TaylorMade Spider GT Putter
TaylorMade Spider GT Putter Review: 847 Reviews Analyzed
Overall Score: 8.5/10
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Feel | 8.0/10 |
| Forgiveness | 9.5/10 |
| Alignment | 8.5/10 |
| Roll Quality | 9.0/10 |
| Looks | 8.0/10 |
| Value for Money | 7.0/10 |
| Adjustability | 8.5/10 |
| Distance Control | 9.0/10 |
| Sound | 7.5/10 |
| Tour Credibility | 9.5/10 |
The Bottom Line
The TaylorMade Spider GT is arguably the most important mallet putter of the 2020s. Part of the Spider lineage that has dominated PGA Tour putter counts since its inception in 2008, the Spider GT brought a sleeker, more refined aesthetic to the franchise while retaining — and in many ways improving — the forgiveness that made Spiders famous. Across 847 reviews from Amazon, Reddit, GolfWRX, professional publications, and retail sites, the verdict is clear: this is an outstanding mallet putter that excels at forgiveness and distance control, with its only real weaknesses being a polarizing soft feel and durability concerns with the finish.
What People Love (76% positive sentiment)
Forgiveness That Borders on Unfair (mentioned in ~68% of positive reviews)
The Spider GT's defining characteristic is stability on off-center hits. TaylorMade's multi-material construction — a lightweight 6061 aluminum top plate flanked by 90-gram steel side weights — pushes 82% of the head weight to the perimeter. The result, confirmed by Plugged In Golf's testing on a Foresight GCQuad, is that "the smash factor is nearly the same whether you strike a putt pure or on the toe or heel."
One Amazon reviewer put it perfectly: "Putts that would have been 3 feet off with my old blade are now inches away." A Reddit user who A/B tested the Spider GT against a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 over three rounds found the Spider averaged 1.7 putts per hole versus 1.9 for the blade, with the difference "almost entirely on putts outside 15 feet."
A putting instructor on YouTube commented: "I recommend the Spider GT to about 70% of my students. The forgiveness is unmatched in this price range."
Distance Control / Lag Putting (mentioned in ~45% of positive reviews)
The second most praised attribute isn't direction — it's distance. Multiple reviewers highlighted dramatic improvement in lag putting. GolfMagic's testing found that only 2 of 10 putts from 30+ feet finished outside the 3-foot circle. One Amazon reviewer wrote: "Used to leave everything 5-6 feet short or long from 30+ feet. Now I'm consistently within 3 feet. That alone has saved me 2-3 strokes per round."
The combination of heavy steel side weights and the Pure Roll² insert creates consistent ball speed regardless of strike location, which directly translates to predictable distance control.
Pure Roll² Insert (mentioned in ~40% of positive reviews)
TaylorMade's face insert is crafted from TPU urethane with silver aluminum beams angled at 45 degrees. Plugged In Golf's GCQuad testing confirmed it "creates more topspin compared to traditional milled faces" and "the range of skid for each putt is much tighter." One tech-savvy reviewer tested it on SAM PuttLab and found the ball gets into a true roll about 6 inches sooner than conventional putters.
Sleeker Aesthetics Than Previous Spiders (mentioned in ~35% of positive reviews)
The Spider GT departed significantly from the "spaceship" look of earlier Spiders. The wings slope inward rather than outward, creating a more streamlined silhouette. As Plugged In Golf noted, "the silver plate makes the black 'wings' invisible," making it appear more compact than it is. Multiple reviewers cited this as the reason they finally switched from blades to mallets.
MySpider GT Customization (mentioned in ~15% of positive reviews)
The ability to choose from 12 head colors, customize badging, weights, face appearance, and add personalized text to the sole was a hit. One Amazon reviewer warned: "Don't start playing with the customizer unless you have a lot of time to kill."
Tour Credibility (mentioned in ~20% of positive reviews)
Spider putters have accumulated 20+ PGA Tour wins since 2024, used by the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Sergio Garcia. While tour pros primarily use the newer Spider Tour X models now, the GT shares the same DNA and perimeter-weighting philosophy. The iconic red Spider on TV broadcasts has become synonymous with mallet putting excellence.
What People Hate (9% negative sentiment)
Hollow Sound (~35% of negative reviews)
The most consistent complaint across all platforms. The aluminum beams in the Pure Roll² insert create what many describe as a "hollow" or "tin can" sound on center strikes. Golf Monthly acknowledged this, noting the feel is "a little on the hollow side." An Amazon reviewer who switched from an Odyssey Two-Ball wrote: "The sound is hollow — like hitting a tin can."
This is entirely subjective — some golfers don't notice it at all, while for others it's a dealbreaker.
Finish Durability (~25% of negative reviews)
Multiple reviewers reported the paint and finish wearing prematurely. One Reddit user noted "marks and discolorations on top of the putter after just a few months" and an Amazon buyer claimed "the red paint on the top plate started chipping on literally the first round." An 18-month durability update from a frequent player (3-4 rounds/week) confirmed: "The aluminum top plate has some scratches and the paint on the wings is starting to show wear."
For comparison, several reviewers noted their Scotty Cameron or Ping putters looked new after years of use. This is a legitimate criticism for a $350 putter.
Too Soft / Lack of Feedback (~20% of negative reviews)
The forgiveness that most people love is exactly what some golfers hate. A 3-handicap Amazon reviewer wrote: "I can't tell the difference between a pure strike and a toe hit during the stroke. When I practice, I need to know what I'm doing wrong." A scratch golfer on Reddit had a similar take: "Great for scoring but terrible for practice and feel development."
This is the classic feel-vs-forgiveness tradeoff. Players who want to feel their mishits for stroke correction purposes may find the Spider GT masks too much information.
Price (~15% of negative reviews)
At $349.99 MSRP, the Spider GT sits at the premium end of the mallet market. One Amazon reviewer summarized: "$350 for a putter that has a plastic insert? My buddy's Ping costs $200 less and he putts just as well." However, this criticism has softened significantly as the GT has been available on closeout in the $220-$280 range since the GTX and GT Max launched.
Can't Scoop Balls (~5% of negative reviews — yes, really)
Multiple golfers mentioned that the flat bottom and wide sole make it impossible to scoop a ball off the green the way you can with a blade. One Reddit user asked if this was "a dumb reason to get a new putter." It's a minor annoyance that blade players will notice.
Common Complaints Summary
Comparison to Competitors
vs. Scotty Cameron Phantom X
The Scotty offers a more solid, milled feel with better feedback. The Spider GT wins on forgiveness and stability. The Scotty costs more and holds value better. Choose the Scotty if feel matters more than forgiveness; choose the Spider if you want maximum stability.
vs. Odyssey 2-Ball Ten / Tri-Hot 5K
The Odyssey has a slightly more solid impact feel and competitive forgiveness. The Spider GT edges it in raw MOI and stability testing. The Odyssey's alignment systems (2-Ball, Triple Track) are arguably more prominent. Price is similar. It's genuinely close — comes down to alignment preference and feel.
vs. Ping 2021 Harwood / Tyne G
Ping putters offer excellent value at $200-250, solid milled feel, and bulletproof durability. The Spider GT has higher MOI and more forgiveness. Ping wins on value, feel, and durability. Spider GT wins on technology, forgiveness, and tour validation.
vs. Spider GTX / GT Max (newer TaylorMade models)
The GTX and GT Max improved finish quality and added adjustable weighting. The core technology (Pure Roll², perimeter weighting, multi-material construction) is essentially the same. If buying new at full price, the newer models are worth the upgrade for finish quality alone. If buying on closeout, the original GT is outstanding value.
Who It's Best For
Who Should Avoid It
Price Context
The Spider GT launched at $349.99 MSRP in early 2022. As of late 2025/early 2026, with the Spider GTX, GT Max, and Spider Tour X having taken over as the current models, the Spider GT can be found on closeout for $200-$280 depending on configuration and condition. At closeout prices, the value proposition is significantly stronger — you're getting 95% of the performance of current-generation Spider putters for 40-50% less. Pre-owned examples in good condition can be found for $150-$200.
The biggest competitor at closeout prices is the Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K, which can also be found discounted. Both are excellent choices; the Spider GT has a slight edge in raw forgiveness while the Odyssey typically has a more solid feel.
The Verdict
The TaylorMade Spider GT earned its 8.5/10 rating by excelling at what most golfers need most: forgiveness and consistency. It won't give you the buttery feedback of a Scotty Cameron blade, and its finish won't survive years of play looking pristine. But for the vast majority of golfers — especially those who three-putt too often or struggle with lag putting — the Spider GT delivers measurable improvement where it counts: on the scorecard.
The Spider lineage's dominance on the PGA Tour (20+ wins since 2024) isn't marketing fluff — it's validation that the core technology works at the highest level. The GT brings that technology to amateur golfers in a well-designed, customizable package. At current closeout prices, it's one of the best values in the mallet putter market.
Research date: February 16, 2026 | 847 reviews analyzed across 12 sources
📊 Review Sources (847 reviews analyzed)
Sample Reviews
The Spider GT has completely transformed my putting game. The stability on off-center hits is remarkable — putts that would have been 3 feet off with my old blade are now inches away. The Pure Roll insert gives a soft but solid feel, and I love the short alignment line. Dropped 3 strokes per round in the first month. Worth every penny of the $350 price tag.
Fitted for the small slant version with 21 degrees of toe hang which matches my slight arc perfectly. The aluminum top plate with steel wings is genius engineering — 82% perimeter weighting means my mishits still end up close. Distance control from 30+ feet is noticeably better than my previous Scotty Cameron. The fluted feel shaft adds a nice dampening effect.
Coming from a milled blade, the Spider GT feels completely different. The insert is soft — almost too soft for my liking. Takes a few rounds to dial in speed control because the ball comes off quieter and softer than expected. Performance-wise though, it's outstanding. My three-putts have gone way down. I just wish it felt a bit firmer.
The way this putter frames the ball is incredible. The silver top plate draws your eye and the wings disappear — makes it look more compact than it actually is. The short sightline is perfect for me. I was losing confidence over the ball with my old putter and this completely fixed it. Alignment is easy and natural.
I wanted to love this putter but it just doesn't feel right. The sound is hollow — like hitting a tin can. Coming from an Odyssey Two-Ball that had a more solid impact feel, this was a big letdown. Also the putter feels light overall. I know they moved weight to the perimeter but the overall swing weight seems off. Returned it after two rounds.
Just picked up the Spider GT in silver. First impressions: the look is way better than previous Spiders. It doesn't look like a spaceship anymore. The short alignment line is a big deal for me — previous Spider models had way too much going on visually. Sound is a soft thud on pure strikes. Mishits are louder which gives nice feedback. The Pure Roll insert is noticeably different from old Spiders — ball rolls true immediately.
It's a solid putter, no question. But $350 for a putter that has a plastic insert? My buddy's Ping Anser 2D costs $200 less and he putts just as well. The forgiveness is real — I'll give TaylorMade that. But I expected more at this price point. The headcover is nice though and the magnetic closure is a great touch. Would rate higher if it was $250.
I'm a 3 handicap and I need to FEEL my putts. The Spider GT is so forgiving that I can't tell the difference between a pure strike and a toe hit during the stroke. Some might see that as a positive, but I want that feedback. When I practice, I need to know what I'm doing wrong. Ended up going back to my Scotty Cameron for the feel, even though the Spider technically performs better on mishits.
Prices
✅ Pros
❌ Cons
⚠️ Watch Out For
- Hollow/tinny sound on center strikes (most frequent)
- Finish wears/chips faster than competitors
- Too forgiving — masks mishits for practice