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RankingsBest Putters 2026Three picks, chosen from the holing index by distance and price
Updated: Nov 3, 2026Contains affiliate links
I average a score of 72 and play 150 rounds a year. I picked these seriously.
The putter that holed the most in testing wasn't the most expensive one. A JPY 60,000 putter came first, and one at about JPY 130,000 came 12th.
This is my ranking of the best putters for 2026. As a gear nerd who studies golf equipment, I lined up the numbers for make rates from short, medium and long range with price, and picked three. No. 1 is the JPY 60,500 Odyssey Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square. It also ranked first on the make-rate measure in a test of 26 zero-torque models.
What I learned hitting putts on a shop practice green: I hit the number one pick, the Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square (34 inches), for about 10 minutes and 30 putts on the practice green of a local golf shop on a weekday evening in September 2026, alone. The room was air-conditioned to about 24°C. I made 9 of 10 from 1 m, 4 from 3 m and 2 from 6 m. The good part was that the face direction settled right away when I addressed it. The bad part was that 4 putts came up short from 6 m. I only held the Phantom in a shop, and I only saw the L.A.B. DF3i in a shop. I have not used any of them.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
No. 1: Odyssey Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square (#7) Short −7.9, medium −6.2, long −10.4. It isn't that one of them stands out; it has no hole. It is 1st of 26 zero-torque models, and it costs ¥60,500. The cheapest of the three posted the best numbers.
Find the No. 1 putter
Find the Odyssey Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
- Rakuten IchibaRecommendedRakuten product page
- Rakuten Ichiba (used)Used product page
- AmazonAmazon product page
- Yahoo! ShoppingYahoo! Shopping product page
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
Ad. Links go to each store's product page ("Search ..." links go to search results). Price, shipping, stock and specs such as loft, shaft and number of clubs differ by store. Check the product page before you buy.
In this article
- Bottom line
- The rankings come from the holing numbers by distance
- 1. Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square, 2. Phantom, 3. L.A.B. DF3i
- Why This Order
- No. 1 Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square: no hole at any of the three distances
- No. 2 Phantom: strong from long range, the price is so-so
- No. 3 L.A.B. DF3i: best for feel, middle of the pack on the numbers
- What I learned hitting the Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square in a shop
- About the writer and sources
- FAQ
Bottom line
If I'm choosing by the numbers, it's the Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square #7. It is good at all three distances and the cheapest of the three. If you weight long range heavily, it's the Phantom; if you choose on feel and sound, it's the L.A.B. DF3i.
This index is the average of 20 testers, not the result with your stroke. With a zero-torque putter, check first whether the look at address suits you.
If your distance control is good with your current putter, you don't need to change.
The rankings come from the holing numbers by distance
I looked at two criteria: the holing index by distance, and price.
The index comes from the annual comparison tests by MyGolfSpy in the US. Twenty testers hit 32 putts with each putter, and the value is compared against the tour-player average. The more negative, the better. Prices are from each maker's official Japanese site. All sources are listed at the end of the article.
One thing up front. The zero-torque test (26 models) and the mallet test (29 models) are separate tests. Comparing −8.1 and −4.8 directly means nothing. So I set the order by where each putter placed within its own test and by the shape of its numbers by distance.
1. Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square, 2. Phantom, 3. L.A.B. DF3i
Rakuten Ichiba / AdScotty Cameron Phantom (2026)
Rakuten Ichiba / AdL.A.B. Golf DF3i
Product images: Rakuten Ichiba (Ad). Tap an image to go to its Rakuten Ichiba product page.
| Rank | Model | Shape | Holing index (overall) | Short / medium / long distance | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Odyssey Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square (#7) | Zero-torque | ◎ −8.1 (1st of 26 models) | −7.9 / −6.2 / −10.4 | ◎ ¥60,500 |
| 2nd | Scotty Cameron Phantom (9.2R) | Mallet | −4.8 (9th of 29 models) | −4.3 / 0.0 / −10.6 | ¥82,500 |
| 3rd | L.A.B. Golf DF3i | Zero-torque | −6.4 (12th of 26 models) | −6.9 / −2.7 / −8.9 | ¥129,800 |
Why This Order
| Rank | Model | Why I ranked it here |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Odyssey Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square (#7) | No. 1 of 26 zero-torque models (−8.1). It is good at all 3 distances: −7.9 short, −6.2 medium and −10.4 long. It is also the cheapest of the 3 at ¥60,500. |
| 2nd | Scotty Cameron Phantom (9.2R) | Its −10.6 from long range is level with the No. 1 #7. It is 9th of 29 mallet models and costs ¥47,300 less than the DF3i. This is why I put it above No. 3. The reason it falls short of No. 1 is that its medium-range number was 0.0. |
| 3rd | L.A.B. Golf DF3i | Its sound and feel rating was No. 1 in the same test. But its holing number ranked 12 of 26 models, and at ¥129,800 it is the most expensive. On the balance of numbers and price, I ranked it No. 3. |
I looked at the holing numbers from short, medium and long range, and at price. Change the criteria and the order changes too. Reread it according to which criterion you look at first.
No. 1 Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square: no hole at any of the three distances
The Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square #7 posted good numbers at all three distances. Short −7.9, medium −6.2, long −10.4. It is 1st of 26 zero-torque models.
A zero-torque putter places the head's center of gravity on the extension of the shaft axis, which removes the force that tries to rotate the face during the stroke. In the same test, the ¥129,800 L.A.B. DF3i was 12th (−6.4). A putter at less than half the price finished above it. These numbers at ¥60,500. Quite simply, I think that is impressive.
I'll write the so-so part too. A zero-torque putter looks unusual at address. Even with good numbers, some golfers never lose that odd feeling when they set up to it. I sort out who it suits and who it doesn't in Should You Play a Zero-Torque Putter?
Where to buy the Odyssey Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square
- Rakuten IchibaRecommendedRakuten product page
- Rakuten Ichiba (used)Used product page
- AmazonAmazon product page
- Yahoo! ShoppingYahoo! Shopping product page
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
Ad. Links go to each store’s product page. Price, shipping, stock and specs (loft, shaft, set make-up) differ by store, so check the product page before you buy.
No. 2 Phantom: strong from long range, the price is so-so
The Phantom is strong from long range. The 9.2R's long-distance figure is −10.6. That is almost the same as the #7's −10.4. The maker says every model in the 2026 line now has an insert.
Its 0.0 at medium distance and its ¥82,500 price are so-so. I found no numbers showing that it holes more putts in proportion to the price. It is the one for golfers who don't get on with the look of a zero-torque putter and want to lag long putts close with a mallet.
No. 3 L.A.B. DF3i: best for feel, middle of the pack on the numbers
The L.A.B. DF3i ranked 1st in the same test for sound, feel and "would you buy it". Here I can praise it without reservation.
But its holing number was No. 12 of 26 models. Middle of the pack. Best for how good it feels, middle of the pack on the numbers. If you are going to pay ¥129,800, choose it knowing that. If I'm choosing by the numbers, it's the No. 1 #7.
Who doesn't need to change putters
- Anyone whose misses go both left and right with no pattern (before the equipment, sort out the cause from the direction you miss first)
- Anyone whose distance control is good with their current putter (when weight and feel change, distance control breaks down for a while)
What I learned hitting the Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square in a shop
The index in this article is an average of 20 people hitting. It is not the result of your own stroke. What I write here are the numbers from hitting in a shop. The conditions were a shop practice green, a room at about 24°C and 30 putts.
I hit the 34-inch Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square for about 10 minutes and 30 putts on a weekday evening in September 2026. The loft is around 3 degrees, and I did not weigh it in the shop. My stroke arcs. I have never used it on the course.
| Distance | Typical amateur benchmark | My record (shop practice green) |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | About 9 of 10 | 9 of 10 |
| 3m | About 4 of 10 | 4 of 10 |
| 6m | 1 to 2 of 10 | 2 of 10 |
The share that went in was 90% from 1 m, 40% from 3 m and 20% from 6 m, which is 15 of 30, or 50% (my calculation). On the 3 m line, 4 of 10 went in, and the 6 misses were 3 pushes to the right, 2 short and 1 long.
The good part was that the face direction settled the moment I addressed the 3 m line. The neck angle did not bother me and it felt like a fit. The bad part was that of my 8 misses from 6 m, 4 were short (2 long, 1 right, 1 left), and the 30 putts were over before my distance control settled. I made the stroke one notch bigger and hit again.
I only held the Phantom in a shop, and I only saw the L.A.B. DF3i in a shop. What I compared them with was a blade putter I used for a round. My criterion for choosing is how easy it is to address. I hesitated over the price gap and the visual reassurance of the Phantom, and ease of addressing decided it.
If I chose again, I would try the same Ai-DUAL. I recommend it to people who struggle with the direction on short putts. The only thing in this article I confirmed is that it is easy to address. Dividing 60,500 yen by 150 rounds a year gives about 403 yen per round (calculation).
You too, hit 10 putts each from 1 m, 3 m and 6 m, and count how many go in.
About the writer and sources
Written by a gear nerd who studies golf equipment, averages a 72, and plays about 150 rounds a year.
I re-read the numbers against the sources below on Oct 1, 2026. Last updated Nov 3, 2026.
FAQ
Which zero-torque putter holed the most in 2026 testing?
In MyGolfSpy's 2026 zero-torque test (26 models), the Odyssey Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square #7 was 1st with an index of −8.1. Short −7.9, medium −6.2, long −10.4.
Does the L.A.B. DF3i hole more putts in proportion to its price?
In the same test, the L.A.B. DF3i had an index of −6.4, 12th of 26 models. It ranked 1st for sound, feel and "would you buy it". On the holing numbers alone, the ¥60,500 Ai-DUAL Square 2 Square was ahead.
Can the zero-torque and mallet numbers be compared?
Not directly. MyGolfSpy's zero-torque test (26 models) and mallet test (29 models) are separate tests. Look at the ranking within each test.
Ready to choose? Start here
Related reading
【Nov 2026 Update】Are Zero-Torque Putters Actually Good?
【Nov 2026 Update】Missing Short Putts
Latest Putters 2026 | 10 Models Compared by Head Weight and Design
Sources for this article
- MyGolfSpy: Best Zero Torque Putters of 2026 (updated May 26, 2026)
- MyGolfSpy: Best Mallet Putters of 2026 (updated Apr 20, 2026)
- Golf Gear Lab: Latest Putters 2026 (prices from each maker's official Japanese site, checked Sep 15, 2026)
Women's models are ranked separately
Women's clubs differ in both weight and loft, so I ranked them separately using each maker's official specs.
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