Lauren Coughlin had a career year in 2024, leading to her first appearance in the Solheim Cup. This success story began with a simple change in putter. At the start of the year, Coughlin was ranked 107th in the world and had zero career victories. Her goal of making the Solheim Cup team seemed unlikely until she decided to switch putters. After trying out the PLD Oslo putter at Ping’s headquarters in Phoenix, she saw immediate results.
With her new putter in hand, Coughlin’s game improved significantly. She placed eighth at the Ford Championship and went on to achieve her best career finish of T3 at the Chevron Championship. This success continued throughout the summer, with Coughlin winning twice and securing a spot on the Solheim Cup roster for the first time. The putter change was credited with sparking her remarkable run of form.
In addition to changing her putter, Coughlin also made another significant change to her putting technique. She and her husband/coach created a do-it-yourself training aid to help her stop looking up early while putting. By wearing safety goggles with duct tape over the left half of the left lens, Coughlin was able to improve her focus on the ball. This change, along with the new putter, helped her improve her rankings in SG: Putting on the LPGA Tour.
According to KPMG’s Performance Insights, Coughlin now ranks 37th in SG: Putting, gaining 0.70 strokes per round on the greens. This is a significant improvement from her previous rankings of 210th and 227th in the same category in previous seasons. Coughlin’s putting has become a strength of her game, allowing her to tackle long putts with confidence and accuracy.
The combination of the putter change and the DIY training aid has proven to be a winning formula for Coughlin. These adjustments have helped her achieve her dream of playing in the Solheim Cup and have elevated her game to new heights. With her newfound success on the greens, Coughlin is poised to continue making an impact on the LPGA Tour and beyond.
