Post by 94monarch on Jan 29, 2012 18:57:08 GMT -5
On Saturday at the PGA Show I went to Todd Sones seminar called "How Belly Putting Compliments Conventional Putting." I am sure a lot of you have seen Todds stuff before on YouTube or on his website. And a lot of what he covered in the talk was that information. However I took a few things from it I thought were interesting.
According to him, almost 40% of players on the European Tour are currently using Belly Putters, and the number on the PGA Tour is almost 30%. I had no idea it was that high. The number of players in the general golf population using bellies is estimated at 5%.
Belly Putting should fit just like a regular conventional length putter. The hands should be in the same place, weight the same and eyes over the ball the same. Many who try it do not improve because the putters they try in their shop are generally 41 or 43 inches and are way too long. I got fit by his machine and in the setup he wants, which has more hip hinging and knee bend than I am used to, I was fit at 38.75 inches (no comments on my belly cwdlaw). And the difference between 38 and 39 is huge...it totally alters your setup and makes it so hard toget your hands hanging under your shoulders if the fit is not perfect. (I have been saying an inch is a lot my whole life and now I know I am right) His quote was conventional putters should be fit, but belly putters MUST be fit. Putting with an improperly fit belly is toxic.
If fit properly belly putting is not that different from conventional putting. Todd teaches Joe Durant and he said that in their testing when Joe practices with the belly putter first then goes back to conventional, that is when he tests out the best. He said Joe is currently trying to decide which putter to go with. He tests better when using the belly but likes the speed control of the conventional putter.
Todd thinks that is the best way to putt is probably the Belly because once properly fit the anchor point will not change and that makes a consistent setup easier to accomplish. He then showed video of Luke Donald at the Medalist taken on different holes on the same day and showed the changes in Lukes setup during the same round of golf. On one green he was more on his heels with less knee bend and on one he was more bent and on his toes. He was wearing shorts so it was easy to measure on the V1. Belly putting makes it less likely for wild setup changes because it is anchored.
It was interesting stuff...I had already prebooked several belly putters for the spring of 2012 in my shop and I will be calling the suppliers to get a better representation of lengths, I was very impressed with Todd Sones.
According to him, almost 40% of players on the European Tour are currently using Belly Putters, and the number on the PGA Tour is almost 30%. I had no idea it was that high. The number of players in the general golf population using bellies is estimated at 5%.
Belly Putting should fit just like a regular conventional length putter. The hands should be in the same place, weight the same and eyes over the ball the same. Many who try it do not improve because the putters they try in their shop are generally 41 or 43 inches and are way too long. I got fit by his machine and in the setup he wants, which has more hip hinging and knee bend than I am used to, I was fit at 38.75 inches (no comments on my belly cwdlaw). And the difference between 38 and 39 is huge...it totally alters your setup and makes it so hard toget your hands hanging under your shoulders if the fit is not perfect. (I have been saying an inch is a lot my whole life and now I know I am right) His quote was conventional putters should be fit, but belly putters MUST be fit. Putting with an improperly fit belly is toxic.
If fit properly belly putting is not that different from conventional putting. Todd teaches Joe Durant and he said that in their testing when Joe practices with the belly putter first then goes back to conventional, that is when he tests out the best. He said Joe is currently trying to decide which putter to go with. He tests better when using the belly but likes the speed control of the conventional putter.
Todd thinks that is the best way to putt is probably the Belly because once properly fit the anchor point will not change and that makes a consistent setup easier to accomplish. He then showed video of Luke Donald at the Medalist taken on different holes on the same day and showed the changes in Lukes setup during the same round of golf. On one green he was more on his heels with less knee bend and on one he was more bent and on his toes. He was wearing shorts so it was easy to measure on the V1. Belly putting makes it less likely for wild setup changes because it is anchored.
It was interesting stuff...I had already prebooked several belly putters for the spring of 2012 in my shop and I will be calling the suppliers to get a better representation of lengths, I was very impressed with Todd Sones.
