Garsen Golf, the US-based manufacturer of a range of putter grips that are designed to help golfers produce putts that are more consistent in speed and direction, is celebrating the 54th and 55th wins on the professional tours by players using their products.
Brooke Henderson used Garsen’s non-tapered Quad grip on her Ping Cadence TR putter during her victory at last month’s Evian Championship, while Tony Finau used the brand’s Ultimate grip on his Ping PLD putter at his recent win at the 3M Open in Minnesota.
Henderson, who also won the Shop Rite Classic in June, has put her recent improved form down to the change of grip model, change of putter model and a new gripping style, which has seen the Canadian switch to a left-under-right grip.
Previously she had her hands in a normal place for a right-handed golfer, with her ring finger and little finger of her right hand wrapped around her forefinger and middle fingers of her left hand. Now, she’s switched her hands on the grip and the left one is lower. Henderson also moved to a Ping Cadence TR putter where the shaft is straight up from the centre of the face. Her previous putter had a gooseneck shaft at the bottom of the head.
“We just felt it would be a good idea to help solve some of the putting issues that I was having,” said Henderson. “It’s been working out really well. Getting the two wins has been a huge confidence boost and huge momentum with the putter. I definitely feel more confident with the left-hand low, and it’s definitely a lot different than what I was doing before.
Speaking about Henderson’s success since switching to her new grips, Garsen Golf founder and CEO Bernerd Garsen on the major victory. “To see Brooke win two LPGA tournaments – the Evian Championship and the Shop Rite Classic – within several weeks of starting to use the Garsen Quad Tour putter grip, is exciting and significant for Garsen Golf, proving the innovation and rapid effectiveness of my putter grip designs.”
Garsen putter grips come in three different core models – Quad Tour, Ultimate and Max – but all are designed around the same theory: To sit more in the palms of your hands, so your hands are gripping more on each side of the grip. This has the effect of rotating each of your arms externally, which tucks your shoulders more into your side and locks them into place.
A study of 23 golfers averaging a 12.7 handicap using the advanced Quintic putter system as they hit multiple different putts found that compared to a standard grip, Garsen grips helped golfers hit more up on the ball by increasing the angle of attack (0.8 degrees, compared 0.14 degrees for a normal grip). This change imparted more topspin on the ball, which resulted in 30% less side spin and 40% less skid, leading to putts that stayed on line with more consistent distance control.
The study also found that, because the grip placed the joints in the arms into a more locked position to the side, it resulted in less deviations across the board, particularly in face angle, which decreased by half a degree.
Garsen Quad Tour
The Quad Tour grip features a unique parallelogram design that works for more traditional putting grip styles, but also for claw and saw-style grips. With a flat topline and bottom, players can easily square up the putter face with complete consistency every time. It offers the same benefits of the EDGE and MAX grips but places the hands in a traditional position. The shape turns the elbows into the body and sets ythe shoulders back. This relieves arm and shoulder tension, inhibits wrist action, which takes the hands out of the putting and promotes shoulder rotation, creating a solid putting stroke, which will give a one-piece feel, leading to a more consistent stroke.
Offering a medium firm grip with a semi-tacky feel, the four-sided tapered grip is 1.1 inches in diameter and weighs 70g. It is also offered in a non-tapered design that weights 55g. RRP: £32
Garsen Ultimate
The Ultimate grip brings the innovation of a side-facing thumb position to a full size, comfortable, and slightly less exaggerated feel. Unlike a traditional putter grip, the Ultimate has three flat sides and allows the golfer to place their hands in a position so the palms face each other and the wrists are in a neutral position. It also allows the hands to be placed into many other positions enabling the desired grip. Developed with input from players on the PGA Tour, it works extremely well with the claw grip and is the model currently used by US Ryder Cup player Tony Finau.
Offering a soft feel, the non-tapered grip measures is 1.15 inches in diameter, 11.5 inches long and weighs 55g. RRP: £32
Garsen Max
The Max grip features the most substantial innovation in putter grip technology in the history of golf. By using a square grip with a 45% rotation, the “front” of the grip now becomes an angled area perfectly fitting the players’ grip and creating a much more biomechanically efficient position for the putting stroke. This simple, yet highly effective, grip innovation is the fastest way to immediately improve your putting.
Unlike a traditional putter grip, the MAX places the hands in a position so the palms face each other and the wrists are in a neutral position. It turns the elbows into the body and sets the shoulders back and produces the same consistent results as the Quad Tour.
Offering a medium firm grip with a semi-tacky feel, the semi-tapered grip diameter is 1.5 inches and it weighs 55g. RRP: £32,
The sales and distribution of Garsen Golf grips in the UK are handled by SuperSpeed Golf. For more details, visit www.garsengolf.co.uk or call Matt Masters, SuperSpeed Golf’s European Sales Manager, on 07876 598041.