Best TaylorMade putters: Which best suits your stroke?
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TaylorMade make some of the best putters around… but which one should you buy?
The best TaylorMade putters have been recognized as some of the best putters available for over a decade, as thanks to the Spider franchise putting them on the map the company’s flatsticks have become extremely popular with tour pros and amateurs alike.
Jason Day and Dustin Johnson battling it out for the World No.1 spot in 2017-18 wielding Spider Tour putters was the breakthrough TaylorMade dreamed of, and the success hasn’t stopped there. Rory McIlroy had his best putting year ever in 2022 using a Spider, and Scottie Scheffler has just bagged the 2024 Masters with a model from the same franchise.
With the company riding a wave of MOI success TaylorMade decided to start building a foothold in the premium CNC Milled putter market in 2023. They did it with the family of traditional TP Reserve classic blades and mallets.
As CNC Milled putters are so costly to produce TaylorMade also make a ubiquitous TP Black collection of more traditionally styled blade and mallet putters (which aren’t fully CNC Milled like the TP Reserve), but be under no illusion the Spider franchise gets more attention than most at TaylorMade’s HQ in Carlsbad.
TaylorMade putters usually come in several hosel set-ups, and for an additional cost (through the brand’s ‘MY’ customization platform) golfers can completely tailor sightlines, colors, engraving, and face inserts to their taste.
But which of the three TaylorMade families and 20 different models will best suit your eye and stroke? Let me explain…
Best TaylorMade Putters – Jump to:
- How we tested the putters
- What type of putter do you need?
- Everything you need to know about TaylorMade Spider Tour putters
- Everything you need to know about TaylorMade TP Reserve putters
- Everything you need to know about TaylorMade TP Black putters
- Best TaylorMade putters 2024
- Buying Guide & FAQs
How we tested the putters
To help you find the best TaylorMade putter for your game, we’ve looked at all 20 of the company’s latest models.
TG Equipment Editor Simon Daddow and Test Pro Neil Wain both putted to a hole 15 feet away and hit at least 20 putts with each model tested. We’re listening for sound, looking for how putts roll across the surface of the green, and gauging the feel and feedback of the putter face. We consider the grip size, shape, and texture, whilst also paying attention to the shaft and the stability on off-center hits.
While we normally share all the data from our golf club tests, we don’t do that with putters. Whilst we do use a Foresight GC Quad launch monitor in putting mode to measure and gauge the roll, topspin, and skid of every putt hit, over the years we’ve learned that putting data is more player- and day-dependent than any other club in the bag.
So, whilst we use this data for analysis, we don’t base big decisions or recommendations on it, as history shows data is very likely to be different on another day’s testing. Essentially, we’re not comfortable making huge claims that one putter rolls better than another, because we know that on another day’s testing, the roles could be reversed.
You can read all about how TG tests golf equipment here.
What type of putter do you need?
All leading manufacturers – including TaylorMade, Odyssey, and Ping – offer a wide range of putters in different shapes, sizes, styles, and types, so how do you know where to start?
The biggest decision when choosing a new putter is whether you want a blade putter, a mallet putter, or a super-stable high MOI putter.
Blade putters
Blades are the most traditional-looking putters. They are typically quite slim, with a narrow footprint and profile. Blade putters traditionally have had toe hang, which means they suit golfers with an arced putting stroke, although face-balanced blade putters are available for those with straight back-and-through strokes today.
There has been a trend towards wider-bodied blade putters recently, which sit between a mallet and a blade and offer a bit more forgiveness and reassurance than a very slim body putter. Blade putters are less forgiving than mallet and MOI models as they twist more on off-center hits, which leads to putts losing energy so they travel less far, which can of course up your 3-putt percentage.
Mallet putters
Mallet putters tend to have a bigger footprint than blades, although the blade length from heel to toe is often shorter.
The wider body offers greater distance consistency on off-center strikes than you get with a blade, which can really help as you’ll be surprised how often you miss the middle of the face, particularly on longer putts.
MOI putters
This area of the market has really taken off in the last decade as all types of golfers have realized the performance benefits of super-stable putters.
Quite simply, you’re making the game harder by using a narrow blade putter rather than an MOI Putter, especially on longer putts.
If you can accept the somewhat unconventional looks of MOI models, you’re giving yourself maximum benefit. It’s important to love the look of your putter, though, as confidence is such a huge part of the game on the greens.
Best TaylorMade Putters 2024
Best for MOI performance: TaylorMade Spider Tour / View Offer
Best compact MOI Mallet: TaylorMade Spider Tour X / View Offer
Best Counter Balanced putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour S / View Offer
Best TaylorMade Spider Tour putter for golfers who don’t want the looks of an MOI model: TaylorMade Spider Tour V / View Offer
Best CNC Milled Blade Putter: TaylorMade TP Reserve B11 / View Offer
Best CNC Milled Mallet Putter: TaylorMade TP Reserve M47 / View Offer
Best Blade Putter: TaylorMade TP Black De Monte / View Offer
Best value Stability Mallet: TaylorMade TP Black Palisades / View Offer
Everything you need to know about TaylorMade Spider Tour putters
Ever since the first model in 2008 the Spider franchise has always been about bringing additional off-centre hit forgiveness and stability to putters. High MOI effectively translates to better distance control, extra stability on short putts, and over time a reduction in a golfer’s three-putt percentage. The latest Spider Tour putters come with wire-frame bodies and multiple-material constructions, ideas that free up and relocate inefficient weight from the center to the perimeter, to maximize stability. Spiders are also famous for being THE family that convinced many tour pros to switch to the benefits of high MOI putters.
By attaching short slant hosels, which introduce toe hang, just like many tour pro’s favorite blade putters, to bigger body, higher MOI models Spider putters have now been widely accepted on tour. The set-up means pros got the same toe hang set-up and release as a blade putter but with the additional forgiveness benefits of a higher MOI head hence why MOI putter adoption and sales have soared over the last decade.
Late in 2023, this new five-model Spider Tour family hit the market. TaylorMade published the center of gravity depth, MOI figures, and toe hang of each individual model allowing golfers to dial in not only the look of the Spider they wanted but also the feel and roll.
Here’s how to decide whether the Tour, Tour S, Tour V, Tour X, or Tour Z best suits you.
Thanks to a refined weight set-up, the model offers 700 more MOI points than its predecessor. You get two hosel options, the small slant gives 29° of toe hang, making this set-up good for slight arc strokes, whereas the double bend is face-balanced and better for straighter strokes.
TaylorMade Spider Tour (2023) putter
CG Location: 35 MM MOI: 5700 Toe Hang: 29°
View Offer UK
TaylorMade Spider Tour (2023) Double Bend putter
CG Location: 35 MM MOI: 5700 Toe Hang: Face-Balanced
View Offer UK
Read our full TaylorMade Spider Tour putter review.
Pros
- This is an iconic putter head shape
- The new color is completely non-offensive
- There are two hosel options
- A great blend of alignment and stability help
Cons
- The weight ports being positioned outside the perimeter of the head can be distracting
| Stock shaft: | KBS CT 120g Black PVD |
| Stock grip: | Super Stroke Pistol GT 1.0 |
| Length: | 33" / 34" / 35" |
| Loft: | 3° |
| Lie: | 70° |
The short slant hosel gives 30° of toe hang, which will suit golfers with a degree of rotation in their putting stroke, or those who prefer the feeling of the putter releasing through impact. The double bend shaft set-up is face-balanced and is a better choice for straighter stroke players.
TaylorMade Spider Tour X (2023) putter
CG Location: 33MM MOI: 5000 Toe Hang: 30°
View Offer UK
TaylorMade Spider Tour X (2023) Double Bend putter
CG Location: 33MM MOI: 5000 Toe Hang: Face Balanced
View Offer UK
Read our full TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter review.
Pros
- The head is compact for an MOI mallet
- The Gunmetal PVD finish doesn't chip
- The CG is front-biased so you get a blade-like feel
- This head design has won huge amounts of money on tour
Cons
- A putter that's very difficult to fault in the MOI space
| Stock shaft: | KBS CT 120g Black PVD |
| Stock grip: | Super Stroke Pistol GT 1.0 |
| Length: | 33" / 34" / 35" |
| Loft: | 3° |
| Lie: | 70° |
Thanks to its additional size and weight the S is only available at 35” and 38” lengths, both come with counter-balanced grips. If you’re looking to buy into Rickie Fowler or Wyndham Clark's level of performance by moving to a counter-balanced putter it’s well worth remembering both employ a Odyssey Jailbird at 38”.
TaylorMade Spider Tour S (2023) putter
CG Location: 38 MM MOI: 6063 Toe Hang: Face Balanced
View Offer UK
Read our full TaylorMade Spider Tour S putter review.
Pros
- Counter Balance putters are super stable
- The bigger head size boosts confidence
- At the 35" length it's possible to use this counter balance model in the same way as a traditional length putter
Cons
- The 38" length can get caught in clothing
| Stock shaft: | Stepped Steel |
| Stock grip: | SuperStroke 3.0 (17") |
| Length: | 35" / 38" |
| Loft: | 3° |
| Lie: | 70° |
The best TaylorMade Spider Tour putter for golfers who don't want the looks of an MOI model
The double bend hosel option is face balanced. It’s a good option for straighter-stroke golfers who don’t want the complexity of wing or back weight structures distracting the eye from their beautiful new modern MOI mallet.
TaylorMade Spider Tour V (2023) putter
CG Location: 27 MM MOI: 4900 Toe Hang: 32°
View Offer UK
TaylorMade Spider Tour V (2023) Double Bend putter
CG Location: 27 MM MOI: 4900 Toe Hang: Face Balanced
View Offer UK
Read our full TaylorMade Spider Tour V putter review.
Pros
- A very cute little head shape
- A good option for golfers transitioning from a blade
- A very clean-looking putter
Cons
- The short slant hosel has lots of toe hang, make sure it fits your stroke
| Stock shaft: | KBS CT 120g Black PVD |
| Stock grip: | Super Stroke Pistol GT 1.0 |
| Length: | 33" / 34" / 35" |
| Loft: | 3° |
| Lie: | 70° |
Everything you need to know about TaylorMade TP Reserve putters
It’s taken over a decade of hard work to get there but with a solid foothold established in the MOI putter market, TaylorMade wanted to focus on grabbing a slice of the premium CNC Milled flatstick market. The TP Reserve is the franchise they came up with for golfers who put a premium on using classic CNC-milled putters.
Each head takes up to 45 minutes to CNC Mill from 303 stainless steel, every dimension, edge geometry, and surface finish is carefully considered to give exactly the look and feel the world’s best desire. Milled face grooves ensure less face is in contact with the ball at impact so golfers can expect a crisp but soft feel from these non-insert models.
This nine-head family offers the classic blade and traditional mallet shapes and hosel options that golfers would typically expect to find from Scotty Cameron, the legend who commands almost 80% of CNC Milled putter sales.
See the beautifully crafted TP Reserve at the opposite end of the scale to the multiple-piece, often colored and soft insert Spider and you’ll be thinking exactly along the right lines.
Golfers looking for an alternative to Scotty Cameron’s famous Newport 2 shape should give the B11 their full attention – it really is a beauty. With 38° of toe hang and a traditional plumber’s neck (L-Neck) the model is usually a good fit for slight and stronger arc strokes. Expect a sleek, unfussy and attractive look at address.
TaylorMade TP Reserve B11 putter
Toe Hang: 38°
View Offer UK
Read our full TaylorMade TP Reserve B11 putter review
Pros
- A beautifully machined blade putter
- A lovely fresh impact feel
- The B13 has the same head shape but offers more toe hang
Cons
- Apart from the TaylorMade branding don't expect too much difference from other premium CNC-milled putters
| Stock shaft: | KBS 120 Chrome Stepless |
| Stock grip: | Lamkin Deep Etched Pistol |
| Length: | 33" / 34" / 35" |
| Loft: | 3° |
| Lie: | 70° |
If you’re looking for a putter similar to Scotty Cameron’s classy Fastback designs, this is it. Think of the head as offering the set-up of a blade (with a parallel face and back), but with the extra stability of a mallet, and you’ll be thinking exactly along the right lines.
The single bend shaft setup and 15° of toe hang make the M47 an excellent choice for straighter and slight arc strokes.
TaylorMade TP Reserve M47 putter
Toe Hang: 15°
View Offer UK
Read our full TaylorMade TP Reserve M47 putter review
Pros
- The straight blunt back seems to help with alignment
- The head is a perfect size
- A classy and subtle modern-day mallet
Cons
- There is only one hosel option
| Stock shaft: | KBS 120 Chrome Stepless |
| Stock grip: | Lamkin Deep Etched Pistol |
| Length: | 33" / 34" / 35" |
| Loft: | 3° |
| Lie: | 70° |
Everything you need to know about TaylorMade TP Black putters
65%+ of tour pros might now use MOI style putters (whereas a decade ago 75% used blade putters) but that leaves about 55 players at any given tour event still choosing to earn their keep with a traditional blade or mallet. And with TaylorMade being well aware premium costly CNC Milled putters typically only attract the attention of well-heeled aficionados they also offer a slightly more affordable ‘core’ putter range too.
For 2024 that franchise is the classically inspired and tour-proven TP Black. Each model in the family comes in for £199, so significantly less than the Spider Tour and TP Reserve. The six head shapes are decked out with black anodized finishes and a surlyn True Roll face insert, and by only CNC Milling the face costs are kept to a minimum.
The Del Monte comes with either a single bend shaft, which delivers a very slight 8° toe hang. A model that naturally aligns with golfers who have straight-back and straight-through putting motions.
Or an L-Neck hosel, which gives 30° toe hang, which means this set-up naturally suits golfers with moderate face rotation or those with arcing strokes.
TaylorMade TP Black Del Monte Single Bend putter
Toe Hang: 8°
View Offer UK
TaylorMade TP Black Del Monte L-Neck putter
Toe Hang: 30°
View Offer UK
Pros
- Wide body blades are bang-on-trend
- The sleek black finish looks great sitting behind a white golf ball
- A decent value-for-money option
Cons
- None of the TP Black family help with alignment
| Stock shaft: | KBS 120 Chrome Stepped |
| Stock grip: | Lamkin Sink Fit Skinny |
| Length: | 34" / 35" |
| Loft: | 3.5° |
| Lie: | 70° |
My gut feeling is TaylorMade have just reused the head shape and rolled it into the new TP Black family for 2024, which is a really good move as it has a lovely modern fang design. There's nothing flashy or fancy about the Palisades but it looks great at address, its 'winged' design is great for upping stability and framing the ball plus the feel/roll are fantastic.
The short slant hosel option gives a modest 25° of toe hang, making the model a solid choice for players with moderate face rotation in their stroke. The single bend hosel set-up is face-balanced so it will better fit a straight-back and straight-through putting motion.
TaylorMade TP Black Palisades Small Slant putter
Toe Hang: 25°
View Offer UK
TaylorMade TP Black Palisades Single Bend putter
Toe Hang: Face Balanced
View Offer UK
Pros
- A lovely take on the modern fang putter
- Expect good stability
- The fang shape acts as an alignment aid
Cons
- Bar the face insert this is a really simple putter to make, so there's not too much tech wrapped up in its design
| Stock shaft: | KBS 120 Chrome Stepped |
| Stock grip: | Lamkin Sink Fit Skinny |
| Length: | 34" / 35" |
| Loft: | 3.5° |
| Lie: | 70° |
Buying advice & FAQs
What putters do Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa use?
Tour pros have a habit of changing putters, but Rory McIlroy is most well-known for using a TaylorMade Spider Tour X with a short slant hosel. Scottie Scheffler won the 2024 Masters using a TaylorMade Spider Tour X with an L-Neck, where Collin Morikawa typically favours a TP Soto.
Do I get a choice of grip when buying a TaylorMade putter?
You don’t if you buy a stock TaylorMade putter as the company like to select grips they feel are most suited to each putter family. However if you use the company’s ‘My’ customisation platform to design your own flatstick then you will get a full range of SuperStroke, Golf Pride and Lamkin options.
Which TaylorMade putter is most forgiving?
Thanks to its larger head the Spider Tour S is TaylorMade’s most forgiving putter, it has an MOI of 6063g cm2. However this model is counter-balanced so you will need to like either a 35” or 38” shaft length. If you’re after a putter that isn’t counter-balanced the Spider Tour has the next best MOI rating at 5700g cm2 .
Are the TaylorMade TP Reserve putters 100% CNC Milled?
TaylorMade made a big deal about entering the CNC milled putter market back in 2023, saying that each head was so detailed they take up to 45 minutes to machine. However the brand has always shied away from using the ‘100% CNC MiIled’ tag, plus there’s no mention of it on their website. My guess is while a lot of the heads are precision milled (that’s how they get the super detailing) the hosel and neck most probably aren’t.
Why are the TaylorMade Spider putters so popular on tour?
It took an age for TaylorMade to make a dent in the putter count on tour, but the model that managed it was the Spider Tour. Thanks to having the option of a small slant neck the model introduced many tour pros to the benefits of bigger more forgiving putter heads while maintaining the same toe hang and feel as their blades. Once DJ and Jason Day became the hottest property on the planet using Spider, many other pros wanted to try them too.
Can I customize my TaylorMade putter? How much does it cost?
Absolutely, that’s just the sort of behavior TaylorMade actively encourages. Through the company’s website you get to personalize until your heart’s content as every surface, weight, alignment aid, and face insert is up for customization. The Spider Tour, Spider Tour X, TP Soto, and TP Juno heads are all available for personalization through the platform, Spider models cost $420/£349 while the TP heads run to $325/£279.
READ NEXT: Best Putter Grip
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About the author
Simon Daddow
Today’s Golfer Equipment Editor
Simon Daddow is the Equipment Editor for Today’s Golfer. Having tested and played more than 10,000 clubs in his life, what he doesn’t know about golf clubs isn’t worth knowing.
He’s a specialist in all things metal having spent a large part of his career as a golf club maker and product development manager, and has worked in the golf industry for more than 30 years. Starting out as trainee professional at Downes Crediton GC where he learned the art of golf club making, he went onto work for Clubhaus Plc and Tony Charles Ltd as a golf club maker, and running Product Development at Benross Golf.
Simon also spent time working as a Sales Executive in Harrods’ golf department, even helping supply Sir Nick Faldo with personalized shirts in a last-minute emergency ahead of a flight to a tournament.
He joined EMAP Active (now Bauer Media) as Equipment Editor in 2006 and has worked for both Today’s Golfer and Golf World. Working alongside our test pro Neil Wain, Simon has made todays-golfer.com the most reliable source for golf club testing.
Despite his youthful looks, Simon has played golf for more than 40 years and plays to a handicap of 10. A lack of club speed means he’s short off the tee, but very handy from 125 yards and in.
He enjoys excellent relationships with the biggest names in the golf equipment industry, including PXG boss Bob Parsons and TaylorMade’s Tomo Bystedt and Adrian Rietveld.
Away from the course, Simon is a season-ticket holder at Peterborough United Football Club, attending games with his young son. He’s also a keen cyclist and enjoys working (and relaxing) at his allotment.
His favorite ever piece of golf equipment is the Callaway Warbird fairway wood and he considers the biggest technological advancement in the game to have been titanium driver heads.
Simon’s job means he plays regularly around the world, and rates Kingsbarns as his favorite course. He uses a PXG 0311 GEN6 XF driver, TaylorMade Stealth 2 HL (15º), Ping G400 (20.5º), PXG 0317 X Gen2 hybrid, PXG 0311 GEN6 P irons (6–PW), Cleveland CBX2 wedges (52°, 58°), Ping 21 Fetch putter and a TaylorMade Tour Response golf ball.
You can contact Simon via email and follow him on Twitter for loads more golf equipment insight.
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Best TaylorMade putters
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We reveal which TaylorMade putter you should be using.
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Lots of TaylorMade MY Spider putters to show the colour and customisation opportunities
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The three TaylorMade putter families in 2024. Spider, TP Reserve and TP Black
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An image to show the difference in body shape between a blade, mallet and MOI putter
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Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa all using their TaylorMade putters
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A close up of the TaylorMade Spider Tour 2023 putter address
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The TaylorMade Tour Spider Double Bend Putter sat behind a golf ball at address
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The TaylorMade Tour and Tour Double Bend Putters next to each other so it's possible to see their differences
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All five models of the TaylorMade Spider Tour family at address
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A close up of the sole and toe profile of the TaylorMade Spider Tour S (2203) Counter Balance putter
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A close up of the TaylorMade Spider Tour S (2023) Counter Balance putter Pure Roll face insert
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A close up of how the TaylorMade Spider Tour S (2023) Counter Balance putter looks at address
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The TaylorMade Spider Tour S with a Today's Golfer Best of 2024 badge
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A close up of the alignment aid feature on the TaylorMade Spider Tour X 2023 putter
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A close up of the True path alignment aid on the TaylorMade Spider Tour V (2023) putter
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A close up of both the Double Bend and Short Slant Neck hosel options of the TaylorMade Spider Tour V (2023) putter
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A close up showing the different hosel types of the TaylorMade Spider Tour X (2023) putter
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What the TaylorMade TP Black Del Monte putters looks like from the sole and toe
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A close up of the back and play position view of the TaylorMade TP Black Del Monte putter
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A close up of the face detail of the TaylorMade TP Black Del Monte putter
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A close up of the face insert in the TaylorMade TP Black Palisades putter
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The TaylorMade TP Black Palisades putter back and in the play position
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The TaylorMade TP Black Palisades putter sole and toe shape
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The six model TP Black family of putters all in the play position
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The TaylorMade TP Reserve B11 putter back and at address
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How the TaylorMade TP Reserve M47 putter looks in the play position
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A close up of the CNC milled face groove pattern of the TP Reserve M47 putter
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The back and sole CNC milled detailing of the TaylorMade TP Reserve M47 putter
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All of the TaylorMade TP Reserve putter family shown in the play position
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An image showing the difference in hosel design between the TP Reserve B11 and B13 putters
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