Zach Johnson went toe to toe with Tiger Woods all weekend at the Chevron World Challenge, turning this end of season event into one that had the feel of a "Match Play Major Championship" to anyone watching the drama unfold. The 2 Major Champions brought out the very best in each other, as they lapped the field and turned this into a 2 man show on Sunday. In the end Johnson played the last 9 holes in 2 under par, making 2 long, dramatic birdie putts on 13 and 16 to take the lead away from Woods, then could only watch as Tiger made 2 epic birdies of his own on 17 and 18 to win the Championship by one. It was certainly among the most riveting golf events all year, and SeeMore was proud to have watched Zach, using his milled FGP blade, show the world why he is one of the fiercest golf competitors and clutch putters of his generation.
Every golfer strives for consistency. Putting is the area of the game where many golfers are the most inconsistent. With belly putters winning multiple PGA Tour events in 2011, more players at all levels are interested in anchoring their putters. The belly putter is now often believed to be the answer to putting woes because it eliminates factors by helping the golfer establish consistent:
Posture
Loft on the putter-face
Release of the putter-head through impact
To see and learn more about the benefits of belly putter, watch this video below.
The belly putter may be right for you if your hands get extremely involved in your stroke or if you have a tendency to decelerate.
Considerations Before You Switch
Note that the players who are having success on the PGA Tour are able to practice with their new technique much more than the majority of avid golfers. Also, many successful belly putter users have committed to using it long-term. It’s not an instant “cure all” as it requires practice just like any other method in putting. Before switching to a belly putter, make sure to take your standard putter and implement a system for putting by practicing establishing consistent:
Eye position
Ball position
Forearm position
Grip
Alignment
If you commit to a system for putting, practice it and you still aren’t putting well, a belly putter may be a welcomed change. Utilizing the patented RifleScope Technology RST, a SeeMore Putter provides a system for feedback and will allow you to develop consistent setup and alignment in both a standard length and a belly putter. To witness the benefits, watch this video. RST Benefits in SeeMore’s Belly and Standard Length Putters
Determining The Length Of Your Belly Putter
You need three things to determine the correct length of a belly putter:
Standard length putter
Yard stick
Access to a mirror
This video on how to fit a belly putter will help you determine the proper length by following the steps mentioned below.How to Fit a Belly Putter
Steps:
Take a yard stick and measure the length of your standard length putter in inches. Measure by keeping the yard stick parallel to the shaft and allowing the ruler to touch the ground next to the base of the club-head.
After determining the posture that you would like to implement with a belly putter, raise the standard length and stabilize it with the end of the grip in your belly. (An athletic posture that allows your eyes to be inside the club-head is recommended)
While keeping the yard-stick parallel to the shaft, measure the distance from the ground to the bottom of the club-head.
Example in the Video: (Club) 35 Inches + (Distance from the bottom of the club to the ground) 9 inches = 44 Inches
Stabilizing Your Belly Putter
A belly putter should be anchored inside, above or below the belly button. The golfer’s body should essentially be split in half to allow the putter to swing naturally. To see why, watch this video. Stabilizing a Belly Putter
SeeMore’s patented RST, known by a visible gun sight on the top line, allows the golfer to set up the putter perfectly each and every time in relation to the intended target line. This is accomplished by lining up the black bottom portion of the shaft between two white lines and covering a signature red dot on the heel of the top line. The process is like locking radar onto a target. The two parallel white sight lines frame the shaft and serve as an indicator that the golfer is in perfect position to make a consistent and reliable stroke.
SeeMore has also recently launched the SeeMore Putting system to golfers in the form of introducing the SeeMore Putter Institute (SPi), where golfers and instructors will be able to come together in person and online to share these fundamental ideas about how to improve putting performance, including the new discussion about belly putters.
SPi is a learning system based on the simple fundamentals of finding proper grip, alignment, stance, and posture that allow a natural, free, and simple putting stroke on each and every putt. It is based on the technology built into the SeeMore putter itself, and on the refined teachings of SeeMore Global Ambassador Pat O’Brien – putting instructor to Zach Johnson, and many other top PGA Tour and developing players. O’Brien has been teaching the SeeMore System around the world for more than 12 years, ever since he watched his good friend the late Payne Stewart benefit from the SeeMore putting system to win 1999 US Open and lead the tour in putting statistics that year.
The ESPN National Golf Challenge is a world-class amateur event featuring professional, amateur and senior divisions. The SeeMore Putter Company is proud to partner with ESPN to bring an exclusive fitting experience to approximately 400 contestants. Ted Gallina, Andre Shmoldas and I conducted approximately 400 putter fittings over three days at the Las Vegas Paiute Resort. Each contestant received a choice of 5 different SeeMore putters (retailing from $150-$180) as a tournament gift from ESPN. If the contestant wished to upgrade to a milled putter, they had the option to receive $150 towards a milled putter purchase. Each one of these putters were custom-built for length, lie angle and grip. Besides the putter, every contestant also received a SeeMore hat featuring the ESPN National Golf Challenge logo and a SeeMore poker chip.
ESPN hosted a fabulous reception each evening at the Palms hotel. At the first reception, Jay Tomlin won a very competitive putting contest to win a Limited Edition, Payne Stewart FGP Bronze putter. Renowned golf broadcaster, Jim Kelly, was the master of ceremonies. He introduced SeeMore and then I had the privilege of speaking to the large audience about putting, the exciting history of SeeMore and the special SeeMore fitting experience for the contestants to anticipate.
On the third evening, Ted Gallina told the audience about the success of SeeMore on both the Nationwide and PGA Tour’s, including the stories on how certain elite professionals found SeeMore’s system for improvement.
The event was top-notch and every player received a “major championship validated” putter that will give them a system to improve their putting! Contestant, Donnie Shrum appreciated the benefits of his putter fitting, as he quickly realized SeeMore’s RifleScope Technology (RST) often turns a fitting into a lesson.
“What you guys did was unbelievable. I really appreciate the time you spent with me. Your putting instruction helped me have my best round ever in the final round of the tournament Saturday….I was making them from everywhere…After an opening 68 Don and I shot 60 on Saturday to jump up into a tie for fifth!” - Donnie Shrum (Charlotte, NC)
Make sure to check out this video which features a great slide show from this October’s ESPN National Golf Challenge! Make sure to participate next year. You can find more information by visiting www.espngolf.com.
While SeeMore continues to provide a must-needed edge in scoring and our fan base strengthens, we have enjoyed discovering many celebrities who have become loyal fans of our product. American rock band, Matchbox 20, has been one of the most successful bands over the past fifteen years. With albums reaching certified Diamond and 4x Platinum in the United States, Matchbox 20 has generated a tremendous fan base worldwide. Last week, I received a call from their bass guitarist and backup vocalist, Brian Yale, who is a huge fan of SeeMore. Brian purchased his first SeeMore in 2007, a m1 SS Platinum. Music fans have been purchasing multiple Matchbox 20 albums for over a decade because they love the product. Following Brian’s success with our system, he purchased a mFGP shortly after to collect another one of his favorite products.
While Brian was in the Nashville area recording a new album with Rob Thomas and the band, he made sure to take advantage of our tour fitting process available at Headquarters. I really enjoyed working with Brian, especially because of his fun personality and something that I learned while teaching him our putting system. I noticed that Brian’s speed control was especially consistent. After complimenting him on his control, Brian explained his way of utilizing music by singing in his head to keep track of the beat. Singing a song can be a fantastic way to work on the rhythm of your putting stroke and develop better consistency with your speed.
After equipping Brian with a system for putting, we custom built him our SeeMore ONE CS model at 34 inches with a 68 degree lie angle and a red Tour Classic grip. Through the SeeMore Putter Institute (SPi), consumers have other options besides SeeMore Headquarters to learn from an expert in putting. Instructors and fitters around the world are becoming SPi Certified. If you’re interested in learning from a SPi instructor or becoming one yourself, please visit http://www.seemore.com/institute/.
See the video footage below from Brian and his visit to SeeMore.