American professional golfer Xander Schauffele uses a cross-handed (left-hand low) position grip style with SuperStroke’s Traxion Tour 2.0 putter grip designed with Traxion Control and Spyne Technology for improved control and consistent hand placement. Seniors desiring to emulate this style must focus on comfort, grip size, and anti-slip properties.
As a golfer for most of my life, I’ve worked with golf gear and equipment for the last six years. Even with my knowledge and expertise in golf products ranging from drivers to balls to shoes, I still have a keen interest in looking at the golf grips (and style) that are put into play by the top male players in the world because I believe they can serve as a cursor for finding the perfect grip decision for individual player improvement.
29-year-old Schauffele has played on the PGA Tour since 2016, with his first PGA Tour victory at the Greenbrier Classic in 2018. He had a recent win at the Travelers Championship in June, where he used, like in past successes, the SuperStroke Traxion Tour 2.0 putter grip.
The rest of this article will walk you through the California-born player’s unique putter grip style and accessory choice and how they may serve as examples for particularly senior players.
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How Does Xander Schauffele Hold His Putter?
Xander Schauffele utilizes a conventional putting grip technique known as the reverse overlap grip. He places his left hand lower on the putter grip, with the pinky finger resting on top of the fingers of his right hand, creating a secure and controlled grip for his putting strokes. But it doesn’t end there. Let’s examine it closely:
| Xander Schauffele Putting Grip style | Demonstration | The result | How you can practice it as a senior golfer |
| Left-Hand Low Putting Grip | He uses a left-hand low putting grip to hold his putter, thereby keeping the clubface square to the ball and reducing the amount of spin he needs to generate on his shots. | He can make more consistent contact with the ball, which gives him an advantage over other players on tour. | You can use a Putting Green or foam pad until you get comfortable with it. |
| Neutral Hand Position | With the neutral hand position, he holds his putter to make consistent strokes, thereby keeping the clubface square to the ball for more control over his shots. | He minimizes spin and makes it easy to hit straight drives and long irons off the tee box, | Grip the putter with both hands close together, maintaining light grip pressure. Focus on aligning the palms facing each other and keeping the wrists firm. Practice short putts, gradually increasing distance to develop control and consistency. |
| Cross-handed (Left-Hand Low) | He holds his putter in a cross-handed (left-hand low) position, thus keeping the clubface square to the ball for more accuracy and consistency with each stroke. | He reduces drag on his backhand side for more consistent ball Contact. He also uses all weight and momentum for power strokes from both hands. | Start by getting comfortable with your left hand as the lead hand and your right hand as the trailing hand. Practice your grip by lowering your left hand on the putter grip closer to the club head. Ensure your left thumb sits on the top of the grip for stability. |
Xander’s Armlock Putting Method
Speaking on the armlock putter technique, Xander told GolfDigest in 2021 that he thinks methods like this should be disallowed in the game because anyone using them will have a bigger advantage.
The armlock style is when you place your lead forearm against the shaft, anchor it to your lead side, and then position the grip against your lead wrist, creating a “lock.” This technique promotes stability and reduces wrist movement, helping with a more consistent putting stroke.
I like how Sky Sports News analyzed his armlock approach in this video:
“It’s better. It’s easier. It’s more consistent. You can flinch your hand, but you can’t flinch your whole left arm. … It takes the stress of putting out of the game,” Schauffele told GolfDigest. “But [Putting] has ruined people’s careers, and it’s helped people’s careers. I think putting is an art in our game, and when you can lock it into your arm or anchor it to your body, it kind of gets rid of that.”
Xander’s SuperStroke Traxion Tour 2.0 Grip Choice: What’s Special?
| Grip Type: | Putter Grip |
| Core Size: | 0.580 inches (Standard) |
| Flex | Regular |
| Weight: | 50 grams |
| Diameter: | 1.20 inches (Tapered) |
| Length: | 10.50 inches |
| Material: | Advanced TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) |
| Texture: | Traxion Control Surface Texture |
| Design: | Non-tapered, Pistol-style grip |
| Price | $29.99 |
The Traxion Tour 2.0 is Schauffele’s putter grip of choice in many of his recent wins. Being one of the SuperStroke putter grips, the Traxion Tour putter grips combine many of the brand’s cutting-edge design elements into one sleek grip.
Actually, three things make this putter grip stand out:
1. Traxion Control: The X-shaped treads” are placed in high-sensory areas throughout the putter and swing grips. They boost feedback and responsiveness in the locations where the sensitive parts of your hands contact the grip surface.
2. No Taper Technology: A parallel design with a uniform lower hand profile minimizes grip pressure and maintains the putter head path for a more consistent stroke.
3. Spyne Technology: This particular putter grip aids in repeatable hand positioning, which translates to greater consistency in squaring the putter’s face at the time of impact during the stroke.
Some other professional golfers, like Jordan Spieth and Sungjae Im, as well as putting coach and expert Phil Kenyon, use the Superstroke putter grips.
The Takeaway
Of all the putter grip styles, Cross-handed putting has helped Xander achieve some of the best results in golf history, and many aspiring pros keep talking about it. You can try it out if you want an improved putting experience. Here’s the catch:
- Start by getting comfortable with your left hand as the lead hand and your right hand as the trailing hand.
- Practice your grip by lowering your left hand on the putter grip closer to the club head.
- Ensure your left thumb sits on the top of the grip for stability.
- Experiment with the position and angle of your right hand to find the most comfortable grip.
- Practice putting with this grip technique regularly to develop muscle memory and consistency, and watch yourself play like Xander.
Remember, your chances of hitting good golf shots are slim when you have bad grips that are poorly fitted, no matter the putting grip style you try to emulate. Also, achieving a desired shot is nearly impossible if your mind is too busy thinking about your hands slipping off the golf club.
So while you focus on the best putter grip styles and techniques of pro golfers like Xander Schauffele, remember that they use high-end grip accessories designed with special technologies that aid improved control and consistent hand placement.
