About the Pros

What Putter Grip Does Tiger Woods Use?

By puttmasterPublished 7 min read

Tiger Woods’ putter grip is a key component of his iconic putting style. Over his career, Woods has evolved his grip technique, experimenting with different grips to find what works best for his stroke. Understanding his putter grip offers insight into his putting success and how even the smallest details can influence a golfer’s game.

Tiger Woods’ Current Putter Grip: The “Pistol Grip”

As of recent years, Woods uses a standard “pistol grip” on his putter. This grip has a relatively neutral feel, with a slight bulge at the bottom to fit comfortably in the hands.

It’s one of the most common putter grips used by professional golfers, providing both control and comfort, and is particularly suited for a player like Woods, who emphasizes precision and touch on the greens.

The pistol grip allows Tiger to maintain a solid, controlled stroke while keeping his wrists relatively quiet. The grip is not too thick, which helps Woods maintain a feel for the putter and the ball, a crucial element of his putting success.

He holds the grip with his left hand (for Woods, his non-dominant hand) positioned at the top, while his right hand sits comfortably beneath, creating a slight overlap or interlocking action with his fingers.

This grip helps maintain proper alignment, providing Woods with the stability needed to execute consistent putts.

Evolution of Tiger Woods’ Putter Grip Over the Years

Woods’ putting grip has evolved over the years, often in response to changes in his technique, swing, and even his equipment. While the pistol grip is his go-to today, there were key moments in his career where Woods altered his approach to putting grips.

Early Career: A Traditional Grip

In the early years of his professional career, Woods’ putting grip was more traditional. He used a conventional grip, where both hands were placed directly on the putter handle, and his palms faced each other.

This allowed him to generate a more natural, flowing stroke. During these years, Woods’ putting was notably impressive, and he was already considered one of the best on the greens, despite the fact that his grip was relatively conventional by professional standards.

Woods’ early grip set him up to become one of the best putters in the game. His incredible feel for the greens was evident as he consistently made putts under pressure, earning a reputation for sinking crucial putts during his major victories.

His grip was not overly complex but was indicative of a player who understood how to use the club effectively while keeping things simple.

Mid-Career: The “Claw” Grip Experiment

As Woods moved into the mid-stages of his career, especially after his knee surgery in 2008, he began experimenting with a few different techniques to improve his putting. One of the most notable changes was his experimentation with the “claw grip” in 2009.

The claw grip, as the name suggests, involves the golfer holding the putter with a claw-like grip, where the right hand (for Woods, his dominant hand) holds the putter with just the fingers, while the left hand assumes a more traditional grip on the top of the putter.

This technique essentially reduced the role of the right hand and encouraged a more stable stroke with less wrist action, potentially helping to eliminate the yips or avoid unnecessary movements during the stroke.

Woods experimented with the claw grip, especially when dealing with putting issues that surfaced after his surgeries and injuries. However, it was not a long-term fix for him.

Although he saw some success with it, Woods eventually returned to a more conventional grip, believing it to be more in line with his natural stroke.

Return to the Pistol Grip: Stability and Comfort

As Woods entered the later stages of his career, he returned to the more familiar pistol grip, which provided the balance he sought in his putting stroke. The switch back to this style of grip was significant, as it allowed him to regain control and stability without being overly mechanical.

In 2018, during his victory at the Tour Championship, Woods was once again using a standard pistol grip, signaling that he had found a comfort level with this setup.

By returning to the pistol grip, Woods found that he could focus on his technique without overthinking his grip. This return to a more traditional grip also allowed Woods to maximize the feel in his hands, a key factor in his success as a putter.

With a grip that is not overly thick, it allows Woods to make adjustments to his stroke with subtlety, something that is essential for reading greens and making accurate putts.

The Hallmarks of Tiger Woods’ Putter Grip

While Woods’ grip has evolved over time, there are several key elements that remain constant and can be considered hallmarks of his approach:

1. Minimal Wrist Action

One of the primary characteristics of Woods’ grip is his ability to maintain minimal wrist movement during the stroke. This is essential for maintaining consistency and accuracy, particularly on longer putts.

By using a grip that keeps his wrists relatively quiet, Woods can avoid unnecessary manipulation of the putter face, ensuring a smoother, more predictable stroke.

2. Soft Yet Firm Grip Pressure

Woods has always emphasized the importance of maintaining a soft yet firm grip on the putter. Too tight of a grip can lead to tension in the hands, leading to jerky or rushed strokes, while a grip that is too loose can result in a lack of control.

By applying the right amount of pressure, Woods maintains a delicate balance between feel and control, allowing him to consistently make delicate putts and big breaks.

3. Hands Close Together

Another hallmark of Woods’ grip is how close his hands are together on the putter. This grip position allows him to keep his arms and hands in sync during the stroke, minimizing the risk of “coming over the top” or any erratic movements that could affect the consistency of his putts.

The closeness of his hands helps generate a straight-back, straight-through stroke, which is fundamental for his putting accuracy.

4. Right-Hand Control

Despite Woods’ left-hand dominant grip, his right hand plays a significant role in his putting stroke. His right hand is not overly active, but it still helps with stability and direction. By maintaining a soft yet controlled grip with his right hand, Woods ensures that he is able to guide the putter without over-manipulating it.

5. The Putter’s Positioning

Woods is very particular about the position of the putter’s grip in his hands. His grip is neither too high nor too low on the shaft, which provides him with the ideal leverage to make consistent, controlled putts. This careful attention to the grip’s positioning has contributed to his long-term putting success.

Why Does Tiger Woods’ Putter Grip Work?

Woods’ grip works because it allows him to maintain maximum control over his stroke without adding undue tension or movement. By focusing on subtle adjustments and minimizing wrist action, Woods has become one of the best putters in golf history.

His ability to make critical putts under pressure—whether during major championships or on the final hole of a tournament—can largely be attributed to the consistent grip he uses.

His grip also complements his putting technique, which is marked by a smooth, flowing stroke. Woods focuses on making sure the putter head follows the correct path and stays on line.

The subtlety of his grip and the minimalistic style help him avoid any unnecessary compensation in his stroke, leading to greater accuracy and consistency on the greens.

Conclusion: The Evolution of Tiger Woods’ Putter Grip

Tiger Woods’ putter grip has evolved over time, from a more traditional grip to his experimentation with the claw grip and finally back to the more familiar pistol grip. This evolution reflects his ongoing adjustments and refinement of his putting technique in response to both physical and mental challenges.

The hallmark of Woods’ grip lies in its simplicity and consistency. By using a grip that allows minimal wrist movement, maintains soft yet firm control, and keeps his hands close together, Woods ensures that his stroke remains smooth and accurate. These elements, combined with his natural talent and the mental toughness that has defined his career, have made Woods a legend on the greens.

As Woods continues his career, it’s clear that his grip—whether through evolution or fine-tuning—will remain a critical part of his success. After all, the details matter in golf, and Woods has shown time and time again that mastering the small things, like his putter grip, can lead to big wins.

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