It gets the name belly putter because the golfer secures the longer shaft against his or her stomach, while putting.

Securing the putter in this fashion serves as a fulcrum for the putting stroke. You still use a traditional two-handed putting stroke and putting posture.

By connecting the putting shaft to your stomach you are able to stabilize the wrists, keeping them stiff and steady and not involving them in the putting stroke.

Belly putters look a lot more like a traditional putter than long putters.

Unless you are really paying attention you may not notice someone using a belly putter but you’d notice a long putter instantly.

Golfers like Fred Couples, VJ Singh and Paul Azinger use the belly putter to great success.

Belly putters anchor the end of the shaft against the abdomen, taking the wrists out of play while allowing for an accurate pendulum stroke.

“The belly is a really good putter for someone who has a nervous wrists or hands, or I hate to even say it, but if they have the yips,” said Bob Bettinardi, founder of Bettinardi Golf, which makes Ben Hogan putters for Callaway Golf.

“Bernhard Langer is the most renowned for the yips. He stuck the shaft right in stomach and eliminated some of that. Now he’s onto the long putter.

“We seem to need more help as we get older,” Bettinardi joked. “The progression with age is: standard putter, belly, then long.”

If you struggle with too much wrist action in your putting stroke a belly putter golf club may be just what you’re looking for.

No, Natalie Gulbis isn’t using a belly putter in this photo. It just brightens my day.