Groovin’ with TaylorMade Ghost Spider Tour Putters
When Jason Day originally took a TaylorMade Itsy Bitsy Spider to the tour van asking for some modifications, no one could have guessed he would be kicking off an entire line of putters for TaylorMade. However, it appears that is exactly what happened. The TaylorMade Ghost Spider Tour line starts with the Itsy Bitsy Spider design and adds new technology and options. Creating a well-balanced putter. that promises to get the ball rolling quickly and sink more putts.
Ghost Spider Tour Tech Specs
Using a lightweight 6061 aluminum body and 304 stainless steel frame, TaylorMade repositions weight, allowing for improved stability and a high MOI. Weight moved to the perimeter of the club also results in a more balanced putting stroke more likely to stay on line.
The Pure Roll insert found on the Ghost Spider Tour putters features grooves angled down at 45 degrees. The patented grooves flex at impact, creating topspin. This topspin gets the ball starting out and staying on its intended line. According to TaylorMade, Pure Roll inserts “add 25-50 RPMs of additional topspin, regardless of your skill level.” Pure Roll inserts are also a contrasting color from the rest of the club face, providing extra help with alignment.
Ghost Spider Tour Colorways
Tour Platinum
The Ghost Spider Tour Platinum has a double bend steel shaft with ½ shaft offset, making it a face-balanced putter. A face-balanced putter is perfect for golfers with a straight-back-straight-through putting stroke. The Pure Roll insert is made of aluminum, providing a relatively firm feel at impact. It also features a single, long black sight line running down the crown to help with alignment at address.
Tour Red
The Ghost Spider Tour Red, used by Jason Day, features an all black shaft, short slant neck hosel, and ½ shaft offset. The slant neck hosel is ideal for golfers with a slight arc in their putting stroke. The Pure Roll insert is made of a soft surlyn material, providing an extremely soft feel and response. There are no sight lines on the crown, keeping the appearance simple.
Tour Black
Dustin Johnson recently put the Ghost Spider Tour Black in his bag. Here’s the reason he gave for the switch:
“The Spider consistently started the ball on the line that I wanted it to, which is something I struggled with in my other putter. I have never made so many putts over 10 feet than I did at the BMW Championship and I ended up winning the tournament because of the putts I made.” – Dustin Johnson
The Tour Black features the same slant hosel and black shaft as the Tour Red. In contrast, the 80/20 polymer insert in the Tour Black provides a slightly firmer feel at impact. You will also not find sightlines on the Ghost Spider Tour Black.
In conclusion, the TaylorMade Spider Tour putters take a highly successful design and move it to the next level by providing better feel, balance, and options that help sink more putts.
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Rudi Fann
Rudi Fann has been a Class “A” member of the PGA of America since 2008. He began his career in 1998 as the Assistant Golf Professional at Wake Forest Golf Club in Wake Forest, NC. In 2002, Rudi accepted a similar position at Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. He spent a year there before moving to Nipomo, CA where he worked at Blacklake Golf Resort. Over the next 10 years, he worked his way from Assistant Golf Professional to Head Golf Professional and finally Director of Golf Operations. In his time at Blacklake, Rudi devoted much of his time to running tournaments and other activities in order to create a social atmosphere at the club. After Blacklake, Rudi spent one year as Head Golf Professional at Paso Robles Golf Club before deciding to return home to North Carolina. Since returning to North Carolina, Rudi has worked with the First Tee of the Triangle helping to instill life skills and core values through the game of golf to local youth.