Phil Mickelson and Hunter Mahan are two professionals who’ve already won tournaments this year immediately after improving the fit of their putters. But putter fitting is no longer just the province of the pros. It’s now something every golfer can do with ease. You just need to know what to look for, and Putter Perfection will show you the way.

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Indeed, I learned that two weeks before the tournament, Mickelson lowered the loft of his putter from five degrees to three degrees. Why? To achieve a better fit. Either he made a change to his stroke and needed to re-fit his loft to that stroke, or he had concluded that five degrees of loft wasn’t yielding a true enough roll. Regardless, he took a necessary fitting step to make sure he was maximizing his potential on the greens.

Another interesting thing about Mickelson’s Odyssey putter is that it’s 34 inches long, or one inch shorter than the so-called “standard” of 35 inches for men. Yet at 6′ 3″, he stands four inches taller than the average male. Again, he is fitting his putter to fit his setup and stroke, not vice versa.

In Putter Perfection, I devote chapters to putter loft and putter length, as both play a crucial role in finding the right fit. Just ask Phil Mickelson.

Offset essentially describes the shaft placement in relation to the putter face. In a putter with no offset, the leading edge of the shaft is in direct visual line with the leading edge of the putter’s topline at address (ie: as you address the ball and look down at your putter). You typically see this with straight shafts that have no bend as they enter the head. You also occasionally see putters with “onset,” whereby the leading edge of the shaft is slightly behind the leading edge of the putter’s topline.

In a putter with offset, the leading edge of the shaft is visually forward of the leading edge of putter’s topline at setup. The term “full-shaft offset” means that the degree of offset is equal to the width of the shaft, while “half-shaft offset” signifies that the offset is roughly equal to half of the width of the shaft.

The degree (or lack of) offset in a putter can play a significant role in the putter fitting equation, as it can affect perceived and actual alignment at setup, potentially causing you to aim left or right of your intended target line without you knowing it. Every golfer is different, but by being aware of the fact that a putter can play tricks on your eyes, you are in a better position to evaluate your own alignment experience, and that includes understanding offset and using it to your own alignment advantage.

Putter balance falls into two general categories. A “face-balanced” putter will generally appeal to golfers who employ a more straight-back-and-straight-through putting stroke, while a putter with “toe hang,” also known as “toe droop,” will generally appeal to those with an arcing stroke. And toe hang comes in varying degrees, from slight to full.

When Woods switched to the fully toe down mid mallet, he said that he was trying to re-establish his “release pattern.” In other words, he was using a fundamental aspect of putter fitting–putter balance–to help better release the putter head through impact.

Now, having returned to an Anser-style putter with less toe hang, Woods seems to have rediscovered at lease some of his old putting mojo. This suggests that he is finding his stroke groove, and no longer needs his putter to force additional release action.

Putter balance isn’t just some esoteric concept that only applies to Tiger Woods and other professionals. Even if you’re just an average recreational golfer, a little effort in matching your putter balance to your stroke can help you find your groove and shave strokes off your score.

The same holds true with belly putters. Toward that end, my friends at the SeeMore Putter Company have produced a short video explaining how to establish your proper belly putter length.

In summary, if you are thinking of purchasing a belly putter and are unsure of what length to order, you will first want to get into your regular putting stance with your traditional putter (assuming that your traditional putter is the right length). Then, remaining in that position, raise the butt end of the grip to the point where you plan to anchor your belly putter (typically in the navel area). Now, have a friend measure the distance between the sole of the putter and the floor (you can also do it yourself with a yardstick), and apply basic math .

For example, if your putter is 34 inches long and the measured distance from the sole to the floor is 8 inches, then you will want to start with a belly putter that is 42 inches in length. This will enable your belly putter to fit your preferred putting stance right out of the gates.

Of course, there are other fitting factors, such as head weight, swingweight and grip that are all covered in Putter Perfection. For example, belly putters typically need a heavier head weight to work well for most golfers. But beginning with the right length is a great first step.

The premise of the book is that you want to have three degrees of negative dynamic loft at impact in order to achieve quick forward roll, which will improve accuracy and distance control. Given that most putters come with a built-in loft of two to four degrees, this means that you must press the shaft forward at address to de-loft the putter to achieve negative loft.

Read the review for a more in-depth look at what Breed is preaching and how it might improve your game. The instructional community, as always, is divided on the topic of putter loft. But one thing is for sure: the right loft for your stroke and playing conditions can make a big difference in your performance.

From the standpoint of putter fitting, this is the best news possible. Have you ever wanted  a face-balanced PING Anser? Well, now you can get one with PING’s new Precision Milled Anser line, which offers the iconic Anser putter head in a variety of balance configurations. Or perhaps you’re a blade adherent who might benefit from the added girth offered by a mallet putter? Then check out the new Never Compromise Connoisseur Perfecto, a mallet that features the crank-neck hosel and quarter toe hang typically associated with blades. Or maybe you’re looking for a traditionally styled putter, but with a heavier head for added stability? Then check out the Piretti Potenza with its 360-gram head, or the much heavier Heavy Putter Q2-M.

Or maybe you want to try a belly putter but don’t want to break the bank? Then the new Cleveland Classic belly putter for $119 might be right up your alley.

You get my drift. Like I’ve said, there’s no longer any excuse not to seek a better fit, and it doesn’t need to cost you a lot, either. The putter world is your oyster right now, and it’s time to take advantage of it.

Indeed, feel is a lot of things, and it means different things to different people. As Stan Utley writes in The Art of Putting, “(Feel is) one of those things that’s really hard to describe, but you know it when you ‘feel’ it.”

Feel is probably best described as a combination of audio and tactile feedback—the merging of sound and touch into a single impression. Over time, the feedback from your putter can shape and elevate your performance, because it informs you about your putting. So “listen” to your putter and make sure it’s providing feedback that fits your hands and ears. Also, if you love the feel of your putter, you will be more inspired to practice with it, which can only help your performance.

Simply put, the feel of your putter should not be underestimated as a component of your overall putter fitting efforts. It may not be as easy to measure or quantify as putter length or lie angle, but it is no less important to cultivating a rewarding putting experience.

To be honest, Putter Perfection doesn’t have a lot to say about belly putters, because it’s not a book about putters, but rather about putter fitting. And the point is that a proper fit is essential for maximizing your potential with any putter, and that includes a belly putter.

For example, as discussed in the book, when you add length to an existing putter, you change that putter’s swingweight. This is why some long putters, such as the Odyssey 2-Ball White Ice long putter, feature head weights that are heavier than their conventional counterparts. However, this is not always the case, and if you create your own belly putter with a conversion kit, you need to be aware that you are altering the putter’s swingweight along the way.

Additionally, the setup position required to anchor the putter to your gut may also change the lie angle and loft necessary for you to aim and strike the ball properly.

These aren’t reasons to not use a belly putter. Rather, they are just the same reasons why you should be aware of putter fitting essentials in order to make informed decisions about the right putter for you and your game.