I was recently inspired to write this after a few weeks of struggling to find a putter grip that I liked. I have been putting with the same putter for about 2 years. It is a Sik pro model that is 35 inches, that I got fit for after two sessions with Greg Harrelson of Sik Golf in Orlando, Fl. Greg works with players such as Lanto Griffin, Brendon Todd, Bo Van Pelt, and Bryson DeChambeau to name a few. My putting has tremendously improved and got me to the point of almost winning a professional golf tournament this year.
I have always been a good ball striker and have had a good short game, but the putter has been the one I have had a hard time figuring out until the past few years after working with Greg. I started off as a kid using a blade style putter and then switched over to the belly putter late in my amateur career. I got so used to the belly putter and I could really roll it well with it. For those of you who do not know about this relic of the past… It was a putting style you used to be able to use where you could anchor the putter into your belly to make it swing on a fixed point. Super easy way to putt and I 100% agree with the USGA outlawing anchoring. I had a hard time going from years of using a belly putter and switching back to a conventional putter. I developed the “yips” or “lightning bolts” as I liked to call them. It was like an electric shock would shoot down my arms and into my hand and I would drastically miss putts. I tried every type of putter and every type of style of gripping the club known. I ended up using the claw grip for a few years and that took the “lightning bolts” away. I was able to go back to conventional, but I continued to struggle under pressure.
That brings me back to going to see Greg from Sik. I had reached the point of max frustration where I was considering retirement from playing tournament golf. Playing tournament golf is expensive and time consuming. If you cannot make a check to at least break even on your travel, then you leave the tournament a little hot under the collar. I had reached a point where something had to change. During our first session together, we worked with the arm-lock style putter, and I was convinced this was the putter for me. Greg fit me for one and we did some work on my stroke. What we found out was that my stroke was practically perfect with the arm-lock. What I didn’t find out until I started to play golf with that style, is that the stroke is so good that I must be perfect at lining up. I would perfectly stroke 4 footers right past the hole because I didn’t line it up right. The Arm-lock putter was crucial to me learning what works best for me, but it is not for me. The arm-lock taught me I have a good stroke, but I am not great at lining up perfect every time. So, I traded in my SIK Bad One Arm Lock putter for my current Sik Pro 35-inch model. I determined that I need a little bit of “feel” in my putting stroke in case I mis-align myself. My feel can sometimes take over with where my eyes are looking and correct my mistake lining up. I couldn’t do that with a perfect machine-like stroke with the arm-lock putter.
So, after all of that I wore the grip out draining putts with my Sik after two seasons of competitive golf. A few weeks ago, I decided to put a new Super-Stroke grip on. I did and I immediately felt a difference in the weight of my putter. I played one round with it and had to change the way I grip the putter to make it work. I also noticed that it made a different sound, and it also made a little more of a vibration at impact. I didn’t like any of it! I cut it off and went another route. Next, I installed a Golf Pride Tour SNSR 104 cc grip trying to get the size back to what I like. I played one round with it and realized I didn’t like it either. The weight was back to what I liked but the grip was too big, and it was also too soft. I cut it off and tried a Golf Pride Traditional putter grip. I put it on and was like boom! I am back! Took it out for a round and I realized it was just a little too small in my hands. I liked the feel and the weight but just slightly too small. My hands felt cramped on the putter. I ended up having to order the same grip that originally came on it from Sik. I should have just done this in the first place, but I am hardheaded and like to try different things in the pursuit to get better which I think a lot of us are guilty of. Sometimes what you get used to is hard to change. So, next time you are considering a major change in your golf game, such as a different style grip., don’t be afraid to ask someone who has been through it all before you do. I have tried everything under the sun when it comes to putting so, I can hopefully save you some time. I use what I learned from Greg in all my putting lessons. I have some cool things that can help you roll in a few more putts and help you lower your scores. Hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Justin Sigmon, PGA