Equipment
Specs, story behind Dustin Johnson’s winning Spider putter
As GolfWRX WITB enthusiasts know, Dustin Johnson has been using a Scotty Cameron Tour Newport 2 GSS Prototype for the past several years and some variety of an Anser-style flatstick since he joined the PGA Tour.
He was 71st in Strokes Gained: Putting last season and 82nd in 2014. Not awful, but barely above average. This season, Johnson has been putting a bit better, ranking 42nd in the category and picking up 0.257 strokes on the field average thanks to his work on the greens.
Still, there’s always room for improvement, and this week the long-hitting South Carolinian made an equipment switch aimed at getting better in the putting department.
Related: See all the clubs Dustin Johnson used to win the BMW Championship.
Spotted by our Tour photographer practicing with a mallet-style Cameron model at Crooked Stick ahead of the BMW Championship, we thought a change might be in the works. And indeed, Dustin Johnson put a different putter in play during Wednesday’s practice round: a TaylorMade Spider Limited.
Through three rounds, Johnson led the field in Strokes-Gained Putting, picking up more than seven strokes on the field average. He was particularly good during the opening round, when he picked up an impressive 3.944 strokes.
Johnson rolled in six birdies with the Spider on Sunday, and ultimately finished second in strokes gained: putting for the week at 7.307.
Here’s how Johnson ended up with a Spider Limited putter in his hands: According to TaylorMade, DJ liked the look of Jason Day’s similar Spider putter while playing with the Australian during a couple of rounds at the Deutsche Bank Championship last week. He put in a request to TMag’s Tour Truck for something similar, and they got something in his hands during his Wednesday practice round, feeling the Spider improved his alignment and offered him more stability through the stroke.
However, that Spider Limited was the same Limited Red model played by Jason Day. Just before tee off Thursday, though, Johnson decided he didn’t want to use the exact same model as the world No. 1 and decided, if you can believe this, to ask his brother/caddie Austin for his Spider Limited with a charcoal grey crown.
Johnson said after his win:
“I had the same one that Jason [Day] was using, it was the red one. I don’t know, for some reason — well, I was putting with it and I was putting good with it and right before we were about to tee off on Thursday I’m like, ‘AJ, don’t you have the same one in black?’ And he says, ‘Yeah,’ and I said, ‘Go get it.'”
Here are the specs, per TaylorMade:
- Length: 35.5 inches
- Loft: 2.5 degrees
- Lie: 69 degrees
- Insert: Pure Roll 80/20
- Swing Weight: E-0
- Color: Black, No alignment lines
TaylorMade says Johnson is an extremely feel-based player, which is one of the reason’s he’s stuck with a flat-faced milled putter so long in his career. The Spider’s 80/20 Pure Roll insert results in a substantially different feel off the face than a milled putter, which is a lot to overcome, even though the insert does prove superior forward roll with less skidding, as verified by high-speed camera testing. TaylorMade also cites the slight toe hang of the Spider Limited as fitting well with DJ’s more traditional putting stroke.
Based on this limited sample, the Limited fits well, indeed.
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
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Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
Tommy Tank
Dec 29, 2016 at 3:41 pm
TM released DJd putter to the public on 12/23
I just got mine.
Only came in 35″ so I sent it in to putterlounge to gave it shortened to 33″
And put a leather stitch back grip on it
Tommy Tank
Dec 29, 2016 at 3:38 pm
TM Just released the spider black … exact putter as DJ …. with slant neck… on 12/23.
I just got mine
$299
M Shmizzle
Sep 13, 2016 at 9:47 am
Very Nice
DB
Sep 12, 2016 at 10:00 pm
Why all this talk about slant necks? Flow necks are where its at!
Seriously though, I’ve always found TM putters to have such crappy finishes that no matter how good the design is or how well they might work, I don’t even consider them anymore. I do like the look of these new Spider putters, but I wouldn’t pay that much for a putter that the paint will start flaking off of in two weeks.
Zach Mayo
Sep 12, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Is DJ superstitious about his winning attire? Looks like the same outfit for his 3 big wins. Is this an accurate observation?
M Wizzle
Sep 12, 2016 at 4:10 pm
I like spiders
rich tran
Sep 12, 2016 at 12:18 pm
This putter is really amazing and easy to hit. I tried it at the PGA store and was sold…now I want a DJ limited edition in charcoal black..
M-Dizzle
Sep 12, 2016 at 11:54 am
Wait…You mean to tell me Cameron was upstaged by a Spider mallet putter?
SELL ALL THE CAMERONS NOW !!
Michael
Sep 12, 2016 at 1:05 am
Is his red one for sale? I’ll pay for shipping if DJ can give me a good deal.
KK
Sep 11, 2016 at 11:44 pm
Uh oh, not a tour issued putter. Call the PGA rules committee.
Mr B
Sep 11, 2016 at 9:39 pm
Will either taylormade or odyssey please read this and for gods sake make a mallet with slant neck available at a reasonable price to the general public.
Nath
Sep 12, 2016 at 6:20 am
Yes
Jordan G
Sep 13, 2016 at 8:56 am
Double Yes
snowman
Sep 11, 2016 at 9:02 pm
Yes, No Sight Lines! We need stock spec putters with No Sight Lines!
Nath
Sep 12, 2016 at 6:21 am
And yes
DJ
Sep 11, 2016 at 7:58 pm
Jonathan wall just posted it was actually in his brother’s bag. Who’s lying here?
Otis
Sep 11, 2016 at 8:55 pm
Was the article too much reading for you before accusing someone of lying?
Spy
Sep 11, 2016 at 7:18 pm
So, we can buy for $750? haha just joking…………..