Stix Compete Putter Review: Is Expensive Really Better?

I’ve never been that excited to spend top dollar on the latest and greatest clubs. Part of the reason is that the costs continue to increase. Part of the reason is that they usually aren’t that much better than the previous version.

My approach is to find the best possible option for the least amount of money. When it comes to value, Stix Golf is one of the options.

I tested the Stix wedges (review here) a while ago when they first came out and was pretty impressed by how they performed. Even today, I still have the 60 degree in my bag (the GW & SW lofts weren’t right for me).

I’ve recently gotten my hands on their Compete putter so I’m pretty excited to try it out and see how it compares to the other putters I have.

In This Review

The Specs | The Intro | The Quality | The Performance | The Bottom Line | Discount Code

The Specs

The Intro

The Compete putter comes in 3 models, so the first thing you’ll need to decide is which one to use. There’s the classic blade on one end, the tech mallet on the other, and the standard mallet in between.

What’s important to note is that they aren’t the same and it’s not just based on looks.

The one you should go with depends on your putting stroke. Here’s a quick rundown:

• The Blade: Toe hang for strong arc putting stroke
• The Mallet: Slight toe hang for slight arc putting stroke
• The Tech Mallet: Face balanced for straight putting stroke

If you really open the face on the way back and close it through impact, the blade might perform the best. If you bring the putter straight back and straight through, the tech mallet will be the way to go.

If you’re somewhere in the middle or just aren’t sure, the standard mallet could be the best choice. This is the one I went with.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about my first impressions of the putter.

The grip that comes on the putter is a bit unique, with a triangle shape at the top that flows into a rounded shape at the bottom. Compared to the SuperStroke Tour 2.0 grip, it’s a bit thicker and softer.

The headcover is synthetic leather and has a nice look and feel to it. What I did notice though was that it was a bit tough to put the putter back in. The magnet is pretty strong and tends to grab onto it before it’s fully in.

The face of the putter is milled and the alignment aid is fairly good. You have a bright red line at the top and then a darker line that extends to the back of the head.

The Quality

One of the main issues with cheaper clubs is that they can sometimes be less durable than premium clubs. Sometimes they scratch easier, sometimes the grooves wear out quicker, and sometimes they can even break.

Since you don’t swing a putter very hard (unless it’s into the water), the chances of it breaking are slim. That said, there are a few other things to look at.

The first is whether or not the grip will have to be replaced. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to buy a new club and have to change the grip right away.

The majority of people will want an oversized grip on their putter. They also want it to have a tacky feel for improved grip.

All of those boxes are checked with the Compete.

The second is how well the metal and paint hold up. If something gets chipped and beat up quickly, it’s probably not something you’d want to buy.

With painted clubs, you also want to make sure the paint doesn’t chip off easily. You can always get the silver putter if you’re worried about it, but I think the black one looks better.

I’ll continue to use the putter and will post here if it starts to chip or scratch. I have used the black Stix wedge for well over a year now and it’s held up pretty well. You can see a picture below:

Keep in mind that it’s been hit a lot off mats and out of the bunker (sand & fine gravel). I use a metal groove cleaner often as well. The good thing is that a putter won’t have as hard of a life.

The Performance

When looking at a putter, we’re mainly looking at 3 things:

• Does it feel right?
• Does the ball jump at contact?
• Does it roll down the right line?

The most important thing you can do is find a putter that feels right in your hands. You could have the most expensive model with the right specs, but if it doesn’t feel quite right, it probably won’t perform.

I liked the way it felt. All the putters I’ve played in the past had the shaft at the heel of the club. This model had the shaft closer to the center, which I actually really liked.

When you have the right combo of loft, lie, and length, you’ll end up with a putter that rolls the ball flat along the ground. If the ball jumps when you make contact, it can potentially cause the ball to start on the wrong line.

Since everyone is different, it’s tough to know how the Compete putter will perform for you. That said, I got the slightest amount of jump off the face but I doubt it’ll make a huge difference for an average player like myself.

If you don’t get the ball started on the right line then it’ll be kind of tough to sink putts. The first step is picking the right type of putter, blade, mallet, or tech mallet.

I’m a mallet guy and to figure out how it performed for me I hit a bunch of putts on a flat surface. I had a line on the ball and aimed it directly at the hole. Once I got the line right, I sunk a number of putts in a row. This is a good sign.

The Bottom Line

I’m a believer that the price you pay for a putter has no impact on how well you putt. There are a lot of people who swear by their Scotty Cameron. Some people will never give up their $20 putter from 1982.

The putter that will work the best for you is the one that feels right and suits your eye. You could have the most expensive putter on the market, but if it feels kind of off, it probably won’t work for you.

As for the Stix Compete, I’m a fan. I’ve been a fan of the wedges and I liked how the putter felt and performed. I think it’ll be in my bag for a while.

If you’re used to a Scotty or Spider putter, is there a chance it won’t feel as nice? Yeah, sure. But for everyone else, especially the average player, a premium putter probably won’t help you sink more putts.

The bad thing about Stix is that you can’t really test their clubs since they sell online. The good news is that it’s not going to break the bank if you don’t happen to like it (or you can return it). I think it’s worth taking a chance on, especially with our discount.

If you are interested in the Stix putter, the most important thing is to figure out how you move the putter. Do you putt on an arc and open/close the face or do you putt straight back and straight through?

The majority of people have a slight arc or straight putting stroke, so that’s either of the Mallet putters. I have a slight arc to my stroke so I went with the standard Mallet putter.

If you have any questions or want to share your experience with the Stix putter, be sure to leave a comment below.

Stix Compete Putter Discount

If you’re interested in the Stix putter and want to save a few bucks you can buy through our link. It doesn’t impact our review/rating in any way and it doesn’t cost you anything.