Greetings, true believers. There’s a new TaylorMade putter within the Spiderverse. The as soon as Tour-only prototype TaylorMade Spider ZT Brian Harmon used to win the 2025 Valero Texas Open is coming to retail.
As you may possible guess, the ZT within the identify stands for Zero Torque.
With the release of the Spider ZT, TaylorMade has formally entered into the 2025 Zero Torque Wars.
Along with Harmon’s win, LPGA professional Haeran Ryu additionally used a Spider ZT putter to win the 2025 Black Desert Championship. With these wins, one might argue that the Spider ZT’s sizzling begin offers TaylorMade the early lead within the battle.
Let’s discover the intricacies of this new Spider, investigating how TaylorMade eliminated the torque from the Spider ZT whereas nonetheless sustaining the traditional Spider traits.
Begone, foul torque!
TaylorMade’s torque discount scheme is much like what now we have noticed from Odyssey, Bettinardi and others. The shaft of the putter attaches to the top on the head’s middle of gravity.
This attachment web site balances the putter across the shaft, eliminating clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation throughout the stroke.
TaylorMade’s engineers included three sole weights triangulated across the middle of gravity to additional get rid of any rotation throughout the stroke and increase MOI.
The clone saga continues?
So is the Spider ZT simply one other L.A.B. Golf or Odyssey Square to Square copy? In spirit, it’s comparable. There is no such thing as a denying that the Spider ZT exists due to L.A.B. Golf’s success within the putter market and on tour.
TaylorMade and Odyssey/Callaway wage an arms race over every little thing so this contest of champions was inevitable.
That mentioned, even with some comparable design parts, the TaylorMade Spider ZT looks like an authentic spin on zero torque. Maybe extra importantly, it looks like a TaylorMade Spider.
Whereas the shaft place within the head is much like a L.A.B Golf or Odyssey Square to Square putter, the composition of the Spider ZT head is totally different from what now we have seen from different corporations.
To begin with, the physique is a totally milled, multi-material design. The ahead portion of the Spider ZT is milled from 303 stainless-steel and the rear part is milled 6061 aluminum.
The oblong form is just not fairly that of a Spider Tour however the perimeter weighting makes the Spider ZT really feel like a Spider.
Naturally, the inclusion of the tender but responsive Pure Roll
face insert additionally provides to the acquainted Spider really feel.
Prime and backside alignment help
The TaylorMade Spider ZT options two new assistive alignment elements. Considered one of these you will note at tackle, the opposite you’ll really feel.
TaylorMade developed a brand new True Path alignment scheme for the Spider ZT. The shaft and form of the Spider ZT dominated out a conventional True Path alignment scheme.
As an alternative, TaylorMade milled a sequence of ball-width traces and a central black line into the entrance part of the putter. All of those traces sit in entrance of the shaft and are simply seen at tackle.
Total, I discovered them to be very efficient aiming instruments.
The a part of the alignment system that you’ll really feel somewhat than see is the heel-to-toe cambered sole. This sole was designed to work with the Spider ZT’s central hosel place.
In concept, the only real ought to assist a participant place the putter persistently behind the ball at tackle and return it sq. to that place at affect.
New blue Spider swimsuit
I’d be remiss if I didn’t say one thing concerning the new Spider branding and colour scheme for the Spider ZT.
The brand new Spider brand is way extra symmetrical and summary than earlier logos. In some ways, the brand new brand mirrors the symmetry of the Spider ZT itself.
I like this new brand. For the primary time it looks like the Spider brand is definitely iconic sufficient to be an ongoing image for the road. The emblem appears wonderful on the only real of the putter and the grip and headcover as nicely.
The emblem would additionally look completely at residence on the chest of a pleasant neighborhood net slinger.
SuperStroke leans into the zero-torque pattern
The grip on the TaylorMade Spider ZT is the brand new SuperStroke 1° Off-Axis Pistol 1.0. The “Off-Axis” a part of that identify refers back to the grip’s 1-degree of slope because it travels from its off-center opening.
At first blush, it seems SuperStroke constructed their model of L.A.B. Golf’s Press Grip. The one diploma of inside slope within the grip compensates for the only diploma of shaft lean constructed into the Spider ZT head.
At this level, mentioning the L.A.B. Golf designs emulated by different corporations would take all day. For instance, PXG added their model of a L.A.B. Golf Press Grip to their recently-launched Bat Attack ZT.
What caught my eye is that SuperStroke, not TaylorMade, made the brand new grip.
It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if this SuperStroke grip is a one-off for the Spider ZT or if SuperStroke shall be rolling out a line of Off-Axis grips as nicely. This might be a sport changer for golfers who need to regrip their zero-torque putter.
Rolling the Spider ZT
I rolled some balls on the course with the TaylorMade Spider ZT final week.
Actually, the putter went straight from the transport field to the primary gap. As everyone knows, typically life makes you go straight from the automobile to the tee field.
Even with zero apply putts, I discovered the Spider ZT to be instantly comfy and correct.
I’ve been enjoying zero-torque putters for some time now so I’m certain that helped. Moreover, I just lately benched my regular gamer and put my purple MySpider Tour again within the bag.
Sometimes, that you must remind your gamer that it’s one three-putt from relegation to the storage.
Anyway, TaylorMade’s zero-torque design gave the putter a well-recognized really feel throughout the swing. The Pure Roll insert has a really tender really feel however nonetheless places roll on the ball. Twilight shagginess on the greens triggered a number of putts on the finish of the spherical to return up brief however most of them had been useless on line.
After rolling it, I feel that there shall be extra TaylorMade staffers enjoying the Spider ZT this 12 months and certain extra wins as nicely.
TaylorMade Spider ZT choices and availability
TaylorMade shall be providing the Spider ZT in three totally different configurations.
- Standard: 33”/34”/35”, RH & LH, Loft: 2.5°, Lie: 70°, 370g head, MSRP: $449.99
- Counter Balance: 36”/38”, RH & LH, Loft: 2.5°, Lie: 70°, 395g head, MSRP: $499.99
- Long: 46”, Loft: 2.5°, Lie: 70°, 470g head, MSRP: $549.99
The worth factors for the various Spider ZT models places them in direct competitors price-wise with zero-torque putters from Odyssey, PXG, Bettinardi, Evnroll and, in fact L.A.B. Golf. I feel there are two issues that might give TaylorMade an edge over a few of their opponents.
To begin with, the Spider ZT appears wonderful and costly. The milling is top-notch and the anodized blue sole plate and sensible blue headcover make the Spider ZT stand out from the plenty.
If you’re not a fan of the blue, be a part of me in hoping TaylorMade provides a MySpider ZT program. This factor in purple would make the opposite putters within the storage very nervous.
The opposite factor TaylorMade has going for it’s that there are a complete bunch of Spider gamers on the market and the Spider ZT looks like a Spider.
Somebody who’s interested by zero-torque putters must be extra more likely to take a threat on a brand new putter if it has an organization identify and a mannequin identify they acknowledge and belief.
Brian Harmon had gamed his TaylorMade Spider OS since 2016 earlier than changing it with a Spider ZT. It’s possible different longtime Spider gamers will comply with the identical path.
It looks like TaylorMade has thrown down the gauntlet with the Spider ZT. I can’t wait to see how different corporations reply.
“Anybody can win a battle when the chances are simple! It’s when the going’s robust, when there appears to be no likelihood, that’s when it counts!”
-Peter Parker, Superb Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #33
Spider ZT putters shall be at retail on June 5 and can be found for pre-order as we speak at TaylorMadeGolf.com
The publish Your Friendly Neighborhood TaylorMade Spider ZT appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
