Your putting grip of the future

What is it about the Phoenix Open and the claw putting grip? Golf equipment.

Last year Mark Calcavecchia, used the obscure way of putting C left fist on the top of the handle holding it conventionally, right hand below, Ping G10 Driver gripping like a horizontal clothes peg C to win the title with a record 28-under par total.

Yesterday, the grips inventor, Chris Di Marco, Ping G10 Irons won in Phoenix, albeit 11 shots worse, after a roller-coaster ride to the $720,000 first prize cheque.

Will it catch on with the average weekend golfer? Its certainly worth a try.

Says Di Marco: "I tried every grip, just like all of us when we struggle with our putting. This the one I settled on because it worked best. Ping G10 Hybrid Ive actually been putting like this for six years, its just taken a while for people to notice.

"Its like a long-putter grip with a short putter C it effectively takes my right hand out of the stroke, merely supporting the putter lightly as it swings through. Ping Golf Irons Im actually just putting with my left hand."

He says the style, Golf Irons which at present only Calcavecchia has copied to great effect, makes the putter stay lower to the ground, allowing the clubhead to go straight back and straight through more consistently.