Belly Putter

The Belly Putter has been the salvation for some golfers whose putting has gone south. However, there is still the thought attached to its use that it is a band-aid solution rather than the real deal.

Like the Long Putter it is not the first choice of most golfers. Rather they gravitate to it because they are putting badly.

It offers them partial relief from an errant putting stroke because it can eliminate certain degrees of freedom, and the errors associated with them.

When your putting stroke starts to break down, it is often the result of over-active wrists. The butt of your putter, instead of remaining stationary between your hands, wiggles backwards and forwards during your stroke.

In a stable putting stroke it remains motionless, keeping its original relationship to the putting triangle of shoulders, arms, and hands as established at address.

One way to prevent the butt of the putter moving is to jam it into your gut. Because the top end of the putter shaft is now anchored, it is more difficult for your wrists to hinge.

By eliminating the freedom of movement in your wrists, you effectively get rid of the problem. Under the present Rules of Golf this solution is perfectly legal.

If you reference the main golf tours, there is only a minority of professionals using either the belly or the long putter at any one time. This seems to suggest that the standard or conventional putter is still the length of choice. When they do make a change, it is usually because they are unhappy with their present putting stats.

It is interesting to note the reason given when tour players make the switch either to a non-conventional putter, or back to the standard putter after a period of experimentation. Similar to changing their putting grip or model of putter, it is a way of mixing things up when their confidence starts to falter.

Retief Goosen

Retief Goosen switched to the belly 'to help get his stroke back'. Among those returning to the use of the short stick is Stewart Cink, winner of the British Open in 2009.

J B Holmes, after receiving a series of putting lessons from Dave Stockton, is back to using a conventional putter as he can't forward press with a belly putter.

Putting is a combination of skills, not just the single skill of a repetitive putting stroke. Good putters also know how to align accurately to their target, read the subtle slopes of the green, and send the ball the correct distance.

However, if you can't make any headway with your stroke, it is worth trying a belly putter - or even a long putter. It may be part of the solution to your putting problems.

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1 = www.perfectpendulum.com
2 = www.macrogolf.com
3 = www.golfdigest.com