There are golfers who want their putter to behave like a well-trained Labrador Retriever. Sit squarely, stay quiet and do exactly what it is told.
Other players like a little movement. They want to feel the face open during the backswing, close through impact and release toward the target.
Mallets have traditionally been face-balanced, so for those players, they can feel less like a helpful companion and more like steering a shopping cart with one stubborn wheel. A putter with the ideal hosel and balance, however, can bring out their best on the greens, and these are the golfers Scotty Cameron had in mind with the new Phantom 9.5R.
The Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R.
The $549 putter expands the Phantom family Cameron released earlier this year, with pre-sale begins now and the putter arriving in U.S. golf shops on Sept. 30.
The Phantom 9.5R has the same shape as the Phantom 9R and 9.2R. The “R” stands for rounded, referring to the softer contours that distinguish these putters from the original Phantom 9 introduced in 2024.
Those curves give it a soft, more natural look that appeals to many players, and that’s important because larger mallets occasionally look like they were designed by someone inspired by aircraft carriers.
The 9.5R separates itself from its siblings through its elongated jet hosel. It creates more toe flow, allowing the face to rotate more freely during the stroke than it does with the Phantom 9R or 9.2R.
That should benefit players who make an arcing stroke and naturally release the putter through impact. It can also appeal to golfers coming from a blade who want the forgiveness and alignment help of a mallet without surrendering the sensation of the head rotating.
The Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R‘a hosel creates blade-style toe hang, which is ideal for golfers with an arced putting stroke.
In essence, the Phantom 9.5R is a mallet for someone who doesn’t want their mallet to feel like a mallet.
That has helped the Phantom 9.5R gain traction on the PGA Tour. Cameron Young was among the first players to use it, putting a prototype in play at the 2025 RBC Heritage. He has since won three PGA Tour events with it, including the 2026 Players Championship. Jackson Koivun switched to a Phantom 9.5R shortly before winning this summer’s 3M Open in his third professional start.
Tour success does not guarantee that a putter will work for a recreational golfer, but the 9.5R’s appeal is easy to understand: It offers stability without eliminating the sensation of release.
The Phantom 9.5R has a carbon steel face insert that covers the entire hitting area and that features a chain-link pattern.
The putter has a milled 303 stainless steel body, an aluminum sole plate and adjustable sole weights. Removing the steal and putting lightweight aluminum in its place redistributes weight to the perimeter and increases stability, helping the head resist twisting on off-center strikes.
Like the other 2026 Phantom models, the 9.5R has a full-face Studio Carbon Steel insert with a chain-link milling pattern. The carbon steel produces a softer sound and feel.
A single sightline extends nearly the full length of the head, providing a clear alignment reference from the center of the face toward the target.
The Phantom 9.5R will be offered in 33-, 34- and 35-inch lengths with 3.5 degrees of loft, a 70-degree lie angle and a Full Contact grip. It will be available only for right-handed golfers.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: New Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R blends mallet stability and blade feel