How to Putt With a Belly Putter

By Contributing Writer

Putting is the most precise part of the game of golf. There is a huge variety of shapes and sizes to the putter head, as golfers seek to find the perfect combination to give them confidence on the greens. The putter is the only club where the grip does not have to be perfectly round. In recent years, a variety of shaft lengths have also become available. Standard putters are between 32 and 35 inches long. A belly putter is between 8 and 12 inches longer than this. It is designed to reduce the importance of the hands, wrists and arms in the stroke by providing an anchor point.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step 1

Anchor the top of the club into your belly. As you bend forward, the butt end of the club should anchor firmly into your belly a couple of inches above the belly button while the putter head rests on the ground. Getting a correctly fitted club is fundamental to being able to use the belly putter successfully.

Step 2

Take your normal putting grip and stance. You need a good, solid stance as another anchor for the pendulum stroke required.

Step 3

Move the shoulders and upper torso to begin your putting stroke, or pull the club back with your right hand. The anchor point at the top of the putter will prevent you from making too wristy a stroke, giving it balance and stability.

Step 4

Swing the putter back smoothly, making sure that you accelerate through impact and keep your body steady through the stroke. As long as the putter is securely anchored into your belly this will promote stability and help keep the putter head on-line through the whole swing, making for more on-line putts.

Tips & Warnings

The belly putter is particularly good for golfers who are struggling to hole shorter putts or who are suffering from the dreaded yips. The more mechanical stroke it imposes reduces, or eliminates, the wristiness that causes so many misses.

Some golfers who switch to a belly putter initially find it harder to judge the distance on putts. Because the stroke with these clubs is more mechanical, there can be a loss of feel. Don't expect to go straight out onto the course and get the distance on longer putts right away. Spend some time on the practice green hitting putts of various lengths, concentrating on getting the distance control right.