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| PING Nome 405 Belly Putter |
AT THE SHELL HOUSTON OPEN, where Jeff Maggert, British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and Brian Davis are fighting for the lead, PING staff players have gotten a first look at the new PING Nome 405 model, an adjustable belly putter. With the use of a a special tool, the Nome 405 can be adjusted in length from 37.5 to 46.5 inches. And, yes, it’s USGA-legal.
“With the popularity of belly putters,” said PING chairman and CEO John Solheim, “we saw a unique fitting opportunity because shaft length is so critical to performance.
“Adjustability is key because the standard 42-inch belly putter fits a narrow range of people. When the shaft is too long or too short, it alters your distance from the ball, your eye position, and the path of your stroke. Adjustability lets you experiment until your posture is comfortable and your eyes are over the ball, which helps you make a consistent stroke and solid impact.”
Hunter Mahan won the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February using a standard-length version of the Nome model.
In Houston, defending champion Phil Mickelson and PGA winner Keegan Bradley are in contention at 9 under. Steve Stricker and Mahan are another shot back.