News: Instruction
February 21 2012
9:36 am
Tip from Travis: Belly putter basics
Who says it’s difficult to control distance from long range with a belly putter? Not Bill Haas, as the talented young American captured his fourth PGA TOUR title by dropping a bomb on the second playoff hole to win the Northern Trust Open.
There is no question the belly putter has officially made its way from the Champions TOUR to the PGA TOUR. Not only did Bill Haas operate the oversized putter beautifully this week, but Keegan Bradley certainly made it look easy with the long stick as well. At the TOUR Academies, we get a lot of questions about the belly putter, and whether or not many of our students should invest in one. There are many things that the belly putter can help you with, and it only makes sense to talk about what the belly putter perhaps can do for you.
TRAVIS’ TIP
One of features concerning the belly putter is it promotes a natural arc to the path of the putterhead. What’s important to understand is the putterhead works on a slight arc, and not a straight line. How you set up to the ball will determine greatly to how natural and instinctive this will happen. With a good set up — and a belly putter that fits — it can really help promote not only the natural arcing action during the backstroke, but also the necessary release of the putter head through impact.
Secondly, the belly putter promotes the perfect ball position. Once anchored, the ball position should be slightly forward of center and under the lead wrist. In addition, notice how the lead wrist is slightly cupped. This wrist position, and its relationship to ball position, are critical because it represents the low point of the swing arc.
As the putter head swings on its natural arc, the putter head will be moving slightly down out into impact – much like the golf swing. The key is when this happens is the putter face and the path of the putter head is matched up at impact. Unlike a full swing 7-iron, when putting this impact dynamic should occur close to the low point of the swing arc, promoting a repetitive path-and-face relationship from any length distance.
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Basics???
Get the articles in before they are banned!!!
Useless waste of space.
I eagerly await the USGA ruling that a club may not be anchored to the body. Time to bring back steady hands & nerves as a part of the game. Belly putters be gone…forever!
I would think that mentioning the violation of spirit and intent is “basic” here. Ban anchoring and the prosthetic cheatsticks which fascilitate the nerve deadening “technique”! All these players that have gone astray will adapt or vanish.
Whats the big deal? How can it be an unfair advantage if there anyone can use it? You can still make a bad stroke with a belly putter, otherwise these guys would be leading all putting stats.
To an extent, I agree with polo, what is the big deal? I watch darn near every televised stroke on a weekly basis. I don’t know how many times I have seen not only Bill Haas (who just won), but Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Spencer Levin, and every other guy miss two and three footers on a regular basis. Putting (and that goes for all aspects of golf) has to many elements factor in on the results. You have to read the putt, line up the putt, and then stroke the putt with the proper “speed” of your read.
Once putters are produced that give you the read and tell you how hard to hit (i.e., a video game) then it’s gone too far.
It’s been around for years and no one said a thing about it…now a couple guys win and they are in an uproar about it.
It’s legal for all…leave it alone.
I know I should quit golf because if not for a bellputter I would not be able to putt. I have a kidney transplant and the anti rejection meds give me the shakes so bad that I can miss a 6″ putt by 6″ left or right. I suggest people be more tolerant. Not all are on this wagon because it’s the in thing to do.
Throwing Style: RHBHYears Playing: 1.5Average Distance: 75 I started pinylag disc golf rotating putters, when I found the S Ion I fell in love and never looked back. I am spin putter 100% of the time. The Ion works perfect for my spin putting due to its great glide and perfect stablity. As a putter it holds its intended flight pattern for a very long time. This allows for pin point distance putts without having to hyzer putt. The champion type plastic ensures that you will not need to replace putters very often. The S Ion is flexable and gripy, grabing chains when you dont think it would have a chance. It is also my go to upshot disc 250 ft in. As an upshot disc it has the same great qualites that it has as a putter, glide and a predictably straight finsh. Hyzer it in and watch it settle under the basket everytime.Well-loved.