Many golfers are scared of missing short putts. Many of those same golfers may be scared of both ghosts and spiders. Therefore, it is ironic that the latest TaylorMade putter designed to improve those short putts is named the Ghost Spider Si.
This isn't the first Ghost or Spider model from TaylorMade. In fact, Justin Rose won the US Open in 2013 using a TaylorMade Ghost Spider Blade and Sergio Garcia picked up the 2014 Commercialbank Qatar Masters title using a TaylorMade Ghost Spider Mallet.
The latest Ghost Spider model combines high-MOI performance with counterbalanced weighting.
TaylorMade say that traditional blade and mallet putters typically offer 3500 to 4500g/cm² of MOI, referring to the putters' resistance to twisting at impact. The new Ghost Spider Si has an MOI reading of more than 6000g/cm². TaylorMade believe that this, along with the added benefits of counterbalancing, make the putter one of the most stable and forgiving putters they have ever created.
The counterbalancing comes from the 15-inch, 130-gram grip TaylorMade have paired with the Ghost Spider Si. This extra weight in the butt of the club moves the balance point of the putter closer to the hands and creates a more stable clubhead during the stroke. TaylorMade say this type of counterbalancing improves stability by up to 50%.
But back to the head design. TaylorMade say they spent three years perfecting the design of the 380-gram head, working closely with their Tour players. The head shape is designed to be highly forgiving, stable and easy to align. The contrast between the black and white sections of the head focusses your eyes on the path you want the ball to roll on, whilst the three alignment lines mirror the width of a golf ball to help you get aligned at address.
The 'spider legs' or outer portions of the clubhead pull weight away from the face and move the centre of gravity back. This adds to the stability of the head and helps golfers keep the putter on line during the stroke.
As for the face of the Ghost Spider Si, TaylorMade have used their latest PureRoll Surlyn insert.
It is designed to offer two benefits on the greens. Firstly, a soft-yet-solid feel that is preferred by the majority of golfers and secondly, a smoother roll to get the ball rolling towards the hole easier and more consistently.
The TaylorMade Ghost Spider Si is available in a few different options. Firstly, you have the choice between a standard or Slant model. The standard model is face-balanced and has a single-bend, 1/2 shaft offset whilst the Ghost Spider Si Slant has a 30° toe hang and a straight, 3/4 shaft offset.
Once you've chosen the best model for you, you can select either a 35-inch or 38-inch shaft. The shorter length is designed for players that typically use putters around 33 inches and the longer version is for players used to putters around 35 inches. Both lengths are designed to be gripped around two inches from the top, to maximise the benefits of the counterbalanced grip.