Rory McIlroy is currently refining his swing DNA with a trick that even the most experienced pros are marveling at: he's using putter grips on his 7-iron and lob wedge to conjure up any desired ball flight. It's a move that not only causes a stir but also highlights his immense attention to detail.
Don't worry, golfers, this isn't a permanent equipment switch. Rather, it's an ingenious training tool that helps him perfect the right arm structure in his swing. The aim is for the right hand to stay more “on top” of the grip during the takeaway and better support the club at the top of the backswing – a feel he developed with coach Michael Bannon. On Sunday evening, he headed straight home to Florida to test this new method before heading into the tournament.
Revolution on the Range
On the range, it looks like this: the putter grips are mounted at about a 45-degree angle on the clubs. Rory has already used this setup on his lob wedge and 7-iron through the first two rounds of the BMW Championship. He describes it as his way of refining the feel for the correct hand position halfway through the backswing. This is golf on another level – pure control and finesse.
Rory McIlroy had a few clubs made up with a putter grip to use for practice. It's helping ingrain a swing feel he found with coach Michael Bannon. Here's him using it in his Thursday range session. Can also see the pre-shot rehearsal he said was key to turning his game around.
Auf X weiterlesenOn Track Despite Experiment
Even with a major experiment underway, McIlroy is delivering: he opened the BMW Championship with a fantastic round of 6-under-par 64, sharing the lead. This was followed by a 1-under-par 69, keeping him in contention at 7-under after 36 holes. Rory himself speaks of “some errant shots” – clearly, such a change is “work in progress.” But his ambition drives him: immediately after round two, when things weren't quite going his way, he headed straight back to the range.
What does this mean for us? Rory is focusing on a feel-based adjustment to refine his swing, rather than simply chasing new equipment. This setup is intended to solidify a better hand and arm position in the early swing phase – and that's precisely what later gives him full control over every type of shot. A true masterclass move to take his game to the next level.
