Expert Review: TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback #3 Putter


All photos courtesy of Andrew Abbott
About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the putter, which I purchased with my own money in August of 2022.
My take
The TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback #3 is a great putter for players with a moderate arc in their stroke and looking for more forgiveness with a larger head shape.
About the club I own
- Model: 2022 TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback #3
- Shape: Mallet
- Hosel Neck: Short Slant
- Balance Point: Toe Hang
- Shaft Length: 35”
- Grip Type: Super Stroke 1.0
- Finish: Silver and Black
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: August 2022
- Days tested: 60+
- Where I’ve used it: Various golf courses and putting greens ranging from high to slow speeds
- Weather and Wind Conditions: Rain, wind, warm, and cold
- Green Speed: 8-14 on the stimpmeter
- Grass Type: Bent, bermuda, and poa annua mainly
How it performs
What I was looking for
I was looking for a putter with toe hang to benefit my arc putting stroke. I also wanted added forgiveness for every putt and a soft-feeling face.
Why I chose this club
I chose this club because it fits all of my requirements. The putter has roughly 30° of toe hang to benefit my arc putting stroke. Additionally, this putter has perimeter weighting to provide added forgiveness with the added benefit of a mallet head shape to help me with my alignment.
What I love about it
- Face Feel: The face feels amazing due to the pure roll face insert. This new insert from TaylorMade still provides the same great soft feeling off the face every time. Additionally, this insert is designed to create more topspin across the entire face for smoother rolls every time.
- Forgiveness: The perimeter dual-tungsten weighting increases the putter's stability while also helping with mishits. Moving the weighting away from the face moves the center of gravity back to help make the face stay square and stable on toe and heel strikes.
- Weight: This putter has a great feel due to its heavier weight. I personally like a heavier putter because it helps me release the putter head at impact for the best possible stroke.
- Balance: This putter has roughly 30° of toe hang, which means the toe of the putter will open on the backstroke, return to square at impact, and then close on the follow-through. This makes the putter perfect for players with an arc to their putting stroke.
- Alignment: The mallet head is very helpful with alignment. The putter has a long black line on the top of the head to help line up putts and a great-looking semi-circle head shape that helps with alignment.
- Customization: The TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback is offered in 34” and 35” shaft lengths with the option of the left or right hand.
Issues I’ve encountered
- Length: As a taller golfer, a longer putter shaft would make sense. However, I personally love a shorter shaft to feel even more in control of the putter head and my putting stroke. I wish I had got the 34” length instead, but the 35” has been fine, and I just grip down a little bit.
- Aesthetic Appeal: I have grown to like the look of this putter. Although I grew up using a blade-style putter head, and still prefer the look and design of a Newport 2 or Anser to the look of this putter. However, this head looks very similar to the Scotty Cameron Fastback with a simple mallet design.
- Grip Feel: The Super Stroke 1.0 is a very common grip among most golfers and works great. However, I switched the grip to a midsize ping grip to have a more tapered feel allowing me to control the putter face better.
Best Round with this Putter
The best round I have had with my TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback was when I shot 68 on very firm and fast greens where I had a total of 25 putts. I did not hit the ball great, so I was scrambling on many of the holes, but this putter was lights out. I felt like the hole size was three times larger, and I could not miss it.
Value for the money vs. other options
The Spider GT Notchback is comparable to the Scotty Cameron Fastback, Mizuno OMOI III, and Odyssey Toulon Seattle. The Notchback is much cheaper than its competitors while providing similar performance and forgiveness. All of the mentioned putters are top-of-the-line quality putters that will help players shoot lower scores. Therefore, the Spider GT Notchback #3 is the best value putter for players with an arc stroke; but the decision will ultimately come down to which design a player likes most.
Final verdict
The TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback #3 is a great putter for golfers with a traditional arc stroke. This putter will fit an arc stroke type, providing better alignment and more forgiveness than a blade putter head.