The honey-toned Queen B putter line oozes precision and craftsmanship.
Gear: Bettinardi Queen B 2025 Series Putters Price: $450 each Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel head with Mini Honeycomb™ face milling, Royal Rose PVD finish, 362-gram head weight Available: Nov. 29
Who it’s for: The Queen B 2025 series is designed for golfers who appreciate refined aesthetics and demand precision on the green.
What you should know: The Queen B line offers four head shapes that feature precise milling and classic design to give players tour levels of feel and control.
The deep dive: A year ago, Bettinardi released an updated version of the brand’s BB Series, giving the classic blades and midsize mallets a modern look thanks to a PVD finish. Those putters looked refreshed while retaining the classic Bettinardi feel that combines a solidness and softness at impact that golfers have loved for decades.
Now the Tinley Park, Illinois, putter maker is releasing an update to its Queen B family going back to Bettinardi’s roots.
The Royal Rose PVD finish gives the Queen B putters a copper-toned look. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
If you want the latest high-tech face inserts, the newest alignment aids or the hottest new design, look someplace else because the Queen B putters — three blades and a mallet — look as old school as golf gets.
Each Queen B starts as a solid block of 303 stainless steel because it is milled in Bettinardi’s own factory. The 2024 heads each weigh 362 grams, which is heavier than milled blades of the past, but the added material delivers solidness when you strike the ball and enhances stability through the stroke.
The Queen B putters all come with a Mini Honeycomb pattern on the hitting area. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The hitting area of the Queen B putters is covered by a Mini Honeycomb pattern that blends firmness and a responsive feel. Putts come off the face with a crispness you can feel in your hands, but they don’t sound clicky.
Each of the new Queen B putters comes with a Royal Rose PVD finish that glows with a honey-toned, copper-like shine.
Queen B #16– A traditional heel-toe weighted blade with a wider flange and a crowned topline.
Queen B #8 – Available with a mini plumber’s neck or as a center-shafted putter, the #8 has a compact, squared-off head, solid look and single white alignment line.
Queen B #7 – A classic, semi-circular compact mallet with a slant neck hosel and compact blade length.
Queen B #6 – A heel-toe weighted, wide-body design that blends blade-style and mallet-style looks into one design. Extended heel and toe areas boost stability.
Here are several images of the updated Bettinardi Queen B putters:
The boutique putter maker offers its first “zero torque” options.
Gear: Bettinardi Antidote Series putters Price: $430 each Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel head with 6061 aluminum Available: Nov. 29
Who It’s For: Golfers who struggle to start putts on their intended target line and players who struggle to square the face at impact.
What You Should Know: The Antidote putters are Bettinardi’s first “zero torque” putters and are designed to keep the face square to your stroke’s path and help golfers get putts started on their intended target line more easily.
The Deep Dive: You would be hard-pressed to find a golf equipment maker more associated with traditional clubs and designs than Bettinardi, the boutique putter maker based in Tinley Park, Illinois. For decades, the milled blades and mallets the company released have looked like they should be sold in jewelry stores, but putters like the BB Series and the Queen B series were made to be used and enjoyed. With the release of the two new Antidote putters, the SB1 blade and the SB2 mallet, Bettinardi joins a growing number of putter makers that now offer zero-torque putters.
The Bettinardi Antidote S1 putters have toe-up balance. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
Bettinardi refers to the balance and weighting of the Antidote putters as Simply Balanced. It works by inserting the shaft directly into the putter at the center of gravity (CG). This results in two things. First, instead of the putter being either face balanced or having toe hang, the toe of the Antidote putters goes up when you balance the club. The second, and more important feature, is the face is not weighted or balanced in a way that encourages it to either open or close as you make your stroke.
If you don’t manipulate your hands or wrists, the face of the putter should stay square to the path of your putting stroke, regardless of whether it is straight, has a slight arc, or makes a significant arc. For golfers who struggle to start putts on their intended line or who have trouble squaring the face consistently at impact, this zero-torque design could be helpful.
Both Antidote putters are center-shafted, and the shaft goes into the heads behind the face, creating reverse offset, or onset, which for some golfers can appear odd when they look down in the address position. A benefit of the onset design is golfers can see the ball very clearly when they set up to make a putt because there is no part of the shaft or hosel to obstruct the view.
The milled, grooved face is designed to amplify feel and precision. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
To shift weight and create the balance needed to produce a zero-torque design, Bettinardi used silver-toned 303 stainless steel in the front, heel and toe areas of the Antidote putters, but the blue portions of the heads are diamond-blasted finished 6061 aluminum. The aluminum weighs significantly less than the steel, so more weight could be shifted toward the face.
The grooves in the hitting area are designed to soften the feel of impact.
SB1 – This blade weighs 360 grams and comes standard with three degrees of loft and a 70-degree lie angle. Bettinardi designed it with a dark blue alignment line on the topline and another on the back flange to make aiming the face easier. A 400-gram counterbalanced version designed to help golfers quiet their hands and wrists during the stroke is also available.
SB2 – This square-shaped mallet weighs 360 grams and also comes standard with three degrees of loft and a 70-degree lie angle. It has a short blue alignment line on the topline and a pair of blue lines that extend back from the topline. The SB2 is also available in a 400-gram counterbalanced version.
Here are several close-up images of the Bettinardi Antidote putters:
Gear: Odyssey Ai-ONE Square 2 Square Putters Price:$299.99 each Specs: Center-shafted putters urethane insert, 3.3-degree forward press, and navy blue PVD finish. Available:Now (pre-order), Nov. 29 (in stores)
Who it’s for: The Ai-ONE Square 2 Square putters should appeal to golfers who want to minimize face rotation and increase their consistency on the greens.
What You Need to Know: This line extension blends a White Hot face insert that was developed using artificial intelligence, with toe-up weighting and balance intended to help golfers reduce face rotation during the stroke.
The deep dive: Odyssey released the first Ai-One putters in late 2023, promoting them as tools that could enhance a golfer’s distance control thanks to a White Hot face insert engineered with the help of artificial intelligence.The lineup expanded last month to include severalnew Ai-One and Ai-One Milled putters, including 2-Balls, Jailbirds and other midsize mallets.
Now, Odyssey is introducing the Ai-ONE Square 2 Square line and bringing the AI-designed face insert to a putter category that’s gaining a lot of attention — zero torque putters.
The shaft goes into the Ai-One Square 2 Square putters nearly on the center of gravity. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The new Ai-ONE Square 2 Square line includes two mallets, the Jailbird and #7, as well as a heel-toe weighted blade with an extended back flange that is called the Double Wide. All three putters have a center-shafted design, but instead of bringing the shaft into the topline, it connects well behind the face and a few millimeters toward the toe from the center of gravity (CG) location. As a result of that hosel location, if you hold the putters freely across your hands, the toe goes up and the face naturally points forward, toward your target.
Each Ai-ONE Square 2 Square putter is also designed with a 3.3-degree forward press, so the shaft leans toward your target when you address the ball.
The combination of the toe-up balance and forward press takes away the putter head’s bias to rotate closed on the backswing and rotate open on the downswing. So, the Ai-ONE Square 2 Square putters remain square to a golfer’s stroke path, regardless of whether that path is relatively straight, slightly arched, or strongly arched.
The Ai-One Square 2 Square putters work to keep the face square to your stroke’s path for enhanced consistency. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
Odyssey believes this combination of reduced torque (face rotation), the AI-designed White Hot insert, and the latest counterbalanced Stroke Lab shaft can help golfers produce a smoother stroke with a better tempo that naturally keeps the face square to the path, and that should help golfers hit better putts.
Odyssey is not claiming that this is the first or only zero-torque putter out there, but the Ai-One Square 2 Square putters conquer one of the challenges faced by club designers in this category: zero-torque putters often look very unconventional. The Ai-ONE Square 2 Square putters have classic head shapes that will be familiar to just about every golfer.
The Jailbird, originally released in 2014 and used by Wyndham Clark to win the 2023 U.S. Open, incorporates Odyssey’s signature Versa alignment stripes. The #7 is a fang-style mallet with dual white alignment lines that help frame the ball, making alignment more intuitive. The Double Wide completes the lineup as a modern, heel-toe weighted blade with a T-shaped white alignment aid.
Check out Golfweek’s list of the best putters available to purchase in 2024.
The big trend in drivers this season is adding stability and boosting the moment of inertia (MOI) so tee shots that you mis-hit fly straighter and farther. The big trend in putters in 2024 is similar — more forgiveness and stability.
Twenty years ago on the PGA Tour, most players used heel-to-toe weighted blades like the classic Ping Anser, Scotty Cameron Newport and Odyssey #1. Then, in the mid-2000s, the Odyssey 2-Ball putters exploded and mallets found their way into more and more bags on tour and in local clubs. Fast forward to the mid-2010s, and TaylorMade’s Spider Tour putter, a mid-size mallet with a high MOI but some toe-hang for golfers who have an arced stroke, takes the putting world by storm. Odyssey’s #7 and Scotty Cameron’s Futura X 5, with stability-boosting extensions in the heel and toe became more popular over the last decade too.
Plenty of golfers still love the look and feel of classic blades, but mallets, often made with multiple materials, are here to stay because they allow designers to shift weight into performance-enhancing areas and create bolder alignment features.
The best putter for you is waiting at your local shop, and after going through a putter fitting that includes discovering your idea putter length, lie angle, loft and balance, you will know exactly what it is. The putters listed below can give you a starting point to learn more about clubs you might want to try.
Note: Putters are often released on two-year product cycles, which means updates are released every two years. For that reason, you will see several 2023 offerings alongside new 2024 putters.
Bettinardi is showing that in a multilateral world, there is still plenty of room for time-honored designs.
Gear: Bettinardi Studio Stock Series putters (2023) Price: $450 each Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel with grooved faces. Available: February 7 (pre-order), April (in-stores)
Who It’s For: Golfers who want an unfiltered feel at impact and a classic look in the address position.
The Skinny: Each of the updated Studio Stock Series putters has a traditional shape and is made using a sophisticated milling process to ensure precision and consistency.
The Deep Dive: Over the 25 years that Bob Bettinardi has been designing and making putters, trends and come and gone. His creations have always been customizable, and he is willing to try new things, like crafting some of the first-ever arm-lock putters in partnership with Matt Kuchar. However, Bettinardi built his Chicago-base business on the classics, traditional-looking blades and mallets that deliver the highest-quality of materials and manufacturing.
With the release of the newest Studio Stock Series putters, Bettinardi is showing that in a multilateral world, there is still plenty of room for time-honored designs.
Inspired by feedback from PGA Tour players like 2022 U.S. Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick, the Studio Stock Series putters for 2023 are each milled from a solid block of 303 stainless steel for a soft feel. That means a computer guides a high-spinning metal bit back and forth over the steel, shaving off tiny ribbons of material until the final shape is produced.
The Studio Stock Series putters also each have Bettinardi’s Roll Control grooved face pattern which encourages the ball to start rolling instead of skidding after impact for better distance control and consistency.
To reduce glare, the Studio Stock Series putters have been given a Diamond Blast finish that softens finish.
Below you can see the new SS9 Plumber’s neck, SS9 Spud neck, SS14, SS16, & SS35.
There are three notable changes in the new BB Series.
Gear: Bettinardi BB Series (2022) Price: $430 each Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel with PVD finish Available: March, 2022
Over time, some brands become synonymous with certain types of products. For example, if someone says, “Ferrari,” your mind immediately envisions a cherry red Italian sport can that is not only beautiful to look at but also mind-scramblingly fast.
Say the word “Bettinardi” to golf and images of high-quality milled putters appear. Yes, Bettinradi does high-MOI mallets and multi-material putters, but the company made its mark will milled offers that magnify feel and touch on the greens. They are not only coveted by recreational players, but that also win at the highest level. Jason Kokrak has used a Bettinardi to win three PGA Tour events times over the last year, most recently at the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open in early November.
Now for 2022, Bettinardi is releasing an updated version of one of its most popular putter families, the BB Series.
If you are looking for space-age designs and innovative shapes, you will not find them here. The BB Series is about timeless putter designs that instill confidence to help golfers produce a better roll on the greens.
At the same time, there are three notable changes in the new BB Series. First, Bettinardi has historically made BB Series putters using carbon steel, but this time the four models are milled from a block of 303 stainless steel.
Second, Bettinardi aficionados will notice is that instead of chrome or a silver-toned finish, the 2022 BB Series has been given a dark physical vapor deposition (PVD) finish. The advantage it offers is that it reduces glare and does not corrode after being exposed to water and the elements. According to Bettinardi, it should last for the life of the putter.
Finally, the milling pattern on the face of each BB Series putter has been modified to enhance sound and the feel at impact.
Bettinardi BB-1F putter (Bettinardi)
Each of the four BB Series putters comes standard with 3 degrees of loft, a 70-degree lie able and can be purchased in lengths from 32 inches to 36 inches. Each also weighs 350 grams.
The BB-1 is a classic heel-toe weighted blade with a plumber’s neck and a single white alignment line. It has some toe hang, so it should perform well for players who have an arched putting stroke. The BB1 F has the same head shape, but it has been designed with a flow neck that gently curves into the head. The BB-1F has more toe hang, so golfers who make a pronounced arc in their putting stroke may prefer it over the BB-1.
Bettinardi BB-8W putter (Bettinardi)
The BB-8W is very similar in shape to the BB-1 putters, but its bumpers are more angular, it has a slightly-shorter blade length and the back flange is wider, so from face to back the putter is larger.
Bettinardi BB-46 putter. (Bettinardi)
Finally, the BB-46 is a semi-circular compact mallet. It has a single white alignment line, a slightly thicker topline and is face balanced, so it should be ideally suited for golfers who have a straight backswing and through swing.
With the release of the new Studio Series, Queen B and Inovai putters, Bettinardi offers a variety of looks and technologies.
In August, Jim Herman needed a big weekend at Sedgefield Country Club to get himself into the 2020 FedEx Cup Playoffs. Thanks to a red-hot putter, the former University of Cincinnati standout shot 61-63 to win the Wyndham Championship and vaulted up 138 spots to easily qualify for the following week’s Northern Trust.
The putter he used that week in North Carolina was a Bettinardi Inovai 5.0 Tour, a uniquely-shaped mallet with a grooved hitting area. Now the Chicago-based company has released updates to three of its putter lines to provide golfers with a wide variety of shapes and styles that can help you perform better on the greens.
Jim Herman won his third PGA Tour event using a mixture of clubs from four different manufacturers. See all the golf equipment he played.
A complete list of the golf equipment that Jim Herman used to win the PGA Tour’s 2020 Wyndham Championship:
DRIVER:TaylorMade SIM (10.5 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD DI-7 X shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS:TaylorMade M6 (15 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD DI-8 X shaft; TaylorMade M4 (21 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD DI-8 X shaft
