A putter is mainly known as a type of golf club used for short, gentle strokes that roll the ball into the hole on the green.

Main meanings of “putter”

  1. In golf (most common meaning)
    • A putter is a golf club with a flat face, designed for short, low-speed strokes on or near the green to roll the ball into the hole.
 * People also use “putter” to refer to a golfer who is good or bad at putting, like “she’s a great putter.”
  1. As a verb (“to putter around”)
    • Separate from golf, “to putter” means to move or work in an unhurried, somewhat aimless way, like doing small tasks around the house without a big goal.
 * Example: “I spent Sunday just puttering around the garage.”
  1. Niche / slang uses
    • Some writers online use “putters” to describe people who “put” content on the internet (uploaders or editors), contrasting them with “getters” who mainly consume content.
 * This isn’t a standard dictionary meaning, more a creative usage in that specific community.

Which meaning is “right”?

  • If you saw “putter” in a sports or TV context, it almost certainly means the golf club.
  • If the sentence is “he was just puttering around,” that’s the verb meaning: doing small, low-pressure tasks without urgency.
  • If someone online calls themselves a “putter” versus a “getter,” they’re probably using that special internet-content sense.

TL;DR: “Putter” is usually a golf club for short, precise shots, but “to putter” also means to do small, unhurried tasks without a clear big goal.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.