Why Was Phil Mickelson Wearing Unique Glasses at PGA Championship Practice Rounds? The Tech Savvy Move Explored

Golfers are known for using various aids to help them in their gameplay. And, Phil Mickelson is no different. The 2-time PGA Championship winner, who is currently aiming for his third victory in the major, has been known to use many gadgets to enhance his performance including the Dave Pelz Putting Tutor, and the SuperSpeed Golf, among others. The athlete, this time around, was spotted using a rather unique product at Valhalla ahead of the event: the ProAim Golf Putting Glasses.

A tweet was shared by Phil Mickelson Tracker, a fan page dedicated to the six-time major champ, which showcased a recording of the athlete practicing his gameplay on the greens while donning the “golf putting glasses”. The video, which was initially shared by GolfWRX, sparked much interest in the aid causing many heads to turn.

Phil Mickelson’s putting aid at Valhalla

The goggles work on simple physics. There is a yellow piece of plastic beside the right eye through which daylight enters. Following this, it is concentrated to a darkened lens after which it bounces back to the eye. This causes the golfer (Mickelson, in this case) to see a simple alignment grid enabling him to putt the ball better.

Although the ProAim’s goal is to ensure “that you’re square at address,” all the while guaranteeing a pendulum stroke as used by Dave Pelz, the LIV Golf Pro uses more of a ‘hinged door’ stroke. The former is a straight-back, straight-through putting action that keeps the club face square to the target line while the latter opens the same on the way back while closing it on the way.

The innovative product is priced at $79.95 and has been reportedly used by the legendary American instructor Butch Harmon. That’s not all. Reports indicate how it was a useful tool in the hands of various golfers as well including Natalie Gulbis, Mark Calcavecchia, and Darren Clarke aside from Phil Mickelson, the last three of whom are former Open Champions.

A career win tally of 45 victories on the PGA Tour doesn’t come off easily. After watching the video, it doesn’t take much to realize how much effort the golfer has put into his gameplay, especially when it comes to the different aids he has used on the greens.

Mickelson’s other aids that help him

Aside from the goggles that were used by his longtime short game coach, Pelz, the ‘Lefty’ has also been using a different product to enhance his putting. Enter the Dave Pelz Putting Tutor, a tool priced at $49.99 and shaped like a triangle that has three dots (two at the end and one at the other end where the ball is placed). The design is such that it helps in squaring up the club’s face while hitting the balls on the correct line.

Mickelson has also been known to use SuperSpeed Golf, a product consisting of speed sticks that help him train his body to swing faster with a theory known as Overspeed training. Moreover, during the 2012 Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club where he finished T2, the pro was also spotted using an aid attached to his left arm just below the elbow to keep it from bending past 90 degrees.

One can only hope he can dish out a similar performance at the upcoming major championship that will soon tee off at Valhalla. Phil Mickelson’s fans would surely want him to prepare in the best way he can, irrespective of the kind of gadgets he uses!