The Flow Neck Putter (Everything You Need to Know)

It doesn’t matter where you are on the golf talent spectrum, the putter is the most important golf club in your bag. [End thesis statement. Mic drop.]

That seems counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? 

Everyone wants to crush it off the tee, but if you typically 3 putt on every green and you can turn each one of those 3s into a 2, you’ll shave 18 strokes off your round. 

My point is this: it’s easier to improve your putting then it is to add 60 yards to your drive.

Kim Lewellen, the women’s golf coach at Wake Forest University, once told me that putting is one of the low-hanging fruits that golfers can focus on to improve their game. Her advice:

Practice your speed on your putting…try to get within 10% of the length of the putt. So if its a 20 foot putt, be within 2 feet of the hole, if its a 30 foot putt, be within 3 feet of the hole…

That’s an achievable goal, but if you’re using the wrong golf putter, you’re fighting an uphill battle.

Keep reading to learn more about the flow neck putter and whether or not it can give you a better roll and straighter putts.

What is a Flow Neck Putter?

A flow neck putter is characterized by a seamless design that connects the putter shaft to the putter head with a little offset and plenty of toe hang. This putter is ideal for those who have a noticeable arcing stroke.

If you’re trying to identify a flow neck putter, look for a shaft with a smooth flowing curve at the end that connects directly to the club head.

As I mentioned above, the flow neck has a slight offset (if you’re not sure what offset is, don’t be embarrassed).

To identify the offset of your current putter, stand in position and look down at your putter head. The distance you notice between the shaft and the head is the offset.

If you’re clueless as to why offset matters, no worries.

Check out this video from Kevin Sprecher to learn more about how offset influences aim.

Who Should Use a Flow Neck Putter?

Players who have an arcing putting stroke that like to stand upright and further away from the ball should use a flow neck putter.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself if you’re considering a flow neck putting option:

1. Do I have a significant arcing stroke?
2. Do I stand further from the golf ball than most golfers when I putt?
3. Do I tend to stand more upright during my putt?
4. Do I usually miss putts wide right (right handed golfers)?

If you can answer yes for most (or all) of these questions, you are a solid candidate for a flow neck putter.

One other note: Flow neck putters are best utilized by golfers who are guided by feel rather than a mechanical approach to their shots. If you’re the type of golfer who has a very mechanical approach to putting (think Bryson DeChambeau), you should probably look into a different type of putter.

What Does a Flow Neck Putter Do?

Simply put, a flow neck putter helps golfers with a significant arcing stroke hit straighter putts and generate a better roll.

Because of the extra toe hang, the flow neck putter face closes faster so it is square at impact. A typical arcing stroke starts inside, then moves to square at impact, then returns inside on the follow through.

However, the weakness to the arcing stroke is that many golfers aren’t quite square at impact. This is why right-handed golfers often miss wide right – the club face is still slightly open.

A flow neck putter helps keep it closed (square) which results in a near perfect alignment between the golf ball and the face of the club.

What Stroke Is Best with a Flow Neck Putter?

The best stroke for a flow neck putter is an arc-style stroke. The hefty toe hang allows users to close their shot faster on impact. In turn, the flow neck optimizes a player’s face rotation.

If your putting style is straight back and through, the flow neck putter is not for you. What you need is a single bend or double bend putter.

If you have a slight arc in your stroke (as opposed to a noticeable arc), you should look into a plumbers neck putter.

Flow Neck vs. Slant Neck Putter

A flow neck putter has some similarities to a slant neck putter, but typically the flow neck has less offset and a more seamless connection to the putter head.

Slant neck putters have less curvature around the shaft and sometimes a more noticeable kink or bend. They also tend to have more offset which gives golfers a clearer view of the ball.

Flow Neck vs. Single Bend Putter

A flow neck putter is for a golfer with an arcing stroke while a single bend putter is for a golfer with a straight back and through stroke. 

This is an important note. If you mismatch your putter with your putting stroke, you won’t get optimal stability (or optimal results).

Single bend putters have a clean simple design, which works exceptionally well with golfers who a precise in the straight-style stroke.

The single bend is a face balanced putter with a bit of offset. This setup keeps the hands slightly ahead of the ball and reduces wrist action.

Flow necks, on the other hand, cater to a less mechanical putting motion. The flow neck setup ensures that the face of the putter is square at impact, even with the arcing stroke.

Other Types of Putter Necks

As you can imagine, there are a variety of putter necks that cater to the wide-range of putting styles.

• Double-Bend Neck: Similar to a single bend putter, this option has two subtle bends in the hosel that form a S-shape. Designed for straight-style strokes.
• Plumber Neck Putter: The neck on this putter has a distinct “L” shaped bend like the plumbing pipes in a home. Designed for slightly arcing strokes.
• Center Shaft Neck: The neck has the shaft connected to the center of the putter’s head. It provides the best controllability whether you’re looking for an open or closed shot.

The 3 Best Flow Neck Putters

You’ve done all your homework, so now you can make an educated decision on whether or not a flow neck putter will serve you well.

If you’re ready to make a move, here are 3 of my favorite flow neck putters on the market.

TaylorMade Golf Spider X Hydro Blast

TaylorMade Golf is responsible for some of the best putters in the game, and their Spider X Hydro Blast putter is one fine piece of flow neck engineering.

Everything starts with TaylorMade’s True Path Alignment. This feature helps golfers with their setup and aim. 

Spider putters also include a Pure Roll insert which accomplishes multiple goals including:

• A nice sound and feel
• Increased topspin
• An optimal forward roll that stays on target

This is a logical choice if you’re looking for a durable, performance-driven flow neck.

What Golfers are Saying

• This putter is a game-changer.
• An amazing putter.
• Switched from a blade putter. Loving the results. 

Cleveland Frontline 2.0

I love my Cleveland sand wedge. It’s probably my favorite golf club in the bag.

With that as a backdrop, it should come as no surprise that a Cleveland putter made my list.

The Cleveland Frontline 2.0 putter features a compact mallet head with 2135 alignment technology. Tungsten forward weighting keeps the center of gravity close to the face while promoting consistent speed and more reliable putts.

This is an amazing putter with a softer feel.

This putter makes the list thanks to great features, a beautiful design and a fair price.

Scotty Cameron Super Select Del Mar

If you’re all in the flow neck putter, you might as well go all-in on the purchase.

The Scotty Cameron Super Select Del Mar is the top-of-the-line option in this category. This putter will be officially released in May of 2023.

This is a stunning piece of craftsmanship characterized by its premium materials and Scotty Cameron’s reputation for exceptional performance.

Pairing Your Stroke with the Right Putter is the Key to Success

Back to my story at the beginning.

If you want to transition from shooting 100 to becoming a mid-handicap golfer, the journey starts with putting. 

Choosing the right putter is crucial to a more consistent stroke and less time spent on the greens.

Flow neck putters are one of the best options for arc-style strokers, so if you fall into that category, make the switch today and start killing it on the greens.