All Talk, No Torque

 A caddie’s take on the latest £750 trend

“Perfect! Apart from pace and line,” I tell my golfer — most likely an overfed middle-aged fellow from across the pond named Mike — who has just three-putted for the third time in three holes. It is a feat made even more impressive given the twelve-foot gimme radius used by most Americans when playing the game. “Back home I'm normally on fire with this thing,” he replies. Sure you are, Mike, or was it Doug? Either way, the ‘thing’ in question is the latest trend in golf technology: the zero-torque putter. 

Designed to keep the putter face square to the target throughout the putting stroke, these new putters don’t twist or arc, making it easier to start the ball on the correct line. Starting the ball on your intended line increases the likelihood of making a putt by 10,000%, according to experts (Mike). That, of course, relies on the golfer being able to read a green, which is far from guaranteed — perhaps it’s why they’re so eager to fork out for caddies. Using a zero-torque putter is like having the bumpers up at the bowling alley; a golfer can just swing straight back and forward during the putting stroke.

Arguably the easiest putter to use in the history of the game, they are essentially idiot-proof. Yet I can almost guarantee that every time I caddy, I will have the honour of meeting someone capable of missing every putt and still blaming the technology. In fact, I would back an orangutan with a branch from its favourite meranti tree to beat the average user of one of these putters.

In the right person’s hands, however, zero-torque putters can be brilliant. They are becoming more popular on the professional tours and are proven winners. The last two champions of the US Open, widely considered the toughest test in golf, used zero-torque putters. JJ Spaun won in 2025 with a L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter (their most popular model), and Wyndham Clark won in 2026 with a PING Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB. The US Open requires consistent precision putting on incredibly difficult greens, so clearly these weapons are deadly when wielded by a master. 

The concept of eliminating face rotation during the putting stroke has been around for over three decades. But pioneering research and testing in recent years by the US-based company L.A.B. Golf has led the way for its widespread application. Almost all other major putter producers — Bettinardi, Scotty Cameron, PING, PXG, and TaylorMade — have now hopped on the trend.

So why hasn't everyone bought one? A £750 price tag doesn’t help. Not all are quite that expensive, with most sitting between £400 and £600. But perhaps that £750 would be better spent on 1,500 lake balls in preparation for the inevitable shanks into the Swilcan Burn? Or possibly a wardrobe change to something made from wool and not decorated with a bright pink cocktail glass pattern? Or even 150 sausage rolls at the halfway hut because you don’t get a belly like that without trying, right, Mike? 

Part of the appeal is the brand: it’s ostentatious, it screams money, and it’s all they talk about. But these precision-crafted tools become just another golf gimmick in the hands of an incompetent player. More putts means better value for money, right? I mean, if I spent that much on a club, of course I would use it three times each hole. I’ve tried these putters, and they’re ghastly: huge and heavy, and come in horrible colours. 

Modern putters are already brilliant. One should learn to putt before spending so much on a putter, or any equipment for that matter. I endlessly caddy for terrible golfers from all over the world, and they would all rather buy new clubs than put in diligent practice. I want people bragging about how much they train, not the price of their clubs. Then again, I would caddy for an orangutan if they paid me, so I’ll keep quiet for now.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons