Tiger Wants to Ban the Long Putter

[RichWW2]

Originally Posted by Texian

That won't satisfy the long putter haters. As someone who uses a 43-inch putter, I have tried anchoring by having the butt of the shaft touch the belly button area and also by holding it with an anchored left hand (I'm right handed) touching the chest, and the putter shaft not touching the chest. It's my experience that the second method is better because your hand is stable yet pivots while your belly button/stomach area moves at least slightly no matter how flat bellied you are.

You won't satisfy everyone obviously, I just don't like the putters that are actually into people's belly buttons and they still have two hands in a normal putting grip.  That is definitely anchoring i.e. against the rules, in my opinion.  If they want to have one hand on the top of the club and their hand on their chest that is okay with me.  Just can't have the club physically touch anywhere else on the body besides your hands.

Does anyone on tour still use the sweeping putters? Haha. I remember those being all the rage for a bit way back when. Tried on at a golf store one and absolutely hated it. Still gives me nightmares thinking about it.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by RichWW2

You won't satisfy everyone obviously, I just don't like the putters that are actually into people's belly buttons and they still have two hands in a normal putting grip.  That is definitely anchoring i.e. against the rules, in my opinion.  If they want to have one hand on the top of the club and their hand on their chest that is okay with me.  Just can't have the club physically touch anywhere else on the body besides your hands.

Does anyone on tour still use the sweeping putters? Haha. I remember those being all the rage for a bit way back when. Tried on at a golf store one and absolutely hated it. Still gives me nightmares thinking about it.

It should be noted that that still isn't against the rules.  It may be wrong in your opinion, but not against the rules....yet

[teamroper60]

Originally Posted by Shorty

He was photographed laughing with doctors and returned to the clubhouse when he was told that Tiger had gone.

According to the news media, he was released on Monday , so yeah, I am sure Tiger was gone.........

[teamroper60]

BTW,  where is the quote about 6 being too many and 7 an insult?   I would really like to read that one......

[bplewis24]

I'm going to get you one of these for your birthday :

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by teamroper60

BTW,  where is the quote about 6 being too many and 7 an insult?   I would really like to read that one......

You need to turn up the sensitivity of your kidding detector.

[zeg]

Originally Posted by turtleback

You need to turn up the sensitivity of your kidding detector.

Where can I get one of these "kidding detectors?"

You're sitting on a gold mine, turtleback!

[RichWW2]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

It should be noted that that still isn't against the rules.  It may be wrong in your opinion, but not against the rules....yet

I understand that it's not against the rules.  My opinion is that what they do is against the "spirit" of the rule though.  In my opinion they are anchoring.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by zeg

Where can I get one of these "kidding detectors?"

You're sitting on a gold mine, turtleback!

First time anyone called my butt a gold mine.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Here's a letter on the subject that was published in the March 30 Golfweek magazine:

"As one of the growing population of 70-year-old golfers, I applaud James Achenbach's "Perspective" on the continued usage of longer-shafted putters ("Long putters help the game evolve," Feb. 24)

"Personally, after two back surgeries in my 50s, I was unable to putt with 34-inch shafts and done with golf. When given a 44-inch belly putter, I rediscovered a new stroke and passed my Playing Ability Test at age 63. Today, I design and custom-build "bellys" for hundreds of seniors.

"As Achenbach said, 'golf is supposed to be fun' for all ages, and the sport definitely needs to 'evolve and change' and grow. Isn't that the No. 1 goal of the PGA and the USGA?

"We must do everything to grow golf as a recreational sport. Longer-shafted-putters are a key to golf's future."

Tom Reneau

PGA Class A

Fort Mill, S.C.

Like I said earlier, without longer-shafted putters, many of us would have to give up the game.

[bplewis24]

You guys aren't competing for millions of dollars on Tour, though.  What's good for recreational golf doesn't necessarily impact what's appropriate for professional golf.

Brandon

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

You guys aren't competing for millions of dollars on Tour, though.  What's good for recreational golf doesn't necessarily impact what's appropriate for professional golf.

Brandon

I understand what you're saying, but I disagree.  Golf is one game, played by a single set of rules.  Does your club championship allow you to play with 16 clubs, or use a small, heavy distance ball off the tee, and then change to a spin ball for your approach?  No, they don't--because those are the rules of golf.  They should be no different for the guys on Tour.

[Phil McGleno]

I hurt my hip and can't play sandlot football either. So what? It's not a God-given right that you be able to play golf until the day you die. It's a sport. If your crippled in some way you might not get to play it. Just get a longer putter and stand up more but don't anchor it to your body fer cryin out loud. Ray Floyd did pretty good like that.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by k-troop

I understand what you're saying, but I disagree.  Golf is one game, played by a single set of rules.  Does your club championship allow you to play with 16 clubs, or use a small, heavy distance ball off the tee, and then change to a spin ball for your approach?  No, they don't--because those are the rules of golf.  They should be no different for the guys on Tour.

Yeah, well..surprise, but I disagree.  My club championship does allow me to use a rangefinder, but the guys on tour are not allowed.  So there are differences.

Still, it has no bearing on the matter.  Golf can have a unified set of rules if they want, but if people start making the case that "i'm old, injured and have a borderline handicap that forces me to play with a specialized style of club," then there will have to be a fracture in the rules.  Who cares about that?  You think the rule makers care that if they ban the long putter some guy in North Dakota with a bad back won't be able to compete in his net stroke club championship?  If they do, they are idiots.

Brandon

[The Recreational Golfer]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

You guys aren't competing for millions of dollars on Tour, though.  What's good for recreational golf doesn't necessarily impact what's appropriate for professional golf.

Brandon

What is appropriate for professional golf in general, and in this case in particular, that would be different for recreational golf?

[MizunoPez]

You guys aren't competing for millions of dollars on Tour, though.  What's good for recreational golf doesn't necessarily impact what's appropriate for professional golf.

Brandon

Agreed. There is a difference between people who are not physically able to use short (normal) putters and pros on tour that choose not to use normal putters even though they are perfectly capable of doing so. I agree on the stance that they should be banned on tour if it can be statistically proven that pros that use them gain an unfair advantage.

[CZM400r]

Long Irons or Hybrids?

Wood to steel shafts?

Steel or Graphite?

Wood or Metal?

Golf balls? I can go on forever.

Putter grip size?

All have changed the game. Its not the club but how it locks into the body I think is unfair.

I have seen longer putters that were held against the inner forearm but not locked in. There are also grips allowed that take alot the hands out of play. Neither I feel have any real substance.

I am not fan of the long putter and believe that locking the club into the body eliminates movements that would be present in a player that gets the yips. Putting is a major part of the game which defines Champions. I also feel that when a player gets a drop, they should have to do it with the club they intent to make the next shot with not the longest in the bag.

Unfair advantage takes from the very fabric this game was founded and with that everybody has the choice of using the long putter which now makes it fair? While you think about that I am going to play with a whapping 34 incher and will never question it.

If everybody thinks the same way, that means one thing..........We have all stopped thinking.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by MizunoPez

Agreed. There is a difference between people who are not physically able to use short (normal) putters and pros on tour that choose not to use normal putters even though they are perfectly capable of doing so.

I agree on the stance that they should be banned on tour if it can be statistically proven that pros that use them gain an unfair advantage.

So if someone was using a pool cue as their putter and there was no statistical advantage you'd be OK with that?  Croquet style putting was banned and I bet there was no study showing any statistical advantage to it.

It isn't about having an advantage, it is about whether anchoring the putter changes the very nature of the "swing".  If you think it does, as I do, then anchoring should be banned, just as croquet putting was banned and just as using a pool cue is banned.

The bad back argument that some have made is really a bit of a red herring, if you only ban anchoring.  Someone with a bad back could still use a long putter and be able to stand upright without anchoring it.  Ray Floyd put a driver shaft on his putter and did it for years.