Jason Dufner may have an understated personality on the golf course, but his putter grip is big and loud. And now it's helped him to his first major title.
Dufner uses a version of an oversized putter grip made by a company called Super Stroke, who only makes grips for the flatstick. The model he uses, called the Slim 3.0, is part of a line of 14 different grips made in varying shapes and diameters, for different types of putters.
Super Stroke created these oversized grips with the idea of helping the player quiet their hands through the strokes, promoting a more pendulum-like motion to have a better line from takeaway to contact. Their non-taper technology promotes pressure spread evenly between both hands, taking the wrist out of the putting motion. The grips have a light-weight foam under the exterior to optimize its performance.
The grips are easy to install, using double-sided tape and solvent like with standard grips.
While Dufner is the only Super Stroke staffer, over 125 PGA Tour players have put them into play, accounting for some $50 million in money won. K.J. Choi won the 2011 Players Championship using a Super Stroke as well, employing the Fatso model that has a larger diameter than Dufner's Silm 3.0.
The Slim 3.0 costs $24.99 and is available on the Super Stroke website.
But Super Stroke isn't the only manufacturer of oversized putter grips. There are several other very good options out there for players looking to try a bigger grip on their putter.
Winn Grips has their Jumbo putter grip. The back underside of the grip, made from the Excel polymer used throughout their other grips, has a "pistol" handle shape.
BigLite Grips, who has been in the business of oversized putter grips since 2007, has a trio of models that aim to produce the same pendulum stroke as the Super Stroke. One of the grips has the "pistol" grip shape, while the others range in size from 1.5-1.7 inches. Woody Austin just won the PGA Tour event opposite the Open Championship using a BigLite grip. They retail for $19.99, so they cost a little bit less than the Super Stroke.
Finally, we offer a pair of different spins on the oversized grip.
The 2 Thumb grip is an oversized putter grip that comes with its own prescribed way of holding it. As the name suggests, the player is supposed to place their hands on the grip in a symmetrical way, meeting the thumbs in the middle on the front of the grip. Having personally used the grip at the PGA Merchandise Show in 2009 and made about 10 putts in a row, it strikes me as a good choice.
The last grip is not what you'd consider an oversized option, but it's worth a look. Salty Grips is a new entry that doesn't aim to be a bigger option, but turns out to be. The grip is made from cork, with the idea of creating the comfort that comes with a well-used fishing rod grip. The grips weigh just 42 grams because of the material used. While marketed as a midsize-plus grip, it feels bigger in the hands -- and looks great on the putter.
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