Spider GT Max - review and AMA

[getitdaily]

I've come to the conclusion that I bounce around putters because a high moi putter really struggles to get the ball to the hole on slow Florida summer greens. But when they speed up in fall and winter, higher moi is my preference. I love the stability of high moi but I love the roll from forward CoG putters when greens are slow.

 

I really want to stop bouncing around putters. So i pulled the trigger on the gt max.

 

Haven't gotten it on the green just yet but on my mat, this putter does exactly what I hoped. Has the stability of my 11 ch with weights back and the forward roll of my pxg Hercules with weights forward.

 

FYI - TM adjusts the round front weight if you custom order length. I ordered at 33.25 and it came with a 17g weight rather than 2g. That put it at 365g. 

 

I'll use this thread for a more formal review later this week when I get on a green. 

[getitdaily]

Comparison pics to my 11 ch

 

[getitdaily]

Toe hang with weights back and forward

[GolfRat1]

Good luck with the new putter. I like the idea of the technology in this putter and look forward to your review.

[pak]

I tried a GT Max today at a PGATSS and liked it a lot, except for the price. Based on prior experience with an old Kirk Currie putter, changing weights on a putter can be “dangerous” and cause lots of doubt on the greens regardless of speed.

[getitdaily]

Got out for about 45 minutes this morning. Rolled mostly 10 footers and several 40ish footers.

 

Short putts:

The changes in forgiveness from weights back to weights forward are very subtle. In a review video TM says moi with weights forward is equal to spider gt, weights middle equal to spider x, weights back equal to spider tour. I have putted all of those, owned the gt and tour, I found TM's statement to be true. Weights forward did want to close ever so slightly faster (duh) and I left the face open more often with weights back (duh). So the putter does exactly what it should in that regard. 

 

Long putts:

Weights back was surprisingly good. I was on slow greens. However, what I was hoping for is exactly what I saw...weights forward on slow greens gives that extra little bit of pop and launch so there was no hopping. Speed control was very easy with weights forward and required less hit. Weights back, just a bit softer off the face and needed a bit more hit. 

 

The sound is really good. I hated the hollow knock/tock from the spider gt. That's gone. Sound is a solid knock. Feel is like spider x.

 

I found weights back to perform less optimal than weights middle or between middle and back...on 10 footers. I spent the last 10 minutes on 5-6 footers and need more time on those. I didn't have weights back on those 6 footers and need to see how that config works on those crucial length putts.

 

The biggest difference with weight config is the feel of heaviness. At 365g headweight, weights back felt A LOT lighter. Weights forward felt heavy. That's OK for me, but beware. Heft was the area with the most significance when moving weights around. Weights middle felt very balanced. 

[getitdaily]

1st round in the books. Played greens that had been punched a bit more than a week ago so I put the weights forward to help with launch and quicker forward roll. 

 

32 putts on 15 greens hit.

 

The good 

Made 20 footer on 2 for birdie

Made 12 footer for birdie on 14 for birdie

Made 20 footer on 17 for birdie 

Made par putts on 5, 6, and 10 from about 5 feet.

 

The ok

Missed from just under 20 feet on 1 for birdie 

Missed from inside 15 feet on 12 for birdie

3 putted 13

Missed from 10 feet on 16 for birdie

Missed from 12ish feet on 18 for birdie.

 

Overall, didn't get a lot of time with the putter this week so speed was off today. That'll get resolved as I spend more time with this bad boy. But I like the potential i see in this thing. Especially rocking 32 putts on punched greens. 

[getitdaily]

As I roll this putter more I see something interesting. This may just be the slow greens right now but

 

I see very little change in face angle at impact with weights back vs forward. Right now, moving weights seems to really impact feel, firmness off the face, and launch.

[Macroach]

I had an interesting experience with the GT Max. I thought the weights would impact the face angle a lot more but for me and my naturally fragile mental state, it made me doubt myself even more. The feel was VERY different from position 1 to position 3, and I started to subconsciously manipulate more or less depending on position. It also unleashed my OCD and I was always tinkering with it. 

[getitdaily]

11 minutes ago, Macroach said:

I had an interesting experience with the GT Max. I thought the weights would impact the face angle a lot more but for me and my naturally fragile mental state, it made me doubt myself even more. The feel was VERY different from position 1 to position 3, and I started to subconsciously manipulate more or less depending on position. It also unleashed my OCD and I was always tinkering with it. 

Yeah, I knew going in I had to find 1 position...how far back. I know I'll putt with weights forward on slow greens. So how far back is yhe only tinkering I'll have to do. Once I find yhe weight back spot that does what I need then I'll have my 2nd weight position. And I'll be set.

[Jbar]

I got the 33.5" MAX from 2nd Swing after being impressed with the sliding weights. It is a cheat code for manipulating the greens.

[getitdaily]

My gt max came with a 17g front round weight. That puts it at 365g headweight. Works really well with weights back but feels too heavy with weights forward. Since I plan to play weights forward on slow greens, need to have lighter as an option. 

 

Called TM and they're sending me a 10g round weight...on them. Gotta hand it to TM here...didn't expect a freebie.

 

I'll test it, but the plan will be to put the 10g weight in if on slow greens and sliders come forward. 17g in if sliders go back.

[BallerNate]

Awesome reviews and feedback @getitdaily!

 

This putter is intriguing for sure. Any more long term reviews or thoughts on the Spyder GT Max for those of you that have had it for a while now?

 

Wasn’t considering this one, but someone offered me one as a trade and I’m alway willing to try something new and the technology looks pretty cool.

[getitdaily]

6 hours ago, BallerNate said:

Awesome reviews and feedback @getitdaily!

 

This putter is intriguing for sure. Any more long term reviews or thoughts on the Spyder GT Max for those of you that have had it for a while now?

 

Wasn’t considering this one, but someone offered me one as a trade and I’m alway willing to try something new and the technology looks pretty cool.

Pretty superb putter. You will find your center of gravity preference with it.

 

I initially thought I'd play weights forward on slow grrrns and weights back on fast. But weights forward has been really good. 

 

1 key here...prepare to adjust the small round weight for desired total headweight/feel. Weights back makes the putter head feel light. Weights forward makes it feel heavy. 

[BallerNate]

5 hours ago, getitdaily said:

Pretty superb putter. You will find your center of gravity preference with it.

 

I initially thought I'd play weights forward on slow grrrns and weights back on fast. But weights forward has been really good. 

 

1 key here...prepare to adjust the small round weight for desired total headweight/feel. Weights back makes the putter head feel light. Weights forward makes it feel heavy. 

Awesome…thanks for the feedback my man!

 

Such a cool concept, and makes a lot of sense to have adjustability in putters too. It’s the club you need the most touch and feel with in the bag, so why not have technology and adjustability on your side to get it dialed in?

[getitdaily]

6 minutes ago, BallerNate said:

Awesome…thanks for the feedback my man!

 

Such a cool concept, and makes a lot of sense to have adjustability in putters too. It’s the club you need the most touch and feel with in the bag, so why not have technology and adjustability on your side to get it dialed in?

I originally got it because every year I do the same thing...

 

Winter/spring - get a higher moi putter because the forgiveness is good and green speeds are quicker.

 

Summer and fall - try a bunch of putters that are more forward CoG because the Florida greens get super slow. 

 

Then winter hits and I rinse and repeat. This was the first putter I could make high moi or forward CoG and not change heads. 80g of moveable weight is huge. Closest I got to the concept was about 20g total on a pxg putter.

[BallerNate]

15 hours ago, getitdaily said:

I originally got it because every year I do the same thing...

 

Winter/spring - get a higher moi putter because the forgiveness is good and green speeds are quicker.

 

Summer and fall - try a bunch of putters that are more forward CoG because the Florida greens get super slow. 

 

Then winter hits and I rinse and repeat. This was the first putter I could make high moi or forward CoG and not change heads. 80g of moveable weight is huge. Closest I got to the concept was about 20g total on a pxg putter.

Makes sense. Yeah, if you can get 2-3 putters built into 1, that’s pretty amazing.

 

I’m going to go to my local golf shop to test it out sometime today or tomorrow, and if it rolls well I’ll have one in my bag soon!