Scottie Scheffler tested out a new putting grip during round one of the Hero World Challenge. And the switch from his conventional grip to a variation of the claw, or saw, grip came as a surprise to many, as Scheffler had drastically improved his putting since working with putting coach Phil Kenyon over the last year.
Since the pair joined forces, Scheffler has led the Tour with a 1.68 putting average and increased his strokes gained percentage by .396 percent in one year, going from -0.301 to 0.095. Which translated to seven wins, including another Masters title, and his most dominant season since joining the Tour in 2020.
So if Scheffler’s putting was winning him tournaments and seemingly trending in the right direction, why make the switch?
In a post-round interview, Scheffler explained that it’s really just an experiment.
“I’m always looking for little ways to improve,” Scheffler said, “It’s something that Phil had mentioned to me last year when we first started working together. And over the last couple of months it’s something that we fiddled around with and figured this is a good week for me to kind of try things out.”
He explained that he’s using the claw grip primarily on shorter putts.
“Kind of that inside 15-foot range, I think that’s where I’m seeing a lot of the benefits of it,” Scheffler said.
So what are some of the benefits Scheffler is referring to?
GOLF Top 100 Teacher, Joe Plecker explains that the claw grip can be beneficial for players who want to regain some feel on the greens because it gets your trail arm in a position to hang freely and move in a rocking, pendulum-like motion. This helps you feel the weight of the club as it moves back and through, which Plecker says is key to developing your feel on the greens.
“I love that idea of a grip where they [amateurs] won’t manipulate the face, they’ll let the pressure go and experiment with a longer, more flowing stroke,” Plecker says.
The claw grip is also a great option for players that twist their trail hand too much, or set it too far under the grip. Plecker explains that when players make this setup mistake they typically try to offset it by leaning the shaft forward at address or overly rotating the clubface through impact. Which creates a poor rotation, inconsistent strikes and if left uncorrected, can even lead to the yips.
By placing your palm on top of the grip, you take your trail hand out of the equation completely and are able to focus on creating that smooth pendulum motion.
And giving this grip a try is easier than you’d think. To test it out simply hold your putter in the crook of your trail thumb and index finger. Find a position that feels comfortable to you, you may find it easier with a wider grip. Then, hit a few putts. And after a while, you might notice that your stroke starts to feel more instinctive.
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