Jump to content
2024 Houston Open WITB Photos ×

REVIEW: TaylorMade Ghost Manta Belly Putter


Recommended Posts

TESTED:

 

TaylorMade Ghost Manta Belly Putter 47”

 

 

PLAYER PROFILE:

 

Age:35 Ht: 6’4” Wt: 185

Yrs Playing: 20

Hcp: 3.4

 

I was scratch as recently as 2007, but work, marriage and children are slowly eroding my handicap, as is want to happen. But this is mostly due to chipping and putting, not poor ball striking or driving.

 

WHAT TAYLORMADE SAYS:

 

EASY ALIGNMENT AND FANTASTIC FORGIVENESS IN A SIMPLE SHAPE.

Features:

Rich and more durable white finish eliminates glare; high contrast with turf makes aiming easy.

New large performance mallet shape promotes great feel and excellent stability on mis-hits.

PureRoll Surlyn face insert promotes forward spin for a smooth, accurate roll and beautiful soft feel.

Dual alignment lines frame the ball, making aiming easy while maintaining a clean and simple appearance.

 

PROS:

 

Easy to align

Great contrast with green surface

Face insert puts a smooth roll on the ball

Adjustable sole weight for customization

Great looking headcover.

 

CONS:

 

Stock weight a little heavy

Stock grip a little slick

Face insert maybe too soft and muted for some

 

LOOKS (4.5*):

 

Out of the box the putter looks great. The white finish has almost no gloss at all and to the touch feels like perhaps its some type of powder coating. The total Ghost package looks really sharp and well put together from the Winn pebble grip down to the perforated leather (or leather-like) and sheepskin (or sheepskin-like) headcover. I've read complaints about the Manta tending to flop open because of the sole design, and I've noticed this in standard length versions, but this belly version soles square and definitely does not flip open like I've experienced with its shorter sisters.

 

PERFORMANCE (4.5*):

 

On the green the Manta puts a very nice roll on the ball. I would say the roll grooves have an impact on slightly longer putts and that the ball rolling more quickly in the first 4 or 5 feet after impact is noticeable. The putter is also extremely easy to align. I think this is the by far the best implementation of the Ghost concept in a putter yet. The white body with the black lines is fantastic and I'm not a fan at all of the other Ghost Tour putters.

 

The putter shines, as it should, on putts inside of 10 feet. If you like easy alignment and consistent rolls then this is a putter to try. I've put up a picture of my Odyssey so you can see the difference between the two. It doesn't read the green for you, but it does most everything else. My version right now is a little heavier than I would like, but that's going to be easy to fix with simple weight change.

 

The bottom line for me is that this is the easiest putter on the market to align, and once I get the grip and weight squared away with a couple of tweaks I'm expecting to make a lot of putts this summer.

 

FEEL (3.5*):

 

The pebble grain Winn grip is just okay. There is a reason that almost every pro on tour is using the same red and black Winn wrap belly putter grip – it's very good. That grip is very smooth, but also very tacky. The Ghost Manta's grip is a little bit softer and squishier than the more common Winn, and the pebbles also make the grip more slippery. If the Manta is going to become my #1, it will need a grip change to match my Odyssey.

 

I think the face insert will be a mixed bag for a lot of players, especially if you are used to an all steel head. The Manta's surlyn face has a very soft and muted feel, even when compared to current Odyssey or Ping inserts. Because the head is so heavy and the face so soft, there is very low feedback. But then again, the Manta isn't being sold to the Loren Roberts and Brad Faxons of the world and many will appreciate this softness. My personal preference would have been for a slightly crisper feel, but the feel did not alter the performance.

 

PLAYTEST:

 

I've been putting with a belly putter since January of this year. I started my belly experiment with an older Odyssey XG SRT Mid that I had extended from 43” to 47” due to my height. I had a pretty unpleasant yip problem that started around 2003 and had pretty much made short putting a nightmare for 8 years. I switched to the claw grip in 2011 (thanks to a tip from Hank Haney) and this was working well for me, but belly putters are hot and I thought I'd give one a try during the offseason. It took me about 4 practice sessions and 3 full rounds to get used to it, but once I got it dialed in I've really enjoyed it. I can't say that it's revolutionized my putting, but it's definitely given me a boost of confidence especially on 3 and 4 footers.

 

So now the Ghost Manta. TaylorMade built mine at 47” straight from the factory, so I got to test with the stock Ghost grip. Mine came built with a 25g sole weight, which is changeable and I'm supposing that this is the stock weight but I don't know for sure. Fitting is the most important part of belly putting, so if you buy a Manta belly off the rack you may need to have a shop adjust the length up or down for you or order the length custom.

 

In the three rounds that I've used the Manta, I can say for certain that it is very consistent and confidence inspiring on short putts. For a belly putter, this is an absolute first hurdle. On longer putts, I found the ball to roll out a little bit more than I was used to, which I think is a combination of the slightly heavier weight of the head and the PureRoll face. On very long putts the head weight and grip combined to create some looseness in my stroke; distance control was just fine but keeping the head on a consistent swing path was a little more challenging.

 

The appearance and alignment of the putter is the trump card for me, and I'm looking forward to making a few tweaks and hopefully getting the Manta dialed in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taylormade Qi10 9*, GD AD-VF 6X
Taylormade Stealth 2 Plus 15*, GD AD-IZ 7X

Taylormade Qi10 Tour 18*, GD AD-IZ 7X

Taylormade P790 4i - 6i, MMT 105 S +1"

Taylormade P770 7i-AW, MMT 105 S +1"

Taylormade MG 3 56*, & 60*, MMT 105 S +1"
Taylormade MyTP Juno Long Neck, 35"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 5
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

The back weight is a screw in weight using the standard TaylorMade wrench. So I could pull out the 25g weight, but that would make the head way too light. I think you can get replacement weights at 10g, 15g, and 20g, and my plan is to try a 15g weight.

Thanks for the kind words on the review.

Taylormade Qi10 9*, GD AD-VF 6X
Taylormade Stealth 2 Plus 15*, GD AD-IZ 7X

Taylormade Qi10 Tour 18*, GD AD-IZ 7X

Taylormade P790 4i - 6i, MMT 105 S +1"

Taylormade P770 7i-AW, MMT 105 S +1"

Taylormade MG 3 56*, & 60*, MMT 105 S +1"
Taylormade MyTP Juno Long Neck, 35"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice review! Currently I'm using Manta 42" in my bag, I'm liking it so far. However I noticed on aerated greens where there's still residues of sand on the greens, the grooves picks up the sand and it's a pain to clean them off.

62 yr old's Bag of Hacking Utensils

Callaway Rogue Max LS 10.5 Ventus Red Velocore 6-S 

TSR2 10* Ventus Blue Velocore 6-S

Callaway Paradym TD 15* & AI Smoke TD 7 wood

Callaway Paradym 5-AW AMT Black S300

SM9 52* & 58*

Odyssey DART 47"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='br61' timestamp='1335974675' post='4832180']
Nice review! Currently I'm using Manta 42" in my bag, I'm liking it so far. However I noticed on aerated greens where there's still residues of sand on the greens, the grooves picks up the sand and it's a pain to clean them off.
[/quote]

That's true. Same when you're practicing on freshly mowed and damp greens with the mowed grass blades - it takes a little extra effort to get the face clean.

Taylormade Qi10 9*, GD AD-VF 6X
Taylormade Stealth 2 Plus 15*, GD AD-IZ 7X

Taylormade Qi10 Tour 18*, GD AD-IZ 7X

Taylormade P790 4i - 6i, MMT 105 S +1"

Taylormade P770 7i-AW, MMT 105 S +1"

Taylormade MG 3 56*, & 60*, MMT 105 S +1"
Taylormade MyTP Juno Long Neck, 35"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Update - the humidity and temperature went way up this weekend and I played on Sunday with my Odyssey with the old style Winn wrap grip and then on Monday with the Manta belly with the stock Taylor Made Winn grip.

In the heat and humidity, the Taylor Made grip was markedly better. What felt slick in cooler, dryer temperatures really came to life in the hot weather, and the older Winn did the exact opposite as it became more slippery and difficult to keep dry.

Also, the greens are starting to speed up around here, and the heavier head weight of the Manta is coming into its own. This will be good to know and a good reason to have some alternate weights for the Manta head.

Anyone else ever changed their putter weights before a round based on the speed of the putting green? Or is that just asking for trouble?

Taylormade Qi10 9*, GD AD-VF 6X
Taylormade Stealth 2 Plus 15*, GD AD-IZ 7X

Taylormade Qi10 Tour 18*, GD AD-IZ 7X

Taylormade P790 4i - 6i, MMT 105 S +1"

Taylormade P770 7i-AW, MMT 105 S +1"

Taylormade MG 3 56*, & 60*, MMT 105 S +1"
Taylormade MyTP Juno Long Neck, 35"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Our picks

    • 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Discussion and links to Photos
      Please put any questions or Comments here
       
       
       
      General Albums
       
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Monday #1
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Monday #2
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Tuesday #1
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Tuesday #2
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Tuesday #3
       
       
       
       
      WITB Albums
       
      Thorbjorn Olesen - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Ben Silverman - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Jesse Droemer - SoTX PGA Section POY - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      David Lipsky - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Martin Trainer - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Zac Blair - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Jacob Bridgeman - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Trace Crowe - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Jimmy Walker - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Daniel Berger - WITB(very mini) - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Chesson Hadley - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Callum McNeill - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Rhein Gibson - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Patrick Fishburn - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Peter Malnati - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Raul Pereda - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
       
       
       
       
      Pullout Albums
       
      Tom Hoge's custom Cameron - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Cameron putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Piretti putters - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Ping putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Kevin Dougherty's custom Cameron putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Bettinardi putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Cameron putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Tony Finau's new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
       
       
       
       
       
      • 7 replies
    • 2024 Valspar Championship WITB Photos (Thanks to bvmagic)- Discussion & Links to Photos
      This weeks WITB Pics are from member bvmagic (Brian). Brian's first event for WRX was in 2008 at Bayhill while in college. Thanks so much bv.
       
      Please put your comments or question on this thread. Links to all the threads are below...
       
       
       
       
        • Like
      • 31 replies
    • 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Discussion and Links to Photos
      Please put any questions or comments here
       
       
       
      General Albums
       
      2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Monday #1
      2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Monday #2
      2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Monday #3
       
       
       
       
      WITB Albums
       
      Matt (LFG) Every - WITB - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      Sahith Theegala - WITB - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
       
       
       
       
       
      Pullout Albums
       
      New Cameron putters (and new "LD" grip) - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      New Bettinardi MB & CB irons - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      Custom Bettinardi API putter cover - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      Custom Swag API covers - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      New Golf Pride Reverse Taper grips - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
        • Like
      • 15 replies
    • 2024 Cognizant Classic - Discussion and Links to Photos
      Please put any questions or comments here
       
       
       
       
      General Albums
       
      2024 Cognizant Classic - Monday #1
      2024 Cognizant Classic - Monday #2
      2024 Cognizant Classic - Monday #3
      2024 Cognizant Classic - Monday #4
       
       
       
      WITB Albums
       
      Brandt Snedeker - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Max Greyserman - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Eric Cole - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Carl Yuan - WITb - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Russell Henley - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Justin Sun - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Alex Noren - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Shane Lowry - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Taylor Montgomery - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Jake Knapp (KnappTime_ltd) - WITB - - 2024 Cognizant Classic
       
       
       
      Pullout Albums
       
      New Super Stoke Pistol Lock 1.0 & 2.0 grips - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      LA Golf new insert putter - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      New Garsen Quad Tour 15 grip - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      New Swag covers - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Jacob Bridgeman's custom Cameron putter - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Bud Cauley's custom Cameron putters - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Ryo Hisatsune's custom Cameron putter - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Chris Kirk - new black Callaway Apex CB irons and a few Odyssey putters - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Alejandro Tosti's custom Cameron putter - 2024 Cognizant Classic
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
        • Like
      • 2 replies
    • 2024 Genesis Invitational - Discussion and Links to Photos
      Please put any questions or comments here
       
       
       
      General Albums
       
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Monday #1
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Monday #2
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Tuesday #1
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Tuesday #2
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Tuesday #3
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Tuesday #4
       
       
       
       
      WITB Albums
       
      Rory McIlroy - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Sepp Straka - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Patrick Rodgers - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Brendon Todd - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Denny McCarthy - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Corey Conners - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Chase Johnson - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tiger Woods - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tommy Fleetwood - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Matt Fitzpatrick - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Si Woo Kim - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Viktor Hovland - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Wyndham Clark - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Cam Davis - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Nick Taylor - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Ben Baller WITB update (New putter, driver, hybrid and shafts) – 2024 Genesis Invitational
       
       
       
       
       
      Pullout Albums
       
      New Vortex Golf rangefinder - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      New Fujikura Ventus shaft - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tiger Woods & TaylorMade "Sun Day Red" apparel launch event, product photos – 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tiger Woods Sun Day Red golf shoes - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Aretera shafts - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      New Toulon putters - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tiger Woods' new white "Sun Day Red" golf shoe prototypes – 2024 Genesis Invitational
       
       
       
       
       
      • 22 replies

×
×
  • Create New...