Missing makeable putts? Seven testers tried 72 putters – this one nailed alignment best
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Discover why this model stood out as the best putter for alignment and how it could help you sink more putts.
It doesn’t matter how smooth your stroke is, how soft your insert feels, or how many hours you’ve spent practising – if you can’t line up your putter properly, you’re going to miss. And you’ll probably miss a lot more than you think.
Here’s the scary truth:
A putter that’s just two degrees open or closed at impact will miss the hole from five feet.
From eight feet, you’ve got less than one degree to play with.
From 15 feet, even half a degree off and you’re missing.
And those are based on hitting your putt at the right pace. If it’s got a bit too much juice on it, the effective hole size becomes smaller, making the margin for alignment error even smaller.
Even if you’ve read the putt perfectly and hit the right pace – not easy tasks in themselves – where your putter face is pointing at impact is absolutely key to whether you make or miss putts.
In fact, while golfers often stress about stroke path, more than 90% of a putt’s start direction is dictated by face angle, not path.
With that in mind, when we had seven golfers test 72 putters for Today’s Golfer’s biggest ever putter test, we wanted to know: Which models actually help you aim better?
The results were fascinating – and one putter stood head and shoulders above the rest.
The TaylorMade Spider Tour: Best in test for alignment
The TaylorMade Spider Tour (the newest generation of the now-iconic design) came out as the clear winner when it came to helping golfers aim correctly. Across multiple testers – with different strokes, setups, and skill levels – the Spider Tour consistently ranked highest for alignment.
Why does it work so well?
It starts with the True Path alignment system. This optically engineered vision system is designed for improved path, clearer vision, solid strikes, and enhanced visual perception through color sensitivity.
What does all that mean? The white area helps you point towards the hole, and the black line provides a strong contrast, focusing on the exact line you want to hit. Your eyes are naturally drawn to it, giving you a visual runway straight to your target. It’s incredibly intuitive and helps set you up square without overthinking.
The line also gives you a focus at impact: hitting it right through the middle of the ball for a solid center strike. That equates to better alignment and better strikes, which equals more consistent roll and line.
But it’s not just about the sightline.
The MOI and weight distribution help the Spider Tour sit perfectly square at address. Even if you’re not consciously working on alignment, it does half the job for you.
In a world where brands are constantly trying to innovate, the Spider Tour’s alignment benefits have stood the test of time. It’s been around for years and has consistently been one of the most popular putters – both on tour and among amateur golfers.
Case in point?
That True Path system is also featured in the slightly smaller Spider Tour X – the putter that Rory McIlroy used to win the Masters and Scottie Scheffler used to win the PGA Championship.
So even the pros are lining up with it.
“Alignment is a huge thing in putting,” says McIlroy. “Most amateurs don’t know where they’re aiming when they’re on the putting green. I think this alignment aid makes it so much easier for them. It’s a continuation of that line from the ball to the hole that you’re trying to see and back again. If you can get aligned properly, all you need to focus on is how hard to hit the putt.”
Other top putters for alignment
While the Spider Tour topped the ranking for alignment with a score of 4.57/5, these three putters all ran it close, scoring 4.43/5.
TaylorMade Spider Tour X
A slightly more compact version of the Spider Tour, the Spider Tour X keeps the same alignment tech in a sleeker shape. It’s the tour pick, and clearly effective at the highest level.
The Spider Tour X actually outranked the Spider Tour in the overall ratings, which include ‘roll’, ‘feedback’, ‘stability’, and ‘looks’ alongside ‘alignment’. The Spider Tour X came joint-first overall, while the Spider Tour came tied-third.
Odyssey Jailbird Mini
The Jailbird Mini tested really well for alignment, especially for players who prefer dots to lines. It brings classic Odyssey feel and a bold, high-contrast alignment track.
Teardrop TD-7
The TD-7 was a bit of a surprise package. With three straight lines set back from the face and a straight-edged head, it quietly earned its spot near the top for alignment.
Best Putters 2025: Alignment scores
| Manufacturer | Model | Style | Alignment Score /5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| TaylorMade | Spider Tour | Mallet | 4.57 |
| TaylorMade | Spider Tour X | Mallet | 4.43 |
| Odyssey | Jailbird Mini | Mallet | 4.43 |
| Teardrop | TD-7 | Mallet | 4.43 |
| Odyssey | Jailbird S2S | Zero-Torque | 4.29 |
| Odyssey | Seven S2S | Zero-Torque | 4.29 |
| L.A.B. Golf | Mezz.1 Max | Zero-Torque | 4.00 |
| Odyssey | Rossie | Mallet | 4.00 |
| PXG | Allan | Zero-Torque | 4.00 |
| Toulon | Las Vegas | Mallet | 3.86 |
| Scotty Cameron | Squareback 2 | Mallet | 3.86 |
| Odyssey | Cruiser Seven | Mallet | 3.86 |
| Ping | Oslo 3 | Mallet | 3.86 |
| Scotty Cameron | Phantom 5.2 | Mallet | 3.86 |
| Teardrop | TD-5 | Mallet | 3.86 |
| L.A.B. Golf | OZ.1i | Zero-Torque | 3.71 |
| Ping | Tyne 4 | Mallet | 3.71 |
| Zebra | AIT3 | Mallet | 3.71 |
| Evnroll | V5.2 | Mallet | 3.71 |
| PXG | Apache | Mallet | 3.71 |
| L.A.B. Golf | DF3 | Zero-Torque | 3.67 |
| Zebra | Milled Series 003 | Blade | 3.67 |
| Toulon | Carlsbad | Mallet | 3.57 |
| PXG | Bat Attack | Mallet | 3.57 |
| Cobra | Supernova | Mallet | 3.57 |
| Evnroll | Z2S | Zero-Torque | 3.57 |
| Bettinardi | Queen Bee 7 | Mallet | 3.57 |
| Wilson | Windy City | Blade | 3.57 |
| Zebra | Milled Series 001 | Mallet | 3.57 |
| Mizuno | Five | Mallet | 3.50 |
| Scotty Cameron | Newport 2 | Blade | 3.50 |
| Bettinardi | Queen Bee 8 | Blade | 3.50 |
| PXG | Black Hawk | Mallet | 3.50 |
| Bettinardi | Antidote SB2 | Zero-Torque | 3.43 |
| Odyssey | Two | Blade | 3.43 |
| Scotty Cameron | Newport 2.5+ | Blade | 3.43 |
| Evnroll | V5.1 | Mallet | 3.43 |
| Scotty Cameron | Newport + | Blade | 3.43 |
| Wilson | TM-22 | Mallet | 3.43 |
| Evnroll | ER2 | Blade | 3.43 |
| Wilson | Bucktown | Mallet | 3.43 |
| Mizuno | Four | Mallet | 3.29 |
| See More | Mini Giant HTX | Mallet | 3.29 |
| Wilson | Southside | Mallet | 3.29 |
| Vega | Merak AB | Blade | 3.29 |
| Teardrop | TD-1 | Blade | 3.17 |
| PXG | Closer | Blade | 3.14 |
| Ping | Anser | Blade | 3.14 |
| RAM | FX-04 | Mallet | 3.14 |
| Cleveland | Eleven | Mallet | 3.14 |
| Zebra | AIT4 | Blade | 3.14 |
| Cobra | Sport-40 | Blade | 3.00 |
| PXG | Brandon | Blade | 3.00 |
| Odyssey | Double Wide | Blade | 3.00 |
| Vega | Merak SM | Mallet | 3.00 |
| Toulon | Hollywood | Blade | 2.86 |
| MacGregor | MT Milled-004 | Blade | 2.86 |
| MacGregor | MT Milled-003 | Mallet | 2.86 |
| Cobra | Widesport | Blade | 2.86 |
| Cleveland | Retreve | Mallet | 2.86 |
| Evnroll | Z5S | Zero-Torque | 2.86 |
| RAM | FX-03 | Mallet | 2.86 |
| TaylorMade | Juno | Blade | 2.71 |
| Cleveland | Eight | Blade | 2.71 |
| RAM | FX-01 | Blade | 2.71 |
| Evnroll | Z1 | Zero-Torque | 2.57 |
| Cleveland | Elite 1.0 | Blade | 2.57 |
| Cleveland | Rho | Mallet | 2.57 |
| TaylorMade | TP Ardmore | Mallet | 2.50 |
| Mizuno | Six | Mallet | 2.43 |
| Bettinardi | Anitdote SB1 | Zero-Torque | 2.33 |
| Wilson | 8802 | Blade | 2.00 |
Final thoughts
Alignment is the most important and often the most overlooked part of putting. And it should be the easiest to get right. Even if your stroke has got more twists in it than a full season of Grey’s Anatomy, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to get your putter facing towards the target at impact.
And that’s where the TaylorMade Spider Tour shines. It gives you the best chance to start your putt on line – and therefore to hole more putts.
So if you’re struggling with aim – or just want a bit of help from your gear – the Spider Tour, or one of its top alignment rivals, could be a game-changer.
Because no matter how good your read or your stroke is… if you’re not lined up properly, it’s never going in.
TG TEST RATING 85.71%
Sadly, for the TaylorMade Spider Tour, it narrowly missed out on being crowned the best mallet putter of 2025, but it lost absolutely nothing in defeat.
The Spider Tour had the best roll of every mallet putter we tested, and the joint best in the entire test, alongside the No.1 blade putter. This putter also won the best alignment award, with a score of 4.57 (best of every putter we tested).
Feedback was the only area where the Spider Tour dropped below 4, and for looks, it scored 4. The Spider Tour is such a recognisable and iconic shape that's been played by some of the best putters in the world. It's hardly surprising this putter performed so well in our test. It's just a shame the Spider Tour X L-Neck exists.
Pros
- Outstanding roll
- Great alignment
- Iconic and stylish design
Cons
- Feedback let this putter down
| Loft | 3° |
| Lie angle | 70° |
| Length | 34" - 35" |
- True Path Alignment system
- TPU Pure Roll insert
- Grooves angled at 45°
- Short slant hosel
- 29° Toe hang
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We tested 72 models and this was the best putter for alignment.
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The Teardrop TD-7 putter scored highly for alignment in our test
