What's the deal with Spider putters?

[Lefty_3Jack]

I know I'm like 10 years late to the game, but what is it about these putters that has so many pros using them? Seems like it's either a lot of marketing dollars or all of us not using one is a fool.

[Liveonce]

I have one, it’s a nice putter but I put it up for sale. One mans trash is another’s treasure

[chisag]

... When they first came out and so many Pro's switched almost immediately, I rolled one at the PGS SS on 2 separate visits for a good 15 minutes each time. Couldn't miss. Most accurate putter I ever demoed. Bought one and on my first round at the course it was just horrible. I have an 8802 style putter and it is all I have ever used. On fast carpet and every putt straight the Spider was flawless. But on slower greens with breaking putts I had no feel at all, and lag putting which is usually a strength, was all over the place as distance control was abysmal. I could not sell it fast enough.

[farmer]

^^^^ As a stuck at home Covid boredom experiment, I bought a really nice looking Odyssey Works putter. Best feeling carpet putter ever. Took it to the course, and it was awful. Luckily, Cally Pre-owned allows returns, and back it went.

[bogeypro]

They all sit open to me. I can't seem to get along with them.

[EricWGolf]

Very stable and the Pure Roll insert just flat-out puts a good roll on the ball. I replaced my Newport 2.5 with a Tour Spider Black after testing it. Thought the Spider was hard to look at, but loved how it rolled the ball. Tried to go back to my Newport 2.5 once. Once.

Now I have a Spider X.

I know several good players who improved their putting by moving to a Spider. Most common comment I hear is “it almost feels like it swings itself.”

[MattM97]

I just think the stability of it makes it appealing for many and for me it's one of the few mallets that isn't ugly, I'm talking SpiderX for that. I don't have one but wouldn't mind adding one for when my putting goes belly up.

[Golfingfanatic]

Just bought another one. This time the OG Black one without a siight line. I have owned multiple versions of the Spider head(s)

JDay Red twiceFace-Balanced with sight line onceSpider MiniDJ blackThe appeal to me has always been the no sight line. Not a lot of mallets that offer this. The red ones were always a bit too soft for my liking so I always sold them again. Hopefully the black is better.

[sociojeje]

I have one of older models though I don't use it on course. In terms of feel, it is one of the best soft feeling (much better than my current bettinardi putter). I still put better with the spider but the peeled paint often distracts me too much... But I can certainly see myself going back to any spider someday.

[GC70]

I’ve had three Spiders and really liked them but I love putters that I can pick up the ball with. ?

I’m sure I’ll have a 4th one before the season ends. ?

[jsn]

as someone who had a black spider, sold it and gamed a variety of blades for a season, and now owns a spiderX my biggest pro for these putters is i can make nearly any stroke with it and still get a consistent roll. it really allows me to get out of my own head and forget so much about the mechanics, and instead just try to make putts.

[philly2kuk]

I had a tour red with no sight line. Played well with it for 6 months then struggled as the greens speeded up. The quality was shocking though - kept a head cover on it, looked after it really well and the black paint round the insert still chipped off.

Switched back to a blade putter and have putted even better since switching back and that’s 18 months ago. It’s all down to the individual.

[Liveonce]

I have a copper Spider X if anyone is interested. Practically giving it away

[goaliedad30]

I putted with a Scotty Cameron Newport for close to 20 years. I was OK, but not good; certainly not good enough. My wife bought an original black Spider; I tried it out, and found that inside of 10 feet, I was making tons more putts. I bought a Spider X (copper), spent practice time with it, and now putting is a huge strength. I rarely 3 putt, rarely have more than 2 feet for a second putt, and from 8-12 feet, I'm making a ton more than I ever did. It's consistent, I can stroke it cleanly, and the putter head stays square to the line.

The only thing I think about now when putting is "set the putter square to the line" and "follow through".

[getitdaily]

That's pretty much how I describe it. I have 2...both plumber's neck hosels...diamond silver with a sightlines and this one that I bought a couple of weeks ago because I wanted no sight line.

They're just really forgiving and they have toe hang options. Just really good putters.

[flaghunting1987]

Just can't get myself to pay $350 for a putter...

[GC70]

It is a lot of money, but you do use it more than any club in your bag.

[TheRaven]

I think the extreme heel toe weight distribution is really effective. I never transferred over because I'm a bit of a Ping fanboy and went with the Ketsch, The Spiders really are nice though.

[MattM97]

This I always laugh at, the putter should be technically the most expensive and best fit club because of how many times it's used a round. But often it's the cheapest and never fit for clubs in the bag.

But $500+ drivers? Yearly purchase.

[cane700]

The Spider Tour Red with no sightline was an epiphany for me. I was a diehard Seemore player before that. Something about it just works.

[alecfeltman]

I just got one (slant neck; chalk color). I couldn't be happier.

Coming from Scotty Newport 2 which is a total change in style, weight, etc. Sometimes you need to put ole' trusty away and teach them a lesson. Problem is, I love this spider x that the scotty may just sit in the corner for a while.

One complaint is that I cant pick up the ball with the putter. Besides that, all good.

[philly2kuk]

Completely agree. The amount of people at my club that question why I bought my current putter for that price makes me laugh, yet these same people spend £400 a year on a new driver for those 8-10 shots they hit a round and many of them don’t even get fit for their drivers!

[MattM97]

Exactly I try and make my wedge game and putting the best part of my game. Why? Well I'm not great at golf right now, but if I can stay at 2 putts per hole or less with a few up and downs my scores are gonna drop super fast.

 

I can have a bad day with my driver and generally get on just fine with my 3W or long irons but a bad wedge and putter day? I might as well go home or get drunk if I'm not driving.

[wiill]

I would game one if their paint finish wasn't so awful - it's not limited to the Spiders though - I had an Ardmore 3 in red and it chipped like mad (and I made sure to look after it)

[MattUtah]

The Spiders are just about the best putters out there lately but I also really wish they would up their quality of the paint finish.

 

I will say though Ive been pretty pleased with how my Spider S is holding up. The milled aluminum head seems to do better than the steel spider X so far.

[mrward5]

I just got my navy spider x and love it! I did have a question, I was supposed to receive a navy superstroke TM branded pistol 1.0 to match head and grip I received is a royal blue version (looking nothing like picture from their custom shop). Has anyone else experience TM putting wrong grip on for a custom order? I have already reached out to customer service but just curious.

[mrward5]

See photos...doesn’t seem like the same grip.

[kreiniel]

PM me!

[Lefty_3Jack]

Wow lots of responses. Putters seem like a club that you need to be fitted to more than just about any club so I'm hesitant to just grab one to try it out. I currently play an Edel Torque Balanced ED-1 with a double bend shaft and three alignment lines. I can find a single bend shaft, but not double bend ones.

When looking up what double bend shafts accomplish it sounds like they are for "less arc'ing" strokes so maybe a center shaft would work, but I've messed with them before and I push a ton of putts with them. It also seems the more alignment aids you have the more likely you are to aim to the pull side. Is that correct? When I did the Edel fitting I consistently aimed to the pull side and setup closed. Doing some work lately that is still the case 4 years later.

 

 

[flaghunting1987]

Ha and I caved...just got the spider X in navy. Face balanced