What’s All the Buzz about Belly Putters?

After watching the tour events over the last year and hearing the flurry of opinions about belly putters, I thought I should do a little homework. With that in mind, I purchased my first belly putter in June—a Scotty Cameron Kombi. I love the Scotty Cameron line, but it wasn’t an easy decision to purchase a belly putter because I think that, for the most part, I’m a pretty good putter. On a scale of 1 to 10, I am a 9. So, my putting skill level was not broken.

After playing with the putter on the practice green for about eight weeks, I thought I would take it out on the course. All I can tell you is this: I have never made more putts in a 6-foot-to-10-foot range in my life as I did the first day with the putter.

I thought, well, that always happens with a new putter (have you ever heard that before?). So to make sure, I went back out the next day, and, to my surprise, it was not a fluke—it’s really that great. Here is what I have learned over the last two months: The fit is everything.

I was fortunate enough to spend an hour with Mark Timms, the owner of Cool Clubs and, in my opinion, the best club fitter in the country. He made a few simple adjustments to the length to better my posture. The changes and comfort were better immediately. As Mark and I talked about the fit, he remarked that there are a lot of people walking into establishments who have purchased belly putters elsewhere but the putters are not fit properly. After Mark and his staff get them the proper fit, their clients are also getting the positive results that I first felt.

I have put my belly putter in my bag. I am pretty certain it’s going to stay there, except for use on the course, for a long time. I share my experiences with my students—they are open-minded and are quick to feel the change. It really is something to witness, and it’s hard to explain unless you have experienced it for yourself. If you are looking to make fewer strokes around the green, give me a call and I will show you how simple improving your game really is with this “technology.”