Quick Summary
The Taylormade Spider Tour is one of the most popular putter designs on the PGA Tour. It was originally a prototype based on the Taylormade Spider Monza, pioneered by Jason Day. The two most prominent tour players who use it are Jason Day and Dustin Johnson (although Jon Rahm had it in the bag before switching to the Spider X).
The Taylormade Spider X is the official upgrade to the Spider Tour. The two putters share a lot of similarities, but the Spider X is definitely the more refined version. The putter head is a bit smaller, the weights at the back of the putter have been cleaned up, and Taylormade introduced the Truepath alignment system. The Spider X is also the most popular putter on the PGA tour.
Table of Contents
Key Differences - Spider Tour vs Spider X
| Product Name | Spider Tour | Spider X |
| Face Balanced Version | Double Bend | Single Bend |
| L Neck Toe Hang | 21° | N/A |
| Flow Neck Toe Hang | N/A | 22° |
| Slant Neck Toe Hang | 32° | 30° |
| True Path Alignment | No | Yes |
| Pure Roll Insert | 3mm | 5mm |
Key Similarities - Spider Tour vs Spider X
| Product Name | Spider Tour | Spider X |
| Putter Type | Mallet | Mallet |
| Head Weight | 355g | 355g |
| Loft | 3° | 3° |
| Lie Angle | 70° | 70° |
| High MOI Design | Yes | Yes |
| Length Options | 32″,33″,34″,35″ | 33″,34″,35″ |
| Standard Grip | SuperStoke GTR 1.0 | SuperStoke GTR 1.0 |
Main Differences Explained
Double Bend vs Single Bend: Both the Spider Tour and the Spider X offer a face-balanced version (suited to a straight-back, straight through stroke). However, the face-balanced Spider Tour has a double bend, whereas the face-balanced Spider X has a single bend. The end result is the same, but the single bend is definitely the more attractive option.
L Neck vs Flow Neck: The Spider Tour offers an L-Neck version with 21° of toe hang. The Spider X has a flow neck version with 22° of toe hang. Again the end result is pretty much same, but in this instance, the L Neck of of the Spider Tour is the better looking choice, if you prefer the L Neck style.
Maximum Toe Hang Option: The Spider Tour has a small slant option with 32° of toe hang. This is slightly more than the small slant Spider X, which has 30° of toe hang. Admittedly it’s only a 2° difference, but it’s worth pointing out.
True Path Alignment System: The Taylormade Spider X was the first version of the Spider to introduce the true-path alignment system. This is a defining feature of the Spider X. It looks great and it can improve your alignment on short putts and long putts.
Head Shape & Design: This is where there is a clear separation between the Spider Tour and the Spider X. The Spider Tour certainly doesn’t look bad, but it’s a bit clunky in comparison to the Spider X.
Overall, the head shape, size and design of the Spider X is more refined than the Spider Tour. They have cleaned up the weights at the back of the putter while packing all the same technology into a more compact frame.
Should You Choose The Spider X or the Spider Tour?
To be perfectly honest, choosing between the Spider Tour and the Spider X isn’t that easy, because the underlying technology is so similar.
In my opinion, the Spider X has become the popular option on tour, primarily because the head is more compact and the design is more refined. Looks wise, the Spider Tour is a 7/10, whereas the Spider X is a 9/10. If you add in the true path alignment system, it’s not hard to understand why so many players lean toward the Spider X.
With that being said, there is one extra element you need to consider, and it applies to both putters, namely:
Should You Choose The Toe Hang Or Face Balanced Version?
Face Balanced Version
As you can see from the image above, the Single Bend Version is clearly designed for people who have a straight-back, straight-through putting stroke. This is true of all face-balanced putters, and it applies to the Spider Tour and the Spider X.
Toe Hang Version
The image above clearly shows that the Slant Neck is designed for players who have more arc in their stroke. If you take the putter inside on the way back and the way through, the Slant Neck version is definitely the one for you.
It’s worth mentioning that the slant neck version is definitely more popular than the S-bend version. It is used by more pros, and generally preferred by most amateurs.
What If Your Not Sure What Type Of Stroke You Have?
This question could spark hours of debate. Here’s my rule of thumb.
If your tendency is miss putts on the right (choose the slant neck) – You have an issue returning the putter to a square position at impact. In this case, the toe-hang (slant neck) version will probably be better suited to your stroke. Instead of leaving the face open at impact, the weight in the toe will help you close/square the putter face during the follow through.
If your tendency is to miss putts on the left (choose the single bend) – Your putter face is probably closed at impact. In this case, the face-balanced single bend version might help neutralize your stroke. You will be more likely to start the ball on a straighter line, rather than watching it dart off to the left.
PGA Summary - Who Uses What
PGA Players Who Use The Spider Tour
- Jason Day – Slant Neck Version
- Dustin Johnson – Slant Neck Version
PGA Players Who Use The Spider X
- Rory Mcllroy – Slant Neck Version
- Sergio Garcia – Slant Neck Version
- Matthew Wolff – Slant Neck Version
- Daniel Berger – Single Bend Version
- Tom Hoge – Slant Neck Version
- Keith Michell – Slant Neck Version
Final Thoughts
In the end, choosing between the Spider Tour and the Spider X will come down to which putter head design you prefer. They are both high MOI putters that offer exceptional stability and forgiveness.
With that being said, the Spider X is clearly the more popular option, if judging by how many tour players use it. Ultimately, the Spider X is the victor of this product battle. It looks a bit better, feels a bit better, and performs a bit better. That’s enough reason to put it in the bag.
Taylormade Spider Putter - Buyer's Guide
Taylormade Spider Tour
This was the breakthrough design. Dustin Johnson and Jason Day still use it, and they’ve racked up several majors with the Spider Tour Putter in the bag.
Taylormade Spider X
This is the most popular Taylormade spider putter and it is also one of the most popular putters on the PGA tour. The Spider X Putter is used by several high-profile players, including Rory Mcllroy, Sergio Garcia, Daniel Berger and Keith Mitchell. The Spider X hydro blast color is the latest version, released in 2021.
Taylormade Spider EX
The Taylormade Spider Putter range was expanded with the introduction of the Spider EX. It is very similar to the original Spider X in terms of overall technology, but it definitely looks a bit different. Unfortunately, the Taylormade Spider EX Putter hasn’t really caught on with PGA tour players.
Taylormade Spider S
The Spider S represents a fairly big departure from the Spider X. The standout feature is the arrow-shaped true path alignment design, which actually frames the ball very nicely.
The last thing worth mentioning is that all the latest Taylormade Spider Putters come in a face-balanced and moderate toe-hang version.
