What Putter Does Justin Rose Use? A Look at His Gear Evolution on the Greens

When you think of Justin Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion and Olympic gold medalist, you think of consistency, class, and a technically sound golf swing. But as any elite golfer will tell you, the path to victory often runs through the putter. And for Rose, that journey has involved a number of changes and innovations, each with its own story.

Let’s take a detailed look at the putters Justin Rose has used over the years, the reasoning behind each switch, and what he’s currently playing with in 2024–2025.

Early Career: TaylorMade Putters

Justin Rose was a longtime TaylorMade staffer. In his earlier years on tour, he used a variety of TaylorMade Spider and TP Series putters, including:

• TaylorMade Spider Tour Red
• TaylorMade TP Collection Ardmore 2

These putters offered high MOI (moment of inertia) and alignment features that supported Rose’s precision-oriented putting style. The TP Ardmore 2, in particular, had a clean top line, a slight toe hang, and solid feedback—making it his gamer during a particularly strong period in his career.

Notable moments:

• Between 2017 and 2018, Rose climbed to World No. 1 while using the TP Ardmore 2.
• He gained a reputation for being among the most consistent putters on the PGA Tour during this stretch.

2019: A Bold Move to Axis1

In early 2019, Rose made headlines by switching to a brand-new, unconventional putter design: the Axis1 Rose.

This wasn’t just a switch—it was a collaboration. Rose worked with Axis1 to co-design a putter that solved a common issue: traditional putters have a toe-heavy balance, meaning they open during the stroke unless manipulated. The Axis1 Rose was different.

Key Features of the Axis1 Rose:

• Perfectly balanced face with the center of gravity aligned directly with the face center
• Heeled counterweight to eliminate twisting and promote square impact
• CNC milled from 303 stainless steel for tour-level feel
• Unique design, combining blade and mallet-like characteristics

Why Rose Made the Switch:

• He was seeking face balance without sacrificing feel
• The putter helped him square the face more consistently through impact
• He credited the Axis1 Rose for helping him maintain consistency under pressure

Results:

• Rose won the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open shortly after the switch, proving the new putter could perform at the highest level.

2020–2023: Experimentation and Transition

While Rose stayed with Axis1 for multiple seasons, there were periods of experimentation.

What he tried:

• Reverting briefly to a traditional blade
• Testing different grips, including arm-lock styles and claw grips
• Mixing in different mallet shapes to match changing green conditions or confidence levels

It’s not uncommon for professional players to test different models during stretches when putting stats dip or when searching for better green-reading synergy. Rose’s experimentation phase showed that even the most experienced pros are constantly fine-tuning.

2024–2025: Scotty Cameron T-5 Putter

In 2024, Rose made another significant equipment change—joining Titleist as a full-bag player. Naturally, that included a switch to a Scotty Cameron putter.

What he’s using now:

• Model: Scotty Cameron T-5 Tourtype
• Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Claw 1.0
• Style: Mid-mallet with tour-preferred shaping and high MOI
• Customization: Fitted to support his claw-style grip and alignment preferences

The T-5 is very similar in design to the Phantom X5 and offers:

• A more compact mallet shape
• Dual wing back weights for forgiveness and stability
• A milled 303 stainless steel face for consistent feedback and feel

Why the switch?

• Rose sought a return to a more traditional tour feel with modern forgiveness
• The T-5 works well with his claw grip, helping with face control
• It pairs naturally with the rest of his Titleist setup, creating a cohesive feel from tee to green

Putter Changes Over Time: A Quick Summary

Here’s a breakdown of the putters Justin Rose has used and why he moved on:

What We Can Learn from Justin Rose’s Putter History

Justin Rose’s equipment journey tells us a few key things:

1. There’s no such thing as one perfect putter
Even at the top level, pros make changes based on feel, confidence, and performance trends.

2. Innovation can lead to success
Rose’s switch to the Axis1 was unconventional, but it led to a win and influenced how golfers think about putter balance.

3. Feel and balance trump hype
Despite the Axis1 being a technological marvel, Rose eventually returned to a classic feel with Scotty Cameron—suggesting that feel ultimately trumps tech, even for the most analytical players.

Want to Putt Like Justin Rose?

Here are some putters to try that resemble Rose’s favorites:

If you liked his TaylorMade years:

• TaylorMade TP Hydro Blast DuPage
• TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback

Want Axis1-style balance?

• Axis1 Rose or Rose-B models (available direct from Axis1)
• LAB Golf DF 2.1 (another torque-balanced tech putter)

Prefer his current Scotty Cameron?

• Scotty Cameron Phantom X5.5 or T-5W
• Evnroll EV5 (similar balance and shaping, modern mallet feel)

Final Thoughts

Justin Rose’s putter story is a fascinating example of how elite players experiment, adapt, and eventually settle on what works best for their game. Whether you’re a gearhead or a weekend warrior, there’s something to learn from the way Rose approaches putting: balance, feel, and confidence are everything.