Steve Stricker's dramatic putter switch has already paid off

Some experts prefer to keep their inner demons in a hidden way from public view. Steve Stricker is not one of them. On Wednesday at the US Senior Open Championship, a reporter saw Stricker working on his putting, which made him wonder what is the best way to hit putt preps in a major tournament.

Instead of generalizing and hiding his grief, Stricker got straight to the point: “It's been a bit of a challenge lately in my life.”

Like a golfer trying to get off a cliff, Stricker does whatever it takes to get his stroke across at Newport Country Club. Even the best ones go through bad patches. What made Stricker's confession more interesting were the following words.

“I think I'll go with someone different, to be honest with you,” he said.

It is common for professionals to try different wands when nothing is going well on the green. However, Stricker's situation is not so bad. Odyssey White Hot No. His 2 putter has been changed occasionally over the past 17 years, but you can count the number of times on one hand. It may be the closest thing to a relationship Tiger Woods has with the “Elder Wand.”

Stricker's had to replace the White Hot insert and shaft over the years – due to normal wear and tear – but putter surgery has never pushed the relationship to the brink of permanent replacement. It's always close.

Of course, like all long-term relationships, there are bumps in the road. When the trusty putter went cold recently, Stricker thought about a change. As the opposing putters stepped up, Stricker decided to give the 37-inch Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380 a shot at White Hot No. 2 in the bag.

“[I]it's the same thing that Wyndham Clark put up with,” said Stricker. “It feels very stable, especially in these windy conditions. I found it very difficult. It seems to hold the line a little better, the putter does, I must say. It seems that the tracking on my line is a little better.

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“The thing that has disappointed me so far is finding the ball in the hole. And it's hard to practice when we're winded. That green is a little different than the course. It's small. They put it in the air. There are still some marks from the vents. It's not as good as a golf course, so you stay there maybe a little too long. “

Asked to explain the difference between the two putters, Stricker confirmed that it's a big change away from the traditional blade (and length) he's known for most of his work. One is light and flowing while the other is rigid and tank-link.

“They are a complete 180 where I am,” he said. “This thing with which I put the putter balances the face. It has a different neck there. It's a big ole grip. It's the opposite. It's longer than my putter.

“It feels a little 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'm getting older. It's getting harder.”

Father Time may not be beat, but the new putter has Stricker feeling like an adult again through 36 holes. Using a very difficult layout for the first time, Stricker buried several putts from within 10 feet to even par 66s and moved into contention as he chased the big win at No. 8. Even the putts that he had been short of found the hole.

“I hit a lot of really good putters,” he said of the putter change. “Even the one I missed when I was 10, it was like a 90-degree lipout. I felt like I hit it right on my line. Maybe you hit it too hard. The left pair in the middle of the hole is short. I thought I'd left the last one short in the middle, but it ended up being just the last one. It was definitely better than what I was doing.”

It's the kind of putting performance that should give Stricker the belief that another big win is within reach.

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Jonathan Wall

Golf.com Editor

Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and the Managing Editor of GOLF.com Materials. Before joining the staff at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years assembling PGA Tour equipment. He can be reached at [email protected].