About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the putter, which I purchased with my own money in August of 2020.

My take

The TaylorMade Spider FCG Single Bend Putter is great for players with a straight putting stroke looking for the forgiveness of a mallet putter with the feel and weighting of a blade putter.

About the club I own

• Model: 2020 TaylorMade Spider FCG
• Shape: Mallet
• Hosel Neck: Single Bend
• Balance Point: Minimal Toe
• Shaft Length: 35”
• Grip Type: Super Stroke 1.0
• Finish: Black, copper, and white

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 2020
• Days tested: 70+
• Where I’ve used it: Practice greens and various golf courses
• Weather and Wind Conditions: Rain, high and low wind, cold and warm
• Green Speed: 8-14 on the stimpmeter
• Grass Type: Mostly bent grass with some Bermuda

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was not looking for a putter at the time, but when I saw that TaylorMade released this new innovative version of a putter, I had to try it. They marketed this putter as a mallet shape with a blade feel and weight.

Why I chose this club

I bought this putter because I was interested in doing a full-on course test of it and comparing it to some of the mallets and blade putters I currently had to see if it truly was a blend of the two.

What I love about it

• Face Feel: This putter has TaylorMade’s CU29 Copper pure roll insert, which is designed to be a heavier weight to create a more forward center of gravity. The insert is very similar in feel to the traditional pure roll insert designed to increase topspin for a more consistent roll. This face still feels extremely soft and controlled for added confidence over every putt.
• Forgiveness: I found the TaylorMade FCG putter to be more forgiving than my current Mizuno M.Craft blade putter. The extra size and mallet head design helps keep the face more stable throughout the putting stroke, especially on toe and heel strikes. I found this putter is more consistent throughout the face than many blades I have tested but not as forgiving as a full mallet-weighted putter.
• Weight: The weight was very interesting to get used to. The look of the putter makes it seem like the weight will be more in the back of the head, like a traditional mallet, but the weight is actually mostly right behind the face in the front of the putter. So this putter feels like a blade putter from a weight standpoint while having the shape of a semi-mallet.
• Alignment: My favorite aspect of this putter is the added alignment. Alignment has always been a problem for my putting, but I always preferred a blade putter. This putter feels and reacts very similar to a blade but has the added alignment that I get with a mallet putter head. This has TaylorMade’s T-path alignment, which is the white “T” seen on the crown of the club with a black center line across the putter head for added alignment.
• Customization: This putter comes in both 34” and 35” lengths with three different neck styles. The slant neck, L-neck #1 (this putter), and single bend to fit any stroke type.

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; I just grip down a little bit.
• Aesthetic Appeal: I personally do not like the design and look of this putter. Although it performs like a blade with the shape of a mallet, I do not like the design as much as the Spider X and Scotty Cameron Fastback.
• 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.
• Balance: This putter is great for players with a straight back and through putting stroke. Players who have a big arching putting stroke will struggle to keep the face square due to the single-bend design. This design is made mainly for straight back and through strokes and very moderate arcs.

Best Putt or Round with this Putter

The best putt I had with this putter was on a par 5 at my home course. I hit a good drive and was left with 240 yards to the green and hit a great 4 iron, which rolled up to about 30 feet from the hole. The putt was on a big right-to-left slope where I had to aim about five feet to the right of the hole and hit a great putt, and it rolled end over end right into the bottom of the cup.

Value for the money vs. other options

There are really no other putters on the market with a comparable design and concept. However, some similar putters could be the TaylorMade Notchback and the Titleist Scotty Cameron Fastback, which are traditional mallet-weighted putters with the same design. The TaylorMade FCG was released in 2020 and still holds a high price tag, so I would recommend the Notchback as the best value in this putter shape, but ultimately, no design fully compares to what the FCG offers.

Final verdict

The TaylorMade Spider FCG Single Bend is perfect for players who have a small arc or straight back and through putting stroke. This putter is great for golfers who want the alignment aid and design of a mallet while having the feel and weighting of a blade putter.