Equipment
McIlroy still rolling with his Cameron putter
Last week at the BMW Championship at Wentworth, Rory McIlroy switched from his Nike Method prototype putter back to his old Scotty Cameron gamer.
Based on the photos we shot yesterday, it appears that the current No. 2-ranked golfer in the world will continue to roll with the Scotty Cameron putter that took him to the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Rankings at this week at the Memorial Tournament.
Click here to see more inside the ropes photos from the Memorial.
The curious thing is that McIlroy is only putting slightly worse than he did in 2012. He’s currently ranked 100th in the PGA Tour’s Strokes-Gained Putting stat, just 18 slots worse than his ranking in 2012, a year in which he won three PGA Tour events and his second major championship, the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course.
McIlroy’s Nike putter and Scotty Cameron putter are nearly identical, with the exception of Nike’s polymetal grooves in the putter face that Nike says gets the ball rolling sooner off the putter face with less skid.
Like McIlroy, fellow Nike Golf Staff Member Tiger Woods teetered back and forth between his Scotty Cameron putter and a Nike putter until the 2010 British Open. Since that time, he has used a Nike Method 001 almost exclusively, and is currently ranked 1st in the Strokes-Gained Putting stat.
Equipment
TaylorMade goes bigger with Spider ZT Max putter
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
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.


The new Spider Torched putters will have a $349.99 price for both the standard and counter balanced models.
Whats in the Bag
Sungjae Im WITB 2026 (June)
Sungjae Im had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist TSi2 (8 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X

3-wood: Titleist TS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X

Hybrid: Titleist H2 818 (19 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD Hybrid DI 105 X

Irons: Titleist T100 ’19 (3-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (48-10F, 54-14F), SM7 (60-04L)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putters: Scotty Cameron Special Select F-5 Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype
Grips: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT


Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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neil
Jun 9, 2013 at 6:58 am
interesting about the ball
guess Rorys played the Pro V/x since school.
big change.I wonder if the change to his own management company will Buy out his Nike Contract?
t120
Jun 8, 2013 at 12:32 am
that ball is the culprit, plain and simple. No one on here can tell me that they couldn’t tell the difference between the V1x and the 20xi – blindfolded. He bought in to the whole bag too soon. It’s not the gear, NIKE makes top quality stuff (minus the putters, so far), but the ball is SO far behind the V1/(x) that it’s just not fair to compare.
Scott
Jun 3, 2013 at 7:12 pm
I bet if he went back to Titleist for the Open he’d win it….
Swooshmeup
May 30, 2013 at 11:03 pm
Easy CJB…. 20xi is much better.
cjb
May 30, 2013 at 5:27 pm
It’s not the putter, it’s the ball he should switch.
Ry
May 30, 2013 at 4:10 pm
…rolling right to a 78 opening at Memorial. Didnt he miss the cut at the BMW as well???
Don
May 29, 2013 at 9:56 pm
Yep, blacked out ping.
jb
May 29, 2013 at 8:17 pm
Tiger did the same thing. It took him awhile and a lot of back and forth between the new Nike and old Scotty before he finally did it full time. Heck he still uses a non-filled Scotty grip on his Nike.
Leslie
May 29, 2013 at 8:45 pm
He uses a ping putter grip, not a Scotty. Look it up
Jesse
May 29, 2013 at 9:22 pm
+1 ^^^
Tool Status
May 29, 2013 at 10:19 pm
+2
David Klein
May 29, 2013 at 11:48 pm
+3
Bert B
May 29, 2013 at 3:47 pm
I think you can have any good putters’ specs rigged so they are mechanically the same: The one you put best with will be the one you believe in.