Tiger Wants to Ban the Long Putter

[The Recreational Golfer]

1. I had a back operation last week. I'll be having another one in three weeks. If I have to put with a club that is shorter than my lob wedge, there might come a time when I have to give up the game because I can't bend over to putt with such a club. There could be a large class of golfers forced out of the game if this plan were adopted.

2. Right now, I use a 48" putter that lets me stand reasonably upright (I'm 6'6" tall) just like everyone else does.  (It only comes up to my waist, I so can't anchor it.) Why should I be forced to use a putter built for someone much shorter than I am?

3. People say that belly putting is not the way the game was intended to be played. You swing your driver detached from your body instead of anchoring it in order to hit the ball a long way. That's physics, not intent. If you want to anchor your driver, go ahead, but good luck. (Yes, I know the Rules wouldn't allow you to use a club as long as necessary.)

In putting, you're trying to something entirely different with the ball, I would like to hear a reasoned argument for why that because physics requires a driver to be swing a certain way, a putter has to be swung that way, too. No fair referring to tradition and the like, because that argument takes us right back to wooden shafts and featheries.

[Beachcomber]

I respect Tiger and various other professionals views on the long / belly putter.  I think the R&A; and USGA should simply come up with a set of restrictions similar to how they have with the driver.  But eliminating it altogether is something I believe is unwarranted.  At the end of the day - you still need to complete the pick the line, hit that line with the proper speed.  And anchoring the putter in my mind, based off of the articles I've read - doesn't guarantee either of these things (alignment and speed).

For reference, I use a 34" mallet.  I've never used a long or belly putter.

[walk18]

Originally Posted by The Recreational Golfer

1. I had a back operation last week. I'll be having another one in three weeks. If I have to put with a club that is shorter than my lob wedge, there might come a time when I have to give up the game because I can't bend over to putt with such a club. There could be a large class of golfers forced out of the game if this plan were adopted.

2. Right now, I use a 48" putter that lets me stand reasonably upright (I'm 6'6" tall) just like everyone else does.  (It only comes up to my waist, I so can't anchor it.) Why should I be forced to use a putter built for someone much shorter than I am?

3. People say that belly putting is not the way the game was intended to be played. You swing your driver detached from your body instead of anchoring it in order to hit the ball a long way. That's physics, not intent. If you want to anchor your driver, go ahead, but good luck. (Yes, I know the Rules wouldn't allow you to use a club as long as necessary.)

In putting, you're trying to something entirely different with the ball, I would like to hear a reasoned argument for why that because physics requires a driver to be swing a certain way, a putter has to be swung that way, too. No fair referring to tradition and the like, because that argument takes us right back to wooden shafts and featheries.

Your first 2 points make sense. I'm tall too, 6'4". Im not against putter length, just that it shouldn't be anchored to the body in any way.

[jamo]

3. People say that belly putting is not the way the game was intended to be played. You swing your driver detached from your body instead of anchoring it in order to hit the ball a long way. That's physics, not intent. If you want to anchor your driver, go ahead, but good luck. (Yes, I know the Rules wouldn't allow you to use a club as long as necessary.)

What about chipping with a wedge? Anchoring wouldn't do you any good there, but you're not looking to hit the ball very far.

[brocks]

[QUOTE name="The Recreational Golfer" url="/t/55561/tiger-wants-to-ban-the-long-putter/36#post_677996"] 1. I had a back operation last week. I'll be having another one in three weeks. If I have to put with a club that is shorter than my lob wedge, there might come a time when I have to give up the game because I can't bend over to putt with such a club. There could be a large class of golfers forced out of the game if this plan were adopted. [/quote] First, Tiger didn't say the putter had to be shorter than your lob wedge, he just said no longer. Second, if a putter that is nearly vertical is too short for you, then I don't see how you can hit anything shorter than a five iron when the club is at a normal angle. Third, Tiger's wording is just one idea, and probably not the one that will be adopted, if any of them are. [quote] 2. Right now, I use a 48" putter that lets me stand reasonably upright (I'm 6'6" tall) just like everyone else does.  (It only comes up to my waist, I so can't anchor it.) Why should I be forced to use a putter built for someone much shorter than I am?[/quote] You shouldn't, but again, if your other clubs are built for you, that shouldn't be an issue. That aside, I think that for most people, it's the anchoring, not the length of the club, that is important. Rather than Tiger's idea of the club being no longer than your shortest club, I'd favor a length no longer than your longest iron, and an additional provision that bans anchoring against the body. [quote] 3. People say that belly putting is not the way the game was intended to be played. You swing your driver detached from your body instead of anchoring it in order to hit the ball a long way. That's physics, not intent. If you want to anchor your driver, go ahead, but good luck. (Yes, I know the Rules wouldn't allow you to use a club as long as necessary.) In putting, you're trying to something entirely different with the ball, I would like to hear a reasoned argument for why that because physics requires a driver to be swing a certain way, a putter has to be swung that way, too. No fair referring to tradition and the like, because that argument takes us right back to wooden shafts and featheries. [/quote] Sorry, but tradition is an important part of the game. If you want to throw it out, then modern technology could probably come up with a "club" that you set behind the ball, zero in on the flag with a laser sight, and then push a button on the grip to propel the ball the proper distance without swinging at all. As I noted, they banned croquet putting, and as someone else noted, they banned putting with a pool cue. I agree with those decisions, too. But since you invoke physics, I repeat my question from above: if a putter held vertically is too short for you, how can a wedge of the same length, held at a 45-degree angle, touch the ground?

[iacas]

I'm just trying to figure out how a 48" putter doesn't come up to your waist.

You bend over when you hit your sand wedge, and full swings have a lot of torque and movement and force to them. I realize staying bent over for a long period of time hurts, but I'm not sure I buy that you can't bend over, hit a putt, and be about as okay as you could expect as if you'd done the same thing hitting a sand wedge.

[JesseV]

I could care less what that moron, cheating, sexaholic imbecile has to say about anything! I don't know how many of you are putting for a million dollars, I'm certainly not, and if, after three back surgeries, I need to use a belly putter or long putter to enjoy this game, than that is currently within the rules and tigger can shove a long putter up where the sun don't shine for all I care! tigger needs to worry about his ex-wife and kids and quit worrying about his darned legacy. As far as I'm concerned tigger is a nothing.

[brocks]

I could care less what that moron, cheating, sexaholic imbecile has to say about anything! I don't know how many of you are putting for a million dollars, I'm certainly not, and if, after three back surgeries, I need to use a belly putter or long putter to enjoy this game, than that is currently within the rules and tigger can shove a long putter up where the sun don't shine for all I care! tigger needs to worry about his ex-wife and kids and quit worrying about his darned legacy. As far as I'm concerned tigger is a nothing.

I'll take that as a "no."

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by JesseV

I could care less what that moron, cheating, sexaholic imbecile has to say about anything!

I'm glad you admit that you care, because it sure is obvious.

Brandon

[dharlow]

Originally Posted by brocks

At his press conference today, Tiger revealed that he has been talking with Peter Dawson of the R&A; for "a number of years" about banning the long putter. Tiger wants to restrict the length of the putter to no longer than the shortest other club in the bag.

I agree with him -- not only does anchoring the putter against the body go against the spirit of the game IMO, but having a super long putter gives a player an unfair advantage when measuring club lengths for a drop.

But I can just hear the howls about how the USGA/R&A; are kowtowing to Tiger, if they do come up with some kind of ban.

For historical perspective, a few decades ago some pros, notably Sam Snead, were experimenting with croquet putting, where you straddle the line and face the hole, swinging the putter between your legs. It didn't take them very long to ban that

What do you think? Ban it? Allow it for amateurs, but not for pros? Or leave it alone?

This just makes me LOVE mine all the more.

[dharlow]

Originally Posted by JesseV

I could care less what that moron, cheating, sexaholic imbecile has to say about anything!

I don't know how many of you are putting for a million dollars, I'm certainly not, and if, after three back surgeries, I need to use a belly putter or long putter to enjoy this game, than that is currently within the rules and tigger can shove a long putter up where the sun don't shine for all I care!

tigger needs to worry about his ex-wife and kids and quit worrying about his darned legacy. As far as I'm concerned tigger is a nothing.

Although I agree with your sentiment 100%, it's "couldn't care less". ;)

[clubchamp]

I'm not a fan of belly putters so if they banned them I wouldn't mind but I agree with just stopping the anchoring part. Now I can only speak on the few people I actually know that use or have used one and basically they all struggled with their putting so it seemed like more of a desperation move. I had a go around with one on the practice green and once I got the hang of it I felt it was a big help on shorter putts but more difficult on longer putts.

[JesseV]

Although I agree with your sentiment 100%, it's "couldn't care less". ;)

Pardon my improper use of "could care." ;-) Let me rephrase: I "couldn't care less" what that cheating, family destroying, halfwit, imbecile Eldrick has to say about anything! :-)

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by JesseV

Pardon my improper use of "could care."

Let me rephrase: I "couldn't care less" what that cheating, family destroying, halfwit, imbecile Eldrick has to say about anything!

Except that we all know that isn't true

[MiniBlueDragon]

If a midget plays golf and uses a normal length putter but it touches his belly during use, is it classed as a belly putter and thus he'd be banned from using it too?

What about if I re-shafted all my clubs with Driver shafts and flattened all the lies to get around Tiger's " no longer than the shortest other club in the bag " rule?

Or...

What if I was to wear a girdle with a series of large magnets on it and a metal plate in the handle of my putter so that it's technically not "anchored" but could stay still around a fixed point?

(in case you can't tell belly putters, chin putters etc don't fuss me)

[Zeph]

The shortest club in the bag idea obviously won't work. Perhaps something as simple as "The club must not be anchored against a part of the body that is not the hands" or something like that. You could still sweep the ball with a long putter, but not by anchoring it against your chest or stomach.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Zeph

The shortest club in the bag idea obviously won't work. Perhaps something as simple as "The club must not be anchored against a part of the body that is not the hands" or something like that. You could still sweep the ball with a long putter, but not by anchoring it against your chest or stomach.

Interesting.  Wouldn't that also discourage long shafted putters?  If you are forced into a pendulum swing, wouldn't the longer shaft be tougher to control?

Brandon

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by brocks

For the record, Tiger didn't bring it up. He was doing a press conference, and one of the reporters directly asked his opinion about the use of long putters. He gave an honest and thoughtful answer.

Isn't that what you guys have been saying you want him to do?

Or maybe they just want him to do that so they have grounds to criticize him?