Cleveland's HB Soft 2 Black Model 1 pairs a fast-rolling face with a UST Mamiya ALL-IN shaft and asks very little money for it. On mid-range putts, few mallets in its class did better.
What's new
Model 1 is one of nine HB Soft 2 designs, each matched to a stroke type, and this one suits a slight arc. Cleveland finishes it in black satin and adds a 20 g butt weight.
The bigger change sits in the shaft. Black models get the multi-material UST Mamiya ALL-IN, and they launched a tier above the satin chrome versions, though still priced well below most premium mallets.
How it plays
Cleveland calls it a Speed Optimized Face, and putts come off it rolling fast and true. Mid-range putts are its strength: a PuttView medium score of -1.8 put it near the top of the 2026 mallet class.
Across all distances it finished 13th of 29 mallets, with an overall PuttView score of -5.7 and -5.8 on short putts. Forgiveness rates 8.2 against its class, and a 9.5 for value reflects how little it costs for that result.
Where it lacks
Lag putting is its soft spot. Long putts scored -9.3, its worst band by a wide margin, so anyone who three-putts from distance should not expect this head to fix it.
Some golfers will also find the ALL-IN mid-shaft odd. With nine stroke-specific models in the range, picking the right one takes more homework than it should.
“From mid range it holds up against putters costing much more. Long lag putts are another story.”- The Club Stand gear team
Reasons to buy
- Mid-range putts ranked among the best in a 29-model mallet test, with a PuttView medium score of -1.8
- Speed Optimized Face gets the ball rolling fast and true at a value price
- Model 1 is shaped for a slight-arc stroke, so it suits a curved backswing path
Reasons to think twice
- Long putts were its weakest band in testing, scoring -9.3 on PuttView
- UST Mamiya's ALL-IN is a multi-material mid-shaft design that some players find odd
- Cleveland offers nine stroke-specific HB Soft 2 heads, which makes choosing one harder than it should be
Specs
| Face | Speed Optimized Face |
|---|---|
| Shaft | UST Mamiya ALL-IN |
| Stroke type | Slight Arc (Model 1) |
| Design | One of 9 stroke-specific HB Soft 2 designs |
| Butt weight | 20 g |
| Finish | Black satin |
| Best for | Players who want a soft, fast-rolling mallet at a value price |
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- PING Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset 2026 - 8.5/10. A compact white mallet whose Onset hosel and top-rail dot keep a pull-prone stroke from drifting left.