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RankingsBest Putters 2026Three picks, chosen from the holing index by distance and price
Updated: Oct 1, 2026Contains affiliate links
The putter that holed the most in testing was not the most expensive one. A ¥60,000 putter was 1st, and one that costs about ¥130,000 was 12th.
This article is my ranking of the best putters for 2026. As a nerd who studies golf gear, I lined up the numbers for holing from short, medium and long range alongside the price, and picked three. Where a club is good, I praise it without holding back. Where it is so-so, I say so-so.
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 SquareRakuten / Yahoo! search results
Ad: Links go to search results on Rakuten Ichiba and Yahoo! Shopping Japan. Check price, stock and specs on the product page.
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
- 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 (incl. tax) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| No. 2 | Scotty Cameron Phantom (9.2R) | Mallet | −4.8 (9th of 29 models) | −4.3 / 0.0 / −10.6 | ¥82,500 |
| No. 3 | 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. |
| No. 2 | 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. |
| No. 3 | 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?
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)
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
Are Zero-Torque Putters Actually Good? | Your Misses Tell You If You Need One
Missing Short Putts | What Grip Thickness Can and Can't Fix
New Putters 2026: A Gear Nerd's Top Pick Isn't Zero Torque