Equipment

Golf Shop Confidential: “Can we change the grips”

Published

14 years ago

Oct 15, 2012

GolfWRX

Welcome to GolfWRX’s Golf Shop Confidential. In “The Shop,” we do a lot more than sell equipment — we bring enjoyment to the game. They say that the players are on the course and the hackers are on the range. But the best stories are here in The Shop. Here’s a few funny ones from last week:

“Can we change the grips?”

I can’t describe the look that appears on a 50-year-old man’s face when he knows he hits the Cobra AMP clubs the best, and then realizes that he’s going to be rocking those bright orange grips in front of his buddies.

Him: “I’ll take them, but can we please change the grips?”

Me (with a wry smile): “Sure”

“Like cheating”

I recommended the Srixon Q-Star to a customer who was trying to correct his slice. He came back two weeks later raving about the straight ball flight and said it was “like cheating.” A guy one aisle over holding Polara golf balls just snickered.

“Cutting it down”

You wouldn’t believe how many guys ask me what the USGA is going to do about belly-and-long putters. It’s not like I’m going to be at a table inside USGA headquarters in the finals stages of the discussion. Pretty soon my answer is going to be to scream ,“THIS!” and snap the putter in half and hand it back to them. But for now I just smile and shrug.

“White Rocket”

It’s amazing to see how TaylorMade’s insistence on the white paint has found fewer and fewer objectors. Last year many older guys scoffed at the white R11 and Superfast 2.0. This year, they’re not (but they’re still buzzing about the “Rocketballz” name though).

Speaking of the name, I’ve learned that it’s more effective to introduce the new TaylorMade clubs as “RBZ” to ladies. When I say “Rocketballz” to them, they look at me funny and take a rather large step backwards.

“The wrong answer”

A customer tried to point out that we spelled “Anser” wrong on our PING sign (He said it should be “Answer”). I told him we’d correct it immediately.

“New fashion trend?”

Guys love the “flair hair.” I can’t explain it.

Orange rhymes with orange

A customer ordered the Graphite Design Tour AD-DI shaft (Tiger’s shaft) in a Cobra AMP driver. He rationalized it as “The only driver that the shaft color actually matches.” The only thing tougher than finding a word that rhymes with orange is finding a driver that matches a bright orange shaft.

That’s all for this week, stay tuned for more.

Click here for more discussion in the “Equipment” forum.

By “The Simulator Operator”

GolfWRX Contributor

Equipment

TaylorMade goes bigger with Spider ZT Max putter

Published

19 hours ago

Jun 4, 2026

Brian Knudson

In the zero-torque putter world the TaylorMade Spider ZT has carved out a great following of golfers who love it. So TaylorMade wanted to go bigger and it did, literally. This new Spider ZT Max features a larger body that is made from aluminum to allow for heavier steel and tungsten weights to move to the perimeter. Combining the weight distribution with the larger size increases stability and the putter will reduce twisting on toe or heel impacts.

TaylorMade kept the zero-torque design the same with a shaft that inserts right near the CG location and 34mm behind the face. Placing the shaft here keeps the putter balancing with the toe up, helping keep the face pointed towards the target throughout the stroke. Each shaft is bored into the head with a 2 degree forward shaft lean to help keep that toe-up design consistent.

A unique sole design is incorporated into the putter to work with the center shaft so the putter doesn’t rock when it is soled on the green. Engineers looked at many different angles and putting strokes to make sure that the putter sits square behind the ball so alignment is easier. While you don’t see the bright white True Path alignment feature on the top of the putter, it is there in milled form. Milled lines on the top of the putter are the exact same width of a golf ball in order to help create better center face contact. The Pure Roll insert on the face is made from a combination of Surlyn and aluminum for a soft but solid feel. Forty-five degree grooves provide immediate forward roll and consistent speed on shots that don’t find the center of the putter.

Golfers can get the new Spider ZT Max in standard length, counter balanced, and in a long model. Offering the putter in these options lets players who find an alternative putting stroke better an option to get a high MOI mallet. The standard length models with get the same KBS CT 120 steel shaft as the new Spider Tour Torched putters while the CB and Long putters will get a KBS Graphite shaft that is heavier (155g & 210g). A Super Stroke Off-Axis Tour 2.0 and a Super Stroke 3.0 17″ grip are stock on these Spider ZT Max putters.

Spider ZT Max Pricing

Standard: $449.99
Counter Balanced: $499.99
Long: $549.99

Equipment

TaylorMade launches Spider Tour Torched putters

Published

22 hours ago

Jun 4, 2026

Brian Knudson

TaylorMade has dominated the mallet putter market with their expansive Spider putter line over the last few years. From players on professional tours to us everyday players, you will see a lot of Spider putters in bags. For 2026 TaylorMade is updating the Spider line with the new Spider Torched series that features a new torched PVD finish and some new head shapes.

The first thing you will notice about the Spider Torched putters is the bronze color finish. This finish takes inspiration from Rory’s custom Spider that is heated with a torch to get a multi-color bronze finish. When you heat stainless steel to around 600°F to 900°F it will change to this bronze color in a process called temper color. This happens because very high temperatures cause the metal’s surface to react with oxygen in the air, creating a thin transparent layer that gradually becomes thicker over time. Instead of using the time-consuming torching process, TaylorMade went with a more durable PVD finish to get a similar look.

Rory’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X

With the new launch we get the familiar Spider Tour head shapes that we know and love with the Spider Tour and Spider Tour X. Both are offered with different hosels as well to give looks that golfers will love and influence the toe hang of the putters for fitting different putting strokes. It doesn’t stop there as TaylorMade is also giving us the new Spider Tour V and Spider Tour F shapes that offer a different look and alignment at address. All of the heads stay true to being a Spider by their high MOI design for stability and forgiveness. A sole plate with updated graphics moves weight away from the center of the club head and out to the perimeter.

“The Spider Tour putter family represents the very best of what we do at TaylorMade. Nearlytwo decades of engineering, refinement and Tour feedback have gone into building thisfamily—and this new finish brings a level of visual sophistication that matches theperformance underneath it. These are putters that belong in the hands of the best players inthe world, and they’re proving it every week.”–Andrew Oldknow, Senior DirectorProductCategory and Design

More Photos of the TaylorMade Spider Tour Torched Putters

For lining up the putter we see the tried and true True Path alignment that TaylorMade has been using on Spiders for what feels like forever. This high contrast line makes it faster and easier to get the putter pointed towards your target for more accuracy. You can also see the legendary Pure Roll insert that is made from white TPU for a softer feel. Each insert contains horizontal 45 degree grooves that put more forward roll on the ball and reduce hopping and skidding. Behind the insert is a Hybrar Echo Dampener that will reduce unwanted vibrations for a softer feel and sound at impact. On the sole TaylorMade kept the TSS weights so that you can dial in the head weight in order to get the perfect feel out of your Spider Tour Torched.

Spider Tour

Spider Tour F

Spider Tour V

Spider Tour X

Spider Tour Counter Balanced

More Photos of the TaylorMade Spider Tour Torched Putters

All of the new Spider Torched putters are offered with a premium KBS CT 120 putter shaft that features a gloss black finish. This upgraded shaft features a stiffer feel and low toque for added stability and consistency. The stock grip is a Super Stroke Pistol 1.0 while the counter balanced models get a Super Stroke 2.0 XL grip that is longer, 13.75″, in order to grip it further down easily. A new brown head cover has a leather texture and looks really good with the brown and light blue accents on it.