Belly putter ban may come Nov. 28, 2012

[Moecat]

http://blogs.golf.com/equipment/2012/11/ra-and-usga-holding-joint-teleconference-wednesday-morning.html?sct=hp_t2_a10&eref=sihp

 

After years of debate and months of rumors about what golf's governing bodies will do about anchored putters, it appears the golf world will hear a decision on Wednesday morning.

 

The R&A and USGA announced Tuesday that they will hold a joint teleconference with members of the media at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. On the call will be Peter Dawson, chief executive of the R&A; Mike Davis, executive director of the USGA; David Rickman, executive director of rules and equipment standards for the R&A; and Thomas Pagel, senior director for the Rules of Golf for the USGA.

 

The topic of the call was not announced, but it's certain to address the growing controversy around the use of various kinds of long putters that are anchored to the body while putting. The most common method is belly putting, in which the butt end of the grip is steadied against the golfer's stomach. Purists argue that this makes putting under pressure easier by lessening the effects of shaky hands.

 

Three of the last five majors have been won by players using belly putters: Keegan Bradly at the 2011 PGA Championship, Webb Simpson at the 2012 U.S. Open, and Ernie Els at the 2012 British Open. Golf.com will have more details as they become available.

[hckymeyer]

Interesting, I'd love to watch the teleconference, but I'll guessing the news will be all over if a decision comes down.

 

I tried switching to a belly for the last 5 or so rounds of the year and I'l say it definitely isn't as easy as many make it seem.

[Super Tuna]

Selfishly, I hope they do can it.

 

Then people will sell their belly's for cheap. I can then cut them down to the length I want and get a bunch of heavy headed putters without having to muck with extra weights (either the cost for Scotty ones or the uglyness of lead tape on non Scotty putters).

 

Viva la 400G putter head!

[RoverRick]

Well Moe, I moved my radiation back one hour, to 9:30. I obviously didn't tell them the reason, though I'm gonna be glued to the GC(I'll be in Cleveland).

 

Man, this day has the potential to really suck. Obviously I'm not gonna be feelin that great, however that'll pass.

 

The modified custom 42" Scotty Select Notchback 2 putter in my bag, that's about to become an outlawed relic of days gone by?

 

That bitterness is gonna take a lot longer to pass..LOL(sorta)

 

Thanx for the post

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever

 

I do not think they are going to ban them. And if they do 4ruck em. They could argue statistics on the grooves and even then it had no effect. Here it is purely what some people like and what some do not. I do not care because I while I am currently still on the honeymoon with the Kombi, I will be playing what ever I want the next few years anyway. By then the USGA may be out of business because the got sued by people with more money. .

 

 

Only played a few holes today but still shot under par.

[whiskey golf]

I wish I could watch the teleconference but I can't. I think it would be ridiculous if they banned it. What's the point? If you've ever used a belly putter, you would know that it doesn't automatically make everything, it can miss as easily as a normal putter. Plus, if it's SO easy, why doesn't everybody use it? It's available to everyone so I don't get why people complain so much about it taking away nerves and all that crap.

[RoverRick]

Man, I hope that you're right. The majority of the tea leaf readers seem to think that the ban's comin.

 

I hope not.

 

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever

 

I am not currently using a long putter or anchored putter and have never putted better in my life. (This week. )

 

I have read the same article that the "tea leaf readers" have read and no "official" has said one way or the other. When you look at the quotes. But the writers of these articles write them such that the ban will be implemented in 2016. What the man said was they would look at it this year, but if they did do something it would not be until 2016 because it is too late to implement it into this years cycle and they do not want it to dominate talk for the next four years so they will rule this year, and the headline says "Ban planned for 2016. These sensationaly headlines are to drive up interest in the talk shows and commentary.

 

Now if they want to put this behind them, then they will say they looked at it and decided there was no particular advantage. If Ernie Els won the Open because he had a long putter than why didn't Adam Scott, his was longer. Why did the Americans not make a putt during the Ryder Cup when half of them were using long putters. They are legal and if you do not like them. then do not use them, but shut up about them. If they want this to dominate the sport, than this will become a bigger issue than the Olympics in 2016.

 

When the child is 30 years old it is a bit late to use the "life of the mother" arguement as a reason to abort the previous decision. The state of the game in my opinion would suffer much greater damage than someone using a putter that is not to your liking. It certainly is not more offensive than some of the clothing that is worn.

 

But we will see in a few more hours. I was going to record it but I am pretty sure it will be replayed.

[westy]

So pro's have got till 2016 to stop anchoring; haven't seen anything yet about amateurs? Glad I picked up a Cleveland classic recently, looks like I need to learn to use a short putter again!

I'm a bit bummed out about the whole thing.

[RoverRick]

I got up and turned the TV on to watch this and my wife said. "Do you have to watch this now!" I pointed out that it was live now, but since she is studying I decided that Golf Channel would repeat it. I will watch it before revisiting this thread.

[hckymeyer]

Wow, wasn't expecting that decision. I'll say it doesn't really affect me at all. I did switch to a belly at the end of this year, but I haven't put any practice time into it and the results weren't all that great. I'll probably have better luck just putting in the practice time with a regular putter. Either way I would think this would have a sharp impact on putter sales and in the long run might hurt the OEM's as I'm guessing belly sales over the past few years have been a large part of their sales.

 

Quick recap of the article...

 

Goes into effect in 2016

Affects all levels of golf. Both amateurs and pros

90 day comment period to talk with golf insiders before becoming "official"

Keegan decided not to sue

 

Here's a link to the article

[Super Tuna]

Keegan decided not to sue

 

 

Way to stand behind your convictions.

[RoverRick]

 

Keegan decided not to sue

 

Here's a link to the article

 

Keegan said that when he said that he was not intending to sue, he said all resourse to fight it. He was not thinking law suit at the time. As far as a lawsuit he would wait and see how the ruling came down. I am not aware of anything he said this morning but the PGA is against it so there is no reason for him to go out on a limb at this point. The other tour players are mostly against it also. Except those who are great putters without it.

[hckymeyer]

 

Way to stand behind your convictions.

 

 

Keegan said that when he said that he was not intending to sue, he said all resourse to fight it. He was not thinking law suit at the time. As far as a lawsuit he would wait and see how the ruling came down. I am not aware of anything he said this morning but the PGA is against it so there is no reason for him to go out on a limb at this point. The other tour players are mostly against it also. Except those who are great putters without it.

 

Though it had been previously reported that Bradley was prepared to challenge a potential ban, perhaps to the point of legal action, the 26-year-old squashed all notions Tuesday at the World Challenge. Yes, he will continue to use the belly putter until the ban is implemented, but added, “I have total respect for Mike Davis and the USGA, and they are doing what they think is best for the game, and I respect that.”

 

I'm guessing he is getting some pressure from the old guard to just play along, but way to stand up for what you believe in. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next 90 days.

[jayhawker]

When this thread was first posted earlier this afternoon there was a little over 1600 results on eBay when I searched belly putter. Now there are a little over 1700 results. I bet this number is going to shoot up over the course of the next week and month.

[Super Tuna]

When this thread was first posted earlier this afternoon there was a little over 1600 results on eBay when I searched belly putter. Now there are a little over 1700 results. I bet this number is going to shoot up over the course of the next week and month.

 

Sweet. Cheap, heavy putter heads ahoy.

[lmh3]

I think we may see some really interesting putting methods being tested over the next few years. I'm waiting for someone to do the Happy Gilmore style putting. Gulab is did something like it a couple of years back.

[hckymeyer]

I think we may see some really interesting putting methods being tested over the next few years. I'm waiting for someone to do the Happy Gilmore style putting. Gulab is did something like it a couple of years back.

 

Have you watched Big Break? I'm thinking something similar to James Lepp's (Kikkor founder) chipping style. The saucer pass!!

[RoverRick]

Though it had been previously reported that Bradley was prepared to challenge a potential ban, perhaps to the point of legal action, the 26-year-old squashed all notions Tuesday at the World Challenge. Yes, he will continue to use the belly putter until the ban is implemented, but added, “I have total respect for Mike Davis and the USGA, and they are doing what they think is best for the game, and I respect that.”

 

I'm guessing he is getting some pressure from the old guard to just play along, but way to stand up for what you believe in. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next 90 days.

 

 

The complete quote is this:

“I never said the word ‘sue'; I never said the words ‘legal action.' Somehow it got twisted around into that,” Bradley said from Sherwood Country Club, site of this week's World Challenge. “I have total respect for [executive director] Mike Davis and the USGA, and they are doing what they think is best for the game, and I respect that. That doesn't mean that I'm happy with the decision, but I respect what they're trying to do. They're definitely not trying to make the game worse, I know that.”

 

Asked whether legal recourse could be a future route, Bradley explained, “I haven't even thought that far. I don't even know if that's even possible.”

 

While playing the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament recently, he said, “I'm going to do whatever I have to do to protect myself and the other players on Tour. I look at it as a whole, as us all together. I don't look at it as much about myself. I think that for them to ban this after we've done what we've done is unbelievable.”

 

I stand by my earlier statement. However, Keegan is not alone in this battle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PGA of America president Ted Bishop told Golf Channel his organization is concerned over how the proposed new rule banning anchored putting will affect its initiatives to grow the game.

 

"We have spent a lot of time in the past year to get out of the box and think of ways to make golf more enjoyable," Bishop said. "We view this potentially as a step backwards in that philosophy."

 

 

Bishop said a majority of club pros surveyed by the PGA of America do not favor banning anchored putting.

 

Of the 4,228 club pros surveyed by the PGA last week, 63 percent did not want to see a ban. The sampling represents 16 percent of the PGA's membership.

 

"It indicates the concern that PGA pros have for how this might impact the growth of the game," Bishop said.

 

Bishop said that's a considerable concern of the entire organization.

 

"Maybe some of the frustration that the PGA of America feels is that we have conveyed concerns on how this might impact growth of the game, enjoyment of the game," Bishop said. "We spent a lot of time in the past year promoting Golf 2.0 and have gotten a lot of national support for that. So, I just don't want to see anything happen right now that takes a step back in that area."

 

"I don't know that it will drive people away from the game. The biggest concern is for the group of core golfers who have decided that this is a method of putting that will greatly help their enjoyment of the game. When people are playing better, they play more golf.

 

"Fundamentally and philosophically, it's disappointing to the PGA of America that anything would happen right now that would have any potential negative impact on enjoyment and rounds played."

 

[Ice]

I want to convert my BC3 to a belly now. Buy a SeeMore X2 and convert my Betti to a belly. Just to be a rebel.

[revkev]

I want to convert my BC3 to a belly now. Buy a SeeMore X2 and convert my Betti to a belly. Just to be a rebel.

 

I'll buy one of those from you and use it too in order to stand in solidarity with my belly putting brethren.

 

By the way I also heard that the USGA and R and A seriously considered a ban on beveridge carts because they are new to the game and they add too much enjoyment for the average golfer.

[Ice]

I think this is ridiculous. They can't cite that it provides an advantage over those using a short putter because those using a short putter can go get a long putter if they want that advantage. Are rangefinders in the spirit on the game? They didn't have those is 1920. Spirit of the game is also a BS argument.

[JonasVenture]

Ice, exactly! I made this point in another thread: if anyone can use it, by definition there is no advantage. I think I'm converting to side-saddle out of spite; then we'll see what really looks like a "golf swing"!

[furu]

The long putter has been around since 1930s. Only became popular in the 1980s.

 

Golf has been around for 600 years.

 

The long putter is nothing compared to the history of the game. It will be a footnote in the history of golf. It's not important and we have to understand that. Let it go. I had to see Titanic with a girlfriend when I was in college (in Iowa......). Picture yourself in a lifeboat holding on to Bradleys Odyssey putter. Time to accept that you have to let go.

 

Interesting to see that the support for a new rule is far higher in Europe vs. USA. Last time I checked a poll on Golf Digest it was 66% for a new rule. Sky Sports was 91% for.

[RoverRick]

I read this and Furyk kept saying that now is not the time to discuss what they will do if the ban goes through. I hope that is just the official stance to give the USGAholes maneuvering room and not the same head in he sand approach they had all last year.

[revkev]

It would be ridiculous to have the USGA ban fixed putters for the average player and have the best players in the world allowed to use it.

 

I would agree now is the time for the guys on tour to speak out - not later.

[The Artful Duffer]

Just heard that the PGA tour is sending notice to the USGA that they are against the anchored ban after talking to the player advisory council.

[The Artful Duffer]

RP, the commentators we discussing a possible scenario where if the USGA/R&A do ban the long putter but the PGA doesn't that you could have half of the majors allowing the use(Masters/PGA) but the other half (US/Brit) not. How much of a bifurcated nightmare would that turn out to be? Anchored putting has been accepted longer than I've been alive and at this point why bother with the change? Spirit of the games rosy red... Never mind. A couple major wins using the long sticks and everyone is up in arms cuz it just doesn't mesh with the traditions of the game. If it helps a guy enjoy the round a little more, keeps him from giving up the game altogether, I think the golf gods will be ok.

[Moecat]

Rick Reilly's perspective ... http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/8962952/ban-belly-putter

 

Keegan Bradley (l) and Ernie Els ® both use belly putters. Rory McIlroy uses a regular putter. But the game of golf is facing a dilemma that may leave Bradley, Els and others in the lurch.

 

People have been cheating with putters since before the birth of Mulligan.

In a back room at USGA headquarters, I once found putters with firing pistons, putters with rubber-band faces, putters with mirrors so you can see the ball and the hole at the same time. Putters you plant in the ground and pull back like a pendulum, putters you lay behind, putters that stand up by themselves. Level-bubble putters, rolling-ball putters and drop-the-ball-down-the-rainspout putters. All now banned.

 

Which is why it's crazy that one of the most flimflam ideas in putting since "good-good?" is still legal -- the long putter.

 

If there is any sense in the world, that will all end very soon.

 

The long putter, aka the belly putter, aka the broomstick, aka the cheatstick, makes putting easier because you can anchor the butt end against your chest or your gut. That takes out half the variable in a putting stroke. It's steroids with a leather handle.

 

Let me ask you: If you could serve in tennis knowing the toss would be at the same spot every time, wouldn't you? If you could shoot at a target range with the pistol bolted down, how much easier would it be? If a tailback could start on track blocks, wouldn't he?

 

Cheating is cheating, no matter how much Callaway makes on it.

 

And yet usually sensible humans like Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els are trying to talk the USGA and the Royal and Ancient out of doing the right thing: banning the act of "anchoring" a putter against the body. Those two governing bodies are poised to do that this spring. Meanwhile, the panicky PGA Tour's policy board -- which includes players and commissioner Tim Finchem -- met via conference call Monday to decide whether they'll:

 

A) go along with the ban, beginning in 2016.

 

ignore the ban, creating holy hell among the heavenly world powers of golf, or;

 

C) try to jerry-rig some mess that would allow amateurs like you and me to have them and pros like them not to, which is sort of like having separate road rules for cars vs. buses.

 

From reports of people on that call Monday, it looks like Finchem will be trying to sell C.

 

"But I'd have a hard time with that," Mickelson says. "If we start to play the game with a completely different set of rules -- using balls that don't go as far, grooves that spin less, and putters that aren't as efficient -- why would people come out and watch us?"

 

The pants?

 

No, all three organizations need to Ban Them or Keep Them, nothing in between.

 

In the Ban Them crowd: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Arnold Palmer, and people who love the game.

 

In the Keep Them crowd: Els, Keegan Bradley, and Webb Simpson -- who've won three of the past five majors using the scamstick -- Bill Haas, who won the $10M FedEx Cup with one, and people who love their hedge funds.

 

(Funny about Els. He's telling everybody now there's no evidence it helps. But when he switched to it, he laughed: "As long as it's legal, I'll cheat like the rest of them.")

 

"I think Tim Finchem will back his players," says Bradley, who hasn't used a short putter since 2008. "I can play with it. [He won nine college tournaments with it.] But what about all of the regular Joes out there who just play for fun? I get tweets all the time about it. 'Keegan, I can't lean that far over. I'll have to quit the game.' What are those people supposed to do?"

 

Checkers?

 

The use of long putters is up 12 percent in the past three years for one reason: It makes it easier to putt. So do gimmes. Does Finchem want to allow them?

 

"But these things have been around 30 years," Jim Furyk says. "It's kinda late now to go backward."

 

Couldn't you say the same thing about steroids?

 

And, yes, USGA officials should've squelched the long putter when it was first popularized by Charles Owens in the early 1980s, but they let it slip. Perhaps they were busy watching "Diff'rent Strokes." I don't know. Not my problem.

 

Kevin Stadler says he can't putt well with a regular putter.

 

Just like it's not my problem what somebody like touring pro Kevin Stadler will do without the long putter, which he's used for 15 years straight.

"I literally can't get it into the hole with a short putter," he says. "The last time I used it [at USC], I averaged 37 putts a round. When I switched, the hole went from looking like a dime to a bucket. I have no idea what I'd do for a living without it."

 

Work?

 

Look, golf is hard. Nobody knows that more than me. Putting is hard because the stupid golf ball just sits there, not even moving. It's the pressure, the nerves, the bets that make hitting it into the little hole so impossible. Used to be a guy like Bernhard Langer would get the yips and retire to the broadcast booth. Now, he gets out the wonder wand and plays 20 more years.

 

Tour pro Carl Pettersson, who has used one exclusively for the past 16 years, told The AP's Doug Ferguson, "It feels a bit like a witch hunt to me."

 

He's right. It IS a witch hunt. Because long putters make you putt like a witch.

 

Anchoring the putter is cheating, same as Vaseline on the club face or "Gimme a circle 4."

 

"Wait," asks CBS' Jim Nantz, "You want to ban anchoring?"

 

No, dude. You're fine.

[BIG STU]

RP agree with you as usual but did you know that those jerkoffs on the GC are the new governing body of golf? So they wish. I can tell you one thing you can jerk or push a ball just as bad with a belly or broomstick as a conventional putter. I know because I used a broomstick for 2 years and went back to a conventional putter 2 years ago. I dont see anything wrong with the long putters. As far as the USGA goes I aint renewed my membership in 4 years.