Back in April, TaylorMade announced the arrival of the TaylorMade Spider Blade putter, a counterbalanced putter designed to combat the recent anchoring ban and offer a legal, stable putting option. Immediately it went into the bag of TaylorMade's Justin Rose, and later holed the winning putt at the 2013 US Open.
Today, TaylorMade have announced they are expanding the Spider range again, with the addition of the TaylorMade Spider Mallet.
The counterbalanced, face-balanced, mallet-shaped putter will be the third installment in TaylorMade's counterbalancing movement, following on from the Daddy Long Legs (launched in April) and the Spider Blade (launched in June).
TaylorMade's Director of Iron, Wedge and Putter Creation, Brian Bazzel said "The enthusiasm on Tour over Daddy Long Legs and Spider Blade made the creation of the Spider Mallet a no-brainer. It's the perfect putter for players who the benefits of counterbalancing with a beautifully shaped mallet-style head."
Through the construction and weighting of the Spider Mallet, the putter is 50% more stable than a traditional putter. A 360-gram head and extended 130-gram grip combine to help you swing the putter on path, smoothly with forgiveness.
Each of the 12 different components in the head is specifically designed for a purpose, positioning the weight in the correct place to offer a soft-yet-solid feel and smooth roll.
Despite not being available till late July, you may recognize the Spider Mallet. Sergio Garcia had the new putter in play at Muirfield for this year's Open Championship, where he finished in a tie for 21st.
The Spider Mallet will be available in both left and right handed models and offered in either a 35" or 38" inch length. The idea of the grip is to allow you to hold the putter as you would a normal-length putter, with two or three inches of the butt-end extended above your hands, giving you the benefit of counterbalancing.
So, if you normally play a 35” putter you are advised to opt for the 38”. Alternatively, if you play a 33” putter should use the 35”. If you sit in the middle and typically play a 34” putter, TaylorMade advise you experiment with both the 35 and 38” to find which you prefer.