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 putter is great for players with an arc 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: Slant Neck
• Balance Point: Moderate Toe Hang
• 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 playing 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, cold, warm, and high and low wind
• Green Speed: 8-14 on the stimpmeter
• Grass Type: Bentgrass, mostly 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 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 the TaylorMade Spider FCG because I was really interested in doing a full-on course test of this putter 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, designed to be a heavier weight, compared to the standard pure roll insert, 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: The TaylorMade FCG putter is more forgiving than my Mizuno M.Craft blade putter. The extra size and mallet head design help keep the face more stable throughout the putting stroke, especially on toe and heel strikes. 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 seems 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. 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.
• Balance: This putter is great for players with an arc in their putting stroke, like me. Players with a straight putting stroke will struggle to keep the face square at impact due to the slant neck design. This design is made mainly for large and moderate arcing strokes.
• Customization: This putter comes in 33”, 34”, and 35” lengths with three different neck styles. The slant neck, L-neck #1, and single bend 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, and I just grip down a little bit.
• Aesthetic Appeal: I do not like this putter's design and look. Although it performs like a blade with a mallet shape, I'm not fond of 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.

Best Putt or Round with this Putter

My best putt with this putter was on a par 5 at my home course. I hit a good drive, 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, hit a great putt, and rolled end over end right into the bottom of the cup.

Value for the money vs. other options

There really are no other putters on the market with a comparable design and concept. However, some similar putters could be the TaylorMade Notchback (approximately $179) and the Titleist Scotty Cameron Fastback (around $399), which are traditional mallet weighted putters with the same design. The TaylorMade FCG (about $349) was released in 2020 and still holds a high price tag, so I recommend the Notchback as the best value in this putter shape. Still, ultimately, no design fully compares to what the FCG offers.

Final verdict

The TaylorMade Spider FCG Slant Neck is ideal for players with a large/moderate arc in their 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.