Phil Mickelson is one of the greatest putters to ever live, and he has been known to switch up his mechanics from time to time. When Mickelson felt like he was striking the ball too hard on the greens a couple of years ago, he switched to what is known as the “claw grip.” He went back to it last week for the final round of the St. Jude Classic and is sticking with it for the US Open.
By gripping the putter in a way that makes his bottom hand a claw, Mickelson can take the hand and wrist action out of his putting stroke and isolate his shoulders. That helps him hit putts with more consistent pace. It also stops the poopiness, as he phrased it on Tuesday.
“I should have won that last week by eight shots if I putted worth — decent,” Mickelson told reporters, via Eye on Golf. “I saw Stockton this morning and really the reason why I went to the claw is that I just have been a little bit too poppy, if you will, I’ve been popping at it. And not making a long kind of smooth, brush stroke. When I take the bottom hand off it allows me to do that.”
Phil obviously wanted to use another word but stopped himself just in time.
Mickelson explains the reasoning behind the claw grip in this video.
Mickelson is easily the biggest story heading into the US Open at Pinehurst this week. A win would complete the career Grand Slam for the 43-year-old, who has finished in second at the US Open a whopping six times in his Hall of Fame career. I’ll be one of the thousands who are pulling for Phil.
