A good putting week can be the key difference between winning and losing, especially in the pressure-filled environment of professional golf.
Certainly, the world’s best will try anything to gain an advantage on the greens, which is what PGA Tour winner Michael Kim has done over the past few years.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Recently claiming the FedEx Open de France on the DP World Tour, Kim has had a new kind of putter in his bag over the last three years, a model that has grown in popularity on the professional circuits.
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Zero torque putters first came to fruition with L.A.B Golf, with the idea being that the putter face should be square to the arc of the stroke. Essentially, zero torque putters aim to make the face twist as little as possible, increasing accuracy.
Having used the L.A.B Golf DF3, as well as the TaylorMade Spider 5K-ZT putter to win in France, Kim has been consistent on the greens and, in a lengthy X/Twitter post, detailed the positives and negatives to using a zero torque putter model.
My thoughts on “zero torque” puttersWhat’s the tech? Positives and negatives. Who does it benefit? Most importantly, should you get one?I obviously like the tech as I’ve been using a ZT style putter for 3yrs now but as always, there’s two sides to this. 🧵November 1, 2025
Beginning with the positives, the 32-year-old stated: “(It’s) very easy to start putts online. I’ve always had trouble pushing putts and I don’t push putts as often anymore. That’s the biggest and really only benefit to these putters.
“I’ve been one of the top putters inside of 8ft as those are way less speed dependent and way more start line and set up dependent.”
In 2023, Kim ranked 78th in Strokes Gained: Putting and 119th in Putting From 8′ on the PGA Tour, averaging 51.72%. In 2025, Kim actually fell to 101st in the SG: Putting department and 116th in Putting From 8′, as his number went to 50%.
That moves us to the negatives, where Kim was slightly more vocal, writing: “Those slight twists that sound like something you’d never want actually help your hands and body know where the club is and how fast it’s going.
“The ZT putters can often feel “empty” during the stroke itself because there’s no torque and therefore less feedback during the stroke. Those torques are actually VERY minimal. It doesn’t take much to keep the head square.
“Once you get past 10ft, it’s way less about stroke and start line and way more about green reading and speed control… Putting is more about speed and green reading especially as you get further away.”
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Putting is a very personal aspect when it comes to the golf game and, on the greens, this is where players can gain and lose the most confidence.
So, what is the reason for Kim using a zero torque putter, and should amateurs buy one, despite the fact he listed negatives?
Well, according to the man himself: “I’ve used these style of putters for 3 yrs now… I generally hate pushing putts. Comes from having a lot of anxiety of pushing putts back from when I was a kid. My urge is to now pull putts with the ZT putters because of that.
“The putter can take some time to adjust. I’ve gotten better at it with practice and really trying to focus on the speed aspect of a putt as my final few thoughts before hitting a putt (which prob is a good thing regardless of what putter I use)…
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
“Should you get one? This is a tricky question. Most amateurs just don’t start their putts online but that’s mostly due to improper aim and set up. Starting putts online is 90% in the set up, maybe 95%.
“A ZT putter might only be a minimal improvement on that and until you fix your set up, it might not do too much good… A lot of pros have transitioned to one because it just feels easier to start putts online and more and more guys are transitioning.
“If you’re getting one, try one that is a bit on the heavy side. That’ll help you feel the club a bit more as you’re making your stroke.”
