Belly putters to be banned?

Both the USGA and R&A are looking into belly putters.....i think they're a bit late to the game....

http://golfweek.com/news/2012/feb/05/usga-r-may-not-spare-belly-putters-after-all/

BS... Wonder what else they discussed about in the meeting!

JonL_TK wrote:

BS... Wonder what else they discussed about in the meeting!

oh no, my frenemy is worried!

Wah liddat Mowen better be worried too!

Hiaz....lose weight lor.

They alr f up the wedge groove thingy liao. Now they wanna f up the putters.

And Asahi, I alr told u PGA tour all the belly putter users no tummy one. Ms Lee and Mowen are not good examples.

Better try it out while u can!

If they go with Tiger's suggestion, you can keep your belly and your broomstick...just need longer wedges....

From sports.yahoo.com/golf
Woods said he has spoken to Royal & Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson the last several years about how the language could be written in the Rules of Golf that effectively would ban such putters.

“My idea was to have it so that the putter would be equal to or less than the shortest club in your bag,” Woods said. “And I think with that, we’d be able to get away from any type of belly anchoring.”

Bummer...Looks like I am going to have to put that idea on the shelf until a ruling comes down.

I agree with TW's view.

there must be some guidelines on the length ...

Hmm.... Belly putters? Never tried it before but it just doesn't appeal to me.

33 / 32" length putter does it good for me.

The rules are rules...if the new equip is within the current rule, then no choice. no point crying about it. Maybe they should ban white drivers or colored balls (as both seems to have some effect)

Here is an article that goes over some of the stats and raises question as to whether and outright ban of belly putters would be good for the game (in case no one noticed there are clear difference between everyday golfers and touring professionals) and is even needed as the stats don't seem to suggest there is much improvement despite 3x as many players using the method.

Anyhow I am guessing since Tiger talked about it and is against it, that something will be done. Best guess is that belly putters will be legal, anchoring the club to the body will become illegal (in essence eliminating the use for a belly putter, but not outright banning it).

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/blogs/hotlist365/2011/08/stats-unclear-on-the-long-putt.html

i have always advocate the need to free onself and thus when someone comes in to ask for a belly putter, i feel like i need to explain the difference between putting with a fixed point versus using a shorter putter without a fixed axis. if one understand how a putting stroke works, putting with a fixed point will actually reduce feel and control.

having said that it was pretty irresponsible for a ruling committee to publish something like a possible ban. it will have a big effect on playing professionals who are currently using a belly or a broomstick.

rules keep changing and if you look at some of the older clips (black and white) some of the putters used would have been banned today.

one of the most peculiar putter i have seen was at the british open in 2010 cos i was on the green and i saw KJ training and playing with this putter. needless to say, he missed the cut by a mile and the inventor disappear from the surface of the earth.



DGman

this putter reminds me of the movie "7 days in utopia"..

Eric,

is that what they call the side saddle putter?
Sam Snead did that in the past after he was banned from using the croquet style

I think the Golf club makers will Lobby for keep Belly Putters "legal"

Most of the putter makers have already invested $$$$
and we just have to accept that there are players who feel better when playing a Belly Putter

I do not see any advantage when one uses a belly putter.
Ernie Els & Phil Mickleson have tried them but have failed to win a tournament.

Belly Putter have aided Golfers who have back problems

yes its the side saddle putter....

i've tried belly putter and i think its an easier way to putt. my hands just cant keep still when using a standard putter. belly putter helps my hand keep stable and still and thus give me more accurate putting. just my opinion

try broomstick if you have the chance. its actually quite a nice way to make a putt.

however the lie angle on a broomstick has to be more than 76 degrees and less than 80 degrees which is one reason why you don't get a lot of choices.

i will built one on a ZEN for demo purposes.

DGman

S70B wrote:

They alr f up the wedge groove thingy liao. Now they wanna f up the putters.

And Asahi, I alr told u PGA tour all the belly putter users no tummy one. Ms Lee and Mowen are not good examples.

Better try it out while u can!

Ms Lee if you find a solution or better putter if this "Ban the belly putter" really happens Can PM me ..

Wonder whether the size of the putter head will be a consideration as well??

so the fiasco continue.......USGA advocating ban.....but PGA tour say no.

so who will win?

its just funny to me....when one interview the belly putter-ers......they likely say, change to belly help....then , when the proposed ban comes along....then say, no diff....

does this apply to asian tour also?

I've been using a broomstick putter all these while and got so used to it. I won't say it does give an edge, but its definitely gentle for my back.

There is not enough empirical data to support an advantage yet, 3 majors in the last 30yrs+ isn't statistically significant.

In 2012, there were only 2 anchored putters (Bradley, Petersson) in the top 30 PGA tour strokes gained in putting. The foremost stats in putting. Zero in Top 10. Both golfers have used anchored putters for years. They didn't dominate amateur and college competition.

Does it make some golfers putt better? Yes it does. Me, for example. Ernie Els too.
Does it make all golfers putt better, everytime? No, it doesn't. None of my kakis want to use. Snedeker and Luke don't think is good for them

The belly putter efficacy isn't proven over time/enough samples. They should do a study of belly putters vs non belly putters, measure stats before using belly vs after, but at the same time measure new balls vs old balls technology, high moi vs low moi drivers etc.

USGA has always said the proposed ban is about "the sanctity of the game", keeping true to its origins. Its not about advantage, at least not YET

Wait. Anchoring is not confirmed to banned yet?