The Putting Lab

Science-backed insights, equipment guides, and putting performance data.

Four types of putter balance compared: toe hang, face balanced, zero torque / toe up and Reverse Face Balanced
How Many Types of Putter Balance Are There?
Quick Answer. There are four types of putter balance: face balanced, toe hang, zero torque (also called toe up), and Reverse Face Balanced® (also called face down). Each type is... Read more...
Incred Reverse Face Balanced putter and a traditional face-balanced putter, each balanced on a finger
What Does Face Balanced Mean in a Putter?
Quick Answer. A face-balanced putter is one whose face points directly up at the sky when you balance the shaft horizontally on a finger. This happens because the center of... Read more...
Diagram of the forward center-of-gravity hammer effect through approach, impact and release
What Is the Hammer Effect in Putting?
Quick Answer. The hammer effect describes the way a putter behaves when its center of gravity sits forward of the shaft, in the same geometric relationship as the head of... Read more...
Diagram showing how high MOI preserves ball speed and face angle on heel, center and toe strikes
How Does Putter Forgiveness Work?
Quick Answer. Putter forgiveness is the degree to which a putter holds its line, distance, and roll quality when the ball is struck off the center of the face. A... Read more...
Custom putter build bench with shafts, weights, loft and lie tools
Custom Putters: Is a Custom-Built Putter Worth the Money?
A custom-built putter is worth the money if — and only if — the customization addresses variables that affect your putting performance. The question is not whether custom is "better."... Read more...
Face balanced, toe hang and zero torque putters compared side by side
Face Balanced vs Toe Hang vs Zero Torque: The Complete Guide to Putter Balance
Putter balance is the single most misunderstood concept in putter fitting. It determines how the putter behaves during your stroke, how the face returns to square at impact, and how... Read more...
Mallet vs Blade Putter: Which Is Right for Your Stroke?
Choosing between a mallet and a blade putter is one of the most important equipment decisions in golf. It affects your alignment, your forgiveness on mishits, your feel at impact, and ultimately how many putts you make per round. Yet most golfers pick a putter based on looks alone. This guide breaks down the real engineering differences between mallet and blade putters, explains how stroke type determines which design suits you, and introduces a newer category that combines the best characteristics of both. QUICK ANSWER Mallets are more forgiving and... Read more...
Golfer being fitted for a putter while a fitter measures lie angle in a fitting studio
What Is Putter Fitting? The Complete Guide to Getting Fit for a Putter
A putter fitting is a structured session where a trained fitter measures your stroke characteristics, body dimensions, and preferences to match you with a putter that works with your natural... Read more...
Best Putters 2026 — comprehensive guide featuring the most forgiving putters tested
Best Putters 2026: 9 Putters Tested and Compared
9 putters compared across every category and price point. Independent robotic testing data, real performance numbers, no fluff. The definitive 2026 putter guide. Read more...
Incred Golf RFB Black Mallet Putter at address — Best Putters for Beginners 2025
Best Putters for Beginners & High Handicappers 2026
The 7 best putters for beginners in 2025 — tested and compared. From zero-torque designs to the most forgiving putter ever built, find the right flat stick for your game. Read more...