Belly Putter Grip
Please Note: This article on choosing and fitting a belly putter grip is an archived page, written before the 2016 belly putter ban. Remember that anchoring a putter in your midriff is now illegal under the rules of golf... Otherwise, please enjoy the page!
Before you fit a belly putter grip, make sure you choose the right design and have all the equipment to fit one. You should also know the rules regarding belly putters and their grips.
Firstly, the rules situation: Prior 2016 all belly putters were legal for use in all competitions. The rules regarding the grip on your putter are as follows:
Grips had to be either two-piece and uniformly round, or if you wanted a flat-fronted grip, then it must be one-piece. There is no maximum length for a putter grip.
Fitting the kind of long putter grip needed for a belly putter is no easy matter, so we recommend that you do not attempt this by yourself. A club repairer or local pro shop should be able to fit this for you and will do a better job than you could do yourself.
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on a belly putter... |
Not in the US? Click here for eBay listings for a belly putter in your region
Post January 1st 2016, all belly putters are banned by the USGA and R&A, the two governing bodies in the sport, and therefore the type of belly putter grip you use is irrelevant. If you anchor the putter, you are breaking the rules.Advantages and disadvantages of a one-piece belly putter grip:
The fact that you are allowed a flat front to your putter grip if it is one-piece is quite an advantage. If it is aligned correctly when installed (and that is easier said than done) then you will automatically have another alignment guide to make sure that you putter is square in your hands.The benefit of a flat-fronted grip is well known - nobody uses a round grip on a regular lengthed putter these days because the advantage of feeling whether the putterhead is sqaure or not is obvious. Ever since manufacturers started making extremely long putter grips with flat fronts the number of pros using both the belly putter and the flat-fronted grip has risen dramatically.
The only disadvantage is that these grips are extremely difficult to fit due to the resistance a long grip offers, even when well lubricated. While we recommend you to regrip your own clubs if you are even a tiny bit practical, (click here for instructions to do so), a long putter grip is far greater challenge and needs a bench clamp to hold the club steady and plenty of brute force. It's best left to a professional!
Advantages and disadvantages of a two-piece grip:
Having used both one-piece and two-piece grips I cannot see any tacticaly reason why you would choose to have a two piece grip. The only benefit is that it's marginally easier to fit at home.The best places to buy a belly putter grip:
Unless you need help fitting it, a pro shop is probably the least advisable
place to purchase a belly putter grip. Prices at online stores are likely to be
far lower, so check out the ebay links on this page for the best deal. For UK residents, Gamola golf is one firm I can highly recommend.
by
William JohnSite Owner
For more information about how to fit a belly putter grip click here
For belly putter instructions, click here
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