With no club in the bag does a golfer have more choices than he (or she) does with the putter.  Pretty much every major manufacturer produces a line of putters.  There are countless specialty companies as well.  And then, of course, there is the little guy who is hoping to score the next big thing with the putter he created in his basement workshop.  Whether you’re looking for a traditional blade, a mallet, or something totally unique, you’re going to find literally hundreds of options.  Narrowing this list down to a handful or two was no easy task.

As I did with my apparel section, I’ve decided to steal some attention away from the big name club manufacturers.  The rule for this year’s guide is this:  If you make a driver, I’m going to pretend you don’t make a putter.  So while I would have liked to include the latest from Scotty Cameron, the new Ping iWi series, the very reasonably priced Cleveland Classic series, or two new offerings in Mizuno’s Bettinardi Black Carbon series (my personal favorite), I’m going to focus the whole of my attention on the guys that make putters, and not much else.

Axis1 Eagle

The Eagle from Axis1 is without a doubt the most unconventionally shaped putter I’ve come across this year (and in the putter world, that’s really saying something).  Unlike just about every putter I’ve seen in my life, the Eagle places extensive heel weight forward of the face.  This design is said to place the center of gravity exactly on the sweet spot of the face, and in line with the axis of the shaft.

So why does this matter?  Axis1 inventor, Luis Pedraza discovered that, in conventional designs, where the center of gravity is behind the access of the shaft, the clubhead has a tendency to rotate open – I actually tested this out with a couple of my putters, and it turns out to be true.  This means that in addition to trying to swing the club in a straight line, the golfer also has to compensate for natural rotation of the clubhead.  By placing the center of gravity in-line with the shaft, Mr. Pedraza was able to create a perfectly balanced club with true pendulum swing characteristics.

The Axis1 Eagle is made from 304 stainless steel.  It features a copper insert for soft feel, and a stainless steel counterweight screw for final balance calibration.  The Axis1 Eagle  putter is available in lengths of 33″, 34″, and 35″.  Retail price is $299.  More information is available at www.axis1golf.com.

Rife

Fairly well known within golf circles, Rife has been churning out great putters for a few years now.  Perhaps most famous for its adjustable weight, two bar alignment system, Rife has branched out (and quite successfully I might add), into what you might call more conventional designs.

The Two Bar series has been joined by the Ian Baker Finch inspired IBF Tour series.  The IBF lineup includes two blades and a mallet (the first Rife to feature 3 alignment lines).  Milled from either 303 or 304 stainless steel, two models feature a sleek, non-glare, satin black finish.  Retail price for the IBF series is $179.80 for the Aussie Silver Blade, and $189.80 for the Aussie Black blade and Aussie Mallet.

The Island series, which debuted in 2007 features more traditional shapes, and none of Rife’s popular two bar alignment lines.  Each putter is named after a Caribbean Island and features a brightly colored grip to complete the island theme.

My personal favorite in the Island series (in the entire Rife series, actually) is the Bimini blade.  Milled from 304 stainless steel, the Bimini is Rife’s take on the classic Wilson 8802.  Unlike the original, it features a raised tow and no vertical alignment notch.  It’s a very streamlined putter with no doubt massive appeal among traditionalists.  Retail price for the Bimini blade is $149.80.

In my opinion what makes Rife putters well worth a look is their RollGroove Technology.  The precisely milled and spaced grooves of Rife putters hold and then release the ball into an immediate forward roll.  The design eliminates the bouncing, skidding, and skipping common to many putters.  Because the Rife doesn’t need to rely on loft to help get the ball moving, the ball is released off the face without any backspin whatsoever.  Having tested a number of Rife putters what I really like is how incredibly soft they feel.  Looking at the grooves, it’s hard to imagine, but Rife putters offer the buttery soft feel that I personally demand from a putter.

More information about the entire Rife lineup, as well as more details about Rife technology is available at www.rifeputters.com.

Yes!

Very similar in performance (at least in my opinion) to Rife’s RollGove Technology is Yes! putter’s C-Groove technology.  As with Rife’s technology, Yes! relies on their patented grooves to lift the ball out of its resting place and get it rolling without any backspin or skipping.  The sooner the ball achieves forward roll, the more accurate its line will be.

For ’09 Yes! has created 10 new models which range from very traditional blade designs to the ultra-modern Madisson mallet.  Once upon a time I would have been all over something their new Madisson, but over the past couple of years I’ve become more of a blade guy.  As a both a blade guy, and a guy who likes to tinker with his golf clubs, I’m really excited about the new Tracy III Plus featuring the company’s new interchangeable screw-in hosel system.  The precision milled head of the Tracy III blade can accommodate 1 of 4 screw-in hosels.

Putters are distinctly personal instruments, which is why Yes! created the new interchangeable system which allows golfers to find the absolutely perfect combination of shaft and head.  While the popular plumber neck is standard, it can be swapped out for a slant-neck, a Z-bend or pronounced heal to to hang hosel.  Each hosel includes the shaft and grip as well.  The system is designed to fit the eye and stroke of golfers of all ability levels.  The additional hosels will be available for around $100.

Heel to toe weighted by design, the Tracy III Plus is milled from soft, 303 steel, and of course, features C-Grooves for a smooth roll with none of that annoying bouncing and hopping.  For those interested in interchangeable hosel technology, but who prefer a mallet style putter, the 345 gram Yes! Lizzy Plus might just fit the bill.

For those looking for traditional blade with a fixed hosel, I suggest taking a gander at the Callie-fc.  The new Callie  is toe-weighted, cavity back, and forged from a single block of 1035 carbon steel.  It features a plumbers neck attached to a straight black steel shaft  The ultimate blend of the traditional with cutting edge technology, the Callie, like all Yes! putters, has the C-Groove thing going on.

The Yes! Tracy III Plus retails for $360.  Other putters in the Yes! lineup range between $150 and $360.  More information is available from www.yesgolf.com

Heavy Putter Mid-Weight Series

For 2009, Heavy Putter, most known for its sledgehammer weighted putters (I mean that in a good way), has trimmed down a bit for the golfer not ready to go full heavy.  Putters in the new Mid-Weight series, which includes 3 blades and 2 mallets, weigh in at 750 grams.  While that may be considerably lighter than the 900 gram models we’re used to seeing, it’s still a full 250 grams heavier than the average putter on the market today.  In some early testing, the company discovered that 7 of 10 golfers prefer the mid-weight series.

The Heavy Putter design incorporates a counter-weight in the butt end of the shaft which helps the golfer take his hands out of the putter stroke, which produces a smoother more consistent pendulum stroke.  Having tested Heavy Putters on several occasions I can tell you that the initially the mass of the club feels strange, but after a few strokes I stopped noticing the weight, and started noticing how smooth and effortless my putting stroke had become.

Given what I’ve said about being a blade guy, it should come as no surprise that I’m partially to the new K4.  Putters in the new Mid-Weight series are available in either Silver-Satin or the black PVD finish.  Retail price is $169.

More information is available from www.heavyputter.com

Scratch Golf

Originally, I was going to leave out any company that made any golf club other than a putter, but then I found out that one of my favorite wedge companies would be releasing their first ever series of putters, and so I had to change the rules a bit.

While details are still a bit sketchy, what I do know is that Scratch Golf has announced they’ll begin shipping putters in March.  Scratch putters will be hand numbered and limited to an initial run of 100 units.  There will be two styles to choose from; a traditional blade and a mallet.  The shapes themselves were inspired by Scratch’s Tour Professionals.

The new Scratch putters will be milled from 303 stainless steel, so just like Scratch wedges, you can expect a buttery soft feel.  Retail price for the new putters will be $249.  Look for more information at www.scratchgolf.com.

Goode Putters

A name you may not be familiar with, Goode takes a completely custom approach to putter design.  The Goode lineup features 3 distinct heads available in either black carbon or stainless steel finishes.  Both are CNC milled, and feature heel and toe weighting for higher MOI.  The heads themselves have 0 of loft, which as we’ve seen with some of the other putters on this list, is all about getting the ball rolling without any unnecessary bouncing and skipping.

What’s really cool about Goode putters is the amount of customization available.  It starts with a DOE (dominant eye offset) fitting to help determine which of the 3 available offsets is right for you.  The fitting is done with the help of an online chart.  The process is simple, quick, and completely painless.  A 2nd chart helps you determine the appropriate length of your putter based on your height and individual putting style.  Goode putters are available in lengths ranging from 29.25″ to 36″.  The lie angle can be adjusted from 68 – 72.

What’s truly unique about Goode putters is that the heads and hosels are completely interchangeable, which means you can buy several heads and change them out depending on how you happen to be putting, or whenever whimsy strikes.

Retail price for Goode putters is $199 for the Black Carbon finish and $249 for the Stainless Steel.  I’m partial to the Black Carbon myself.

More information is available at www.goodeputter.com.

Gel Golf

Gel Golf is yet another putter company that puts the emphasis on getting the ball rolling smoothly as quickly as possible after impact.  The company’s robotic testing has shown that Gel grooves outperform (at least in terms of initial roll), putters from companies like TaylorMade, Ping, Odyssey, Scotty Cameron, and others.  The Gel lineup features a selection of toe, face, and center balanced putters in blade (love the Ruby model), mallet, and what I’ll call futuristic styles.  The men’s lineup (women’s lineup also available) is milled from 420 stainless steel and features a plated black QPQP finish

Unlike other companies whose grooves are milled directly into the face, Gel utilizes an insert.  Inserts aren’t uncommon and have been used in putters by Nike, TaylorMade, Odyssey, and countless others.  What I find interesting about Gel’s insert, however, is that while most inserts are plastic-based, Gel’s inserts are CNC milled from aluminum.  Having not had the opportunity to test a Gel putter, I can’t say what the effect on feel is, but it’s definitely a unique approach.

Gel Putters retail for between $165 and $299 depending on series and model.  More information is available at www.gelgolf.com.

Musty Putters

Started by David Musty and his wife Jeanne, Musty putters creates custom fit, hand-crafted wooden putters.  Their collection of perfectly balanced putters provide, like others on this list, instantaneous forward roll.  Musty wooden putters also feature an enlarged sweet spot and alignment lines for accuracy.

Musty putters are available in both RH & LH models.  There are 6 distinct head shapes, and 6 exotic woods to choose from.  Custom engraving is available, as are custom inlays, tips, and face plates.  While it’s hard to imagine actually using such a beautiful hand-crafted work of art on the golf course, each Musty putter is custom fit to its owner.  It practically goes without saying that a Musty Putter would make a great gift for the golf lover in your life.

Pricing for Musty Putters starts at $250.  More information is available at www.mustyputters.com.

Hockey Stick Putters

Although the name and design conjures images of Happy Gilmore, I can assure you, the Hockey Stick Putter is no joke.  Designed by former USA hockey under 17 team member, David Graham, the Hockey Stick Putter is precision weighted and is absolutely designed for use on the golf course.

Features include a compression molded graphite handle, a cast aluminum head (with alignment line), moisture-proof grip, and included head cover.  The Hockey Stick putter is available in the standard “Sniper” model.  A few college teams are available too.  Cooler still, the Hockey Stick Putter is available skinned for any of the 30 NHL teams.  It’s the idea putter for the hockey fan forced to toil the off-season away on the golf course.

Retail price for the Sniper model is $105.  NCAA and NHL models retail for $115.  More information is available from www.hockeystickputters.com.