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Specs, story behind Dustin Johnson’s winning Spider putter

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As GolfWRX WITB enthusiasts know, Dustin Johnson has been using a Scotty Cameron Tour Newport 2 GSS Prototype for the past several years and some variety of an Anser-style flatstick since he joined the PGA Tour.

He was 71st in Strokes Gained: Putting last season and 82nd in 2014. Not awful, but barely above average. This season, Johnson has been putting a bit better, ranking 42nd in the category and picking up 0.257 strokes on the field average thanks to his work on the greens.

Still, there’s always room for improvement, and this week the long-hitting South Carolinian made an equipment switch aimed at getting better in the putting department.

Related: See all the clubs Dustin Johnson used to win the BMW Championship.

Spotted by our Tour photographer practicing with a mallet-style Cameron model at Crooked Stick ahead of the BMW Championship, we thought a change might be in the works. And indeed, Dustin Johnson put a different putter in play during Wednesday’s practice round: a TaylorMade Spider Limited. 

Through three rounds, Johnson led the field in Strokes-Gained Putting, picking up more than seven strokes on the field average. He was particularly good during the opening round, when he picked up an impressive 3.944 strokes.

Johnson rolled in six birdies with the Spider on Sunday, and ultimately finished second in strokes gained: putting for the week at 7.307.

Here’s how Johnson ended up with a Spider Limited putter in his hands: According to TaylorMade, DJ liked the look of Jason Day’s similar Spider putter while playing with the Australian during a couple of rounds at the Deutsche Bank Championship last week. He put in a request to TMag’s Tour Truck for something similar, and they got something in his hands during his Wednesday practice round, feeling the Spider improved his alignment and offered him more stability through the stroke.

However, that Spider Limited was the same Limited Red model played by Jason Day. Just before tee off Thursday, though, Johnson decided he didn’t want to use the exact same model as the world No. 1 and decided, if you can believe this, to ask his brother/caddie Austin for his Spider Limited with a charcoal grey crown.

Johnson said after his win:

“I had the same one that Jason [Day] was using, it was the red one. I don’t know, for some reason — well, I was putting with it and I was putting good with it and right before we were about to tee off on Thursday I’m like, ‘AJ, don’t you have the same one in black?’ And he says, ‘Yeah,’ and I said, ‘Go get it.'”

Here are the specs, per TaylorMade:

  • Length: 35.5 inches
  • Loft: 2.5 degrees
  • Lie: 69 degrees
  • Insert: Pure Roll 80/20
  • Swing Weight: E-0
  • Color: Black, No alignment lines

TaylorMade says Johnson is an extremely feel-based player, which is one of the reason’s he’s stuck with a flat-faced milled putter so long in his career. The Spider’s 80/20 Pure Roll insert results in a substantially different feel off the face than a milled putter, which is a lot to overcome, even though the insert does prove superior forward roll with less skidding, as verified by high-speed camera testing. TaylorMade also cites the slight toe hang of the Spider Limited as fitting well with DJ’s more traditional putting stroke.

Based on this limited sample, the Limited fits well, indeed.

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18 Comments

18 Comments

  1. Tommy Tank

    Dec 29, 2016 at 3:41 pm

    TM released DJd putter to the public on 12/23
    I just got mine.
    Only came in 35″ so I sent it in to putterlounge to gave it shortened to 33″
    And put a leather stitch back grip on it

  2. Tommy Tank

    Dec 29, 2016 at 3:38 pm

    TM Just released the spider black … exact putter as DJ …. with slant neck… on 12/23.
    I just got mine
    $299

  3. M Shmizzle

    Sep 13, 2016 at 9:47 am

    Very Nice

  4. DB

    Sep 12, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    Why all this talk about slant necks? Flow necks are where its at!
    Seriously though, I’ve always found TM putters to have such crappy finishes that no matter how good the design is or how well they might work, I don’t even consider them anymore. I do like the look of these new Spider putters, but I wouldn’t pay that much for a putter that the paint will start flaking off of in two weeks.

  5. Zach Mayo

    Sep 12, 2016 at 6:03 pm

    Is DJ superstitious about his winning attire? Looks like the same outfit for his 3 big wins. Is this an accurate observation?

  6. M Wizzle

    Sep 12, 2016 at 4:10 pm

    I like spiders

  7. rich tran

    Sep 12, 2016 at 12:18 pm

    This putter is really amazing and easy to hit. I tried it at the PGA store and was sold…now I want a DJ limited edition in charcoal black..

  8. M-Dizzle

    Sep 12, 2016 at 11:54 am

    Wait…You mean to tell me Cameron was upstaged by a Spider mallet putter?

    SELL ALL THE CAMERONS NOW !!

  9. Michael

    Sep 12, 2016 at 1:05 am

    Is his red one for sale? I’ll pay for shipping if DJ can give me a good deal.

  10. KK

    Sep 11, 2016 at 11:44 pm

    Uh oh, not a tour issued putter. Call the PGA rules committee.

  11. Mr B

    Sep 11, 2016 at 9:39 pm

    Will either taylormade or odyssey please read this and for gods sake make a mallet with slant neck available at a reasonable price to the general public.

  12. snowman

    Sep 11, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    Yes, No Sight Lines! We need stock spec putters with No Sight Lines!

  13. DJ

    Sep 11, 2016 at 7:58 pm

    Jonathan wall just posted it was actually in his brother’s bag. Who’s lying here?

    • Otis

      Sep 11, 2016 at 8:55 pm

      Was the article too much reading for you before accusing someone of lying?

  14. Spy

    Sep 11, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    So, we can buy for $750? haha just joking…………..

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Whats in the Bag

Kris Kim WITB 2024 (May)

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Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.

 

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Welcome to the family: TaylorMade launches PUDI and PDHY utility irons

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TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.

TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.

TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.

Can you see where this is going?

Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”

 

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TaylorMade PUDI

TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)

Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.

In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.

TaylorMade PDHY

TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).

Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.

Club Junkie’s take

Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.

For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.

PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?

TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:

  • PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
  • PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
  • Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
  • PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
  • PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family

Pricing, specs, and availability

Price: $249.99

At retail: Now

Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)

Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)

PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed

PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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