Spider style mallet putters

Equipment
#1

I’m intrigued by the new Cobra Vintage Stingray Putter - shaped like a Taylormade Spider X, but with a Sik insert. I’m currently using a Spider style putter that has a milled face and I miss the insert from my good old Odyssey #7.

I’ve been waiting for the Taylormade Spider X to come down in price a bit before jumping to it, but wondering if any in the forum has tried the new Cobra yet? Or anyone partial to Sik DLT technology (milled or insert)?

As a lefty, I just don’t see a ton of things to “try out” before a purchase.

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#2

Haven’t tried the cobra but use the Spider X and really like it. Would be the last club I’d be willing to change.

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#3

I think the new Cobras look interesting too. I hate the micro-hinge insert in my Odyssey 7S and wanted to ditch it for the Toulon Las Vegas, but you can’t get them. I like the shape and Cobra has something similar along with PXG, but I’d like to demo them to see how those inserts work.

I did demo a Spider FCG and actually liked that insert and sightline, but a few of my golf buddies have Spiders and the paint just wears right off them in no time.

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#4

I’ve loved the Spider X that I’ve demoed at various shops…just not ready to go for it until the price comes down around $200 or so. Right now everything I see is $275-300. Thus the intrigue in the Cobra vintage stingray starting at $250. Just wish I could demo it.

#5

Interesting…I’ve notice that every used Spider X I find online seems to have the same problem…assorted nicks and dings in the paint…after what can’t be much use. Sounds like an issue. I think I’d look at the “hydroblast” to try to avoid this…but interesting you’ve seen it first hand.

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#6

Yeah my buddy that I play with most weekends snagged a Spider from our pro shop mid-season last year and at the end of last year it looked pretty worn.

For the most part he plays our 9 hole league and once or twice on weekends and he takes care of his stuff. Plus this is New England so the putter wasn’t used for a good 4-5 months in the winter. He’s considering trying to paint it this winter.

#7

I’ve had mine two years, no issue with the finish.

#8

The way I looked at it, its the one club I used every hole I play (99% I chip in now and then) and average 31 putts per round. Therefore the investment seemed justifiable seeing as I paid more for a drive I hit less than half as many times. UK price was, I think about £125 two years ago when I got the thing. No issue with the finish or chips, play at least once a week, two or three times in the summer.

#10

Which color/finish did you go with? Sounds like the black/red/navy seem to be the ones with more chipping issues vs hydro-blast or copper. Maybe just an aberration too…hard to say.

#11

Mines the Navy blue, white center with single sight line. The head cover is falling a part though.

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#12

That sounds like my buddy’s. Navy blue, white in the center. He’s thinking of buying some of the blue paint to refinish it this winter. The headcover looks worn, but still solid.

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#13

My headcover appears to have leprosy!

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#14

So I ended up finding a great deal on a new Odyssey Triple Track Ten model and have added it to the bag this year. Also added a counter-core Slim 3.0 Superstroke grip to it. I don’t use a line on my ball putting, but I do like the alignment system (on the putter head) for general face awareness at set up. So far so good.

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#15

I eventually found a Toulon Las Vegas H7 at CPO Like New for < half the new price. I added my SuperStroke Flatso 1.0 with 75g backweight. It definitely feels and rolls the ball differently from the Odyssey. Mid to short putts require more effort, but longer putts seem to need less. Overall I think it is more consistent speed-wise, but hard to judge with slow Spring greens and recently aerated.

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#16

I love the shape of the Toulan…reminds me of my old White Hot #7.

#17

Yes me too. I like how it frames the ball and I wanted to get away from inserts. The new TM Spider GT Splitback has a nice sightline to my eye as well. I like having a white center portion about the width of a ball.

#18

Negative sides are, lefty equipment has less selection and pricy.
On the other side of the coin, the resale side of the lefty equipment is usually less than the righty.
Look into the resale side and you might find something affordable.
Bad is, probably no demo for new or the resale putters.
especially the putters.

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#19

I feel this and live it every day as a lefty!

#20

If you understand the relationship between how we see things vs the reality. One can use any type of putter head/shaft achieving success on any type of putting surface.
Want to know why we like certain type of putter head design? It has little to do with the design but a lot to do with how our vision interact with the execution of the putting stroke.
Hence the success of the two-ball putter, or the mallet head putter. If only there is a vision check besides the fitting for the tools. Fitting of the tools is more like a band-aide cure.
I believe several well-known golfers sought help on training their eyes (vision) after they passed the age of 40. Their ball striking was still great, just not able to convert great golf shots into birdies when they had the chance. Busted the theory of losing one’s nerve for not able to sink putts; it is actually the deterioration of our eyesight.
I had been trained most if not all the putter design with different head and the hosel, different balancing point and I can putt with adequacy with most of them.
The most difficult type of putter to be consistent is the butter knife style from the 30’s-the 50’s. A.K.A. the Calamity Jane style.

#21

Save yourself $$ and frustration and DO NOT buy off the shelf…get fitted for a putter. I bought off the shelf for years, and my putting would show improvement for a month or so, then fade back to previous performance. Then I got fitted (got a Haywood out of Canada) and it’s been very consistent. Of course, lots of practice is the most important thing to improved putting. Good luck.