Connect with us

Equipment

Tiger to change to a SuperStroke putter grip?

Published

on

Tiger Woods was spotted practicing Wednesday at the Presidents Cup with a new putter grip on his Nike Method 001 putter, a SuperStroke Ultra Slim 1.0 that is roughly twice the size of his usual putter grip.

SuperStroke’s oversized grips have exploded in popularity on the professional tours in 2013, with Phil Mickelson and Jason Dufner using the company’s Slim 3.0 grip to win the season’s final two majors. The larger-sized grips are thought to help golfers quiet their hands and relieve tension during the stroke, which can improve consistency, particularly on short putts under pressure.

The Ultra Slim grip Woods was spotted using is considerably smaller than the grips used by Mickelson and Dufner (Woods’ grip has a 1.0-inch diameter instead of a 1.3-inch diameter). But any change is a big change for Woods, who has used the same style putter and grip for each of his 14 major championship victories.

Along with being twice as large as Woods’ usual Ping Man putter grip, the new grip is also 6 grams heavier. That will have a slight counterbalancing effect on Woods’ putter, which also can add stability to a golfer’s stroke.

72ab5c72f413d1a789a340bc31eecab3

Early in the 2013 PGA Tour season, Woods lead the Tour’s Strokes Gained-putting statistic by a large margin, but he finished the year ranked 22nd. While 2013 marked his best finish in the Strokes Gained-putting statistic since 2009, it’s still well off his performance in the category from 2004 to 2009, a period where he won six major championships.

From 2004 (the year the Tour began tracking Strokes Gained-putting) to 2009, Woods finished 2nd, 9th, 22nd, 3rd, 3rd and 2nd in the category. While Woods’ golf swing change under instructor Sean Foley has been the centerpiece of criticism from golf experts such as Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee, many have pointed to Woods’ putting as one of his key weaknesses in major championships since he returned to the PGA Tour in 2010.

This year, Woods missed several key putts at both the Masters and British Open, where he finished T4 and T6, respectively. He has had few problems with his putter in rounds 1 and 2 of tournaments, averaging 2nd on the Tour in scoring average before the cut. But on the weekends where pressure builds, Woods’ scoring average has been much higher. He ranked 48th in round 3 scoring average this year and 93rd in round 4 scoring average.

53 Comments

53 Comments

  1. Ray

    Mar 26, 2014 at 12:47 pm

    GEEZ GUYS, how many of you ever won a major let alone 13 ? For all his other foibles, he is still World No. 1 – for a big reason. He’s no dummy; otherwise he would take all the advise left here and be a total whack job.

  2. Richard Branson

    Oct 12, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    Not sure if everyone knows this, but Tiger continues to use a PING putter grip no matter what putter he is using.

  3. 8thehardway

    Oct 11, 2013 at 2:25 am

    With his stroke I think he should try out some Bullseye putters.

  4. Bill Ziegler

    Oct 10, 2013 at 9:18 pm

    I used a Scotty for many years. Tried a Method 001. If you have not tried it you should. The Method feels so much better. It also has a shallower face than most Scotty’s which really helps with clean contact.

    Tiger’s problem is that golf is a hard game. Sometimes putts don’t go in. Be nice to see him play Brandel Chamblee in an 18 hole match play exhibition.

  5. Tiger Woods

    Oct 10, 2013 at 1:17 am

    I need to try a long putter.

  6. thefullsp

    Oct 4, 2013 at 3:55 pm

    I have the Nike Method Midnight 006 which Rory ditched with a lime green IOMIC grip. I ditched the Cameron Red X. It rolls the ball incredibly well. Let’s face it putting is all about attitude and confidence. I believe I’m gonna hole every putt and my numbers are way better since the mental change. If the grip gives him a shift in putting perspective, Nike will be ecstatic…

  7. Billy

    Oct 3, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    Back to the PING grip! Short-lived experiment.

  8. rob

    Oct 3, 2013 at 11:47 am

    This great is illegal….I can’t missed a putt with my eyeys closed….For the TW haters out there, I hear they are taking a collection to buy the company out and discontinue the grip…More Tiger proofing…Ouch

    If he keeps the grip, his putting woes will be over. Mark my word.

  9. trampampam

    Oct 3, 2013 at 8:56 am

    fantastic grip. I have 3 putters and they’re all with super stroke grips. One with 1.3 and two with 1.0(Rife Island series Trinidad and Mizuno 90 series). All of them feels perfect.

  10. T

    Oct 3, 2013 at 8:01 am

    must buy stock…

  11. Zachary

    Oct 2, 2013 at 11:43 pm

    I think it’s more psychological. It’s like how we sometimes think we need minor changes in our clubs from time to time because we think it will help although we know it probably won’t help that much, new things give us confidence. Hope it helps. But the bottom line as always is that “it’s not the arrow it’s the Indian”.

  12. Al.J

    Oct 2, 2013 at 11:20 pm

    I agree he hasn’t putted nearly as well with the Nike as he did with the Scotty! Definitely a boost for super stroke if he sticks with it and wins!

  13. CairnsRock

    Oct 2, 2013 at 7:32 pm

    I remember him using a Ping in his early days with the white PING letters on the grip which he had blacked out.

  14. Cameron

    Oct 2, 2013 at 7:26 pm

    Bust out the Scotty again!!!

  15. Jim Brooks

    Oct 2, 2013 at 6:26 pm

    Love You Tiger, ALWAYS HAVE… ALWAYS WILL ; ))) It’s NOT the putter grip that needs to be replaced… it’s a HUGE “boost” in the confidence level! It’s deffinitely 70% of the PUTTING GAME ; ))! If a change in grip can do that and create the “spark” needed… then do it by ALL MEANS my friend ; )))! Personally, inside 6 feet, don’t even give the ball a “chance” to THINK(break)… just FIRM, Dead Center of the Hole ; ))! That’s the stroke that made him… WHO he is today… he just has to find it again ; ))! You Can Do IT Tiger ; ))!

    • Jack

      Oct 3, 2013 at 2:27 am

      maybe changing the grip will help his confidence. Plus his putting is still way better than us. He just wants to make everything. A change could help regardless of it’s true effects.

  16. kevin smith

    Oct 2, 2013 at 5:51 pm

    Hopefully trying a bit more of a Stricker motion, less timing of the right hand release…. Big muscles

  17. moses

    Oct 2, 2013 at 5:38 pm

    WOW!!!! How about just using something that’s always worked. The one that won 13 majors?

  18. Zeke

    Oct 2, 2013 at 5:35 pm

    They banned the anchored putter (wrongly) because it doesn’t look right. These fatter grips certainly don’t look traditional. The founding fathers didn’t envision using fat grips to putt with, either. The anchored putter has been used a lot longer than these fat grips. BAN THEM TOO!!!

    • Anthony Maccioli

      Oct 3, 2013 at 12:50 am

      Pretty sure they were not banned because they don’t look right.

    • Ashley

      Aug 14, 2014 at 11:02 am

      Do you think they should ban everything that makes you play better? In that case they should ban having lessons and cavity back iron and hybrids and low compression balls!! Get a grip man it’s a rubber handle,

  19. Barry

    Oct 2, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    yeeeees!i have this exact same grip on my odyssey metal-x #8 putter!!Tiger – take it from me- it’s good!

  20. JumboDebt

    Oct 2, 2013 at 3:44 pm

    He may be only experimenting with this. Didn’t he use a Ping Anser originally? Then Titleist, his equipment sponsor at the time came up with these Scotty Camerons that are really just copies of that Ping original design. But he is a tinkerer. As long as he doesn’t tinker himself out of contention. Putting is the most personal of all golf shots. Lose confidence there and it can ruin your entire game… But he is Tiger Woods. I’d say, “Don’t try this at home kids.”

  21. Jimmy Ray

    Oct 2, 2013 at 3:31 pm

    The sales VP at Tigershark/SuperStroke just put a deposit on Tiger’s yacht…

  22. Billy

    Oct 2, 2013 at 3:29 pm

    Good for him, hope it works out!

  23. wcavanau

    Oct 2, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    Was there today and noticed that he had that grip. Only saw him on 18 and he made about a 4ft for par after coming up short of the green.

  24. Spitty

    Oct 2, 2013 at 3:03 pm

    just cut to the chase Tiger and get a 38 inch daddy long legs putter.

  25. Scott

    Oct 2, 2013 at 3:02 pm

    Tiger’s putting hasn’t been the same since he took his Scotty Cameron out of the bag. Nike has tried in every way to duplicate the same Cameron putter that Tiger used to win every major but to no avail.
    To make Nike happy Tiger should just do what many Tour pros do, find what you can play well then have your equipment sponsor stick it’s name on it or leave it blank and put a Nike cover on it. For many of us it’s been comical to watch Nike try to make a putter like Tiger’s trusty Cameron

    • Kyle

      Oct 2, 2013 at 7:54 pm

      So earlier in the year when he was making everything must have been luck? Good logic. Go try his putter and then try making that statement. You wouldn’t.

    • Jack

      Oct 3, 2013 at 2:25 am

      Putter making isn’t some kind of black magic mystery, and Scotty’s are the only good putters out there.

    • gert heskel

      Oct 3, 2013 at 5:39 am

      I agree with you 100% Scott.

  26. kevin

    Oct 2, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    i don’t think its grip issue. more like the nike method putterhead. the thing putts terribly. probably has something to do with the face on that model. tiger should go back to his old cameron’s.

    • Kyle

      Oct 2, 2013 at 7:53 pm

      You are terribly informed. The method putts the best roll on a ball in golf. Not even an argument. He’s been using it for 3 years it’s not like he’s not used to the thing. Get over him using a nike putter.

      • Gmatt

        Oct 3, 2013 at 12:05 pm

        No argument? LOL I can provide a bunch, get over the Method love, regardless of what putter he uses, they are all different coming off the face

    • Bill

      Oct 3, 2013 at 10:51 pm

      Maybe he should go back to Titleist too? Good thing he’s not asking for your advice. Tiger won’t use anything that he doesn’t feel will improve his chances to win.

    • Mike

      Oct 14, 2013 at 7:58 am

      Disagree. I play the Nike Method 006 and the ball rolls very true. I’ve made more putts with that putter than any flat stick including the Scotty I had, which I sold. TW is messing around with SS, that’s all. The winning Prez Cup putt was made with his Ping grip. Scotty makes a darn good putter, but they are overrated and at $400 a pop, forget it. Truth be told putters are all about feel. If you need proof ask Jim Furyk who won 11M a few years ago winning the Fed Ex Cup and Tour Championship with a putter that cost $39. Case closed.

  27. Mike

    Oct 2, 2013 at 2:57 pm

    about time he took my advice…

  28. Conrad

    Oct 2, 2013 at 2:45 pm

    just an amazing grip. sorta surprised to seeing him trying it but not really…

    • Kyle

      Oct 2, 2013 at 7:49 pm

      Ditch the putter? What does the putter have to do with a poor stroke he has had over the last month? Get over him having a nike putter

    • Kyle

      Oct 2, 2013 at 7:50 pm

      Oops wrong reply haha ^

  29. misanthrope

    Oct 2, 2013 at 2:42 pm

    he is a feel putter – ditch that putter and go back to feel, has nothing to do with the grip, ball comes off the face too hot and he has become mechanical as a result. The 1.0 superstroke has no impact on eliminating the wrists, its basically a midsize, edel has been using round grips for a reason and this is the most readily available mimic of it. The above post about more feedback is counter-intuitive because the grip is thicker and the artificial winn type outer – its actually more dampening, not going to find much more feedback than those skinny old pings unless you go to a pro only old schooler.

    • Kyle

      Oct 2, 2013 at 7:50 pm

      Ditch the putter? What does the putter have to do with a poor stroke he has had over the last month? Get over him having a nike putter

      • Cannon

        Oct 2, 2013 at 10:35 pm

        Sounds like he’s saying the face is hotter than the Cameron, leading to inconsistency with speed since he has to use a shorter stroke or slower than he was used to with his classic anser/Cameron style.

        • Bill

          Oct 3, 2013 at 10:48 pm

          Gee, I never heard that or do you know him personally or maybe you’re a teaching pro. That must be it!

  30. tbowles411

    Oct 2, 2013 at 1:29 pm

    I figure, what the heck? It improved my putting, and his putting is a heck of a lot better than mine.

  31. Mike

    Oct 2, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    Absolutely love that grip. Have one on each of my 3 putters. Great feel, feedback, and really gives you confidence in the stroke. Hope it works out for Tiger. Would love to see him do well in the President’s Cup.

  32. Jeff

    Oct 2, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    SuperStroke is GEEKED!

  33. mitch

    Oct 2, 2013 at 1:16 pm

    glad to see tiger messing around with his putter which is probably the only thing that he has kept constant the last few years and prevented him from winning a major.

  34. TWshoot67

    Oct 2, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    Wow didn’t see that coming, but hey if it helps Tiger get back to putting how he use to then great! I still think he should go bak to old faithful but I guess only time will tell. I mean if his putter worked like Tiger days gone by like in 2001-05, then he could have easily had 2-3 more wins this past season. The putter has really held him back from what use to be automatic good from 10′ and in.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Equipment

BK’s Breakdowns: Cameron Young’s winning WITB, 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

on

Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!

Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX

Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X

Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype

Continue Reading

Whats in the Bag

Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)

Published

on

Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X

7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X

Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow

Check out more in-hand photos Malnati’s clubs here.

Continue Reading

Equipment

GolfWRX Members Choice presented by 2nd Swing: Best driver of 2025

Published

on

We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here

What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.

Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.

Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.

Best driver of 2025: The top 5

5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%

Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.

4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%

Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.

3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%

Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”

@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.

2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%

Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”

@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.

1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%

Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”

@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.

Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote

Driver Vote percentage (%)
Cobra DS Adapt Max K 4.85%
Ping G430 Max 10K 3.85%
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond 3.68%
TaylorMade Qi35 3.51%
Callaway Elyte 3.18%
Cobra DS Adapt X 2.34%
Cobra DS Adapt LS 2.17%
TaylorMade Qi35 LS 2.17%

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by 2nd Swing Golf (@2ndswinggolf)

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending