The Spider X is the familiar baseline for one GolfWRX member's winter putting test. @philly2kuk says it has served him well, but feels too soft for UK winter golf. He finds himself hitting putts too hard and losing accuracy.
His shortlist includes the 2025 Scotty Cameron Phantom 5.2 with a milled face. He is also considering the Bettinardi Queen Bee 8. Both feel good to him, with toe hang similar to his Spider X. After years of playing Scotty Cameron putters, he is curious about trying Bettinardi. Feel and sound are personal factors, as is alignment preference. None establishes that either candidate will improve his winter distance control.
Forum advice ranges from adjustment to replacement
@boycer suggested adding weight to the Spider X with a weight kit. The more expensive alternative, he said, is ordering a milled MySpider. That keeps the decision focused on whether a different head is necessary at all.
A fitting could assess setup factors before he changes putters. That includes length and loft. It could also examine how consistently he strikes the ball.
Another reply offered a personal comparison. @AntLockyer said he feels he hits the ball slower with a metal-faced putter than with an insert, which he has assumed may relate to the sound of impact. He puts alignment ahead of brand: the Spider suited his aim, while the Phantom 5 did not. The Phantom 7 worked better for him because its longer parallel lines suited his eye. He thought a Bettinardi might suit him better, but did not report testing the Queen Bee 8.
The golfer's impression of winter distance should be judged against the conditions during each test. Green speed and temperature matter. So do the ball and the length of the putt. Comparing putters on the same surface with the same ball, then tracking how far the first putt finishes from the hole, would give him a consistent basis for judging distance control. The Queen Bee 8's finish is also part of his original question.
The choice remains open
@BowMain42 joked, "buy both." @Archaic, meanwhile, challenged the phrase "Putter paralysis" as a description of the dilemma. Neither comment settles the equipment question. The Spider X weight suggestion gives the golfer a way to test an adjustment before switching heads.
A separate report on Tiger Woods's grip test described a different kind of putting-setup change. In this discussion, the golfer is still weighing the Phantom 5.2 against the Queen Bee 8. Modifying the Spider X remains another option. Any on-course comparison should use the same ball and testing surface rather than rely on brand or sound alone.
