The putter presents a greater variety of options than any other club in golf. From the long putter to standard length, center shafted and offset shafts, you can easily get lost in all the possibilities. The various shapes of putters, however, may serve as the most striking difference between makes and models. Find a shape that is pleasing to your eye, feels good through contact with comfortable weighting and it might end up being your new favorite club.
Blade Putters
The Golf Putter Guide website points out that blade putters most closely resemble the old, traditional style of putter that preceded the explosion of technological innovation in the game of golf. Blade putters feature weight distributed primarily in the heel -- the end of the putter face closest to the player -- and this helps in creating a simple, clean line along the length of the face that many longtime players prefer to the more complex putter heads of recent years
Cavity-Backed Putters
The innovations put forth by Karsten Solheim and his Ping putters included cavity-backed putter heads. Cavity-backed putters resemble blade putters, except that they have a hollow area in the middle of the back side of the putter face. The distribution of weight to the perimeter of the club helps maintain a balanced feel and larger sweet spot -- one of the qualities that set the initial Ping putters apart from the competition.
Mallet
Mallet putters were developed in response to players' desire for greater stability in the putter head through the entire swing. The larger head on a mallet putter -- the head often extends well back from the putter face, in a variety of shapes -- and lower center of gravity helps to keep the putter from twisting during the stroke, assuring a greater chance that players will keep the ball on the intended line.
Alignment Systems
While alignment systems on a putter can be as simple as a small notch that highlights the line on which the putter face is oriented, they can also involve much more complex visual elements, all designed to help the golfer accurately line up the shot. LearnAboutGolf.com points out that these systems include such things as golf ball-sized circles atop the putter head, designed to help players line up their ball with a striking and clear visual reference.
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