Spider Men

There've been a few Peter Parkers on Tour this year playing and winning with TaylorMade's new Rossa Monza Spider. J.B. Holmes was the first player to use his superpowers to win in February at the FBR Open. According to TaylorMade the extremely high MOI mallet was the "No. 1 putter model" at the tournament. The week before at the Buick Invitational, 12 Spiders were in play.

In March Sean O'Hair used the Spider at the PODS Championship. That week O'Hair averaged 1.813 putts per Green in Regulation and won by two shots over six other players.

Why have Tour players been so successful with the Spider? In order to find out I tested it last week.

Aside from all of its technical advances I liked the Spider because it just felt great (I know, what an expert opinion). It has tremendous balance and at times it felt like I literally couldn't swing it off line. (See below for more a technical summary of its weighting properties.)

It's hard to say how golfers will react to its unorthodox looks, but if they give it a try I think it's very possible that it could supplant the Two-Ball as the most popular mallet.

A quick overview on what TaylorMade did to ramp up the Spider's MOI to give it that great weighting:

1. Its head was constructed from a steel wire-frame so weight can be pushed to the clubhead's perimeter.
2. It has a light, but strong aluminum core which helps move weight to the perimeter as well.
3. It sports a pair of "wings" into which weights have been added (and adjusted). (I didn't mess around with the weights-I never do-and still found it to have exceptional control and balance.)

It might not be the most traditional looking putter and it may turn off some customers simply by its looks, but I suggest giving it a try at your local store. TaylorMade just started shipping them to retailers (they ring up at $240) and I wouldn't be surprised if you started seeing more in your friends' bags as well as on Tour.

Charlie Schroeder

Innovation is King in Equipment Industry

If you're the type who gets complacent easily the rough and tumble world of golf equipment design and manufacturing isn't the place for you. Despite a variety of obstacles, including what some describe as the USGA's desire to limit the effect technology has on the game, equipment company engineers and marketing execs continue to push forward with little sign of letting up.

I was struck by this fact the other day when some of the GT staff took a field trip to our local golf superstore. Ostensively we were there to investigate the current state of the golf ball market, and to purchase a number of new models for "testing," purposes. The sheer number of golf ball manufacturers, as well as the variety offered by each would amaze anyone not jaded by a close relationship to the industry. In all honesty, the sight of three massive islands composed entirely of golf balls from at least ten different manufacturers can be a bit daunting, even for those of us who expect it.

Once we did a full reconnaissance of the new spheres, we took a walk around the store and saw the same basic situation in every department, which was more styles than you could shake a stick at with features that would be unimaginable just a few years ago; In the shoe area there was a pair made from biodegradable materials including rice husks, in the bag aisle there was a model with a built-in beverage cooler and pouch for your GPS unit, and in the driver racks there were models featuring interchangeable shaft technology.

It's all pretty amazing stuff, especially when you consider the number of hoops any given equipment manufacturer has to jump through to build a product that conforms to USGA rules, doesn't infringe on competitors patents, and actually does what the marketing claims say it will do. Clearly this is not easy task, but it's one that even the most cynical observer would have to admit is being accomplished quite well these days.

So if you're hoping to jump-start your golf game this season, you need not look any further than your local pro shop for inspiration. And don't get nervous when confronted by the huge number of options available. Just keep in mind what you feel is lacking in your on-course performance, or what would make the game more fun, and look for the model that best fits the bill.