My Tangle with the Ghost Spider Putter
Alright, let’s talk about this ghost putter spider thing. Heard a lot about these high-MOI mallets, especially the spider designs. Then they came out with that stark white “ghost” finish. Supposedly helps with alignment, contrasts with the green, blah blah blah. Sounded like marketing fluff mostly, but my putting was garbage anyway, so I figured, what the heck? Found a used one online, looked okay, price wasn’t too insane, so I pulled the trigger.
Got it in the mail a few days later. First thought? It’s big. Like, really big compared to the Anser-style blade I was using. Felt kinda like swinging a spaceship on a stick. The white finish was definitely… white. Very bright. Looked clean, I guess. Picked it up, waggled it a bit. Felt heavy, stable. The grip was some stock thing, felt alright, nothing special.
So, took it out to the practice green. Threw down a few balls, maybe 5-10 feet away. The main thing everyone talks about is alignment. Did the white head and the lines help? Honestly? Maybe a little? It frames the ball nicely, the contrast with the green is there. But it wasn’t magic. You still gotta point the thing in the right direction yourself. It doesn’t aim itself, despite what some guys might tell you.
Putting it Through Paces
Started rolling some putts. The feel off the face insert was… okay. A bit muted, maybe? Not the crisp click I was used to, but not mushy either. Just sort of… dull. But the stability, yeah, that was noticeable. On slight mishits, off the toe or heel, the putter head didn’t twist nearly as much as my old blade. The ball still seemed to roll out pretty well, closer to the intended line. That’s that high-MOI stuff working, I suppose.
- Short putts (inside 6 feet): This is where it felt best. Point, shoot, seemed pretty solid. The stability helped keep the face square on the short stroke.
- Mid-range (10-20 feet): Distance control was tricky at first. That muted feel made it harder to judge how hard I’d hit it. Took a lot of practice to get the speed right.
- Lag putts (30+ feet): Felt like swinging a boat anchor. Getting the distance right consistently? Tough. Maybe it’s just me, but the heavier, bigger head felt clumsy on longer strokes.
Real World Test: On the Course
Took it out for a few rounds. The first round was rough. Left a lot of putts short, blasted a few way past. That distance control issue from the practice green was real. Alignment felt okay on the course, the white head didn’t seem to glare too much even in bright sun, which was a worry.
Did it fix my putting? No. Did it help a bit on short ones? Yeah, probably. Dropped a few more inside 5 feet than usual. But those mid-range putts and lag putts were still inconsistent. I felt like I was fighting the putter sometimes, trying to force it instead of having a smooth stroke. Maybe the weight wasn’t right for my tempo, or the balance, who knows.
Tried messing with it a bit. Thought about changing the grip to something thicker, maybe counter-balancing it. But honestly, felt like putting lipstick on a pig if the basic feel wasn’t quite right for me. It’s like trying to fix a clunky system by adding more layers – sometimes you just need to start fresh.
So, the ghost spider putter? It’s sitting in the garage now. Went back to a different mallet, something with a bit more feedback off the face, a bit less… huge. It wasn’t a bad putter. I can see why some people love them, especially if they struggle with stability on short putts. That part works. But it wasn’t the magic wand I guess I was secretly hoping for. Proves again, it’s mostly the archer, not the arrow. Found something that works better for my stroke, my feel. This ghost spider just wasn’t it for me in the long run.
