Tour News

Dustin Johnson switches to TaylorMade Spider Tour Mini at The Players Championship

Published

8 years ago

May 10, 2018

Dustin Johnson didn’t putt well at the RBC Heritage his last time out, finishing 63rd in strokes gained: putting for the week. Thus, the world No. 1 made a couple of significant changes for this week at The Players: DJ is both using the AimPoint green reading method and putting with a TaylorMade Spider Mini.

If you’ve seen the leaderboard today, you know the changes are working so far. Johnson poured in more than 100 feet of putts, carding a 6-under 66 for his Thursday effort. He was 15th in strokes gained: putting among the morning wave of players.

DJ transitioned from the Spider Tour Black to the Spider Tour Mini we spotted at least week’s Wells Fargo Championship. He looks to be sticking with a SuperStroke Pistol GT 1.0 grip.

TaylorMade’s Global Communications Manager, Jory Mendes, told us Johnson liked the fact that the Mini blends his preferred putter shapes, saying the “forward CG of Mini allows him to feel the putter release in a similar manner to his blade and the mallet shape gives him the stable feeling of the Spider Tour.”

Johnson himself echoed these sentiments after his opening round

“I always liked putting with a blade, I putted with one forever…I’ve been using the Spider for the last year or so and this was kind of in between.”

Johnson told reporters after his round that he has historically struggled with reading TPC Sawgrass’ greens. He and his brother/caddie, Austin, refined the AimPoint technique during a nine-hole practice round with Adam Scott (also an AimPoint user) Wednesday.

“It’s definitely helped,” Johnson said about using AimPoint. “Because I’m a feel putter anyways and so the way you’re doing it really is you’re just feeling it, so it definitely, it works.”

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

8 Comments

Ruby Rhod

May 12, 2018 at 2:40 pm

OMG… OMG… OMG… 😮 😮 😮

Reply Report comment
Boyo

May 11, 2018 at 11:24 am

AimPoint, or how to make a 6 hour round when you are a +10 golfer….

Reply Report comment
Johnny Penso

May 11, 2018 at 9:03 am

If you’re a feel putter, isn’t that the wrong kind of putter for you?

Reply Report comment
- tlmck
  
  May 14, 2018 at 5:52 am
  
  TM does not make “feel” putters.
  
  Reply Report comment
Mike Hunt

May 11, 2018 at 8:09 am

Is that grip sideways?

Reply Report comment
acew/7iron

May 11, 2018 at 8:09 am

Like the back of the Millennium Falcon …

Reply Report comment
Travis

May 11, 2018 at 7:40 am

That putter looks like a Scottish Fold cat…

Reply Report comment
- Ruby Rhod
  
  May 12, 2018 at 2:47 pm
  
  No… it’s a purrfect penµs putter metaphor…. sooo obvious
  
  Reply Report comment

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