Mallet Putter
Cleveland's Huntington Beach Soft line has always been about giving you a milled-face putter without the milled-face price tag, and the #6 is the mallet that anchors that idea. It's a mid-mallet with enough head mass to steady your stroke, an alignment aid up top, and Cleveland's Speed Optimized Face Technology cut into a soft 304 stainless steel body. Around $130, it undercuts most of the premium mallets it competes against on feel.
The name comes from the municipal course in Huntington Beach, California, and that's the whole ethos here: a putter for regular golfers, not tour bags. What you get is a genuinely soft roll off the face and a milling pattern that varies in depth across the striking area. The grooves are cut deeper in the center and shallower toward the edges, so a putt struck slightly off-center comes off at closer to the same speed as one struck flush. On lag putts and testy four-footers, that consistency matters more than most players realize.
The #6 carries a mid toe hang, which pairs it with a slight-arc stroke rather than a straight-back-straight-through motion. If your putter face naturally opens a touch on the way back and closes through impact, this head balance works with you instead of against you.
Design
The head is a rounded mallet shape with a single sightline running front to back for alignment. The body is milled from 304 soft stainless, which is a softer alloy than the firmer steels used in some competitors, and it's the main reason the feel is as muted and pleasant as it is. The face carries a diamond-pattern CNC milling that Cleveland varies by depth, deeper toward the middle, shallower near the perimeter, to keep ball speed steady across mishits. At mid toe hang, the balance sits between a face-balanced mallet and a heel-toe blade. That makes the #6 a bit more versatile than a pure face-balanced mallet: it gives you the forgiveness and stability of a larger head while still rewarding a stroke with a little natural arc. A milled putter at this price point is unusual, and the finish and feel punch above what you'd expect for the money.
Who It's For
- Players with a slight arc stroke who want mallet stability without going face-balanced.
- Anyone who wants a milled-face putter but doesn't want to spend $400 to get one.
- Golfers who prize soft feel and quiet feedback over a firm, clicky roll.
- Mid and higher handicappers who benefit from the alignment sightline and the consistent speed on off-center strikes.
Technology
About Cleveland
Cleveland brings their wedge expertise to putters, focusing on feel and short-game scoring. Their Speed Optimized Face Technology creates consistent ball speed across the face.
Specifications
| Brand | Cleveland |
| Model | Huntington Beach Soft #6 |
| Year | 2024 |
| Type | Mallet |
| Toe hang | Mid toe hang |
| Alignment aid | Yes |
| MSRP | $149 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of stroke does the Huntington Beach Soft #6 suit?
- It has mid toe hang, so it fits a slight-arc putting stroke. If your face opens a little on the backswing and closes through the ball, this head balance matches that motion. Players with a dead-straight stroke are usually better off with a face-balanced mallet.
- Is the face milled or does it use an insert?
- It's a fully milled face, not an insert. Cleveland CNC-mills a diamond pattern into the soft 304 stainless steel body and varies the depth across the face, deeper in the center and shallower toward the edges, to keep ball speed consistent on off-center hits.
- How much does the Huntington Beach Soft #6 cost?
- It typically retails around $130, which is the whole point of the line. A milled putter at that price is rare, and it's meaningfully cheaper than the premium mallets it competes with on feel and roll.
- Is this a good putter for a beginner or high handicapper?
- Yes. The mallet head adds stability and forgiveness, the single sightline helps you aim, and the variable-depth milling keeps your speed steadier when you miss the center. It's forgiving without being bulky, and the soft feel makes distance control easier to learn.
- How does the feel compare to a firmer milled putter?
- It's soft. The 304 stainless is a softer alloy than what a lot of competitors use, so the roll is muted and quiet rather than firm and clicky. If you like feedback you feel more than hear, this suits you. Players who prefer a crisper, firmer strike might want something else.
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