Golf is a great sport, but one thing is for sure: it's not cheap compared to tennis, pickleball, basketball, or others. After playing this game for more than 25 years, I'm terrified to know how much I've spent on tee times, lessons, equipment, and endless golf accessories.

But I have no regrets - it's the best game ever. If you're just starting out or on a budget, there are plenty of excellent clubs to help your game. Today, I'll share some of the best budget putters to help your putting without breaking the bank.

7 Best Budget Putters

I think there are two clubs that play a bigger role in your overall score than any others: your driver and putter. Your driver is used (or should be used) on most par 4s and par 5s. While your putter is used on every hole unless you have a heroic chip in.

The good news is that putters, in general, are much cheaper than drivers. A driver can range from $300 to $600 or more, depending on the shaft.

Luckily, putters are about half the price or less of drivers. But some of the most expensive putters are brands like Bettinardi, Ping, and Scotty Cameron. These can cost $300 or more and are typically used by competitive amateurs and professional golfers.

So, what should everyday golfers consider when buying a putter? It's easy to get overwhelmed with what type of face insert, toe hangs, loft, and other golf jargon.

Let's keep it simple - beginner golfers should focus on a putter head that offers plenty of stability and forgiveness. Not to mention easy alignment with built-in alignment aids for improved accuracy to help you make more putts.

Let's start with the lowest-priced putters and work our way up to ones that are a bit more of an investment but still quite affordable.

1. Ram Golf Laser Black Single Bend Putter

I had to double-check the price of this club a few times to believe it. For under $50 - about the price of a dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls - you can get an awesome mallet style putter.

The Ram Golf Black single bend putter is one of the best deals in the game. First, it’s a mallet design, which I encourage most everyday golfers and high handicappers to use vs. blades. They’re easier to line up and more forgiving with mishits, which leads to a lot fewer three putts and, overall, a lot more confidence.

This putter specifically is very easy to line up with the triple alignment lines behind the sweet spot. It makes it incredibly easy to get the ball started on the proper line and dial in your aim.

Aside from the design, it also has a milled face, which promotes a better feel and true roll. This should result in less skidding and a ball that rolls more on the green and less likely to hop and skip. It also has a face balanced design, which is ideal if you’re someone with a more straight back, straight through putting stroke.

This Ram putter also comes with a deluxe headcover and is offered in 34 or 35 inches. Dollar for dollar, I’d argue this is the best putter for beginners and a must-have for anyone on a budget.

If you want a different design but love the price point of this Ram Putter, check out the ESP 2 or the Ram Laser No.2.

2. Epec Short Slant Putter (Best for Juniors)

Another putter that rivals the price of the Ram is the Epec Short Slant. This putter is the same price but has one main difference - a blade design.

As I mentioned, I think most everyday golfers will benefit from a mallet style for several reasons. However, some golfers prefer a smaller blade style on the greens and is ideal for a more in to out putting stroke.

This club is geared towards junior golfers and women who need shorter putter lengths. What’s cool about his putter is that it’s based on height and an awesome addition to a junior set of clubs. They have sizes from 22 to 33 inches to fit all types of junior golfers.

Aside from the sizing options, it is still very easy to use and has a forgiving design to help with off center putts. The club has a very sleek design and high quality construction that is built to last.

If you aren’t sure which putter is right for you or have more questions about equipment, don’t hesitate to contact a Curated Golf Expert today.

3. Tour Edge Bazooka Pro-5 Putter

Next up is the Tour Edge Bazooka Pro-5 putter. It’s priced under $100, which is a steal for such a high quality putter.

First off, I love the design and think it’s easy to get the ball rolling smoothly off the center of the face. Tour Edge defines this as a “saber tooth back” but does have a softer face thanks to the insert. This helps provide more feel and hopefully increase consistency on longer lag putts.

Second, it has a jumbo grip, which can help minimize excess wrist movements that happen with a lot of beginners and senior golfers (known as the yips sometimes). The larger grip makes it easier to minimize grip pressure and hopefully make a smoother roll on the ball.

Third, it’s offered in left and right models. Plus, it’s available in 33, 34 or 35 inches. If you don’t love the model but do love the price, check out the Tour Edge Bazooka Pro-7 putter, which is a mallet design.

4. Wilson Staff Bean Infinite Putter

Wilson is a top brand if you’re looking for clubs on a budget. Plus, a lot of their equipment is geared towards mid to higher handicap golfers who want to make the game a little bit easier.

If this sounds like you and you want to spend just under $100 on a putter, you’ll love the Wilson Staff Bean Infinite putter. I tested it out at a local golf store and loved the look, plus the heavy weighting. The heavier club makes it easy to take it back straighter and should help improve your putting from short range.

The large mallet head is also visually appealing and makes alignment simple. This Wilson putter also has a dark, anti-glare finish that accentuates sight lines for even better alignment.

It also has a counterbalance grip that helps move the balance point closer to the hands, which should lead to a more controlled and consistent putting stroke. The oversized grip will also help reduce wrist action, but it is still much smaller than a jumbo “fat grip,” which can take some time to get accustomed to.

Also, if you want a different design, check out the Wilson Infinite Bucktown, or the Wilson Staff Michigan Avenue Infinite Putter.

5. Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft #10.5 Putter

Cleveland is another high-quality brand that won’t hurt the budget whether you need a putter, irons, or driver. I love the Huntington Beach series as it’s very forgiving with high moment of inertia (MOI), meaning it’s better with mishits. It also has a design that is built for a more straight back, straight through putting stroke with a face that won’t twist much.

It also has a SOFT face (speed optimized face technology), which improves ball speeds even if you miss the sweet spot. This should result in better mishits that end up closer to the hole on lag putts for fewer than three putts. The milling pattern of the face also provides exceptional feel in this mid-mallet design.

If you’re more of a blade player, check out the Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft #3 Slant putter as well.

6. Odyssey DFX Double Wide Putter

While I think blades are challenging for everyday golfers, there are some newer designs that are bigger and more forgiving. A good example of this is the Odyssey DFX Double Wide, which is much larger than a typical blade. This makes it easier to line up and also a lot more forgiving on mishits.

Odyssey is a top name in the putter game and a club I’ve used for years. In fact, the Odyssey 2-Ball was one of the first non-blade putters I used nearly 20 years ago and forever changed my game. The DFX line has a wide array of putters, from blades to mallets or the 2-ball.

The Double Wide model is a face-balanced design that is built for players with a slight arc in their stroke. It has a soft insert with a black finish for a smooth roll. I love the soft insert and think

This Odyssey putter has two grip options too:

• The first is a slim pistol grip that is made for some wrist hinge and extra power. If you play on a lot of slow greens, this type of grip can help out a ton. However, it’s not best if you play on a lot of faster greens, where you don’t need a lot of power.
• The second grip option is a larger, oversized grip. This helps reduce wrist action and is ideal for players who need help with shorter putts.

It’s available in 33, 34, and 35 lengths. Unfortunately, it’s not available in a left-handed model.

7. TaylorMade Spider GT Rollback Silver #3 Putter

The final putter is from a top manufacturer in the game - TaylorMade Golf. They make some of the best equipment at a typically higher price point. But this Spider putter has a solid feel and is still priced under $200.

One reason I love it is the traditional half moon mallet design. It has a clean look that should inspire confidence on any type of putt. It also has tungsten weighting, which provides more stability in your stroke. However, this putter is designed for golfers who want moderate face rotation, not a straight back straight through motion (thanks to the short slant hosel).

Not to mention, the Pure Roll technology helps if you hit the ball more on the toe or heel instead of the sweet spot. I also love the stock grip, which is the TM Pistol GTR 1.0 in a matching black/red design.

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Don’t let money hold you back from playing the perfect putter for your game. As you can tell, there are tons of choices for under $150 and some under $100 to start rolling the rock with confidence.

I think most golfers will benefit most from high MOI mallet putters, but if you’ve always played a blade and putt well, stick with it. Putting is more about personal preference and feeling confident than anything else. Make sure to find the right shaft length, too, based on your height, as it plays a pivotal role in getting your eyes positioned correctly.

If you aren’t sure which putter is right for you or have more questions, don’t hesitate to contact a Curated Golf Expert today.