50 Words or Less
The Bettinardi BB28 putter sports arguably the best finish on any production putter. Widebody Anser shape with unique specs. VDF offers measurable performance benefits. Great feel.
Introduction
For at least the last half decade, Bettinardi has carved out a niche as the best maker of traditional mallets. From the shaping to the feel to the finishes, it’s hard to say any other OEM is even close to them. With the 2026 BB Series and the Bettinardi BB28, they’re looking to go to an even higher level thanks to a performance-driven face milling.
Looks
The Bettinardi BB28 is a widebody Anser putter. Compared to the BB1 [review HERE], it’s roughly 3/8″ longer from front to back and 3/8″ shorter from heel to toe. What’s interesting is how that same 3/8″ is so different proportionally. It makes the BB28 almost 50% “wider” which is an obvious, striking difference whereas the ~11% difference in length could almost be overlooked. One thing I do like about the shorter heel to toe length is that it makes the cavity frame the ball very tightly.
While I like the overall proportions of the Bettinardi BB28, the shaping leaves me a bit cold. The mixture of sharp edges and smooth curves is not harmonious to my eye. Specifically, I don’t like the way the hard edges of the shoulders/cavity meet the very rounded bumpers. I prefer the unified, squared look of the new BB8W [review HERE].
Back to the positive, the Savannah Blue finish on the 2026 Bettinardi BB Series is one of the best I’ve ever seen. At a glance, it looks like a typical dark finish. It takes a second look to realize it’s subtly blue. This is a rare finish that has performance benefits – no glare in the sun – and aesthetic appeal in equal measure.
Bettinardi tops off the BB28 with one of their best headcovers to date, similar to the 2024 version [review HERE] but more refined. It’s navy and black with a carbon fiber texture. Much of the black portion has the honeycomb pattern stitched in black thread. There’s a lot going on with this cover, but the tones are subdued and much of the visual interest is subtle. Like the putter it protects, this cover holds your attention without begging for it. [See Price / Buy]
Sound & Feel
Across all of the 2026 BB Series putters that I’ve tested, the feel has been outstanding. This comes from a combination of the one-piece, milled construction and the new VDF (Variable Depth Flymill) face milling. VDF is designed to enhance the performance, but I’ve found it also creates some of the best feel of any Bettinardi putter I’ve tested.
Like the BB1, I found that the Bettinardi BB28 feels good at all distances but really comes alive around fifteen feet. At this range, both the softness and the solidity stand out. As you would expect from a milled putter, the feedback through the hands is clear and precise.
The sound of a premium golf ball hitting the putter face is low in pitch and medium in volume. It’s not dull enough to be a “thud,” not pronounced enough to be a “tock.” To me, this balance is quite satisfying as it keeps the impact sensation from being too muddy. In head to head testing, I felt that the sound of impact was very slightly higher pitched in the Bettinardi BB28 than the BB1.
Performance
For many golfers, the holy grail would be a traditional looking putter that had all the performance benefits of a massive, modern, multi-material mallet. While still well short of that goal, the Bettinardi BB28 is a step in that direction.
In the hierarchy of putter forgiveness, a widebody Anser sits among other traditional mallets, a small step ahead of the standard Anser. You can get away slightly larger misses and still see the ball hold its line and get near the hole. Bettinardi’s VDF moves the BB28 up another step with a 30% reduction in distance variation. While not on a level with the Spiders and DF3s, the 2026 BB28 goes a long way toward making your mishits roll like pure strikes.
The Bettinardi BB28 shares its specs – 3/4 shaft offset and “slight” toe hang – with two other mallets in the 2026 BB Series. The BB 6.0 [review HERE] and BB 7.0 [review HERE] both came over from the INOVAI line and have much more modern shapes than the BB28. Interestingly, despite the more traditional shape I found the BB28 felt the heaviest during the swing. Objectively the BB28 is lighter in terms of head weight and swing weight than the other putters, but this is where head shape and CG interact with those static specs.
Not only did the Bettinardi BB28 feel heavier to me, it also felt the most like a mallet. The “slight” toe hang is very slight – just a few degrees – and this putter felt like it didn’t want to rotate any more than it absolutely had to. That’s not objectively good or bad, and it’s not even objectively true, it’s just what I felt. As a longtime Anser player, I prefer a putter that rotates a little more. Mallet players are likely to be more comfortable with this putters “straight back and through” preferences.
Finally, for those looking for something different, the Bettinardi BB28 is the one model in the 2026 BB line that’s offered in an armlock configuration. The armlock build has a stock length of 41″ and a longer, armlock grip. It also has more offset (1.5 shaft vs. 3/4 shaft) and more loft (5 degrees vs. 3 degrees) to compensate for the armlock set up position. Additionally, the head is much heavier – 400 grams – to create the “automatic” pendulum motion that armlock proponents enjoy. [See Price / Buy]
Conclusion
The Bettinardi BB28 putter combines a variety of interesting elements, foremost among them the outstanding new Variable Depth Flymill. For the player looking for a high performance putter that sits somewhere between modern and traditional, the BB28 could fit the bill. [See Price / Buy]
The BB-28 is designed for players with a straight-back, straight-through putting stroke who prefer the appearance of a traditional blade style putter with an extended flange design for enhanced confidence at address.
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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