If you’ve been watching a lot of golf over the last 12 months, you may have seen or heard about the growing influence of zero torque putters.
Whilst this is not brand new technology, it really seems to have gained popularity in recent times across both the professional and amateur game. This was highlighted by JJ Spaun becoming the first player to win a major with a zero torque putter.
So, what is zero torque, and how is it designed to help golfers on the greens? In this guide, we’ll take you through all of that, as well as showing you some of the best options on the market right now if you’re looking to improve your putting.
What Is Zero Torque?
It’s easy to get bogged down in lots of overly technical talk when it comes to zero torque putters. The basic idea is that they are designed to minimise or eliminate the twisting (torque) that occurs during the putting stroke, especially on off-centre hits.
Traditional putters tend to rotate open or closed due to the torque generated by the clubhead’s weight and shaft alignment. This can lead to inconsistent contact and poor face control at impact.
A zero torque putter addresses this by aligning the shaft through the centre of gravity of the putter head, or very close to it. They also use design elements like face-balanced weighting and uniquely engineered hosels.
This allows the putter face to stay more square to the target line throughout the stroke. It is most effect in a straight-back, straight-through stroke.
The key benefit is improved consistency and accuracy. With less twisting, golfers can keep the face angle more stable, making it easier to square the face at impact. This reduces the effects of human error in face rotation and helps promote better distance and directional control.
All you have to do it make sure you’re reading the putts right, and you should see more consistent results!
Who Should Use Zero Torque Putters?
These putters are used by high handicap golfers, all the way to major champions like Brian Harman and JJ Spaun.
They’re designed for golfers who want more consistency and less guesswork on the greens. If you tend to push or pull putts because you don’t always keep the face square, these putters can help straighten things out.
They work best for golfers with a straight-back, straight-through stroke. This is because the putter naturally stays square without needing your hands to guide it. If you’re someone who wants to take the hands out of the stroke and just let the putter do the work, this design makes that a lot easier.
Zero torque putters are also great for golfers who miss the centre of the face from time to time. The head stays stable even on slight mishits, which helps with both direction and speed control.
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They’re probably not for everyone, especially if you prefer extra feel or have a big arc in your stroke. But if you’re really struggling on the greens or want to try something new, they may be worth looking at.
LAB Golf
LAB Golf are the brand that most people will think of when it comes to zero torque. The brand were established in 2018 after founder Sam Hahn acquired Directed Force. This was the company who initially developed Lie Angle Balanced (L.A.B.) technology.
Since then they have gone from strength to strength, being used by countless tour players to improve their putting performance.
LAB are also known for their eye-catching putter designs, both in terms of colour and shape. This does make them a bit of an acquired taste.
In total they offer seven different models, but it’s the DF3 which probably attracts most of the headlines. It’s a pretty recognisable shape. It has already had success on tour with JJ Spaun winning the US Open using this model.
The American ranked second in the field at Oakmont, gaining 10 strokes on the field during that victory. He was ranked outside the Top 100 in putting on the PGA Tour before switching to the DF3. He now sits comfortably inside the Top 50!
TaylorMade
TaylorMade have had huge success with their Spider mallet putter range. It’s almost become a brand within a brand in the last few years. The likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler winning events with this putter in the bag.
This year TaylorMade decided to give golfers all of the technology and design benefits that you’re used to seeing in the Spider range, but also added Zero Torque technology.
The Spider 5K-ZT blends the two, with an all-new blue finish which looks great too. It feels extremely stable and balanced, with a nice soft feel off the face.
An RRP of £449 is not cheap, but it’s one of the best looking zero torque putters on the market. If you’re somebody who loves Spider putters but wants more help on the greens, it could be worth considering.
PXG
As you probably know, PXG are a brand who like to do things differently. They aren’t afraid to shout about it either. So it probably comes as no surprise that they have jumped on the zero torque trend, with three different options:
Allan ZT – Named after PXG founder Bob Parsons’ brother, the Allan ZT is an adaptation of an existing model. It features their S-Hosel which helps place the shaft axis above the CG, creating a toe-up balance point.
There’s also a Pick Up Pocket, Pyramid face pattern and the option of extra perimeter weighting to fine tune your preferences.
Bat Attack ZT – This model features many of the same technologies of the Allan, but in a fang design that has been used by the likes of Scotty Cameron and Odyssey with their #7 model over the years.
Hellcat ZT– This is the best value option and one of the cheapest Zero Torque putters on the market. RRP of less than £250 makes this almost a third of the price of some other zero torque models.
This is also combined with one of the more ‘traditional’ looking designs too, as the putter essentially looks like a centre-shafted blade model. So if you’re interested in zero torque technology, but worried about having to use a crazy shape or you don’t like mallet putters, this could be the one for you.
Odyssey
Late last year, Odyssey introduced their first zero torque putters to the market with the Square 2 Square range. These are said to be ‘stroke balanced’, aiming to minimise face rotation during the stroke.
They also come with some of the features that we’ve come to know and love from Odyssey over the years, including the White Hot insert and models including the Double Wide and Jailbird.
They also introduced Max 1 and Max Stripe models earlier this year, which look very similar to LAB models as very high MOI putters.
One bonus with the Square 2 Square range is that they offer familiar models at good value for money, with an RRP of less than £300.
Summary
Zero torque putters might not be for everyone, but they’ve definitely made a big impact in the equipment world and it seems like they are here to stay.
Whether you’re a high handicapper looking for more consistency or a better player wanting a simpler approach to putting, these putters offer a unique option.
With more big brands like TaylorMade, PXG, and Odyssey joining pioneers like LAB Golf, there are now options to suit different tastes, strokes, and budgets.
If you’ve been struggling on the greens or just want to try something new, a zero torque putter could be exactly what your game needs.
