Disc golf has been an official sport for nearly half a century, but it has seen more growth in the last year than the first three decades combined. Disc golf is a game that you can play professionally, or simply play occasional recreational rounds with your buddies. Regardless of how you play it, it is crucial that you have the best disc golf putter for you. A common disc golf expression is, “drive for show, putt for dough.”
The number one way to improve your disc golf score is by improving your putting. More strokes can be saved on the putting green than by any other aspect of the game. An excellent way to improve you is to find the best disc golf putter for you.
Best Disc Golf Putter Reviews
Finding a putter is pretty easy; finding the best one, however, needs a bit of research. There are a lot of different putters on the market and I hope my list of the best products available, along with a thorough buying guide will help you in narrowing down your search.
In addition to their primary use of smashing chains in the basket, disc golf putters can be used for a variety of different shots. In this article we will discuss a number of top putters and will include recommendations for their primary uses for putting, approach shots, and short distance drives.
2022 Putter Comparison Table
| Grip | Bead | Best Choice For | |
| Divergent Discs Nuno | 5/5 | No bead | Putting and Approach |
| Viking Discs Rune | 4/5 | Has bead | Putting and Approach |
| Infinite Discs Alpaca | 3.5/5 | No bead | Putting and Driving |
| Yikun Xing | 4/5 | Has bead | Low Cost – Practice Putting |
| Discraft Banger GT Putter | 5/5 | No bead | Approach Shots |
| Innova Aviar Putt and Approach | 3/5 | No bead | Long glidey putts |
| Innova Nova | 3.5/5 | No bead | Straight Flying approach |
1. Divergent Discs Nuno
Divergent Discs is a disc golf brand designed specifically for beginners and recreational players, but don’t let the Nuno fool you. This is a disc golf putter that will work for players of any ability. I have been playing the game for more than a decade now, have literally tried hundreds of different putters, and this is currently my FAVORITE. There are so many things to like about the Nuno.
The first thing I like about the Nuno, and likely the reason that I am able to make so many additional putts with it is the superior grip. This is one of the most grippy disc golf blends I have ever felt. I’d say only Kastaplast K1 plastic is more grippy than Divergent Max Grip. This excellent grip makes it easier to get spin with less effort. The Nuno glides very well and I feel that it requires less effort to go far which leads to more accuracy.
With the Nuno I can use the same motion on a 25 foot putt that I’d use with another putter for a 20 foot putt. This provides me with effortless accuracy and when it comes to putting, confidence is key. This ability of easy distance with less effort also allows me to hit a higher percentage of long putts. My accurate range is extended and as result my disc golf round scores go down.
Another great thing about the Nuno is that the high plastic quality of Max Grip makes it a good choice for both throwing and putting. Normally I use a base plastic disc for putting and premium plastic discs for driving and approach shots. Because this plastic is so good it can be used for both.
As a throwing putter the Nuno is ideal. It has a very straight flight path with almost no end of flight fade. Players of all skill level can throw this disc and it is excellent for one disc only rounds. The Nuno will hold any fly angle it is placed on. Throw it flat and watch it go straight. Put it on an outside in hyzer angle and the disc will curve to the left around obstacles. Throw it inside out on an anhyzer angle and the Nuno holds true.
The Nuno is a beadless putter. It is similar in feel to the Rune mentioned in the next review, but without a rounded bump on the bottom of the bottom rim. This is a very comfortable feeling disc with a great feel.
Perhaps the best thing about the Nuno is its affordable price. Despite the fact that it is in a premium TPU plastic, it is still one of the most affordable putters in all of disc golf. You can save even more money, by purchasing it as part of a 10 pack bulk set.
PROS
- Superior Grip
- Great Feel
- Consistent Flight
- Works well for putting and throwing
- Ultra affordable for superior plastic
- Available in Putter Packs
- Perfect for players of all skill level
CONS
- Some might not be a fan of the bearded man artwork.
2. Viking Discs Rune
For as inexpensive as it is, ground plastic is quite sturdy and durable when used on a blunt putter. This leads to many excellent rounds of disc golf. You do not have to worry about the putter becoming unusable in the rain as it is plenty sticky in all conditions. So, no more worrying about the grip of the putter in bad weather. The low price of the ground Rune also allows you to purchase multiple identical discs to help you really hone in your practice repetitions. From Infinite, the Rune is sometimes sold as putter packs. If you see a putter pack available buy it immediately before they are sold out as this is the least expensive way to get multiple identical practice putters.
Coming to the features of this putter, it is 21.2cm in diameter, rim depth- 1.5cm, rim width- 1.1cm and height- 2cm. The weight is usually between 170 and 175 g.
In addition to it’s superb feel as a putting putter, the Rune is also excellent for approach shots. Viking Discs lists it with a speed of 2, glide 4, turn-0 and fade of 0. I would give it a fade rating of 1 as it does have a slight fade as the disc slows down. The Rune will flies straight without compromising accuracy and handles wind conditions moderately well.
Bottom line- The Rune is excellent for players of all skill levels. When it comes to value, you cannot beat the Rune as the best all purpose putter on the market.
PROS
- Incredible Feel
- Great Flight
- Ultra affordable for superior plastic
- Often available in Putter Packs
- A perfect disc for both experts and beginners
CONS
- Color options are usually very limited
3. Infinite Discs Alpaca
The Infinite Discs Alpaca is the hottest selling putter of 2021. This putt and approach disc is well known for its utility as both a putting and driving putter.
The Alpaca is a beadless deep rim putter with a comfortable moderate dome. The top flight plate after the curvature is quite flat. This disc has a remarkable stable flight, even when thrown full power by professional disc golfers.
This disc is very similar to the hard to get Discmania P2. Many P2 fans, including professional disc golfer Kona Panis, have switched from the P2 to the Alpaca.
One of the best things about the Infinite Discs Alpaca is the creative artwork on each disc. Every Alpaca run features a different, sometimes hysterical image of an Alpaca.
The Alpaca is available in a variety of different plastic blends to meet all preference. My personal favorite is the P-Blend Alpaca.
If you’re looking for a beadless, solid all purpose putt and approach disc, try the Alpaca today.
PROS
- Good for putting and approach shots
- Excellent feel
- It flies straight
- Wind-resistant and can tolerate strong winds
- Good for all skill levels
CONS
- Hot runs sell quickly and are hard to get
4. Yikun XING
The Yikun Xing is just a fantastic beaded putter. It is similar to the Viking Discs Rune but is a little bit deeper disc and is available at an even more affordable price. It is almost identical to the Latitude 64 Dagger used by World Champion Ricky Wysocki.
While there are many good disc golf putters out there, the Xing makes our top putters list because it is not only a great disc, but it is literally the cheapest quality disc golf putter on the market, especially when you buy it as part of a putter pack.
The Xing is a deep putter with good glide. It works well for both nose down and nose up push putts as well as spin putts.
For throwing and approach shots, the Xing has a straight stable flight. With a level release, this disc will glide roght towards the intended target.
If you like value, cheap discs, and high performance, consider the all new Yikun Xing putt and approach disc.
PROS
- Most affordable quality disc golf putter
- It is highly accurate
- Nice deep dish good for spin and push putts.
CONS
- Rim is a little deep for small hands
- Made in China
5. Discraft Banger GT Putter
It is a slightly over stable putt and an approach disc which has a stability rating of 1.0.
The best discraft putter is an amazing disc for forehand and backhand shots. The best part is that it is over stable, which makes the disc tolerant to headwinds. Players who putt on a hyzer usually prefer this putter.
Another thing that I really like about this golf disc is that it will not turn over when you are throwing long approaches. It will not skip on fast greens as well. GT stands for Groove Top and if you tuck your thumb in the putter you will be able to feel the Groove Top. I cannot stress enough on the fact that it delivers consistent releases.
The material of the jawbreaker plastic is durable and super tacky which offers medium stiffness. This makes it great for approach discs and disc golf putters. The plastic is beautiful and has a marble texture to it, and comes in various pastel colors. But, what is more important than the color choices is the feel of the material. It has a superior grip and it offers a touch more glide which is excellent for putting.
Talking about color and weight availability, it might not be available in all colors. Similarly, each weight range might not be available in all colors.
PROS
- It delivers consistent releases
- It offers perfect stability
- Comes in varying colors
- Jawbreaker plastic adds to grip and reliability
CONS
- Weight and color range availability can be a problem
6. Innova Aviar Putt and Approach Disc Golf Putter
The Aviar is available in a variety of plastics. The DX Plastic is very affordable and has a good feel for putting. When a DX Aviar gets beat in, it flys perfectly straight and will curve in any direction you want based on the angle of your release. Because of it’s popularity, the Aviar is available in half a dozen different plastic types.
Let’s talk about the flight ratings now. The Aviar has official flight ratings with a speed of 2.0, glide 3.0, turn 0 and fade of 1.0. As you can see the speed rating, it makes the disc ideal for putter. After DX plastic Aviars get a little wear and tear behind them their flight rating becomes a true straight flying 2/3/0/1. The Aviar is an excellent putter for the Ultimate player transitioning to disc golf.
PROS
- It is a professional disc
- It is made from high-quality plastic
- It provides high speed
- Available in different colors
CONS
- Not an ideal choice for beginners
- Can become less stable over time
7. Innova XT Nova
The technique used in making Innova XT putters is quite advanced and the flight plate is made from a firm XT material. This XT material is fused to a putter plastic rim on the outside to enable smooth grip.
If you ask me the benefit of this soft rim, I would say that it will help in the straight landing of the putter and you can also make powerful throws.
The outer rim is meant to grab the chain. This combination of soft and grippy plastic offers the best of both the worlds- first is offers stability even at high speed and second is minimal fading out at slow speeds.
What else would you want in a disc? Another feature that makes this putter unique is the slits which are positioned alongside the outer rim. Like most other Innova discs, you will find various colors for this one as well. This gives you the chance to select a color of your choice that you would think will be more visible during long approaches.
Who can use this putter? Anyone who is looking for a putter for technical approaches, no skip stops and accurate upshots can get their hands on this golf disc. The weight of the putter is somewhere around 165 to 175g.
PROS
- The disc is made from XT material
- It grips the basket
- It offers stability
CONS
- It can get scratched easily
How to Choose The Disc Golf Putter?
With so many disc golf putters available in the market, selecting the right one is bound to feel a bit overwhelming. Having said that factor, it is also true that you will be basically playing at a disadvantage without the right putter with you. Don’t worry as my buying guide will make it a lot easy for you.
Check the weight
When it comes to drivers, light weight is usually best for newer players, but when it comes to putters, heavier usually work just as well for all skill levels. When selecting your putter, it is important for you to consider the wind, and light weight putters are much less efficient when a strong gust of wind hits. Heavy putters can tolerate breezes without changing their course while light ones are affected by the wind easily. Light weight putters are more likely to turn right while the heavy ones stay straight or fade to the right for a right handed disc golfer.
For children, light weight putters are often recommended for safety reasons. Kids aren’t always the best at following course etiquette and waiting their turn to throw, and it is a lot less painful to get beaned in the back of the head by a 130g putter than a 175g putter.
Check the type of plastic
The type of plastic used when molding putters affects the weight, the grip, and how well the disc withstands wear and tear. There are four main kinds of plastics used to make putters, and, they are as follows:
Basic plastic: Putters made from basic plastic are the cheapest of the lot. These offer a good grip but the performance and grip tends to change over time due to nicks and scratches changing the shape of the disc over time. Base plastic is adequate for short distance putts and soft approach shots, but not a blend you generally want to use for driving. The nice thing about using base plastic putters is that the low cost allows you to get many discs to enhance your backyard practice efforts.
Middle grade plastic: Middle grade plastic is very popular in putters. The materials used here are similar to basic plastic, but they usually provide a little bit better dip and durability. Because of the premium additives added to these blends, the cost is higher than the base plastics. Mid grade plastic discs are vulnerable to nicks and scratches like basic plastic, but you get a more premium feel. Mid grade plastic blends are most popular among intermediate disc golfers.
Ultra durable plastic: High quality polymers makes ultra durable plastics that are more expensive than the base and mid grade blends. However, durable blends are generally smoother and harder. Putters in a durable grade do not grip to the chains quite as well as those in the mid grade plastics. The advantage of the durable blends is that because the plastic is quite hard, they do not bow down under abuse. If you find a putter you really like throwing for straight drives in the woods, you’ll likely want to find it in a durable plastic blend.
Premium Plastic: Putters made from premium plastic are the most expensive but you get everything from performance, control, grip, to durability in it. Premium plastics generally don’t have quite as much tackiness as a mid grade putter, and because of their increased cost, are generally not as popular or as often used.
Know flight path rating
Innova has devised a system to rate the flight plan of the putters and many other brands follow this system. Keep in mind that these ratings are not a guarantee that the putters will perform exactly as it is supposed to. It tells you what the putters are capable of and the rest depends on your technique and skills. According to the Innova flight plan, flight path has four categories:
Speed: It measures how fast you need to throw the putter for it to perform as intended. Putters usually have a speed rating from one to three.
Glide: It refers to how long a putter can stay in the air and a higher number means that it goes a longer distance. A putter with a three rating for glide is good enough.
Turn: It measures how much the disc curves after leaving your hand. Most putters are available in the range of -3 to 1.
Fade: It refers to how the putter behaves at the end of its flight, when it has the slowest speed. Putters have the fading range from zero to three. Because of the shape of the putter, putters do not fade nearly as much as a disc golf driver.
There are basically two main kinds of putters out there and the following is a brief overview about the specifications of choosing from each type.
How to choose disc golf putting putter?
Putting putters have the slowest and shortest flight, which makes them ideal for making the shots to the basket and getting the points. These are also useful for controlled and short upshots that are within fifty meters of the target. The disc should get released from your hand easily.
Choosing a putting putter is really personal and you need to hold the putting putter in your hand to understand the shape, the plastic, the size, and the firmness. Take your time in inspecting it because the putting putter is, after all, going to be the most used one in your bag. Get the putter only when you are comfortable with the grip and release. Here is most important thing that you need to consider when choosing putting putter.
Putting styles
There are four basic putting styles and they are Turbo putt, Spin putt, Straddle putt, and Push putt. You can use separate putting putters for mastering each kind of putting styles. However, once you get a putting putter that you are comfortable with, make sure that you stick to it because you can easily use it for all putting styles.
Chain contact
Chain contact refers to the way the putters hit the chain and holds on to it. You want putters to make chain contact and stay in the basket. Putters of softer material have the tendency to stick better to the chains while those with less grip tend to slip through or “spit out” more often, especially in wet conditions.
Speed and weight
A speed of less than three is standard for putters. These discs are meant to fly slowly so that you can have maximum control to land in or near the basket. Weight is a preference issue, but our general recommendation is that putters should be in the 165-174g range for most players. Choose the weight according to what suits you as a player.
The glide rating
Glide is great when you are trying to take a long distance shot, but in case of putters, you might just overshoot the basket and have a difficult comeback putt. So, in terms of glide ratings, get something in the mid-range to suit you. You would not need disc golf putter with most glide in this case. If you put a lot of spin on your putts and like minimal arm movement, you may want to consider a high glide putter.
The construction
Putters are by far the tallest disc golf discs, but do not generally have the widest diameters. Putters average 2.11 centimeters in height and have a thin rim width of just .98 centimeters.
In case you are unable to buy the putting putters from a physical store, then you will actually not get a chance to touch and feel the putting putters for yourself. Do not worry as you can still get it right when you buy it online. Just read all the specifications closely and go through the reviews as well.
There is another way that I would suggest you to go for, if you really want to feel the putting putters before buying. Try sampling your friends putters to get a fair idea of what you like or dislike.
How to choose disc golf throwing (driving) putter?
Throwing putters go long distance and these are specifically meant for drives and long approaches. These are the kind of putters that you need when you are more of an expert in the game. The maximum distance drivers are able to cut through the air at really high speed. These can cover the distance of nearly 400 feet, when thrown with the right technique and power.
The best driving putters for disc golf usually have speed ratings of 3, along with thick rims. You should check the usual criterions of speed, glide, stability, material, and dimensions in choosing throwing putters as well. Here is most important thing that you need to consider when choosing throwing / driving putter.
Speed and weight
In terms of speed, the best throwing putters can have an Innova rating of 2-4. Both putting putters and throwing putters have their weights around 165-175 grams, according to PGDA approval, so there is not much that you can check about that.
The glide number
Throwing putters with a higher glide number will cover the distance more effectively than those with low numbers. I would suggest you look for a glide of seven for throwing putter in order to maintain the loft for a longer time.
The stability
In terms of stability, you get understable, stable, and overstable throwing putters in the best disc golf putter for wind. Putters that curve to the right are understable, and, those that fly straight with a low fade are stable. Discs that curve to the left are overstable. The stability needed in the throwing putter depends on the player and how hard it throws. It will be wrong for me to specify a particular stability suited to all of you.
The construction
You should only opt for high-grade and premium plastics for throwing putters. Basic plastic putter will give away within a few days of intense disc golfing sessions. As far as dimensions are concerned, the height of 1.65 to 1.77 centimeters and the width of 2.11 to 1.67 centimeters should suffice for your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that I hope I have solved your doubts and queries regarding choosing the best putters and the best products available in the market, let us move on to the frequently asked questions. These are three most common questions that have been asked to me by my fellow players, friends, and some of you guys. So, keep reading to clarify any last bits of doubts that you guys might have about the putters.
What are Disc golf putters?
Four main kinds of disc golf disc are there, namely, distance drivers, fairway drivers, midranges, and putters. The slowest and deepest disc golf discs with the thinnest rims are the putters. These are supposed to fly for short distances on a straight line. Being the slowest spinning discs, these do not have the potential to go off the line or beyond the basket. It not just helps a player to score but also develops his short game.
How Many Putters Should I Get?
If you want to get serious about disc golf you should invest in multiple putters. The more identical putters you get for practice, the more reps you can get in a short amount of time. In addition, many disc golfers find that the putter they use for putting is not the one they prefer for driving and approach shots. Most prefer premium plastic blends for driving and TPE base plastic blends for putting.
Any professional disc golfer has a huge collection of putters to fall back on according to the needs of the game. There is no specific limit on the number of putters that you must have, or a maximum allowed to carry during your tournament disc golf rounds.
Have a good mix of putting putters and throwing putters and you are good to go.
What is the best disc golf putter weight?
When it comes to drivers the weight of discs you throw should vary based on skill level. When it comes to putters, there really isn’t a lot of advantage of lighter weight discs for putters. A light weight disc is more susceptible to the wind than a heavier disc, and there are few things worse than having your putter blow out of the basket on a gusty day. For this reason I recommend that in most cases you choose a putt and approach disc that weighs between 165-175 grams. If you are buying your putter for a child or are just looking for a little bit more glide and forward thrust with little effort, then a light weight putter is recommended.
Do I Need More Than One Putting Putter?
You only need one putter, in fact to play a round of disc golf you technically need only one disc. However, if you want to get serious about disc golf and play in tournaments you should have at least one putter for putting and one for approach shots. It’s also good to have an identical backup of your primary putter just in case you lose it.
If you want to get maximal results from practice putting time, then invest in identical multiples of your favorite putting putter.
I carry at least four putters with me at all times: 2 putters for approaches and drives, one putting putter, and one extra throwing putter in case one gets lost or damaged. I have never had any troubles with this many putters in my bag.
Conclusion
Before getting any of the above mentioned putters for yourself, make sure to read the reviews and check the specifications well to ensure that you will get exactly what you are looking for.
In terms of putters, there is no such thing as one product that suits everyone because your level of expertise and your skill and style of throwing makes a huge difference. I think I have covered all the bases as far as the best disc golf putter is concerned.
Do you guys think I missed out any? Or, have any more interesting facts or ideas to share with me? What putters do you like or work well for you? Let me know in the comments section below!
