50 Words or Less
The TaylorMade Spider ZT Max is a super high MOI zero torque putter. Incredibly stable through impact. 20% larger clubhead than the Spider ZT.
Introduction
The emergence of zero torque putters has been one of the most transformative and interesting developments in golf equipment in the past few years. Pros and amateurs are alike are flocking to these putters and seeing gains in confidence and made putts. Likewise, OEMs are seeing the demand and happily going down the path forged by LAB golf. TaylorMade is one of the latest to do so, taking its wildly successful Spider and applying it to a zero torque format. The TaylorMade Spider ZT Max has a larger footprint than the Spider ZT [review HERE]. This was my first experience spending extended time with a zero torque putter so I was eager to see how it would work for me.
Looks
Right away, compared to a traditional heel-shafted putter, even a modern high MOI mallet, zero torque putters look a bit alien. From the center shaft to the offset grip to the sheer size of the clubhead, there are just a lot of different looking things going on. It’s a lot easier to visually digest one or two new elements than it is three or four. With that said, I found that I was able to adjust pretty quick. I think that, compared to some other zero torque putters I’ve seen, the TaylorMade Spider ZT Max reads as pretty familiar, probably due to the similarity to the ubiquitous Spider head shape.
At address, the TaylorMade Spider ZT Max is big (Spider ZT above left, Spider ZT Max above right). Players that gain confidence from a larger clubhead will like the look. Like a cruise ship, it’s so large that it’s just not designed to take sharp turns. The clubhead shape is essentially a square, with the majority of mass stacked behind the impact area, four heavy weights at the corners, and empty space in between. The alignment aid is a simple white line flanked by subtle black scoring lines the width of a golf ball. The sole features a striking electric blue colored plate with some TaylorMade and Spider branding. [See Price / Buy]
Sound & Feel
The feel of impact with a premium ball is soft yet responsive. It isn’t mushy by any means nor does it come close to replicating the firmness of a milled insert. I thought the feel was excellent, and I think it probably hits that sweet spot for a lot of people between soft and firm. It was also my first time spending extended time using a putter with TaylorMade’s True Roll insert, and it’s clear they have a great thing going there.
Similarly, the sound of the TaylorMade Spider ZT Max finds a nice balance between soft and firm. Mid-range putts give a nice concise ‘clock’ sound off the face, while shorter putts are a bit quieter and more subdued. Overall, the sound isn’t particularly loud. Don’t expect much in the way of feedback through the hands. Whether via sound or feel, it’s tough to tell exactly where the ball was struck on the face.
Performance
The TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putter announced its intentions right away, cashing the first practice putt I looked at, a slightly downhill 15-foot left to righter. From there, I continued to be impressed with the way it performed from all distances. It’s hard to say whether I holed significantly more putts than I tend to with my gamer but I felt like I definitely had more tap-ins. I also felt very confident standing over putts in the 3-4 foot range, which have caused a lot of anxiety in the past.
As I wrote in the introduction, this was my first time testing a zero torque putter. I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially with regard to how comfortable I would feel with the look of the putter at address. I’ve picked up zero torque putters at Club Champion that I just couldn’t get comfortable with. I was a surprised how quickly I felt at ease with the TaylorMade Spider ZT Max. Overthinking is definitely the enemy of good putting, so feeling like I could focus on the target and make a smooth stroke was huge.
Another thing that stood out to me during my testing was the weight of the putter. Obviously, the TaylorMade Spider ZT Max has a huge footprint, but there’s a good deal of negative space within that. I thought the weighting and the balance felt exceptional. A clubhead of that size looks like it’s going to be quite heavy and while there is definitely enough heft to create that desired pendulum swing, it wasn’t as heavy as I expected it to be.
I mentioned the pleasant sound and feel of the True Roll insert in the section above. I also feel compelled to mention that the ball rolled beautifully end over end. I think this is probably due to a combination of the insert and the MOI properties of the TaylorMade Spider ZT Max, but this felt like something that had a two-fold effect of simultaneously producing more consistent forward roll and also increasing my confidence. The impact for me, similar to what I mentioned above, was just a more relaxed and confident feeling over putts.
I wasn’t surprised to see that the TaylorMade Spider ZT Max performed well in the recent edition of Golf Myths Unplugged, What is the Best Zero Torque Putter. Find out which putter came out on top HERE. Curious to learn more about zero torque putters? We’ve had a lot of content on the site around this topic lately. Learn the basics with Zero Torque Putters Explained HERE, and check out two additional editions of Golf Myths Unplugged: Can a Zero Torque Putter Improve Your Game? HERE and Can Zero Torque Putters Eliminate 3 Putts? HERE.
Overall, my experience with the TaylorMade Spider ZT Max left me very impressed. If I were a competitive golfer and my stats were my livelihood, I don’t think I could justify leaving it on the shelf. As it stands, the look is just a bit too far outside my liking to put it in the bag. But I wouldn’t close the door on gaming a zero torque putter in the future. [See Price / Buy]
Conclusion
The TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putter is a force to be reckoned with on the greens. It simplifies the variables of putting in a way that no other club or category of club has yet figured out how to do for other phases of the game. Players who are curious about zero torque putters, players who have gamed a TaylorMade Spider in the past, and players who want to simplify things on the green would all be good candidates to test it out. [See Price / Buy]
The KBS putter shaft is bored directly toe-ward near the CG at a 1° shaft lean with 25mm onset behind the face allowing golfers to realize the benefits of a new stable, toe up design.
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