2025 golf balls, Vokey Toe-Stamp wedges, RORS Proto irons and more
Scottie Scheffler's win Sunday at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson marked the 10th time the world's No. 1 player has won a tournament using a TaylorMade Spider Tour X L-Neck putter.
For years, mallet putters like the Spider Tour X—even mid-sized mallets—were viewed mainly as options for golfers looking for more forgiveness, especially those who missed the center of the face. And while mallets typically offer more stability than traditional blade putters, that's not why Scheffler made the switch.
Two years ago, while the rest of Scheffler's game was rock solid, his putting was in a slump. As I wrote last season, he began experimenting with Spider models because their larger crowns made room for more prominent alignment aids. Why? Occasionally, Scheffler set up with the ball slightly toward the heel, rather than the center of the face.
'This Spider putter is really easy for me to line up,' Scheffler said before the 2024 Players Championship. 'I don't have to use the line on the ball. I line the putter up really well, and I line up in the middle of the face—pretty much as simple as that. Kind of gives me just a really good visual."
The takeaway for recreational players: With today's variety of neck and hosel options, it's time to move past the idea that mallets are just for golfers who struggle with consistency. Modern mallet putters can be a fit for a wide range of putting strokes and preferences.
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