Scottie Scheffler made a placing swap in March, opting to go from a blade to a mallet putter-head forward of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He struggled on the greens for the primary two months of the season, an enormous purpose he didn’t win any trophies in January or February.
However after making that change, the World No. 1 received that week at Bay Hill, received The Gamers seven days later, after which triumphed at Augusta Nationwide the next month. He added 4 extra PGA Tour victories throughout his historic 2024 marketing campaign, not together with his unimaginable come-from-behind victory on the Olympics in Paris.
Quick ahead to this week on the Hero World Problem, and Scheffler has made one other change to his placing routine. He nonetheless has the identical flat stick, a TaylorMade Spider Tour X, however he now makes use of the ‘Claw’ grip, by which your robust hand—on this case Scheffler’s proper—makes a claw-like form when gripping the putter. Gamers will use the claw grip to attempt to have their putter resemble a pendulum, by which you rely extra on shoulders to sway the membership by influence. Theoretically, the putter head ought to transfer straight again and straight by, thus creating straighter putts.
The con to utilizing this grip is that it’s uncomfortable, particularly quickly after making the swap. It additionally shouldn’t be used on slower greens.
“I’m at all times on the lookout for methods to enhance, and I felt like this was one thing that we had checked out final yr when [my putting coach] Phil [Kenyon] and I first began working collectively, but it surely was actually our first time working collectively, and it’s one thing that’s completely different than what I’ve finished prior to now,” Scheffler defined after his first spherical.
“I had thought of it once in a while, and it was one thing that we had simply stated let’s desk that for the top of the season, check out it. We took a take a look at it this offseason and figured it is a good week to attempt stuff simply because you’ll be able to follow and follow and do all of the stuff at residence, however there’s simply one thing completely different about being in competitors. I actually loved the way in which it felt. I really feel like I’m seeing some enhancements in my stroke.”
Scheffler shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday and sits three strokes behind Cameron Younger. He put collectively one other stable spherical however had a few hiccups across the flip. He made a bogey on the par-3 eighth after which discovered the water together with his second shot on the par-5 ninth. Fortunately for him, he saved par there.
Concerning his putter, Scheffler didn’t have any important points on the greens. Sure, he ranked tenth among the many 20-man subject in strokes gained placing on Thursday, however he made 4 birdies coming in. That features a 12-footer on the 18th, the vary by which Scheffler desires to enhance and the place he employs the claw.
On longer putts, he switched again to his standard grip.
“I believe I’ve at all times been a extremely, actually good lag putter,” Scheffler stated.
“The nearer I get to the opening, type of that inside that 15-foot vary, I believe that’s the place I’m seeing a number of the advantages of [using the claw].”
Since he’s one of the best ball-striker on this planet, Scheffler makes a residing by hitting his method photographs inside 15 toes, which ends up in loads of birdie alternatives. However Scheffler has missed a ton of putts from short-range over the previous couple of years amid all of his accolades, accomplishments, and inexperienced jackets.
So, maybe this swap will result in extra consistency inside 10 toes, a metric the place Scheffler ranked 139th in 2024. If the transfer pays off, the remainder of the tour can be on excessive alert as Scheffler dominated the game all through the 2024 season. Think about what he could possibly be if he continues to enhance from shut vary.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Remember to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.
