Fulton Blog: A belly putter can help your short game

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After three straight weeks with the longer putter in the winner's circle on the PGA TOUR, I am going to break down and get one for myself. Not only did Webb Simpson operate his belly putter superbly to win his first title on the PGA TOUR, Fred Couples did the same to win his first Champions Tour Major over the weekend in New York.

The idea of a longer putter has been present on the Champions Tour for quite some time, but it has certainly made a major splash recently on the PGA TOUR, with both the belly putter and long putter. Over the years with this blog, I have had some discussion on when perhaps it makes sense for you to try a longer putter. After watching Webb Simpson this week with the belly putter, I thought I would offer some of the benefits he reaps when using his extended putter that is fastened to the belly.

1.) Forearm alignment -- If there is one tip I constantly give my students, it is to make sure the putter shaft is on the same plane as the forearms at address. To check this, grip your putter and then stand upright with the putter shaft horizontal to the ground in front of your belly. Have a mirror handy to the side of you (preferably to the right for a right-handed golfer) and look to see if you can see the butt of the club. If you can see the butt of the club below or above the trail forearm, then the putter shaft is not on the same plane angle as the forearm. Therefore, with proper alignment, you should not be able to see the butt of the club because the putter shaft will match the same angle as that of the forearms, creating a single plane.

With that said, a belly putter seems to really promote the proper forearm alignment with the putter shaft. With the grip-end fastened to the belly, players seem to naturally grip the putter more in the palms, allowing the forearms to align with the putter shaft much easier. With a more conventional putter, the most common error is for a player to grip the trail hand too close to the top, resulting in a forearm that sits much higher than that of the putter shaft.

Webb Simpson grips his belly putter cross-handed, or left hand low. I am a big fan of cross-handed putting for many reasons, as it builds up the lead hand for clubface control, as well as positions the trail hand/forearm in a manner where it is virtually impossible not to align on the same angle of the putter shaft. Once again, use the mirror to help check this alignment.

2.) Shoulders square -- One of the terms we use at the TOUR Academies when teaching short game is "stand to the handle." This term was influenced by a great teacher by the name of Todd Sones, who was instrumental in helping our short game philosophy. "Stand to the handle" means that no matter where you position the butt of the club, you should always position your body so the butt of the club points towards the belt buckle. Standing to the handle helps promote good form, including keeping the shoulders square at address.

Belly putting truly defines standing to the handle, because the end of the putter is fastened to the belly. Once again, when doing this, it is virtually impossible not to have your shoulders square. Although there have been some great putters who did not perfectly square their shoulders, learning to get the shoulders square at address can help amateurs.

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3.) Staying down through Impact -- One of the most common errors at impact is for a player to peek and come out of the stroke. As a result, the putter face will stay open and create a glancing blow through impact. With belly putting, the end of the putter fastened to the belly serves as an anchor to the body promoting the player to stay down through impact. In fact, I have heard Fred Couples discuss how he feels the putter head staying down lower through impact with the belly putter promotes solid contact and proper starting direction.

The most important aspect of putting is what's happening through impact. Whether you take it straight back or on an arc, your ability to return the putter face square to impact consistently is what it comes down to. With that said, keeping the body steady through impact and not "coming out of it" can only help this happen more consistently.

Moreover, belly putting can offer a bit more of flexibility regarding where you grip the putter to help promote the type of stroke you are looking for. For example, if you are arcing the putter head too much, allowing your arms to hang straighter will lead to more of a "rocking" sensation with the shoulders, resulting in a straighert back through the stroke. Conversely, if you need more of an arc during the stroke, simply create some bend in the elbows, which will lead to more of a more "turning" sensation with the shoulders.

Just Because

Well, my vacation is over, but we had a great time. It was 80 degrees every day in the Pacific Northwest with no humidity, so getting off the plane this weekend in Florida to 93 degrees and unlimited humidity was certainly a smack in the face. Is it possible that as you get older you feel you need another vacation from your actual vacation?

Nevertheless, I am back to work and things are busy at the TOUR Academies as we get ready to open our next location at The Cliffs near Greenville, S.C. This is a phenomenal property that we are all excited about and one that should be a great addition to the TOUR Academy brand.

In addition to a busy work schedule, it is almost football time as college and professional schedules get ready to kick off at the first of the month. Also, have you been watching the Little League World Series? What great action this has been; I have thoroughly enjoyed watching these kids from all over the world play baseball -- especially the boys from the great state of Montana who will be playing in the semifinals on Wednesday.

Travis Fulton is PGA TOUR Academy's Director of Instruction and one of Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers for 2010-11. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR. To learn more about the TOUR Academy, click here.