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Rankings【Nov 2026 Update】Center-shaft putters comparedPutters with the shaft in the middle of the head, lined up by build, length and weight. If you can't decide, take the PRGR SB Centered
Updated: Nov 8, 2026Contains affiliate links
You may be curious about a center-shaft putter but unsure whether it would suit you. I'll start with what I confirmed by handling clubs in a shop.
I average a score of 72 and play 150 rounds a year. I picked these seriously.
A center-shaft putter has the shaft attached at the middle of the head. I compared the PRGR SB Centered (three models) and the PING PRIME TYNE C (JPY 44,000).
If you can't decide, take the SB Centered, which was designed specifically for a center shaft.
What I handled: I only hit the PING PRIME TYNE C on a practice green at a local golf shop in September 2026, about 10 balls. I only addressed the PRGR SB Centered in a shop in October 2026. I counted 10 balls each at 1 m, 3 m and 6 m on the same shop's practice green with an ANSER 2 (a blade putter, not a center-shaft): 9 of 10 at 1 m, 5 at 3 m and 2 at 6 m. Those aren't center-shaft numbers.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
If you pick a center-shaft putter, pick the PRGR Silver Blade Centered (SB Centered). It adds an offset of about 4 mm to the SB construction, which suits a center shaft (a design that puts the center of gravity deeper through the weight difference between blade and body, making it more forgiving).
It comes in three models: 01OS, 03OS and 05OS. The PING PRIME TYNE C is a single shape, so the SB Centered gives you a wider range of setups to choose from.
I only hit the PRIME TYNE C on a practice green for about 10 balls, and only addressed the SB Centered in a shop, so I haven't decided by hit numbers. The SB Centered felt easy to line up in terms of direction when I set up.
Where to buy the PRGR SB Centered putter
PRGR Silver Blade Centered putter
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
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In this article
- Bottom line
- What is a center-shaft putter?
- How is it different from a heel-shafted putter?
- The two center-shaft putters by weight and length
- How I picked: three yardsticks
- Why This Order
- What I learned from addressing it: the SB Centered felt easy to line up
- What I like
- What to watch for
- Who it suits: if you're torn, choose by what you want
- Price and where to buy
- What I have handled
- Count 30 putts to see if it fits
- About the writer and sources
- FAQ
Bottom line
First place goes to the PRGR SB Centered (3 models, 561–592 g total weight, open price) and second to the Ping PRIME TYNE C (360 g head, ¥44,000).
A center shaft is best tried by golfers whose stroke runs closer to a straight line than an arc. Start with how it looks at address. Long-putt distance control varies by player, so check that too.
What is a center-shaft putter?
A center-shaft putter has the shaft attached at the middle of the head. An ordinary putter has the shaft toward the heel.
Because the line of the shaft runs through the middle of the face, you can see where the sweet spot is when you set up. PING says the shape makes it easy to hit the middle of the face, and PRGR says it makes it easy to hit the center and to square up.
Whether the ball goes in depends on the person, so I compare by build, length and weight figures.
How is it different from a heel-shafted putter?
On an ordinary putter the shaft attaches toward the heel, so the face tends to open and close during the stroke. On a center shaft, the axis sits at the middle of the face, so the amount of opening and closing is smaller. That makes it a shape for people who take the putter straight back and straight through.
The other figure is face progression (the distance from the shaft axis to the face). The SB Centered is 3.0 to 3.5 mm, and the 05OS adds about 4 mm of offset (the face set back behind the shaft). It is built to make a setup with the hands ahead of the ball easier.
The two center-shaft putters by weight and length
| Model | Loft / lie | Weight | Length | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRGR SB Centered 01OS | 3° / 70° | Total weight 566 g | 34 in | Open pricing |
| PRGR SB Centered 03OS | 3° / 70° | Total weight 576 g | 34 in | Open pricing |
| PRGR SB Centered 05OS | 3° / 70° | Total weight 592 g | 34 in | Open pricing |
| PING PRIME TYNE C | 3° / 70° | Head 360 g | 34 in | ¥44,000 |
Working out the differences: the SB Centered's total weight is 26 g heavier for the 05OS than the 01OS (592 − 566). Going from 33 to 34 inches adds 5 g (566 − 561). Face progression (the distance from the shaft axis to the face) is 3.0 mm for the 01OS and 03OS and 3.5 mm for the 05OS.
PRGR is an open price, so each store sets its own. PING is JPY 44,000 (tax incl.).
How I picked: three yardsticks
I did not use sales or the number of reviews as a reason. I compared the two on three yardsticks.
- Designed specifically for a center shaft: whether the center of gravity and offset are made to suit a center shaft.
- Range of setups you can choose: whether models and lengths are offered.
- Ease of buying: whether the price is fixed and the length can be changed.
Why This Order
| Rank | Model | Yardstick figure | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | PRGR SB Centered | Three models, total weight 561 to 592 g | An SB build made for the center shaft, plus about 4 mm of offset (05OS). Models and lengths (33 / 34 inches) can be chosen. |
| 2nd | PING PRIME TYNE C | 1 shape, 360 g head, JPY 44,000 | A horned shape with a center shaft attached. The price is fixed and PING's custom options (31 to 36 inches) are available. Only one shape. |
What I learned from addressing it: the SB Centered felt easy to line up
I only hit the PRIME TYNE C on a practice green at a local golf shop in September 2026, about 10 balls. I only addressed the PRGR SB Centered at the same shop in October 2026.
The conditions of the numbers: I counted them in September on a shop's practice green, hitting an ANSER 2 (a blade, not a center-shaft). It's 9 of 10 at 1 m, 5 of 10 at 3 m and 2 of 10 at 6 m (90%, 50% and 20%, my calculation). These are not numbers I counted with a center-shaft putter.
The SB Centered is a large mallet-style head with the shaft rising from the middle of the head. When I looked down, the shaft and head lined up in a single line, and it felt easy to line up the direction. I haven't weighed or measured the head (the total weight of 566 g and the 34-inch length are official figures).
What I use day to day is a 34-inch mallet-style putter that isn't a center-shaft. For center-shafts, I only have the PRIME TYNE C that I hit on a practice green for about 10 balls and the SB Centered I addressed in a shop, and I haven't bought either.
There are two criteria for choosing by neck shape: whether the face direction settles when you set up, and whether it suits the path of your own stroke. In my view, a Ping-style blade suits an arcing path, and a center shaft suits a stroke that goes straight back and straight through.
What I confirmed in this article is only how easy the SB Centered was to line up when I addressed it. I have no hit numbers. If I chose again, I'd hit 10 balls each at 1 m, 3 m and 6 m first.
What I like
The SB Centered has an aluminum face (Al6063) and a stainless body (SUS431). The face is milled; the body is precision cast and then milled, made in Japan. Fine milling reduces the contact area with the ball, aiming for a soft feel.
The grip is a midsize 88 g. The concept color is blue, meant to suggest focus and calm.
The PRIME TYNE C has a 17-4 stainless head with a PEBAX insert. The horned shape serves as an alignment mark. It supports the same 31 to 36 inch lengths as PING's other putters.
What to watch for
Because the SB Centered face is aluminum, it can get scratched. Carrying it in a head cover is enough.
Whether it suits you depends on how it looks when you set up. How well you judge distance on long putts differs from person to person, so check it in a shop. I lined up other putter shapes in the putter recommendation ranking.
Who it suits: if you're torn, choose by what you want
Great for you if you
- If you want easy setup on short putts and your stroke goes straight back and straight through: a center shaft (check long-putt distance in a shop first)
- If you want the ease of setup that offset gives, or want to choose a model: PRGR SB Centered
- If you want PING's shape and a fixed price: PING PRIME TYNE C
For PING's putters overall, see the comparison of PING's three putter series; for new releases, see new putters 2026.
Price and where to buy
The PING price is JPY 44,000 (tax incl.), as in the table. PRGR is an open price, so check the current stores and prices in the buy box above.
When you buy, check the length. The SB Centered offers 33 and 34 inches, and PING lets you change the length from 31 to 36 inches.
How many inches is your putter?
Update history
What I have handled
I only hit the PRIME TYNE C on a practice green for about 10 balls, and only addressed the PRGR SB Centered in a shop. I haven't used either at length, so I mostly write impressions.
Count 30 putts to see if it fits: my baseline is 9, 5 and 2 out of 10
How a center-shafted putter looks at address won't settle whether it suits you. The quick way is to hit the same number of putts from the same distances as with your current putter on a shop's practice green, then compare how many drop. Here are my numbers to measure against.
| Distance | Putts | Holed by me (ANSER 2) | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 meter | 10 | 9 | 90% |
| 3 meters | 10 | 5 | 50% |
| 6 meters | 10 | 2 | 20% |
| Total | 30 | 16 | about 53% |
Use it in three steps. Count 30 putts with your current putter. Count the same 30 with the center-shafted one. Then look at the gap at each distance.
I ignore a one-putt gap over 10 balls. I only look at distances where the gap is two or more. If easier aiming is what helps, the gap should show at 1 and 3 meters. Six meters is about distance control, so if you hole fewer there, I read it as the wrong weight. The three SB Centered models differ by 26g in total weight (592 − 566), so if 6 meters leaves you unsure, try a model with a different weight.
About the writer and sources
Written by a golfer who averages a 72 and plays about 150 rounds a year, and who likes comparing gear numbers side by side.
What I have handled is in the section "What I have actually handled". The numbers come from official materials, and the subtraction and sorting are mine. Last updated Nov 8, 2026.
FAQ
What is a center-shaft putter?
A putter with the shaft attached at the middle of the head. The line of the shaft runs through the middle of the face, so you can see where the sweet spot is and the face opens and closes less.
What was it like to try a center-shaft putter?
I only hit the PING PRIME TYNE C on a practice green for about 10 balls. I only addressed the PRGR SB Centered in a shop, but because the shaft rises from the middle of the head, its direction felt easy to set up. I haven't checked its distance control over a round.
What is different about PRGR's center-shaft putter?
The SB Centered comes in three models: 01OS, 03OS and 05OS. The 05OS has about 4 mm of offset, and face progression is 3.0 mm for the 01OS and 03OS and 3.5 mm for the 05OS. Loft is 3 degrees and lie is 70 degrees.
How much is PING's center-shaft putter?
The PRIME TYNE C from the SCOTTSDALE line is a center-shaft model, with a list price of JPY 44,000 (tax incl.). Head weight is 360 g (PING Golf Japan, checked Oct 29, 2026).
Ready to choose? Start here
Related reading
Comparing PING's three putter series
Sources for this article
- PRGR official: Silver-Blade Centered putter
- PING Golf Japan: SCOTTSDALE putter (PRIME TYNE C)
- PRGR official: putter list
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