TaylorMade is overhauling their classic Spider putter design with the new Spider GT.
Such a design deviation is not a new thing for TaylorMade. We’ve seen their putter designers upset the Spider apple cart a couple of times in recent years. Take the Spider FCG and its forward center of gravity design as one example. Although the Spider FCG did deviate from the classic Spider weight plan, it maintained the overall Spider design. Add to that the Spider Mallet, the Spider Blade, the Daddy Long Legs, the Spider Mini and so on. Lots of variation on the design but the overall Spider plan remained mostly intact.
The new TaylorMade Spider GT putters kick that design standard to the curb.
The funny thing is that this radical design change is not a total surprise. Those of you paying close attention over the past few release cycles may have seen the change coming. The TaylorMade Spider S was an outlier when it launched in 2020 but now can be viewed retroactively as a harbinger of the Spider GT design.
What has changed?
Innovation has long been the bloodline of the Spider franchise. From its optimized stability frame to its countless victories on worldwide tours, every Spider putter is designed to deliver pure performance. With Spider GT, we have created our most angular and most stable Spider ever using a new modern wing construction similar to other high-stability Spider putters of the past. With the removal of weight from the center of Spider GT, we have unlocked higher MOI and more stability from every angle.
(Bill Price, Senior Director Product Creation, Putters and Wedges)
No More Wire Frame
One feature that has persisted through the iterations of the Spider through the years is the presence of a metal frame around the perimeter of the putter. All of the Spiders feature that key element. You see a “ring” of metal around the body of the putter in the earliest Spiders and in the most recent Spider EX version as well. Where you will not find that perimeter metal ring in the Spider GT.
With the Spider GT line, TaylorMade has moved the Spider design into more of a winged rather than ringed design. What could motivate them to blow up the box so ferociously? As with many putter designs, the story is all about weight distribution.
In this Corner, Lots of Tungsten
The new open-frame construction pushes 82 percent of the weight of the Spider GT to the edges of the putter. The result of this weight distribution is a big boost in MOI and stability. Metal distribution plays a huge role in weight distribution. The pad on the top of the Spider GT is lightweight aluminum and the heavier steel wings and much heavier tungsten weights live near the edges and rear respectively. This metal distribution pushes the relative weight of the head to the edges.
The new shape of the head also influences the weight story. Let’s go back to the missing perimeter ring. Having the Spider GT and GT Splitback designs lack the crossbar that usually connects the rear edges on older designs also enhances this edge-weighted design. Basically, the metal usually found in the middle of the putter is missing.
Pure Roll2 Insert and Fluted Feel Shafts
Before we dive deeper into the new Spider GT designs, let’s look at what has not changed. Contrasting the radical change in body design, the Spider GT putters will all feature the Pure Roll2 insert and Fluted Feel shafts that we saw last year with the Spider EX line. This makes sense as both were well received by both Tour players and putter consumers. SuperStroke 1.0 GT grips will be standard.
Consumers will also continue to have neck options with the Spider GT. Those with a straighter putting stroke will likely opt for the spud neck/single-bend shaft configuration. If you need a little more arc, then the new slant neck is the one to choose. This new slant neck promotes a bit more toe flow and has been tweaked to improve the view at address.
OK, that gets the old news features out of the way. Let’s take a closer look at what’s new with the individual Spider GT models.
TaylorMade Spider GT
The namesake of the Spider GT line is really the one that begs comparison to previous Spider models. Obviously, there are some serious differences. But there are similarities as well. While the Spider GT body design is more open, you’ll still find the tungsten weights at the back corners as you would in older Spiders. The overall profile is still quite square. Sure, there are new angles and curves but the overall perimeter still says “boxy mallet” to me.
From there though, the designs diverge. The top of the Spider GT looks almost like a turtle shell. When you flip it over, you see the weights at the edge. You also see that the center section has been essentially hollowed out to reduce the weight there. Maybe the animal name should be changed. Alas, the TaylorMade Turtle GT just doesn’t have the right ring to it. That said, I’ll just be over here pretending that GT stands for “Giant Turtle.”
In addition to allowing weighting to be more peripheral, the aluminum shell top also influences the center of gravity. The center of gravity should be lower on the Spider GT and also more forward than a Spider EX, Spider X or Spider Tour. The lack of material on the rearward underside of the putter is naturally involved with the CG position as well.
One interesting feature of the Spider GT is that it comes in three finishes. You can choose from matte black, red/black and white/ blue. The white and blue option threw me a bit as it is such a different look from the others. Technically, that white and blue option is the 33-inch women’s option but I don’t think anyone will need to lift their kilt at time of purchase to take one home. Get the color you want. And, yes, there will be a MySpider GT program.
TaylorMade Spider GT Splitback
The Spider GT Splitback is the evolution of the aforementioned Spider S and Spider SR. With this putter, the wing design is the most overt. Obviously, all the weight must be out at the edges since there is not much metal in the middle.
The Spider GT Splitback maintains its Spider DNA with the placement of tungsten weights at the rear of the fangs. This model also features TaylorMade’s True Path alignment scheme, providing a ball-width graphic assistant between the fangs for aiming.
The Spider GT Splitback sounds different than the other Spider GT models. While the others are more muted at impact, the Splitback rings a bit. Not totally surprising as it does look a bit more like a tuning fork than the others. My guess is that the first versions of this putter may have rung even more. Why do I think this? If you look under the wings, you’ll see some “Feel Foam” inserts. These urethane inserts dampen the sound. Sound design is a big part of putter design but also a part that we don’t think much about as consumers. At least until we hit a putter that unpleasantly resonates.
TaylorMade Spider GT Rollback
I’m not going to correct you if you say that the Spider GT Rollback doesn’t look like a Spider. I agree with you. However, slapping the name Spider on non-Spider shapes is something TaylorMade has done before. Take a walk down memory lane and Google the Spider Blade and Spider Mallet and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
While the shape of Spider GT Rollback may not say “Spider”, the weight scheme does. The Spider GT Rollback features aluminum construction up front and tungsten weights to the rear. While not quite as edge-weighted as the Spider GT, the materials and their location once again boost the putter’s MOI.
Two features I really like about the Spider GT Rollback are the tri-sole and the alignment system. The tri-sole bottom should allow you to ground the putter in a way that is comfortable. Naturally, you’ll not want to drag the sole on the grass but having a comfortable resting position at address could help you keep your body angles consistent while putting.
The Spider GT Rollback comes in two versions. One is all silver and the other shown here is silver and black. While both feature the long central alignment line, which is awesome, I think the ball-width black component is a helpful addition. This putter is very easy to aim. It gives me a bit of a PING Ketsch vibe and that is no small praise coming from me.
TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback
The Spider GT Notchback name does try my patience a bit. First, there is no notch in the back. Second, it is not super Spider-like in appearance. Again, this putter has a Spider-like MOI profile. The Notchback features significant amounts of tungsten in the back corners. High MOI is not really a typical characteristic of this head style.
What you may not be able to pick up from the photos is that the Notchback is a midsized mallet. While this is a classic round mallet design, it comes in at about 1.5 times the typical size. It’s smaller than the other Spider GT mallets but larger than the similar shapes such as the Mizuno M-Craft #5. It’s about a half-inch longer from heel to toe and a quarter-inch from front to back. I was surprised at the profile when I peeled off the headcover.
I would recommend seeing the Notchback in person before ordering one online. The size is something that will be hit or miss based on personal preference. It puts a fine roll on the ball but could disappoint someone looking for a compact mallet.
TaylorMade Spider GT Putters—Coming Soon
Preorders begin Feb. 14 for the Spider GT models. Yes, they would indeed make wonderful Valentine’s Day gifts. You should be able to get your hands on the new TaylorMade Spider GT putters in a shop near you on March 4. The Spider GT will run you $349.99 with the other three costing a Ulysses S. less at $299.99.
As I mentioned, TaylorMade will also be launching a MySpider GT custom platform in early March. As a huge fan of the previous MySpider and MyTP putter designers, I can’t wait to see the options that are available for customization. Cue a We Tried It article in 3, 2, 1 …
What do you think of the new Spider design? Does TaylorMade’s move to a wing design resonate with you or are you already nostalgic for the old design? Do you have a favorite of the four models? I’m leaning toward the Spider GT Rollback but something keeps compelling me to roll balls with the Spider GT as well.
Find out more about the new TaylorMade Spider GT line at TaylorMadeGolf.com.
TaylorMade's Clutter of Spiders
Are you wondering which of the TaylorMade Spider models is the right one for you? Not sure of all of the spiders that are out there? Well here are a few of them to keep you busy until the Spider GT launches.
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