Ben Silverman Debuts Hockey-Stick Putter Grip in Bermuda

Ben Silverman put a new putter grip in play at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship this week, switching to a hockey-stick-style design from Caliber Golf that extends several inches above the putter head. A grip built for a hockey rink is now showing up on a PGA Tour green.

Where did the grip come from?

The design traces back to Tony Finau, who used it at last month's Biltmore Championship. Silverman said he first noticed it on Finau's practice green in Utah and contacted Caliber Golf directly; the company built his version in about six days. The grip is legal under the Rules of Golf.

What does the grip change?

Caliber Golf says the hockey-stick shape, which it has built since 2018, is designed to add stability by keeping a player's palms square to the putter face through the stroke. The company markets it as a way to reduce unwanted wrist movement and improve accuracy on short putts. Silverman plays a double-interlock, left-hand-low grip and said the putter's feel changes how vibration comes off the face compared with a standard shaft, likening it to an old persimmon wood.

"I'm a big hockey guy, love it," Silverman said of trying the grip for the first time.

How has Silverman putted this week?

Silverman entered the Bermuda Championship 143rd in the FedExCup Fall standings, fighting to retain his PGA Tour card. Through two rounds at Port Royal Golf Course, he ranked 42nd in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting, gaining 0.688 shots. For the 2026 season, he has gained 0.283 shots per round on the greens.

A grip built for a hockey rink is now showing up on a PGA Tour green, card status on the line.