Zero-Torque vs. Mallet vs. Blade: What 50,000 Putts Revealed Is Hard To Ignore

The zero-torque putter results are what I’ve been waiting for. Now that we have all three datasets—blade, mallet, zero-torque—we can start to answer some questions about where the differences show up. You do not have to dig very deep into this data to find some pretty interesting things.

Here’s everything you need to know

We tested 26 zero-torque putters, 29 mallets and 24 blades. 79 putters total. More than 50,000 putts. Remember that a more negative PuttView handicap is a good thing.

Average the PuttView handicap score across every zero-torque putter in the test and the number is -6.29.

The average mallet finished at -3.99.

The average blade finished at -2.65.

Only one putter in the entire field of 53 conventional putters scored as well as the zero-torque average.

The gap is biggest where it hurts most

At 20 feet, the three categories are closer than you might expect. Zero torque averaged -8.44, mallets -7.54, blades -6.64. There is a gap but it is not the story. The story is at 12 feet.

The only positive number in that entire chart belongs to blades at medium distance.

A positive PuttView handicap means the category performed worse than the PuttView baseline for that distance. Zero-torque averaged -3.30 at the same distance. That is nearly a five-stroke gap for a medium-length putt.

The one putter that came closest

Fifty-three putters went up against a zero-torque category average of -6.29. The Bettinardi BB 6.0 finished at -6.30. Every other mallet and every blade in the test fell short.

The Bettinardi B 6.0 is the best overall mallet and the only putter to beat the average score for a zero-torque putter. Its strength is in short and long putts and its weakest performance is from medium distance.

When the best of each category go head to head

The top zero-torque putter in the field was the Odyssey Ai-Dual S2S #7 at -8.1. The best mallet was the Bettinardi BB 6.0 at -6.3. The best blade was the Mizuno M.Craft Osaka at -5.5.

Even at the very top of each category, the gap is still there. The Odyssey leads in short and medium putts but the Bettinardi takes first for long putts.

Final thoughts

None of this means you have to run out and buy a new putter. But if you have been playing the same blade for years and wondering why your putting never gets better, the data is worth paying attention to. For a complete look at all the results from our 2026 Most Wanted putter tests, check them out here.

Best Blade Putters 2026

Best Mallet Putters 2026

Best Zero Torque Putters 2026

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