Getting a Handle on the Putter

The internet was abuzz on Masters Sunday. Rightly so, as Sergio Garcia bested Justin Rose in an exciting finish that featured a sudden death hole. But plenty of the online chatter was centered around Rose’s grip, the Flat Cat, that kept getting CBS close-ups. For those of you who don’t know, Flat Cat has been around for a relatively short while. Lamkin, in fact, just announced a partnership with the company two weeks ago. The premise of the oversized grip is that the sides facing the cup and away from the cup are flat, which helps you make sure your hands, shoulders and putter face stay square to the target.

I’ve tried it and the concept seems to make a lot of sense. Plus it works with any putting style and no matter how you hold the putter. “It allows you to marry the palm of your hand to the target,” says spokesman Hank Haney. A new version, the Flat Cat Solution by Lamkin ($50), hits the market this week in standard and fat sizes. It has a stainless steel weight cone at the bottom of the grip — below your hands — which is designed to automatically give you a smooth, more consistent, pendulum-like stroke. And now that Rose has helped instantly popularize the brand, expect to see a lot of these out on the course.

Veteran golf writer Scott Kramer has covered the golf equipment market full-time since 1990. His career has spanned senior editor positions at both Golf Pro Magazine and GOLF Magazine. He now works on a freelance basis for many consumer and trade publications, including the SCGA’s FORE magazine.