First words

Published: 03 July, 2010

It has been a real roller-coaster ride for Nike, riding on the back of Tiger Woods for the past few months. Sticking with their man through thick and thin, it looked as though the world number one (still, just about) was repaying Nike’s loyalty by giving its Method 1 putter the ultimate endorsement, by switching to it in the week of the Open Championship. In with the Method’s polymetal grooves, and out with the trusty old Scotty Cameron Newport 2, with which Woods had claimed 13 major titles over the course of a decade. “It must feel like you are kicking out a member of the family,” an American journalist accidentally said to Woods in his pre-tournament press conference.

With rumours about a Woods divorce unconfirmed at St Andrews, the putter made headlines, but then, with his putting touch yet to arrive after three frustrating rounds and 99 putts on one of his favourite all-time golf courses, Tiger rejected Nike’s Method, turned his back on its sleek new lines and returned to the model he knew best. Somehow a familiar sequence.

There is nothing wrong with the Nike Method putter of course. Woods was simply not hitting his putts hard enough. Perhaps he should have tried Louis Oosthuizen’s putter – a Ping Redwood Anser - a contemporary take on one of Ping’s most classic creations which looks and feels great with its Black Nickel finish. After the way Oosthuizen putted throughout the Open, this is the putter that should be making headlines.

. Robin Barwick, Editor

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