Equipment
New TaylorMade Ghost Tour putters
Instead of focusing on enhancing performance, like TaylorMade has with its recent crop of counter-balanced putters, the company decided to turn its attention to detailing and craftsmanship for its new line of Ghost Tour putters, which will hit shelves on Aug. 30.
The Ghost Tour putters feature the same secondary alignment system as the company’s Spider Blade and Spider Mallet putters — white lines in the cavity of the putter head that are parallel to the putters’ dominant alignment line. But that and the putters’ black-and-white paint scheme are about the only things they have in common.
The white secondary lines in the cavity provide golfers with a “secondary read” at address, helping them fine tune the alignment of their putter face.
The new Ghost Tour putters have TaylorMade’s new 80/20 Pure Roll insert, which is made from 80 percent Surlyn and 20 percent aluminum. According to Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s product creation manager, it provides a feel that’s softer than the company’s Titallium insert, but not as soft as TaylorMade’s 100 percent Surlyn insert, which is used in the company’s counterbalanced putters because of their tendency to roll the ball farther.
Click here to see what members are saying about the putters in the forums.
The putters also swap the usual TaylorMade script in the back cavity for a button-styled TaylorMade logo with chrome and red piping. And instead of a brushed steel or white-painted sole, the soles of the new Ghost Tour putters have a high-polished black finish that offers more “bling.”
The new Ghost Tour putters will come in seven different models. Each will be available on Aug. 30 with the exception of the Corza, which will be released in November.
- Daytona 12 (blade, L-neck, 40-degree toe hang)
- Daytona 62 (blade, short curve, 57-degree toe hang)
- Fontana 72 (mallet, shaft in, face-balanced)
- Maranello 81 (small mallet, long curve, 65-degree toe hang)
- Monte Carlo 12 (mallet, L-neck, 25-degree toe hang)
- Sebring 62 (blade, short curve, 65-degree toe hang)
- Corza 72 (mallet, shaft in, face-balanced)
Model updates
According to Bazzel, the Maranello 81 (pictured above) has been updated to have less offset, using new hosel blend that gives the putter a cleaner look at address. The Monte Carlo 12 has been updated to have an “L” or plumber’s neck, which is similar to TaylorMade’s Spider Mallet putter used by Sergio Garcia. The Sebring 62 has also been modified to have more toe hang, which works better for golfers who have arching putter strokes.
All models will be available in lengths of 33, 34 and 35 inches and will cost around $150. The putters have head weights of 350 grams, 5 grams heavier than the previous line. But unlike the previous line, the new putters do not have adjustable sole weights.
Custom Options
For an additional $40, golfers can upgrade the putter’s stepless steel shaft for the matte black-painted version that has become popular with TaylorMade staff members on tour.
Click here to see what members are saying about the putters in the forums.
Click here to see what members are saying about the putters in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Russ
Nov 7, 2014 at 4:59 pm
Saying that the cosmetics of the putter doesn’t matter is a bunch of bull. It’s like buying a brand new car, driving it off the lot and then once you get home you see paint the paint coming off. Hey, but the engine is still good so the paint shouldn’t matter….LOL bull!
Todd H
Apr 17, 2014 at 12:27 am
These putters are great for making putts which is what matters. The paint doesn’t chip when you cover it and take care if it. The Manello 81 has been an amazing putter. What is more important paint or “cheap looking” putters or making putts. Enough said.
JJ
Mar 4, 2014 at 10:56 pm
You all sound like Joan Rivers reviewing the dresses on the red carpet. It is a golf club, get over it.
Chris Downing
Aug 27, 2013 at 3:00 am
Going to a putting specialist coach did more for my putting than a new putter. But that’s pretty old school thinking.
The paint issue is interesting – not sure I like paint anywhere it can chip off – paint in the cavity at the back of an iron – OK – paint anywhere round an edge – Bad – paint on the face – very bad. Maybe putter will go the way of guitars and have a relic option. You know, you pay extra for buying a new white putter that has been hammers and knocked about in the custom shop so on day one it pays just like a new putter, but looks like t’s been on tour for thirty years. It’s worked in the guitar market – perhaps putters as well?
Julian
Aug 26, 2013 at 2:52 pm
Putters are about FEEL, not about LOOKS.
Take that to heart and go drop some more putts.
heinz
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Totally agree with the almost everyone else. TM makes great drivers that focus on quality and performance but their putter line is waaaayyyy behind. Callaway seems to have figued out the sweet spot. Great looks and perfomance at a moderate price.
David
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:09 pm
They look ok if the white ghost coloring is your cup of tea, but I think I will stick with my 2009 Tour Rossa Kia Ma Monte Carlo, the best line of putters TaylorMade has ever produced.
t120
Aug 25, 2013 at 12:11 am
…zzzzzzzzz
Dallin
Aug 23, 2013 at 6:42 pm
I love, love, love taylormade, but it seems like the are too focused on appearance and less focused on performance.
chad
Aug 23, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Everything they make just looks cheap to me.
Harvey
Oct 26, 2013 at 5:21 am
+1
fsubaseball21
Aug 23, 2013 at 7:43 am
4 years ago I took my 33.5 center shafted spider and installed a belly putter grip. I used a little lead tape up the shaft for counter balancing and had to heavy layer the grip tape at the bottom so the grip would fit. Best combo I have ever used. The spider is the only putter they have ever made.
R
Aug 23, 2013 at 3:03 am
Silver. Why can’t we just have plain old silver putters like Ping. People seem to like them silver ones.
John
Aug 23, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Because if it didn’t have a gimmick it would be ping, not taylormade.
Honmagolfan
Aug 23, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Exactly!
kevin
Aug 23, 2013 at 1:14 am
“hey bob…..what do we do with all this excess inventory of putters?”
“we’ll just paint it white with new alignment aids and call it ghost putters”
“we already have putters that are called ghost”
“we’ll just add ‘tour’ after ghost and that should get’em”
John
Aug 23, 2013 at 12:14 pm
How did you come across such insider information? Sounds like the board meeting!!!
Nick
Aug 23, 2013 at 1:10 am
Introducing Taylormade’s New…..
CS
Aug 23, 2013 at 1:02 am
Awesome! I was wait for price drops so I can get another MA-81.
Ben Hudson
Aug 22, 2013 at 11:07 pm
pass. strong pass.
Taylor
Aug 22, 2013 at 10:43 pm
They really need to get rid of the white. White is a fad and it has already passed.
Steve
Aug 23, 2013 at 5:40 pm
Speak for yourself. I don’t like TM putters, but I like the looks. Clean, nothing over the top, but still some added flair.
Joe
Aug 22, 2013 at 9:49 pm
These look like total junk. Drop the white already.
John
Aug 22, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Taylormade, ease go back to making golf clubs that don’t look like something that doesn’t look like it comes from wal-mart.
Sincerely,
One of your biggest former fans. NOT A CURRENT FAN OR CUSTOMER!
J
Aug 22, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Paint chips off all their putters… Fix that… Until then.,, won’t happen. Horrible finish quality
DL
Aug 22, 2013 at 8:45 pm
Odyssey Versa.
Jeffrey
Aug 22, 2013 at 7:00 pm
I’ll stick with my counterbalanced Daddy Long Legs. I putt with so much more confidence. I really think there is something to the weighting.
Jeff
Aug 22, 2013 at 6:51 pm
i’ve rolled a few of these. they are really sweet.
Blanco
Aug 27, 2013 at 3:58 am
Not a good one. I use the headcover religiously on my spider blade. White paint chipping off the edge of the face and black paint peeling off the edges of the insert. Also signs of wear behind the grooved insert where the “foam” seems to be.
spank
Aug 22, 2013 at 6:43 pm
Yea all their white putters paint comes off and look like crap in a few weeks anyways. Garbage
Brian
Aug 23, 2013 at 12:17 pm
You may consider using the head cover that comes with the putter…..
Honmagolfan
Aug 23, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Good one!!!:)
Scotty B
Aug 22, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Eh. Not impressed