How Odyssey set up Dougherty victory
Lab sessions key to European Tour putter triumph
The combination of a new Odyssey White Hot XG 7 centre-shafted putter, a 2Thumb grip and a session at Callaway Golf's custom-fitting centre, proved unbeatable for Nick Dougherty when he claimed the prestigious BMW International Open in Munich at the weekend. | |
It also earned him a guaranteed spot in The Open at Turnberry and entry to the remaining World Golf Championships in the US thanks to his new world ranking of 64. Dougherty, who won the event on Sunday with a final round 64 – the lowest final round score on the European Tour this season – and a 22-under par total revealed that he visited Callaway’s Putter Lab, where he made use of the state-of-the-art Science & Motion (SAM) custom-fitting technology to fine-tune his putting performance. “I worked with the guys at Callaway on my putting before the tournament, and I was really confident all week. Coming down the stretch, I knew I could rely 100 percent on my putter. All I needed to do was get the ball on the green.” Dougherty revealed that the session had produced immediate results and delivered impressive statistics on the greens of the Golf Club Munchen Eichenried. He averaged just 1.579 putts per greens in regulation and 26.7 total putts per round during the tournament. "It came out that my stroke is consistent, but I line up the XG7 better than I lined up my old putter," said Dougherty. A few weeks ago, the Lancashire-born player also switched to an over-sized red 2Thumb grip which allows the thumbs to be placed parallel down the putter handle and helps keep the hands and wrists firm and working in tandem through the stroke. Angel Franco, used the blue 2Thumb Light grip to secure second place at the De Vere Collection PGA Seniors championship at De Vere Slaley Hall. | |
Odyssey’s European Tour representative, Seamus Sweeney, said: “Nick was looking for more consistency in his putting stroke and after some consultation we suggested four different models. “After analysing his putting stroke and the way in which the ball reacted off the face of each club, we were able to scientifically evaluate the best putter for him and the set-up that was going to give Nick the optimum performance.” Over time Nick has gradually reduced the shaft length in his putter from 35in to 33.5in, while using the thicker 2Thumb grip. During this last session the clubhead was made a further 2 degrees more upright and half a degree of loft was added to the face. The Putter Lab, which is based at Callaway’s European HQ in Chessington, Surrey, and is available to all Callaway customers, provides the 28 most important parameters of your putting stroke and displays the results in a graphic on-screen and printed report. To book an appointment in Callaway’s Putter Lab log on to http://www.mycallaway.eu/ www.mycallaway.eu or to view the complete 2009 Odyssey putter range visit www.odysseygolf.com. |
