I’ve always had a tough time spending hundreds of dollars on a new putter. I just didn’t believe that it would make that much of a difference compared to the cheaper models.
My curiosity took hold and I finally decided to pull the trigger on the Taylormade Spider putter. We’ve tested and reviewed a handful of different options, so we’ll compare them to this putter to see if the price actually makes a difference.
In This Review
Product Details | Intro | Looks | Sound & Feel | Performance | Bottom Line | Alternatives
Taylormade Spider Tour Product Details
| Handicap | Low-High |
| Golfer | Men Women Junior |
| Hand | Left Right |
| Grip | SuperStroke Pistol 1.0 |
| Style | Mallet |
| Design | Toe Balanced Face Balanced |
| Models | Tour Tour S Tour Double Bend Tour X Tour X Double Bend Tour Z Tour Z Double Bend Tour V Tour V Double Bend |
| Insert | Yes |
| Groves | Yes |
| Company Website | Taylormade |
The Intro
I was curious to test this putter because a lot of the pros are using it, which clearly shows there’s something good about it. Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Sergio Garcia have all used the Spider.
I don’t know about you, but I always had a tough time believing that a putter costing over $300 could sink more putts than one costing a third of the price.
The face is soft and the weight is balanced, which is supposed to roll the ball consistently, wherever you make contact on the face. Let’s dive into the review and figure out whether the marketing is true or if it’s just another overpriced gimmick.
The Looks
If you’re coming from a traditional blade-style putter, it’s going to look a little strange at first. There is so much more club behind the ball, which will probably take a bit of time to get used to.
The main benefit with a putter like this is that it’s way easier to align. You have the longer alignment line, which really helps me picture a line through the ball and towards the target.
You also have a lot more weight behind the face. It’s built that way to improve the forgiveness, just like with a driver or cavity back iron. This, ideally, should make off-center hits more consistent.
There are also different models available, which will depend on your putting stroke. A face-balanced design will be better for you if you have a straight back and straight through stroke. A toe hang putter is for someone that strokes on an arc.
The Sound & Feel
The biggest difference between a premium and budget putter is how the face is built. Premium putters tend to have an insert on the face, which reduces vibrations and has a very soft feel at impact.
The Spider also has grooves on the face to roll the ball a little smoother. Essentially, it’s just going to feel more “expensive” when you compare it to something cheaper.
I had a Wilson putter before this that cost somewhere around $100. The Spider felt softer when I hit the ball, there were less vibrations, and it just sounded better.
The Performance
Just because the Spider felt and sounded better doesn’t mean it’s the better option. If it still performs like my old Wilson, is there really a point in spending triple the amount of money?
To test it out, I took 10 shots with each of the putters (at different distances). I looked at how many putts were made and how far the balls ended up from the hole, on average. Here were the results:
| From 6 Feet | Spider | Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | |
| 0 | 3 | |
| 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | |
| 0 | 2 | |
| 1 | 0 | |
| 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | 1 | |
| 2 | 2 | |
| 0 | 0 | |
| Average Putts Made | 0.8 Feet 5/10 | 0.8 Feet 6/10 |
I sunk 5/10 putts with the Spider and the ball ended up less than a foot away on average. I sunk 6/10 putts with the Wilson and the ball ended up less than a foot away on average. Pretty much the same.
| From 12 Feet | Spider | Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | |
| 0 | 3 | |
| 2 | 3 | |
| 4 | 0 | |
| 0 | 1 | |
| 1 | 4 | |
| 0 | 3 | |
| 1 | 2 | |
| 2 | 4 | |
| 3 | 0 | |
| Average Putts Made | 1.6 Feet 3/10 | 2.0 Feet 3/10 |
I sunk 3/10 putts with the Spider and the balls ended up 1.6 feet from the hole on average. I still made 3 putts with the Wilson, but the balls ended up a little farther away on average.
In summary, both putters performed pretty much the same from 6 feet. From 12 feet, the Spider gave me a more consistent roll. It wasn’t by much, but it could make a difference over a round or two.
The Bottom Line
After taking everything into account, the Spider is an awesome putter. I think it’s a great option for low handicaps looking to take their game to the next level. You could also consider it if you don’t care about the price.
Compared to my older putter, the Spider felt and sounded better and it was slightly more consistent on longer putts. I still made the same number of putts, but the distance control was a touch better.
That said, I don’t think the cost is worth it for the average player. All you’d be paying for is a putter that feels and sounds a bit better. Personally, I’d rather spend the money on upgrading my other clubs.
If you have any questions or want to share your experience with the Spider putter, be sure to leave a comment below.
Where To Buy
Buy new from Golf Galaxy or used from Global Golf
The Alternatives
Even though this putter is one of the best out there, it’s likely not the best option for some. To see some of our favorites and to figure out which one could be right for you, check out one of our “best of” guides below:
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