Equipment
FIND YOUR
PERFECT ROLL
by SCOTT KRAMER
A NEW PUTTER MAY MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE
WORLD. Just ask Tiger Woods, who after recently switching from a
blade all these years to a mallet seems to have upped his game on the
greens. Whatever your putting style—and preference of putter head
type—there are a lot of new choices on the market.
TAYLORMADE SPIDER MINI
TaylorMade’s Spider Mini is noticeably smaller than other Spider
putters in the line. But it’s designed to still deliver stability and
high MOI, for forgiveness. And it packs a hefty 355-gram head
weight, so you can feel it throughout the stroke. The diminutive
head size results in a forward CG that’s closer to the leading
edge. According to the company, that allows for the head to
release like a blade putter through the hitting area of the stroke.
The company’s Pure Roll face insert combines 45-degree grooves
with a soft polymer between those grooves—a recipe that officials
claim will promote forward roll while reducing any ball skidding.
$299, taylormadegolf.com
PING PLD3
PING set itself apart with its new limited-
edition PLD3 mid mallet. “Every sole plate
design on the PLD3 is a work of art,
made here at PING, which speaks to the
exclusivity and one-of-a-kind appeal of
our Putting Lab Design program,” says
John K. Solheim, president of PING.
“You will cherish the PLD3 for more
than its distinctive beauty, though. We
collaborated with tour pros on the design
and several of them have put the PLD3
in their bags. Plus, we precision-mill
each putter from T6 6061 aluminum to
ensure precise engineering detail. You get
a putter that looks unlike any other and
it’s going to help you make more putts.”
$435, ping.com
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