Equipment
Xander Schauffele switches to armlock putter…despite wanting the method banned
Xander Schauffele has made a significant putting switch this week at Murfield Village, implementing the armlock method on the greens — a technique he feels should be banned.
The Californian is statistically one of the best putters on Tour and ranks ninth this season for strokes gained: putting. However, in a surprising move, he has now decided to move to an armlock version of his regular putter (Odyssey O-Works #7 CH Red) in search of more advantage.
On Thursday, Schauffele told media following his opening round that it’s still a method he believes should be banned on Tour despite the change.
“My putting coach (Derek Uyeda), my whole team honestly, we’re very against change and I had to see what the craze was about. I do feel funny, obviously being a top-10 putter on Tour, switching putters or the style of putting. It’s a distinct advantage.
“I am for banning the armlock putters, but if everyone else is going to use it and I feel like they have a bigger advantage, I may as well do the same.”
The change worked to great effect in round one at the Memorial. Schauffele needed just 28 putts during his opening round of 68, and after his round, the Californian explained his new process on the greens.
“It’s easier; it’s more consistent. My coach and I work a lot in San Diego on start lines and making sure the ball’s doing what we think it’s doing. And the fact that [the putter] is anchored to your arm…you can flinch in your hands, but you can’t flinch your entire left arm. So that’s the process behind that.”
Despite the change in process, Schauffele still believes that the game’s authorities should ban the armlock method, saying how it “takes the stress of putting out of the game”.
“It takes the stress of putting out of the game. Putting is so stressful. Obviously hitting shots and chipping and all kinds of stuff are difficult, but your putts are what give you the score on the card. It’s ruined a lot of people’s careers and it’s helped people’s career.
“So I think putting is an art in our game and when you lock it to your arm or anchor it to your body, it kind of gets rid of that.”
As for putting goals, Schaufelle has set himself a big target of ending the season ranked number one in Strokes Gained: Putting, a goal he feels he can reach now with the armlock technique.
“I know how good it can be and I think you still have to read putts and get the speed down correct. I’m in a very similar setup compared to my old putter and I know I can putt with a shorter putter, so I figured if I can get an advantage on the greens, and maybe get to first in putting, that would be something special. So I’m going to give it a go.”
Xander Schauffele putter specs
- Model: Odyssey Wrist Lock #7
- Length: 38 inches
- Loft: 5.5 degrees
- Lie: 71.5 degrees
- Shaft: Black stepped shaft
- Grip: WristLock SuperStroke
- Insert: White Hot
- Alignment aids: Top and tracers in white
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- Adam Scott what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 TX
Driver: TaylorMade BRNR (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees), TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 9 X, Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 9 X
7-wood: TaylorMade Stealth (21 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI Black 9 X
Irons: Srixon ZX Mk II (3), Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4), Srixon ZX7 Mk II (5), Srixon Z-Forged II (6-9)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 54-08M), SM9 (LW), WedgeWorks (LW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-54), S400 (LW)
Putter: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Proto
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
See the rest of Adam Scott’s WITB in the forums.
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi 10 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 70 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi 10 Tour (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (3), TaylorMade P7MC (4-6), and TaylorMade P730 (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 54-11SB, 58-08LB)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Reserve Juno
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
Check out more in-hand photos of Pierceson Coody’s WITB here.
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Ben Griffin might be a little too young to remember some of the iconic Maxfli golf balls that won on tour, but that isn’t stopping him from putting the newest Tour X ball from the brand in play. Today, Maxfli and Griffin announced an exclusive partnership that will see the PGA Tour player using the company’s four-piece golf ball.
While Griffin might be the first PGA Tour player to put a new Maxfli golf ball in play, he isn’t the first profesional golfer to do so. Lexi Thompson has been playing the Maxfli Tour golf ball on the LPGA Tour since the beginning of the 2024.
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We caught up with Ben at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas this week to ask him about the new ball switch.
“I was able to finally get my hands on some and try it and immediately I saw faster ball speed with the driver, which is always something every golfer wants to see.
“Then I had to test a lot around the greens and test irons, test spins, test everything like that. Basically, I came to the conclusion that I thought this was probably one of the best golf balls for my game.
“And so I decided to make it official and partner with them and very excited to help kind of launch this golf ball and see where it takes us.”
Griffin’s ball of choice is the Maxfli Tour X, a four-piece golf ball that is made for highly skilled players that want consistent distance off the driver and spin around the green. An updated core design helps add the ball speed that Griffin mentioned and two ionomer mantle layers separate low spin driver shots from higher spin iron and wedge shots. Maxfli uses Center Of center-of-gravity balancing to ensure each ball has consistent flight in the air and roll on the green. Like all golf balls on tour, the Tour X features a cast urethane cover for maximum performance, and it has a tetrahedron dimple pattern to enhance aerodynamics.
It is exciting to see a golf ball at a lower price point — $39.99 at Golf Galaxy — being used by a top 100 ranked player in the world like Ben Griffin, and equipment junkies will be keenly watching his performance with the new ball.
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Adam Scott what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (10.5 degrees)...
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi 10 (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi 10 Tour (15 degrees)...
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Bing
Jun 6, 2021 at 9:45 am
38 inch arm lock? He must be pretty short…
Imafitter
Jun 5, 2021 at 5:29 pm
I’ve tried Bettinardi & Ping arm-lock, but can’t make them work for me. Too uncomfortable.
Chuck Swift
Jun 4, 2021 at 8:38 pm
@BillyBob…….that paragraph is beautiful! Can’t help but think of Chris Farley saying those exact words on SNL, followed with a
LadeeFreakin’DAH!!
Lyle
Jun 4, 2021 at 10:49 am
Typical hypocrisy. When something innovative comes along they look to change the rules to get rid of it. They want to eliminate something that helps golfers play better and enjoy the game. There intent is to damage, as much as possible, the success of others.
Having used armlock since the mid eighties, I can attest that one is still able to flinch. It’s not a superior method, just helpful for some.
Jake
Jun 7, 2021 at 12:16 pm
Golf is supposed to be hard. Get over it or take up bowling w/ bumpers.
Gregory
Jun 4, 2021 at 9:28 am
Kinda awesome he backed up his statement by playing it. All these guys say how it’s soooo much better, it’s easier, it’s basically cheating etc. so why don’t you do it while it’s legal?
BillyBob
Jun 4, 2021 at 8:37 am
Cant flinch entire left arm??? Shoot i know people that can (myself included) flinch left arm, leg, hip AND right kankle all at the same time over a 3 footer on 18 for 2nd in the C flight championship.
Hey if you cant beat em, join em then rob em blind right under their nose amirite???