TaylorMade Golf Company today announced the launch of the “Daddy Long Legs” and “Spider Blade” – two “counterbalanced” putters engineered with heavier weight at the grip-end to increase the MOI of the entire club to promote a consistent “on path” stroke.
Available now at retail, Daddy Long Legs is the newest member of TaylorMade’s renowned line of Spider putters. A “performance mallet,” its 8500+ MOI head — highest ever for a TaylorMade putter — is exceptionally stable and resistant to twisting on off-center hits.
The Spider Blade, available starting June 1, is a heel-toe weighted blade that provides a similar leap in stability and forgiveness with an astounding 5200 MOI – the most in any blade ever created by TaylorMade.
“The higher the head’s MOI, the more resistant it is to twisting on off-center hits, helping you roll the ball your desired distance, and on your desired line, on mis-hits,” said Brian Bazzel, product category director for putters and wedges. “The exceptionally high MOI of the Daddy Long Legs and Spider Blade heads makes them a terrific choice for golfers seeking forgiveness in a putter.”
The Benefits of Counterbalancing
To counterbalance a putter, additional weight is added to the grip-end in the form of a heavier putter grip, to counter the weight of the clubhead. That changes how the putter behaves when the golfer swings it.
While the typical putter has one light end (grip) and one heavy end (head), putting more weight in the grip to counterbalance the weight of the head increases the MOI of the entire club, from top to bottom, which makes it way easier to keep the head on path during the swing. Counterbalancing increases the MOI of the entire club, making it 60% more stable than a traditional putter. The result is a putter that is easier to swing the head back and through the intended path – something TaylorMade calls “Stroke Stability.”
“In addition to increasing the MOI of our putterheads, we started researching ways to keep the head from wavering from the intended swing path during the stroke–a primary cause of missed putts,” said Bazzel. “We recognized that if we could make it easier to swing the putterhead on-path, we could help players roll the ball down their intended line. Counterbalance helps solve that problem.”
To get the most out of counterbalancing, about three inches of the top end of the grip should extend above your top hand when you assume your normal stance, posture and grip. To make that possible, DLL and Spider Blade are offered in two lengths: 38”, for players who favor a 35” length, and 35” for players who favor a 33” length. Players who favor a 34” length can choose between either 35” or 38”.
Super-high MOI
The Daddy Long Legs’ head MOI measures higher than 8500. In comparison, MOI measurements for previous Spider putters are Spider/Ghost Spider 6800, Ghost Spider S 6038, Itsy Bitsy Spider 5375.
To elevate the MOI beyond 8500, the head consists of 16 pieces made of eight different materials – stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, polycarbonate, Surlyn and TPU. The result is an exceptionally twist-resistant putterhead that promotes a smooth roll on the desired distance on the desired line – even on mis-hits.
Spider Blade’s head construction consists of 11 parts made of eight materials — 304 stainless steel, 17-4 stainless steel, aluminum, 3M Foam, tungsten, polycarbonate, Surlyn and TPU. This combination allows TaylorMade engineers to shift significant weight from the center of the head into the heel and toe, raising the MOI to 5200.
Pricing, Options and Availability
Both the Daddy Long Legs and Spider Blade putters are priced at $199 and offered in a single bend 35” or 38” shaft. Daddy Long Legs is available now; retail availability for the Spider Blade begins June 1. For more information, please visit taylormadegolf.com
About the adidas Group
The adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry, offering a broad range of products around the core brands: adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade, Rockport and Reebok-CCM Hockey. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has more than 46,000 employees and generated sales of EUR 14.9 billion in 2012.
About TaylorMade-adidas Golf
Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company sells golf clubs, balls, clothing and accessories under the TaylorMade, adidas Golf, Adams and Ashworth brands. TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company posted 2012 sales of over €1.3 billion.
Contact:
TaylorMade Golf
Public Relations Department
Dave Cordero
(760) 918.6367
dave.cordero@tmag.com
