3 things you need to know

Recognizing that not everyone has the time to consume all the content on club opening days, we’re trying something different and offering a new version of our in-depth technical articles that hits the highlights. Here’s what you need to know about TaylorMade’s Spider Tour Series putters.

Successful return

The return of the Spider Tour will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation. As one of the most successful putter franchises of all time, it’s easy to assume that TaylorMade is simply bringing it back with a proven design. Yes, the original Spider Tour shape is making a comeback, but the updated offering offers more than just a fresh paint job.

“There is a growing demand for us to come back and reinvent some of these shapes,” said Brian Bazzel, vice president of product development at TaylorMade. “We won’t [just bring back those shapes]but we will also bring a few others that will suit a few more golfers.”

Featuring TaylorMade’s True Path alignment system featured prominently on all of them five The designers set out to develop distinctive shapes and weight configurations for all swing types.

It starts with the OG: Spider tour. Based on the iconic shape, the head has a center of gravity (CG) of 35mm above the face, a moment of inertia of 5,700 – about 700 moments of inertia compared to the previous version – and a toe hang of 29 degrees on a small, slanted hosel. In addition to standard lengths, Spider Tour is also available in a 38-inch counterweight model with a 17-inch SuperStroke 3.0 handle.

Made popular by Rory McIlroy, Spider Tour X was originally designed to put blade users in a hammer. The compact shape provides a blade-like feel with TSS weights placed forward to allow for more rotation during impact. A CG placement of 33mm from the face is 2mm closer than the Spider Tour. This model also features a 5,000 moment of inertia and a 30 degree toe hang on the small slanted hosel.

Spider Tour Z is a new addition to the range and features a rim that sits low to the ground to frame the golf ball for easy alignment. The TSS weights are placed far forward to promote greater face rotation and a blade-like feel. The CG is 29mm from the face, the moment of inertia is 5,050 and the toe hang is 29 degrees with a small slanted hosel.

All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you purchase a Linked Product, GOLF.COM may receive a fee. Prices may vary.

TaylorMade Spider Tour Series

$349.99

Want to sink more putts? Pre-order a Spider Tour Series putter from Fairway Jockey.

Pre-order

With Spider Tour VDesigners removed the wings to give it a “streamlined look” at address. With the smallest clubhead in the lineup, golfers can expect a wealth of face rotation at impact. Spider Tour V has a CG of 27mm from the face, a moment of inertia of 4,900 and a toe hang of 32 degrees with a small slanted hosel.

While Spider Tour S (available Spring 2024) has an identical Spider-Tour shape, but is slightly larger than the original. In comparison, the Spider Tour S head is 3mm longer and 8mm wider. It is also designed for a higher head weight and is only offered in 35 and 38 inch lengths with a counterweight handle. Spider Tour S has a center of gravity 38mm from the face, 6,063 moments of inertia and is face balanced.

Under the hood

Take one look at the face and you’ll see something familiar – with a twist. The Pure Roll molded insert, made from a combination of Surlyn and aluminum, has been a staple since its introduction on the original Spider X.

The Surlyn imparts a soft feel at impact, but because the grooves are angled downward at 45 degrees, it is able to impart a consistent end-over-end roll at impact.

But this is where the side dish begins to deviate from the original recipe. Just behind the sculpted Surlyn is a piece of Hybrar, most recently used on the Stealth and Stealth HD irons, to dampen vibration – particularly on mishits – at impact.

The end result is improved sound and feel across the entire face.

Weight watcher

The lightweight steel wire frame construction allowed engineers to open the playbook and move the TaylorMade Swingweight System (TSS) weights to set the center of gravity position for each head and putting style.

For example, on the Spider Tour the weights are housed in the rear fenders to increase stability; The Spider

The TSS weights serve another valuable purpose by optimizing performance at each putter length with specific masses.

particularities

Spider Tour (Gunmetal PVD finish) retails for $349.99 and comes standard with a KBS CT Putter Black PVD Stepless shaft and Super Stroke Pistol GT 1.0 White grip. The entire line is available for pre-order starting September 19th at Fairway Jockey and TaylorMade’s official website, and will be available at retail starting October 27th.

Looking to overhaul your bag for 2023? Find a suitable location near you at True Spec Golf.

Jonathan Wall

Golf.com Publisher

Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and managing equipment editor at GOLF.com. Before joining the team at the end of 2018, he was responsible for equipment on the PGA Tour for six years. He can be reached at jonathan.wall@golf.com.