Steve Stricker’s surprising putter change is already paying off

Some execs favor to maintain their inside on-course demons hid from public view. Steve Stricker isn’t one among them. On Wednesday on the U.S. Senior Open Championship, a reporter spied Stricker engaged on his placing, which prompted him to surprise how the most effective to ever stroke a putt preps for a serious championship.

Instead of talking in generalities and concealing his placing woes, Stricker received straight to the purpose: “It’s been a little bit of a challenge lately on the greens for me.”

Like a hitter making an attempt to swing his method out of a hunch, Stricker is doing no matter it takes to search out his placing stroke at Newport Country Club. Even the very best undergo tough patches. What made Stricker’s admission so attention-grabbing was the phrases that adopted.

“I think I’m going to go with a different putter, to be quite honest with you,” he mentioned.

It’s widespread for execs to strive completely different wands when nothing is going proper on the greens. However, Stricker’s scenario isn’t so black-and-white. His Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter has been changed from time to time within the final 17 years, however you’ll be able to the variety of instances on one hand. It could be the closest factor to the connection Tiger Woods has with the “Elder Wand.”

Stricker’s needed to substitute the White Hot insert and shaft through the years — on account of normal put on and tear — however putter surgical procedure has by no means pushed the connection to the brink of a everlasting change. It’s all the time close by.

Of course, like each long-term relationship, there are bumps alongside the best way. When the trusty putter began to go chilly lately, Stricker contemplated a change. With counterbalanced putters on the rise, Stricker determined to offer a 37-inch Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380 the chance to bump White Hot No. 2 from the bag.

“[I]t’s the exact same thing that Wyndham Clark putts with,” Stricker mentioned. “It simply feels just a little bit extra steady, particularly in these windy situations. I discovered that it’s heavier. It appears to carry the road just a little bit higher, the putter does, I ought to say. It simply appears to trace on my line just a little bit higher.

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“That’s the one thing that’s been kind of letting me down so far this year is getting the ball in the hole. And it’s tough to practice right there where we’re getting batted around in the wind. That green is a little bit different than the course. It’s a little thinner. They aerated it. There’s still some marks in there from the aeration hole. It’s not as good as the golf course, so you sit there maybe too long.”

Asked to elucidate the variations between the 2 putters, Stricker confirmed it’s a major change away from the standard blade (and size) he’s identified for many of his profession. One is mild and flowy whereas the opposite is sturdy and tank-link.

“It’s a complete 180 from where I’m at,” he mentioned. “This putter that I’m placing with, it’s extra face steadiness. It’s received a distinct neck on there. It’s an enormous ole grip. It’s counterbalanced. It’s longer than my putter.

“It feels just a little bit easier to keep the putter head on my line right now, and I’ve been struggling with consistency with mine. It’s a smaller blade. I’ve gotten older. It’s getting harder.”

Father Time could also be undefeated, however the brand new putter has Stricker feeling like his previous self once more via 36 holes. Employing the heavier counterbalanced construct for the primary time, Stricker buried quite a few putts from inside 10 toes to publish matching 66s and transfer into rivalry as he chases senior main win No. 8. Even putts that used to return up brief have been immediately discovering the outlet.

“Hit a lot of really good putts,” he mentioned of the putter change. “Even the one I missed at 10, it was like a 90-degree lipout. I felt like I hit it right on my line. Probably hit it a little bit too firm. Left a couple right in the middle of the hole short. I thought I left the last one short right in the middle, but it ended up just the last roll getting there. It was definitely better than what I’ve been doing.”

It’s the sort of placing efficiency that ought to give Stricker the assumption that one other senior main win is nicely inside attain.

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Jonathan Wall

Golf.com Editor

Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s Managing Editor for Equipment. Prior to becoming a member of the workers on the finish of 2018, he spent 6 years overlaying tools for the PGA Tour. He might be reached at jonathan.wall@golf.com.