TaylorMade Spider 5K-ZT vs Odyssey Square 2 Square Jailbird Putter: Read Our Full Head-To-Head Verdict

TaylorMade Spider 5K-ZT vs Odyssey Square 2 Square Jailbird Putter

The popularity of zero torque putters has exploded in recent years, most notably because of the emergence of L.A.B., a US manufacturer specializing in these type of flat-sticks. As a result, most of the best zero torque putters on the market were indeed from that very company, but even the best L.A.B. putters are being given a run for their money from other brands within the industry these days.

Step forward both TaylorMade and Odyssey who, in 2025, have released two of the hottest new zero torque putters for us to get our hands on.

These are two brands you'll be very familiar with. Not only do they produce some of the best putters in the game of golf, they've also specialized in making some of the most popular mallet putters in recent times - a trend that has boomed over the last ten years as we continue to see fewer blade putters and more mallet style designs on putting greens both on the PGA Tour and at our local club.

Odyssey have released a number of zero torque putters recently, including the the Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Jailbird Cruiser, but we've opted to take a closer look at their Square to Square Jailbird putter for this article as we pit it up against arguably the most exciting flat stick release of 2025 and TaylorMade's first venture into the zero torque space, the Spider 5K-ZT.

Both putters promise much and performed excellently during testing, but how do they shape up against each other?

Technology

Firstly, it's worth noting that there is quite a bit of difference from a regular putter compared to a zero torque putter, especially if you're more familiar to a typical bladed design with toe hang. The most notable difference is the center shaft that is designed to enter the head through the cg (centre of gravity) - this is what helps reduce torque and keeps the head square through impact - hence the name.

It also explains the 'ZT' part of the Spider 5K-ZT which stands for, yep... you guessed it, zero torque. The 5K stands for 5K MOI generated from the technology in the face, delivering maximum forgiveness on offer for those putts you don't quite catch out of the middle of the face.

Thanks to the 303 stainless steel in the front of the head and a low density 6061 aluminum in the back, the design of the head has allowed the brainiacs in the design team at TaylorMade to move the CG further forward, meaning the shaft is only 25mm behind the centre of the face. This means limited shaft lean is need, only 1° to be precise, compared to other competitors that sometimes use slightly more than 3°.

For those reluctant to try a zero torque putter given how different they both look and feel compared to regular putters, the Spider 5K-ZT could be a starting point for your experimenting given it really doesn't feel too dissimilar to a normal mallet.

Odyssey too have designed a modern center shafted putter that balances toe up, encouraging the user to stay square to path throughout the stroke. The forward leaning shaft is a significant one though - 3.3° of shaft lean means it's one of the more extreme examples on the market.

Odyssey's Ai-ONE insert also features, coupled with an aluminum backer and White Hot urethane striking surface for more consistent roll. This is achieved by the variable thickness in the insert face that delivers similar ball speed numbers, even on mishits. Odyssey have leaned into Ai like Callaway have done with their recent driver releases, with information gathered then applied to create a face with greater forgiveness and ball speed consistency.

Finally with the Square 2 Square, it features a Stroke Lab steel shaft that’s designed to deliver perfect balance in conjunction with the head and oversized grip that comes as standard.

Looks

In the battle of the better looking putter, we have to award the TaylorMade as the winner - it's absolutely stunning. We don't typically factor in headcovers in these head to head articles but I simply have to here because the electric blue premium headcover sets the tone for the rest of the putter.

Remove this headcover and you're met with one of the best looking and most premium putters we've tested so far in 2025. The reimagined Spider logo sits wonderfully in the bright blue sole that contrasts with the black and silver body of the head. The new and improved sole chamber enhances the look and feel at address, letting us set up square with little thought or effort as the club lies flat against the ground. This will benefit every user, from the PGA pros to the high handicaps.

The look of the Odyssey Square 2 Square range is one of, if not the most recognizable on the market. Brought to prominence by the likes of Wyndham Clark, Keegan Bradley and Rickie Fowler on the PGA Tour the black and white striped design on the oversized head is hard to miss, but one I've grown to like over time. It hasn't strayed too far from the original head design but managed to build it in a way that incorporates a 'stroke balanced' design.

The versa-style color scheme also proved useful for me at address. The blocks of highly contrasting colors in black and white extremely helpful when setting my putter face square to target at address and were aided further by three alignment dots to help centre the ball on the face.

These are two really good looking putters, both of which will help you set up correctly to the ball and feel confident at address, but the TaylorMade only just takes the win in this category.

Feel

As with any putter, feel is of upmost importance to having a positive relationship with your flat stick but particularly with these zero torque putters given they will feel a lot different to your regular putter - at the beginning at least. The center shaft and forward lean can feel alien, thus leading to a lack of confidence before your putt and likely less putts holed.

The feel on offer from the Spider 5K-ZT will appeal to a broad range of players - it's a soft-feeling face but also springy, which was take some time to get used to, but when this feel is combined with the larger head that sits wonderfully at address it will inspire confidence in any golfer. From the high-handicappers and beginners to better players looking to improve their performance on the greens, this is a feel that doesn't discriminate based on skill level unlike other putters on the market.

The Pure Roll insert gets the ball hugging the putting surface a lot more than your regular putter which is great but it will take time for the user to familiarize themself with this feel. As with most zero torque putters, it took me a little time to feel comfortable with it but after a short practice session on the putting green and nine holes out on the course, I was comfortable with the Spider in hand. The lack of shaft lean will also mean less of a jolt to the system in terms of a different feel compared to regular blade or mallet putters.

As for the Square 2 Square, Odyssey’s White Hot insert also resulted in consistent and reliable ball speeds, noticeable in the lack of nervy come-backers during our testing period. The shaft lean does take longer to get used to compared to the TaylorMade, but I felt more confident over the longer putts thanks to the technology behind the insert. I barely had any of those nervy five footers coming back for par when putting from long range. The odd one I did leave myself just outside the pick-up range, I nailed home with confidence thanks to the easy alignment this putter offers.

This Jailbird is one of three Odyssey Square 2 Square putters available, all of which come with an oversized grip as standard. I personally loved it, but I know a few players who prefer to stay with traditional grips. For me, it felt as though it fitted in my hands much more naturally but this is very much a matter of personal preference.

Performance

Zero torque putters are all about performance, but which of the two proved more impressive?

Beginning with the TaylorMade, the combination between feel and visual design helped me with those short-to-mid-range putts. The Pure Role Insert milling, which is the exact width of a golf ball, had me dialed in from inside 15ft when I combined it by using the alignment aids on the crown of the head.

It does feel this putter is a little trickier to keep square through impact compared to other zero torque models on the market, with my typical miss during testing sliding to the right as I tended to leave the face open ever so slightly through the stroke. This could be a result of my lack of experience with zero torque or mallet putter given that I'm quite loyal to the blade-style of putter.

As mentioned, zero torque putters are all about stability and consistency and that's the name of the game for the Square 2 Square. If you find yourself struggling with distance control or more importantly starting the ball on line from shorter range, then this Odyssey Square 2 Square Jailbird is certainly worth your consideration.

Much like the TaylorMade, the alignment aids can prove so helpful for those who aren't holing enough putts on the green if you're willing to suffer a bit whilst getting used to the forward leaning shaft. It's a forgiveness, stable putter that feels great in your hand and is amplified by the thicker grip.

Which one should you choose?

Choose the TaylorMade Spider 5K-ZT if...
- You want a zero torque putter that doesn't feel too dissimilar to a regular putter
- You like putters with lots of alignment and setup help
- You want less shaft lean

Choose the Odyssey Square to Square Jailbird if...
- You prefer a thicker grip as standard
- You need help with alignment
- You tend to miss to center of the face and want a little more forgiveness

For more flat-stick advice, check out our guides on the best putters and most forgiving putters.