter more forgiving, helping you sink more putts with greater confidence.
The navy PVD finish gives a classy look to Callaway Odyssey Ai-ONE Rossie S putter whose design is a classic rounded mallet Odyssey shape with bold alignment lines and a double bend shaft making it face balanced and better suited for golfers with minimal face rotation and arc At the heart of the Ai-ONE Rossie DB Putter is its AI-developed urethane insert. This insert combines a grooved White Hot urethane layer with an aluminum backer, providing the classic White Hot Feel that many golfers love.
If you are not familiar with this term, let us run down some of the attributes: One of the defining features of the White Hot Feel is its soft, responsive touch. The urethane insert used in these putters is specifically designed to provide a soft impact, which translates to a smooth, controlled roll of the ball. This softness helps golfers feel more connected to their putts, allowing for better feedback and control.
The grooved urethane layer of the White Hot insert is engineered to deliver consistent ball speeds across the face of the putter. This consistency ensures that even off-center hits achieve similar distances, which helps in maintaining accuracy and reducing the number of three-putts.
The Ai-ONE Rossie DB Putter’s AI-developed urethane insert builds on this tradition, providing reliable performance on every stroke. We are among those golfers who often praise the White Hot feel for the enhanced feedback it provides. When striking the ball, we love the idistinct, pleasant sound the insert produces that complements the tactile sensation. Auditory and tactile feedback helps golfers gauge the quality of their stroke and to make the necessary adjustments. We have found that the combination of sound and feel contributes to a more intuitive putting experience.
The White Hot insert grips the ball at impact, resulting in a smooth, true roll that will enhance your distance control. You will appreciate this feature when puttingl on fast greens, where we all know that precise control over the ball’s speed and direction is crucial. The consistent roll provided by the White Hot insert helps golfers achieve better lag putts and more confident short putts. We can attest to that.
The Callaway Odyssey Ai-ONE Rossie S(slant) putter available in both 33”, 34″ and 35” shaft lengths as well as custom lengths that start at 32″ and go to 36″ in 1/4″ increments.
- Standard
- 2 Up
- 1 Up
- 1 Flat
- 2 Flat
The grip is available as either the Odyssey-Ai-ONE Slim Pistol or the Odyssey-Ai-ONE Pistol. The total weight of the club depends upon the grip you choose.
MODEL | HEAD TYPE | LOFT | AVAILABILITY | STANDARD LENGTH | LIE | TOE HANG | HEAD WEIGHT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ROSSIE S | MALLET | 3° | RH ONLY | 33″ | 70.0° | 46° | 360G |
ROSSIE S | MALLET | 3° | RH ONLY | 34″ | 70.0° | 46° | 360G |
ROSSIE S | MALLET | 3° | RH ONLY | 35″ | 70.0° | 46° | 360G |
The Ai-ONE Rossie DB Putter is ideal for golfers who prioritize precision, consistency, and customization in their putting game. It is especially beneficial for players who struggle with off-center hits or those, like some of us, looking to improve our accuracy and control on the greens. A friend told me the other day: Now I am so happy because this putter has far exceeded my expectations as far as speed control and forgiveness Odyssey really did an amazing job on this putter. And we agree.
Wilson Infinite Bucktown Putter
The Wilson’s Infinite club line up is aimed more at the casual player. The Wilson Infinite Bucktown is a great budget MOI putter with a fantastic value for your money.
Having recently purchased the Wilson Infinite Bucktown putter, a friend was eager to put it to the test and see how it could enhance their game. We tagged along and took notes. His first impressions were highly positive, particularly regarding the oversized Pistol Karakal flat-sided grip. It felt comfortable and significantly reduced unwanted wrist action during his stroke, although he did find the ribbed spine a bit off-putting.
We feel that this feature might, however, help others with consistent hand placement. At address, the fang-shaped head of the Wilson Infinite Bucktown putter frames the ball nicely and sits flush to the grass. The three short white alignment lines contrast sharply with the black head, making it easy to set up square to the target.
Like other golfers we know, he appreciated the slightly thicker middle line, which aids in centering the ball on the face and returning it there at impact. While not everyone might like this visual setup, he found it consistently effective. We have found that the two-tone PVD anti-glare finish on the Wilson Infinite Bucktown putter is not just aesthetically pleasing but also functional, especially in bright conditions where glare can be distracting. The dark finish allows golfers to focus better on their stroke without visual interference. In terms of performance, the putter delivers a solid and stable feel, thanks to the subtle double mill pattern on the face. The acoustics are quite noticeable, particularly on longer putts, which adds to the firm sensation.
Pairing this putter with a soft, low compression golf ball worked well for our friend, providing quick and consistent ball speed which is ideal for slower greens.
One of the most impressive features of the Bucktown is its counterbalanced technology. By shifting the balance point closer to the hands, Wilson has enhanced the stability and control of the stroke, which is particularly beneficial on longer putts where precision is crucial. Despite being face-balanced, a type of putter he was not accustomed to, we watched him putt surprisingly well from long range with this putter.
For golfers who prefer a cleaner look, the three sightlines, while helpful for alignment, can be a bit distracting. Although the Wilson brand may not carry the same prestige as some of the more high-end putters, the Wilson Infinite Bucktown putter competes favorably in terms of functionality and feel, offering excellent value for money.
Overall, the Wilson Infinite Bucktown Putter feels very well balanced and is a fantastic option for mid-to-high handicappers looking for a stable and forgiving putter. Its combination of innovative technology, practical design, and affordability makes it a worthy addition to any golfer’s bag who is looking for a high MOI putter without having to spene a lot of money.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How Does a High MOI Putter Improve My Game? A high MOI putter improves your game by providing greater forgiveness on mishits. When you don’t hit the ball exactly in the center of the putter face, a high MOI putter minimizes the negative effects, resulting in more consistent distance and direction. This can lead to fewer three-putts and more confidence on the greens, especially for amateur golfers and those with inconsistent putting strokes.
- Who Should Use a High MOI Putter? High MOI putters are particularly beneficial for amateur golfers, high-handicap players, and anyone struggling with consistency in their putting game. They are also advantageous for players who desire more confidence on the greens, as the design helps maintain accuracy and distance control even on off-center hits.
- How Do I Choose the Right Putter for My Stroke? With so many putter head shapes, neck styles, and hosel designs available, selecting the right putter can be challenging. Some putters are better suited for straight-back and straight-through strokes, while others are designed for arcing strokes. The first step is to determine your stroke type. Once you know your preferred style, consult with a fitter to identify a few putter models that match your stroke. Test these putters to see which one feels the most natural. If you find yourself torn between two putters that both feel great, opt for the one with higher forgiveness and a higher MOI for better performance.
- Are high MOI putters allowed in Tournaments? Yes. Putters with high MOI are used on Tour by professionals. The TaylorMade Spider Tour X Putter is used by Scottie Scheffler who is known for his putting, and is one of the best golfers in the world. In 2024 he switched to theTaylorMade Spider Tour X Putter with an L-neck hosel. A high MOI putter is completely legal according to the USGA, so it makes sense to use this technology that is available to you.