TaylorMade SYSTM2 putters: What you need to know
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The TaylorMade SYSTM2 putters, a family of traditionally shaped blades and mallets, employ a metal injection molding, two-part stainless steel construction that offers high-contrast alignment features, a milled, grooved face for consistent feel and two hosel types (L-neck and single bend) to cater to both rotating and straighter strokes.
PRICE: $250. Blades: Soto (L-neck), Juno (L-neck), Del Monte (L-neck); Mallets: Bandon, Ardmore (both L-neck and single bend). Lengths: 34, 35 inches.
1. Two-tone, one target. Each of the five SYSTM2 putters makes use of a contrasting two-part address view. Every model starts with a silver front piece that includes the face and a consistently thin area along the topline. That satin scratch silver finish contrasts directly with the rear portion, which features a distinctly dark black PVD finish and is affixed to the front piece with screws that are visible low in the heel and toe of the face. That dark finish also is an ideal backdrop for the various white alignment lines that serve this family. The combination of the lines and the contrast between the front of the putter and the rear engages the golfer to get a directional sense of where the club is in space. The straight line of the front part of the finish, a similar width throughout the line, makes it easy for golfers to have a sense of the face angle at address and during the stroke. According to TaylorMade, the same front pieces are used on the three blades and a similar front is on the mallets for a kind of modular-design efficiency: “The same ‘fronts’ will enable us to quickly react to popular shapes and order fulfillment. We also believe that for players that like to use the face to align their putts, this two-tone contrast helps at address.”
2. First time ever I saw your face. The 304 stainless steel makes for softer alloy in the face to enhance feel. Each face is milled and also features a pattern of grooves in the impact area. Saw mill cutters are used to produce consistent depth in each groove for consistent sound. Unlike the TPU aluminum and Surlyn grooves on the Pure Roll insert found on the popular Spider Tour putters, these grooves are not designed to have a specific roll-related effect.
3. Just like old times. Those familiar with TaylorMade TP designs in the past will recognize the names at the shapes in the SYSTM2 lineup. The three blades offer subtle tweaks between them, including the slightly larger blade width on the Del Monte. The Ardmore is a deeper, but still traditionally shaped mallet, while the Bandon offers parallel wings to provide added framing and enhanced stability.
