50 Words or Less
The Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT is a high quality zero torque putter which is quite easy to use considering the style. It combines extremely good craftsmanship with a subtle classy appearance. An interesting alternative to the other high end milled putter options on the market.
Introduction
Detroit Putter Company was born after an 80 year old, family-owned machining business was sold. Decades of engineering and machining expertise transitioned from automotive parts to high quality boutique style putters. To me, their simple, clean, industrial styling echoes the no-nonsense sensibility of midwestern manufacturing. They have a small assortment of head styles in mostly traditional shapes.
Putting isn’t the strongest part of my game. I currently use a L.A.B. DF2.1 – a club that unashamedly prioritizes forgiveness and assistance over appearance and feel [review HERE]. This is the exact opposite philosophy of a boutique milled putter like the Detroit Putter Company makes. Therefore, I thought it would be interesting to test the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT – their least forgiving Zero Torque model. Whenever I try a putter like this, I tend to feel a bit uncomfortable and am quick to switch over to something more stable and forgiving. What would a few weeks of testing look like with such a thing?
Looks
The 313 ZT is a center shafted blade style putter with a very familiar shape. The overall look of the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT is understated and classic. There is a true midwestern industrial style at play – well built, but not boasting about it. The styling of the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT serves as the perfect antidote for those who aren’t interested in the more ornamental “showy” offerings from competitors like Scotty Cameron, Bettinardi, and Evnroll, but still want the highest level of craftsmanship and quality.
The Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT is offered in three finishes: Stainless, Black and Bronze. The matte bronze finish on my tester is impeccable and compliments the black coated stepless shaft nicely. In person, the bronze finish is a bit brighter than the company’s photos indicate. There are minimal markings for alignment on the top and some simple branding/labeling on the sole. The overall look is super clean and rugged to my eyes.
It isn’t until you look at the milled face that this putter reveals any sort of flashy nature. The face has swirl/turned machining across the entire surface, with an engraved “D” logo in the heel area. That logo is also very cleverly done – the D is formed by using the shape of a putter as the negative space inside the letter. It’s absolutely beautiful, and the contrast between the duller matte finishes elsewhere and the bright shiny face are striking. [See Price / Buy]
Sound and Feel
There are more contrasting ideas at play with the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT as well when it comes to feel. The head is quite hefty for a double-wide blade putter. It has an initial feel in hand that would suggest the ball will leap off the face. However the fine milling work on the metal surface makes the impact much softer than you’d expect. It’s among the softest/slowest milled faced putters I’ve ever tried, especially so considering the weight.
This gives the 313 ZT the ability to carry the heavy head with a smooth controlled stroke without blasting everything 10 feet past the hole. As someone who usually prefers a putter with a softer insert style putter, I was both surprised and impressed with how soft and controlled the face on the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT was in use.
The accompanying sounds of the Detroit Putter Company 313 ZT vary depending on many factors. With a firm hold on the relatively un-squishy pistol-style grip, the impact sound is very low pitched and muted thud with a soft thump feel in the hands.
The already muted sound dulls further as you strike it further away from the middle of the face. You’ll feel the tug in your hands as well as the head twists. You’ll never wonder where you made contact when putting with the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT – it’s evident the moment you touch the ball.
Performance
Without instrument testing, I can neither confirm nor deny the claim of “zero torque” while using the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT. It has a center shaft and plentiful heel/toe weighting and feels very stable. I will note that unlike a L.A.B. putter (sort of the current champion of zero torque) that will twist on its side and stop in any position without bias, the 313 ZT is what is known as a “toe-up” putter – the toe wants to point up when held horizontally.
That said, I had absolutely no problems with my pretty neutral/straight putting stroke keeping the club pointed in the right direction. The Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT seems to deliver on the zero torque claim. It doesn’t twist or steer your hands. It definitely feels like a willing partner to do what you ask of it, no more, no less. The grip is a familiar firm pistol-style and my tester was equipped with the stepless steel shaft. Both were “invisible” during my testing and just worked as expected.
In practice, the clubhead of the 313 ZT is easy to keep square, but make no mistake: this is not your normal zero torque mallet style putter with high MOI. This is still a blade style putter that isn’t embedded with layers of assistance. As such, you won’t get nearly as much forgiveness on off-center strikes while using the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT.
Hit one out of the heel, the club face will twist closed a bit, and you will end up with a pulled putt that finishes short. It’s slightly more generous on toe-side strikes, but you still probably won’t make the putt. This is a precision instrument and really does require you to find the center of the face to get the best results. Beyond that, a squared face is always required to send the ball on the desired line. The zero torque design only helps with the latter.
I did extensive testing on practice greens at my local club including lots of back to back testing against my own L.A.B. DF2.1. I also played a few rounds with the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT, noting if and when I thought I lost strokes compared to my L.A.B. gamer. I expected the much less forgiving 313 ZT to show its teeth a bit and ultimately cost me strokes.
The Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT genuinely requires a more controlled stroke and good-to-great contact every single time. I had to concentrate a bit more to ensure a center of the face strike, as opposed to my L.A.B. where you can kind of hit it all over the face with no consequence. As a bonus for that extra effort, the infinitely better feedback and feel of the Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT’s milled face allowed me to dial in distance control far closer than the more “numb” feeling off the face of my L.A.B. gamer.
Once I got the hang of it, my long distance lag putts were always within a few feet of the hole. Medium range putts – inside 30 ft – usually scared the hole and left a tap-in of 18” or less. I made nearly everything inside 6 feet with more confidence than I expected when I started the testing. I was shocked how well I got along with this putter and how easy I found it to control my intended pace using it. [See Price / Buy]
Conclusion
I didn’t choose this putter with the intention of hating it. I did not expect to love it either. My spotty history with milled blade putters combined with my positive results using zero torque putters made for an interesting combination to test this Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT on its own merits without being predisposed either way. [See Price / Buy]
The DPC 313 ZT is engineered for golfers who demand absolute face stability and a true, repeatable roll. Designed with zero torque technology, the 313 ZT minimizes face rotation throughout the stroke, helping you stay square at impact and start every putt on line with confidence.
In the end, I really like the 313 ZT. I would’ve never guessed it would stay in my bag long-term, but I am still gaming it for now. The incredible feel and feedback with the smooth stroke it delivers all are top-tier and just as good as anything out there. Personally, I prefer the beautiful yet unpretentious styling over something more flashy like you’d get from competitors. For anyone who is shopping for a high end putter like a Scotty Cameron, Bettinardi, etc – Detroit Putter Company is worth a serious look.
- Detroit Putter Co. 313 ZT Review - July 21, 2026
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2 Comments
Hi Nate,
Thanks for reviewing. I’m a Michigan native, and I’ve never heard of this company, it’s cool to see a local company enter this space.
I went in their website, and it looks like they have a ZT mallet putter. Any chance that you might test it in the future?
We have another Detroit putter review in the works already. Once that’s published, we will see about getting a ZT mallet reviewed.
Best,
Matt