Classic putter shapes and lines resonate with their respective brands, and of course, as golfers, we remember them. For example, if someone mentioned an Anser or 2-ball, golf fans would likely know the company of origin. For TaylorMade, that putter is the Spider. Spider has taken multiple shapes over the years, but golfers know it for its appearance and for the strong reputation it has gained for being a stable, high MOI putter. It’s not only the weekend golfers who have benefited from Spider usage; far from it, as we’ve seen four different golfers ascend to the top of the world golf rankings while using Spider putters. As one can see, the Spider line has earned respect from the golf community.
Spider GTX
Last season TaylorMade released the Spider GT, which brought some visual alterations but kept stability and forgiveness as the focal point of performance. However, similar to when Peter Parker donned the black Spider-Man suit, it looked cool but wasn’t the Spidey that we’ve all come to recognize. With that in mind, TaylorMade brings us Spider GTX, which takes cues from some favorite Spider models of the past for a blended design in 2023.
“Spider GTX builds on the performance and shape of two of TaylorMade’s most acclaimed putter designs: Spider Tour and Spider X. We focused on stability and consistency while offering more color options to appeal to a wide range of players at every level of the game.”-Bill Price, Senior Director of Product Creation, Putters & Wedges.
Starting on the top, we get the return of True Path Alignment, which was prominent on the Spider X models. It’s easier to make a lot of putts if your alignment is solid, and True Path offers a nice visual to help golfers get correctly set on their intended target line.
A 154g stainless steel stability bar is positioned at the rear of the putter to help boost MOI. That 154g adds up to 45% of the putter’s total weight. For my fellow golf nerds, this stability bar pulls that center of gravity location 37mm deep and gives the GTX an MOI rating of over 5300, which places it in the neighborhood with some of the most forgiving Spider models of all time. As part of the aesthetics, there is a distinctive wing structure on the back sides of the putter, which makes this Spider putter look more like a Spider putter. TaylorMade knows those wings were missing last year, so the look is back.
Finally, TaylorMade is bringing all the color options typically available within the MySpider program to the store shelves for the first time. Golfers can purchase spider GTX directly in white, silver, black, red, ice blue, and pink, all with either a short slant neck, single bend, or center shaft options. Spider GTX can be preordered starting on January 19 and will be in stores the first quarter of 2023 with a price tag of $349.
Spider GT Max
Crave a completely new Spider? Well, here we go. Spider GT Max features two 40g sliding weights, which allows golfers to diagnose their misses and dial in a putter that will be the best suited for their game.
Let’s nerd out again with CG talk. Depending on the positioning of these two 40g weights, golfers can adjust the center of gravity location from 29mm to 41mm. Keeping it within the Spider family for comparisons, those positions are similar to a Spider GT (forward position), Spider X (neutral position), and the old Spider Daddy Long Legs (weight back). TaylorMade talks about nine different weight combinations, but according to Billy Price, there are 15 possible settings.
Delivering the putter face back to square at impact is vital for consistency and making putts. So which positions would suit your game? Golfers who tend to push their putts should start with the weights all the way forward to allow for more rotation. Conversely, players whose miss is a pull would be best suited to drop that weight back to slow down the face closure. With no natural push/pull trends, the best starting spot is a neutral location, and then tinker from there. A critical note about tinkering here, the included wrench is set to work exclusively with this putter. DO NOT USE on your driver, fairways, or hybrids.
“We encourage golfers to spend time observing their putting tendencies. By knowing where you often miss, you can set the weights on Spider GT Max to counteract your tendencies and help you hit putts on target with greater consistency. Why adjust your putting motion when you can adjust your putter?”-Bill Price, Director of Product Creation, Putter & Wedges
Like the GTX putters above, the GT Max features True Path alignment on top of a fully machined head. There are two hosel options, a single bend or a small slant neck paired with a black stepped KBS shaft. Unlike the Spider GTX, there is only one color option: A silver anodized finish, which should provide increased durability versus painted putters in the past. Look for Spider GT Max to hit the stores later this spring with a price tag of $449.
