How to use a belly putter?

[honez1414]

I buy stuff on impulse way too much. My latest purchase is a 43" mid-belly putter. Can anybody tell me how to use this thing? It may be too short but i feel like i bend over more with this than a standard length putter.

 

[otto6457]

I buy stuff on impulse way too much. My latest purchase is a 43" mid-belly putter. Can anybody tell me how to use this thing? It may be too short but i feel like i bend over more with this than a standard length putter.

OK....this is something I can actually offer a meaningful opinion about. I used a belly putter for almost 6 months two summers ago.

The 43" may be too short for you depending on your height. But going too long is worse than it being a little short. Mine was 45" but I'm 6'2" with long arms. I use a 33.5" regular putter.

When you take your normal putting stance the butt of the belly putter should contact your abdomen just to the left of your navel (right handed). Not a lot of pressure, but enough that it feels secure. Having the butt of the putter a little ahead of the navel helps release the putter a little better.

There are 2 ways to use the belly.
1) Rock the shoulders like you do with a regular putter, keeping the triangle of your arms and shoulders intact. Passive hands and wrists
2) Swing the putter with your arms more like a long putter, keeping the shoulders quiet. Hands feel a little looser and a bit more active.(the shoulders will move some as the putts get longer, just like you will have more arm swing on the longer putts with rocking the shoulders)

I had better luck with the first method. That said, I went back to a standard length putter after the experiment. My stats were not better with the belly, but then my stats with either aren't great.