The Open 2010: Tiger Woods' new Nike Method putter explained

All you need to know about Tiger Woods' Nike Method putter, and why golf's world No 1 is using it in favour of his old blade at the Open.

In the groove: Tiger Woods will be using the Nike Method putter on the slower greens of St Andrews at the Open Photo: NIKE / ACTION IMAGES

Tiger Woods has been with his Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter for 11 years, but now the two are splitting up. The pair may just need some time apart or the move may become more permanent. Woods is putting a Nike Method into his bag for the Open at St Andrews this week.

The 'Method' putter was used by Stewart Cink during last year's Open victory and by Lucas Glover when he won the US Open. The holy grail of putting is "pure roll".

When most putts are struck the ball will leave the ground for 15 inches and then start to hop. Each month enhanced groove technology is developed to try to minimise that effect.

Woods has always putted brilliantly on the fast greens of Augusta with his Scotty Cameron, but has decided that he needs to change for the slower greens of St Andrews where he has to give the ball a bit more of a hit. So Scotty is out and Nike is in.

What Tiger says

"I've always struggled on slower greens (but in my practice rounds here) I haven't had to make that much of an adjustment because the ball is coming off a little bit quicker.

"This putter ... with the new groove technology ... rolls the ball better.

"[The change is] something (caddie) Stevie (Williams) and I have been talking about over the years - what can I do on slower greens?.

"I've always putted well on faster greens ... and can't wait to get to the fastest greens that we play on tour. But this week has been a little bit different.

"Some of my best putting rounds were when the greens were running at 14 or something like that on the stimpmeter [th device used to measure the speed of greens]. These greens aren't up to speed.

"Today one of the guys was out there doing a stimpmeter and it was under 10. I've always experimented with other putters throughout the years but I've never put one in play until now.

"You're going to have some real long putts here no matter how you hit it and you just have to get down in two. So many times you can three putt.

"The two years I've played well here I've lag putted beautifully and I've also hit the ball in the right spots."