About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the putter, which I purchased with my own money in February of 2023.

My take

The TaylorMade Spider GTX Red Single Bend is perfect for golfers searching for a highly forgiving mallet putter designed to fit straight back and through putting strokes.

About the club I own

• Model: 2023 TaylorMade Spider GTX Red
• Shape: Mallet
• Hosel Neck: Single Bend
• Balance Point: Face Balanced
• Shaft Length: 35”
• Grip Type: Superstroke Pistol 1.0
• Finish: Red

About me

• Average Score: 70
• Handicap: +2
• Experience: 5 years of golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-Handed
• Stroke Type: Moderate Arc
• Golf Ball Used: TaylorMade TP5x
• Height: 6’0”

Test conditions

• When I bought the putter: February 2023
• Days tested: 40
• Where I’ve used it: Various golf courses
• Weather and Wind Conditions: Wind, rain, and calm conditions
• Green Speed: 8-14 on the stimpmeter
• Grass Type: Poa Annua, Bent, and Bermuda Grass

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a putter that had perimeter weighting and would maximize forgiveness to help me hole more putts. I also wanted a putter that fit these requirements, looked really good, and was not too big.

Why I chose this club

I chose this putter because it checked all the boxes of things I was looking for. The design and color are awesome and look great while also providing a lot of forgiveness and feel for a smooth roll every putt.

What I love about it

• Face Feel: The face of this putter has TaylorMade’s pure roll 2 insert that feels so soft and smooth. I feel like the face is very receptive and soft to help provide a consistent feel and roll every time. The sweet spot on this putter has what I can only describe as a butter-like feel that just springs off the pure roll insert.
• Forgiveness: This putter is one of the most forgiving putters I have tested so far in my golf career. I have mishit putts really bad off this putter's toe and heel, and they still start on the same line every time. I am also surprised that my mishit putts went the same distance as they would have out of the center of the face due to the perimeter weighting, creating a larger center of gravity to ensure the entire face is very forgiving.
• Weight: This putter has TaylorMade’s back weight stability bar made of 154g stainless steel. This creates a deeper center of gravity for less face rotation and more stability, which helps the putter to be more forgiving. It also helps make the putter have a heavier feel and weight, which I love. The heavier weight allows me to keep a consistent stroke on slow greens and longer putts rather than having to hit it really hard.
• Alignment: The alignment on this putter is great due to the true path design and center alignment aid. This putter helps me line up the ball much better every time. The true path is a center cut out in white that is the width of a golf ball to ensure the ball is lined up to the center of the clubface. The alignment line helps ensure the face is aimed properly at the intended target.
• Aesthetic Appeal: I believe that the Spider line of putters from TaylorMade are the best-looking mallet putters on the market. The GTX takes inspiration from the iconic and awesome-looking original Spider X putter. The head is a great size and not too big while having a simple and sleek design without too much going on.
• Customization: Currently, the TaylorMade Spider GTX is available for full customization. Players can choose the color of each section of the putter and the alignment aid, shaft length, grip, and hosel type.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Length: I like a shorter putter and would have preferred a 34” to the 35”. The shorter length makes me feel more in control of the clubface throughout the stroke to ensure the face is square at impact.
• Grip Feel: I personally prefer a smaller putter grip because it allows me to feel more in control of the face of the putter, and it helps me release the putter head through the ball for a smooth, consistent roll every time. As a result, I disliked the larger size Superstroke pistol grip and replaced it with a ping pistol grip. However, many golfers love the Superstroke grip, which helps eliminate wrist movement in their putting stroke.
• Balance: I did not like the balance of the Spider GTX single bend because of the style of my putting stroke. I have an arc in my putting stroke, which works much better with a toe-hang putter. This putter is face balanced and works much better for players with a straight back and through putting stroke.

Best Putt or Round with this Putter

The best putt I have had so far with this putter was a 30-foot putt that was double breaking, and I made it mostly on luck. The putt broke left for the first portion before the slope of the green turned to make it break back to the right. I saw a line that I really liked and was confident in and lined the ball up to that line. I then perfectly aligned the putter to match the same intended line and put a really good stroke on the putt. It was the perfect speed and fell right into the hole for birdie.

Value for the money vs. other options

The TaylorMade Spider GTX is very similar in price to its competitors. This putter costs roughly $349.99 and is one of the best putters on the market. Similar putters include the Scotty Cameron FastBack, Odyssey Eleven, and Mizuno M.Craft Type V. The Spider GTX is at least $50 cheaper than any of these while offering better or comparable performance, feel, and looks. However, if these putters are priced too high for someone, then the best-value mallet putter is the original Spider X which is around $200.

Final verdict

The TaylorMade Spider GTX Red Single Bend Putter is a face-balanced putter that fits a straight back and through stroke best. In addition, this putter offers a lot of forgiveness due to the pure roll 2 insert and back weight stability bar. Players who purchase this putter will start making more putts and lowering their scores.