The TaylorMade SYSTM2 Putters Deliver Performance And Affordability

TaylorMade has some new putters heading to retail this week and I think you are going to really like them. Truth be told, they may also make some of you mad.

Why do I think that?

First of all, the new SYSTM2 putters are $249.99. In a time when all putters are frequently found at $500 price points, it’s refreshing to see a big OEM delivering quality products at lower prices.

Another reason I think the TaylorMade SYSTM2 putters will be a hit is that these are quality putters. They look good, feel good, and put a superb roll on the ball.

I’m not exaggerating when I say these are some of the best-feeling stock putters I have rolled in a while. 

I’m not restricting that statement to best budget putters, either. The feel of the TaylorMade SYSTM2 putters is as good, if not better, than that of putters that cost more than double.

In spite of all of this good stuff, some of you are still going to be upset.

Plush play in a budget build

So how did TaylorMade cut costs and maintain performance? It starts with the manufacturing. The SYSTM2 putters are metal injection-molded from 304 stainless steel. This manufacturing method is less expensive than completely milling each head from metal blocks.

Though similar to traditional metal casting, metal injection molding allows the designers to create novel shapes and mass distributions that would not be possible with casting. For the SYSTM2 putters, most of this involves moving mass from the center to the perimeter to boost stability and forgiveness.

The faces of the SYSTM2 putters are subsequently surface milled to create a uniform putting surface. Additionally, each face is cut with a saw cutter to create grooves to further influence feel and boost performance.

When you combine this face design with the 304 stainless steel construction, you get a soft-feeling face that puts a good amount or roll on the ball as well.

TaylorMade’s new modular build SYSTM

Another way TaylorMade was likely able to keep the SYSTM2 line’s cost down was by making the putters modular. For example, the three blade models all share the same front section. The rear section then determines if you are holding a Juno, Soto or Del Monte.

For the mallets, there are two front sections, each with different necks, that can be paired with a Bandon or an Ardmore rear section.

By using modular components, TaylorMade can fine-tune the number of components to the market without being left with unsold complete putter heads. If all customers want Sotos rather than Junos, TaylorMade can build more Soto rear sections and use the faces originally destined to be Junos.

Admittedly, I am speculating about how this could play out in the factory but it seems like an excellent way to pivot into building the more popular heads instead of building everything.

Additionally, the two-piece build would allow TaylorMade to manipulate the shape where the two parts come together. For example, they could put a cavity that would be hidden when the parts come together. If it was all molded as a single piece, this would be impossible.

So why will people be mad about the TaylorMade SYSTM2 line?

If we look at the tangible elements associated with the new SYSTM2 putter line, there is zero reason for people to give TaylorMade grief.

They look and feel great and have a price many will find accessible. As far as putters go, nothing about the SYSTM2 putters should be triggering. There are even a bunch of left-handed models.

What is going to rub people wrong is that the SYSTM2 putters look like PING made them.

TaylorMade had to know the grief could be coming

When you compare the new TaylorMade SYSTM2 putters to some previous PING models, it’s easy to see similarities and tough to believe that these were created independently of those designs.

Maybe the similarities just come from the fact that many companies are using similar manufacturing methodologies these days. Maybe the engineers at TaylorMade never looked at any PING putters.

Perhaps we are looking at a situation similar to when George Harrison lost a copyright suit for subconsciously plagiarizing The Chiffons.

The problem is that the blue-and-black color scheme of the SYSTM2 putters looks similar to PING’s Sigma 2 line from 2018. Additionally, the two-tone look at address resembles the look of the 2025 PING Scottsdale putters.

I am not saying TaylorMade copied PING

Naturally, we could say that every putter company has copied PING at one time or another. “Design borrowing” has been a thing with putters since putters have been a thing. How many companies are rolling out their TaylorMade Spider-inspired putters these days?

All companies at one point or another have looked over the fence to see how their neighbor cuts their lawn.

Maybe TaylorMade realized this comparison was inevitable and that is why they dropped the “e” from “system” tipping their caps to the enduring legacy of the PING Anser and its missing “w.”

The TaylorMade SYSTM2 blades

How about we get back to the putters? Let’s focus first on the three blades. As I said, the three models share the same front section with the shape of the rear section dictating the design differences.

Of course, I had to line the three of them up side by side to be sure. Sure enough, the faces are the same. Even knowing this to be true, they look and feel like different putters once the back sections are attached.

The TaylorMade SYSTM2 Soto

If you are looking for smooth bumpers, the TaylorMade SYSTM2 Soto is the stick for you. The flange creates a classic Anser/Newport profile. As with the entirety of the SYSTM2 line, the Soto swings with balance and puts a solid dose of pop on the ball at impact.

TaylorMade reports that the contrasting sections will help left eye-dominant players with targeting. Don’t fret, right-eye dominant folks, the sight line in every cavity is there for you. If you don’t use your eyes to aim, you are on your own.

The TaylorMade SYSTM2 Juno

Visual preference will initially place golfers on Team Soto or Team Juno. You’ll either dig the curves of the Soto or be more at home with the harder edges of the Juno.

Hopefully, the design you like the looks of will also be the one that you putt best with. For me, the Soto is my looker but the Juno is my performer. I need the sharp edges of the cavity to aim with posterior curves delivering only dreamy distractions.

The TaylorMade SYSTM2 Del Monte

Speaking of posterior, the SYSTM2 Del Monte is the blade with the dumps in the trunk. If you want blade looks with mallet-like stability, the Del Monte should check your boxes.

Of the three blades, the Del Monte is Dave’s Play-vorite™. It feels amazing and is more stable than the other two blades.

Maybe it’s just psychological but I feel like there is a sportiness continuum with the three blades. If they were cars, the Soto is a Porsche 911 GT, the Juno is a BMW M3 Competition and the Del Monte is a Dodge Hellcat. All three have the hustle but they drive differently.

(Apologies for the niche nature of that analogy if you are not a car person.)

The TaylorMade SYSTM2 mallets

As with the blades, modularity is the key story with the TaylorMade SYSTM2 mallets. This time, there are two hydro-blasted “satin scratch silver” front-section options to pair with two different black PVD rear shapes.

The number associated with the model represents the type of neck. If you see a “12” on the sole, that putter has a plumber’s neck. A “72” denotes a spud neck. Naturally, you could ignore the numbers and just flip over the putter and look at the neck. 

However, knowing the meaning of these numbers is critical when placing an order for your putters.

As with the blades, the two-tone aesthetic creates a perpendicular-to-target alignment aide at address. 

The TaylorMade SYSTM2 Ardmore 12 & 72

Since someone will ask, yes, you can scoop up the ball with the back of the SYSTM2 Ardmore putter. Be forewarned, though, you’ll need to practice a bit to become a super scooper. That lip at the rear edge is thicker than it looks.

Now that we have the important part out of the way, let’s look at the Ardmore’s delightfully boxy body. As an admitted lover of squared-off putters, the Ardmore caught my eye immediately. I love how the putter looks behind the ball.

In the past, TaylorMade has assigned the “Ardmore” name to putters of various shapes. Mallets with fangs and large round mallets have been called Ardmore. Now a hopefully lingering boxy mallet wears the monicker.

The sight line in the rear section is great for aiming as are the multitudes of small lines at the bottom of the Ardmore’s bowl. When you add these to the contrasting silver face, you have a whole bunch of lines that are perpendicular to the target. It’s like aiming with a barcode and it works nicely. Does that make me left eye dominant? I’ll think about that more the next time I’m standing over a putt.

The TaylorMade SYSTM2 Bandon 12 & 72

The SYSTM2 name was first used by TaylorMade for some metalwoods and irons back in the 1990s. Technically, they were named “System 2” with the “e” and the space.

But what about the Bandon name?

Until told otherwise, I’ll run with the belief that the TaylorMade SYSTM2 Bandon is named after the magical land of Bandon Dunes. In case you missed it, I put together a little travel guide about playing Bandon Dunes in winter.

I know it’s spring now but winter will unfortunately come again.

Back to the putter. The SYSTM2 Bandon has a fang-shaped profile that is a favorite with many golfers. As with the Ardmore, the flange of the Bandon features additional linear elements to help with targeting. Unlike the Ardmore, these lines sit parallel to the target line rather than perpendicular.

If you are looking for a traditional mallet feel, go with the 72/spud neck. This neck makes the Bandon face-balanced whereas the 12/plumber’s neck will drop the toe 31 degrees below horizontal.

The toe hang is not quite as deep as it is with the blades but it does create some toe flow for the Bandon. The 12 is the neck for folks who want a mallet that swings like a blade.  

If all you care about is scooping the ball, the Bandon is the strongest scooper in the set.

The Spider’s “curse” and future SYSTM2 models

Although it seemed unlikely when we were in high school, popularity can be a curse. Not only can the fall from a pedestal be long but being on the pedestal comes with unrealistic expectations.

For TaylorMade, the pedestal problem is the Spider. That putter has been popular for a solid decade and seems even more popular than ever on the PGA Tour this year. Every week, it seems, I see another Tour player with a new Spider.

No doubt, this increased presence gives TaylorMade reason to celebrate but it also creates a problem. The Spider is now the model all TaylorMade putters will be compared to. Those are mighty big shoes to fill considering that many now view the Spider as an iconic design.

Maybe the SYSTM2 putters will prove to be a non-Spider success story for TaylorMade. It’s possible. These putters won’t directly compete with the Spider buyer, either. They target different player and price categories.

I have the feeling that if golfers give the TaylorMade SYSTM2 putters a roll, they will be going home with one. Hopefully, these do well. I’d like to see what other rear shapes TaylorMade can bolt to these faces.