Lost in the widespread media fascination with Tiger Woods’ swing overhaul is an equally compelling, and perhaps telling, development: musical putters.
There is a precedent for Woods’ current swing changes under Sean Foley. He overhauled his swing with Butch Harmon, and later with Hank Haney. But through it all, for the previous 10 years and all but one of his major victories, he wielded the same Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter.
In other words, there is no precedent for the fact that Woods has switched flatsticks yet again this week at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, returning to the Nike Method 003 putter for a second time in four months while ditching his Cameron putter for the third time since last year’s British Open.
The Method 003 is a heel-shafted mallet putter that behaves differently in the hands than the Newport 2 and other Anser-style blades. The balance of the Method 003 is toe down, which means it will exert more rotational force during the stroke.
Indeed, when he first made the switch to the Method 003, Woods stated that he wanted to feel the putter release through impact—a sensation that would certainly be more pronounced with that putter.
So not only is Tiger Woods working on a new swing, he’s still grappling with his putting stroke, and still trying to find the right putter to help cure what ails it.
The swing changes under the colorful Foley are certainly good theater, but they are only half of the story. The largely overlooked subplot is Woods’ putting trials, as revealed by his sudden inability to settle on a stick. We’ve seen Woods re-engineer his swing before, but on the green, he’s clearly in uncharted territory.
Tiger needs to quit searching for the perfect swing. Just play golf. Get the ball into the hole. Have fun or try to. All the changes are screwing him up. Go back to Titleist and Cameron if it "feels" better. Nike stuff is second rate anyhow.
ya im sure thats why tiger was playing soo well last year, because he was just playing golf..
And FYI he was using the scotty the first 2 rounds of the cadillac.
are you sure this is the putter that he used at chevron and this week? It oddly looks like the mthod 005.
Pretty sure it's the 003 with the hosel (the 005 is direct shaft to head).
You would think a guy with the name "Tiger Woods" would drop any put with any putter. It's like a great pool player going into a bar and beating anyone with any stick hanging on the wall.
Tiger's new putter looks a lot like Phil's.
Why do people think that Tiger plays with Nike irons.
Well he doesn't, they are made by Miura with a Nike stamp, get real guys, what you buy off the shelf is nothing like what the pro's use . The putter he is using at the masters is made by Golds Factory of Japan.
Tiger absolutely plays Nike clubs. I love how people think he doesnt. Im sure nike pays him millions of dollars to not play their equiptment. Obviously its no the same stuff as on the shelf. Well it is but just custom to tiger. So everybody needs to realize that nike makes quality products and THEY ARE USED BY TIGER WOODS. END OF STORY.
people worry to much about this, if the guy is happy doing it, what's the problem ? i mean he can do whatever i want, but well there's people who doesn't have anything better to do.
I really thought the Putter he used was a Ping Putter and I was surprised about that. Thought to see the Ping Label on the Putters grip