Swingrite UK Ltd - manufacturers of CentreCup, the putting training aid launched to universal acclaim at the NEC Golf Show in November 2008 - has developed an additional new putter brace for CentreCup which positions the golfer’s hands ahead of the ball at address.

The new brace has been developed by Ian Melville, a PGA Professional and inventor of CentreCup, and Paul Pepper, CentreCup’s design engineer.

It gives golfers and teaching professionals the option of replacing CentreCup’s standard vertical hand and putter brace with a patented ‘offset brace’, making CentreCup instantly appealing for golfers who prefer their hands to be slightly ahead of the ball.

Said Ian: “Some golfers, particular Tour players and low handicap players, like a forward press in their putting stroke of around 3 degrees ahead of vertical.

“Scientific studies have supported the belief that forward hand positioning locks the wrists into a firmer position, reducing wrist involvement and ensuring that the golfer therefore putts with the larger muscles of the shoulders rather than with a ‘wristy’ action.

“This action also helps to keep the left wrist (for right-handed golfers) strong and firm and aimed towards the target line through the stroke.”

CentreCup has been designed to promote a Pure InLine Square Stroke and is fully adjustable along its patented Chest Brace, allowing the golfer to position the ball further forwards in their stance.

Now the new brace, which fits easily into the top part of the Putter Brace, also enables the hands to move ahead of the ball, effectively delofting the putter and minimising the chances of the ball ‘hopping’ or bouncing off the face.

Added Ian Melville: “The new brace brings an added dimension to CentreCup. While the majority of golfers will use the standard vertical brace, it was important for us to design an offset version for players who want that forward press.”

S-Blade putters - which use fantastic new ‘curved face’ technology - were CentreCup’s official putter suppliers at the NEC Golf Show from November 21-23.

Thousands of golfers witnessed us holing putt after putt with the distinctive S-Blade Greenstreak and lots of you asked where you can buy one.

CentreCup used S-Blade putters at the NEC Golf Show

The putters are available from Spherical Blade the Wales-based putter company. S-Blade putters have a gently curving face which guarantees to put class-beating end-over-end roll on the golfball.

Putts hit with an S-Blade are far less likely to skid or bobble than those hit with other putters - a fact which has been proven in laboratory testing at the Quintic consultancy.

S-Blade MD Ian Smith gave us a range of putters for the show, ranging from 30 inches to 35 inches, enabling us to custom fit for length using CentreCup.

And a massive percentage of visitors to our stand realised they needed to use a shorter putter - a fact that legendary putting guru Harold Swash (of Yes putters) has been talking about for years.

CentreCup inventor Ian Melville uses an S-Blade Greenstreak when he plays, and earlier this year shot a front-nine 29 at Rutland County Golf Club using the ‘flatstick’.

Said Ian: “When golfers used CentreCup it was hard for them to miss a putt anyway - but when combined  with the outstanding performance of the S-Blade putters, the visitors to our stand really appreciated the difference.

“We are all about getting the ball rolling early. CentreCup and S-Blade putters are leaders in this important area of putting.”

S-Blade can be contacted on: 0845 555 2525.

PGA Pro Ian Melville uses S-Blade putters

Visitors to the NEC Golf Show holed a staggering 21,183 putts over three days at the CentreCup stand, as the new training aid was demonstrated to the public for the first time.

With two CentreCup putting aids running in tandem on the stand and on the portable putting green, at one point golfers were queueing for more than an hour to get a go on the new ‘putting machines’.

CentreCup team members used mechanical tally counters to log how many putts were holed by visitors - which included Tour pro golfers Alison Nicholas, Felicity Johnson and Carl Watts.

CentreCup putting training aid stand

CentreCup inventor, PGA Pro Ian Melville, said: “We were clicking like mad. Bearing in mind that each CentreCup was specifically adjusted to custom-fit each visitor, which takes a little bit of time, we would probably have broken the 30,000 putts barrier.”

CentreCup works by locking the putter in a brace which stops hands and wrists from breaking. A unique chest brace and slide bar design also stops the golfer’s shoulders from twisting, so the putter face is always delivered square to the ball and target line.

This PILS (pure in line square) stroke is recommended by none other than Dave Peltz, one of the greatest golf short game instructors in the world.

Andy demonstrates CentreCup

By making sure your eyes, shoulders, forearms, hips, knees & feet are all aligned - and keeping the putter square to the aimline throughout the stroke - CentreCup guarantees a straight-back-and-through path.

CentreCup eliminates all of the problems that cause poor putting and uses unique and patented technology to promote only good putting technique.

CentreCup has been developed to enable golfers of all abilities to discover how to make a repeatable, rhythmical putting & chipping stroke.

• Develops muscle memory for a perfect pendulum putting stroke
• Encourages smooth rhythm
• Eliminates off-plane shoulder twisting
• Eradicates wrist break - the putter is locked in
• Putter face is always square to the ball
• Promotes straight back and straight through action
• Keeps lateral sway to a minimum
• Guarantees release through impact
• Starts and keep putts on line
• Ball rolls without skid or hop
• Develops confidence and feel

CentreCup will be available online at CentreCup.com in January.

CentreCup was launched to golfers at the NEC Golf Show this weekend - with thousands of golfers and some of the biggest names in the sport all amazed by our sensational new putting training aid.

At one point during the weekend, golfers were queueing 32-deep to get a go on our ‘putting machine’ with inventor Ian Melville and fellow PGA Pro Andy Gorman from the Alison Nicholas Golf Academy dispensing advice and demonstrating CentreCup.

Alison Nicholas uses the CentreCup putting training aid at the NEC Golf Show

Harold Swash, one of the world’s great putting coaches visited us for a demo, as well as two-time Major winner, Alison Nicholas; English Ladies European Tour star, Felicity Johnson; and former European Tour star, Carl Watts (now a highly-regarded coach).

Today’s Golfer, the UK’s biggest-selling golf magazine interviewed Ian Melville for their website with resident teaching pro Dan Frost, and the lovely Sophie Horn from showmethegolf.tv also got a televised putting lesson for their next broadcast.

Said Ian: “We had an incredible show. The response to CentreCup has been nothing short of phenomenal.

“Many visitors said we were the best putting training aid they had ever seen or used. And for me, personally, to have Harold Swash on the stand was a great honour.”

CentreCup goes on sale from www.CentreCup.com in January.

CentreCup inventor Ian Melville, a teaching professional for more than 15 years, believes most golfers are using a putter that is the wrong length for them.

While a lot of golfers have discovered custom-fitting for irons, precious few have had their ideal putter length assessed and instead simply opt for off-the-shelf models in a standard 35inch variety.

During the testing of CentreCup - the revolutionary new putting and chipping training aid - Ian discovered that around 90% of golfers would improve their putting if they used a shorter model.

He said: “CentreCup uses a fully adjustable putter brace and mirror system to help the golfer line up to putt with their eyes directly over the ball.

“In many cases, golfers could not achieve this using their normal putter. But when we used a shorter putter their alignment and posture was much better. As a result, using CentreCup they were able to produce a perfect inline pendulum putting stroke - with the putter face staying square to the ball and target throughout the stroke.”

CentreCup works by taking the hands, wrists and arms out of the putting stroke and enabling the shoulders to control the stroke. It’s impossible to break your wrists or move your arms independently of your body.

And because shoulders remain square to the target during the stroke, the putter face simply cannot open or close.

CentreCup officially launches in the UK at the NEC Golf Show in November.

CentreCup will officially launch at the NEC Golf Show on November 21 in Birmingham.

We’ve booked Stand B42 to showcase our revolutionary new putting and chipping training aid. You’ll also be able to see CentreCup inventor Ian Melville in action on the indoor putting green.

Said Ian: “We’re really looking forward to the show. Golfers will be amazed by what CentreCup delivers - the perfect inline pendulum putting stroke.

“We’re inviting all golfers to come and have a go on CentreCup and feel what the perfect pendulum putting stroke feels like.”

Ian, who has been a teaching professional for 15 years, believes as much as 90% of golfers use a putter that is the wrong length for them. He will give every visitor to the stand a custom-fitting using CentreCup - which is adjustable to fit any size of golfer and any length of putter.

Added Ian: “It’s worth a go. We’ve tested CentreCup on more than 100 golfers and only 10 were using a putter that was the right length for them. If your eyes are not directly over the ball, you significantly reduce your chances of holing a putt.

“The CentreCup design immediately helps you address the ball properly, with eyes over the ball and everything square to the target line.”

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