![]() With his eyes a bit wider than before he provided his hand to me, Rory said, “Thank You, that means a lot to me.” It was obvious to me by observing his genuine actions, that Rory takes this part of his professional responsibilities very seriously, equally as important as his playing performance. Some players take on their roles as potential role models as a secondary mission. I acknowledged his compliment and told him that being a Father of a 12-year old Son, I was more thankful for him being who he was as a person, more so than a golfer. It was not until the middle of the fairway on #1 that Rory engaged me, saying thanks for walking along and assisting his team. I was most interested in Rory’s preparation to earn his career Grand Slam this April, which Michael assured me was well on track. 2 or 3 times throughout the round, both JP and Michael shared some general conversation with me about Rory. The precise discipline and thoroughness of preparation by Team Rory was impressive to say the least. ![]() Michael offered assistance every step of the way and reminded Rory of the skills they are working to master. In between the conversations, Rory was all business, planning each hole with JP, practicing chips and putts to potential hole locations, measuring distances from landmarks, and doing the things necessary to insure he would be a threat come Sunday. It took a few holes for their golf performances to level out, but it did not take long for Rory to recognize their nerves and make a point to establish a personal connection with each Player on the very first hole of play. ![]() Rory’s McIlroy’s Amateur Partners had obvious 1st Tee jitters well into the first few holes, trying to stay out of the way of the World’s #1 Male Golfer as he circumnavigated Bay Hill for the very first time in his career. ![]() I have been around these events since 1988 and this was the first time I experienced the Tour Professional and his entourage taking the lead to offer a genuine sign of warmth and appreciation in a similar setting. With him was his Caddie, JP Fitzgerald and his long time Coach, Michael Bannon, who both also stepped forward to say hello to all before someone else could do that for them. Rory made it a point to personally introduce himself to the group without someone else formally introducing him first, which is typically the custom. As I was shaking the last hand, Rory McIlroy made his entrance. I first met all the Amateur Partners and their Caddies I would be assisting that day, each of these individuals highly successful in life and in business. Others Stockton acolytes include Rory McIlroy.Ĭompton also uses an oversized putting grip, popular among today’s pros as a means of minimizing the hands’ influence on the stroke.Rory takes time to take a photo with me in the early morning hours before his first ever round at Bay Hill Club and Lodge The day started early at 7:30AM on the 10th Tee at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Pro-Am Day for the Arnold Palmer Invitational sponsored by MasterCard. He maintains this wrist position all the way through the stroke, the method espoused by putting guru Dave Stockton. When putting, Erik Compton’s grip is standard-issue: nice and neutral, with the back of his left hand pointed down the target line. This keeps the hands from flipping too quickly, producing a “block” action that actually straightens his shots. How does Compton prevent a nasty hook with such a strong grip? Like many players with similar styles, his hands lag a bit behind the hips coming into impact. By comparison, a neutral grip “V” points much closer to the sternum. ![]() His left and right hands are both turned noticeably on the handle, with the right hand’s “V” (formed by thumb and forefinger) pointing at his right shoulder. It’s a strong model, which helps Compton generate more power than you’d expect from a 5’8”, 150-pound golfer. Open was an amazing feat, indeed.Įrik Compton’s grip isn’t nearly as interesting as his life story, but it’s a good one to study. A two-time heart transplant recipient, he defied the odds – to say the least – in making it to the PGA TOUR. There’s no better feel-good story in golf than Erik Compton. Putting grip style / hand position: Reverse overlap / neutral ![]()
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