Long putters - what are your thoughts?

I have started a thread about technological advances and no one has mentioned anything to do with putters yet.

I noticed that Adam Scott was using a long putter the other day and was wondering what your thoughts are on them. Do you like them? Do you think they should be banned? Do you think that they look ugly but alright?

Would you or do you you use them?

Banned.

Don't use one, don't have a problem with anyone that does.

I don't buy into the argument that thery give an advantage, that would only be the case if only certain people were allowed to use them. As for banning them....why? If you are going down that road, where do you stop? May as well ban anything 'modern' and go back to hickories and featheries.

Got a funny email recently outlining some of the differences between Labour voters and Conservative voters that reminds me of this. The general gist is that if a Labour voter doesn't like something then they believe that nobody should have it and it should be banned whereas a Conservative voter would not do/have/use it themselves but also not care if anyone else does.

Golf is a game that is meant to be fun. It is not fun missing putts because you are not mentally strong and not fun playing with someone or watching someone struggle on the greens. If long putters increase the fun for some then let them enjoy...

Sounds about right Harrison.

Why shouldn't people use them? I think they're a nightmare to use myself. Tried one and I struggled to keep it on the green. I'd hate to have a 3 footer with one. If it managed to hit the hole the thing is so nasty and heavy I would think it would take out the back lip and leave a putting pitchmark.

Ahh LJ, you are like a little Thatcher light.

McLaren wrote:Ahh LJ, you are like a little Thatcher light.

Is that like someone who goes around setting thatched cottages on fire or something?

Thatcherite I can see... But I have never been caught in an arson case.

LondonJonnyO wrote:

Why shouldn't people use them? I think they're a nightmare to use myself. Tried one and I struggled to keep it on the green. I'd hate to have a 3 footer with one. If it managed to hit the hole the thing is so nasty and heavy I would think it would take out the back lip and leave a putting pitchmark.

Agree 100% I find them very cumbersome and difficult to control. Well, slightly more difficult to control than my normal putter!!

Dont like them and don't think they're in the spirit of the game, but have no problem with them as they're legal, just something not quite right about them. Its like having an extra 2-foot on my driver shaft, which is illegal. Sorry for the guys who use a long one, but they're using it as it gives them better results than a standard putter - because they're allowed? Just the spirit of it for me

Doc wrote:Dont like them and don't think they're in the spirit of the game, but have no problem with them as they're legal, just something not quite right about them. Its like having an extra 2-foot on my driver shaft, which is illegal. Sorry for the guys who use a long one, but they're using it as it gives them better results than a standard putter - because they're allowed? Just the spirit of it for me

my thoughts exactly

Doc, if you think they will give you better results, why not use one?

After all, the challenge of the game is to shoot as low as you possibly can....isn't it??

As yet no player seems to have greatly improved putting stats using the long putter compared to a normal one.

Can anyone think of a player who was truly great with the long putter?

Until someone starts to hole everything with one there is of course no need for the authorities to step in. This does not mean I think they are within the spirit of the game.

So would you allow extra long shafts?

Would you allow this: http://totallyabsurd.com/12gaugegolfclub.htm

just because its in the rules, shouldnt make it right.

that is of course my opinion.

Most golf innovations could probably have been classed at some point as not being in the spirit of the game!?!

Large headed drivers, balls that spin more, lob wedges that hit it high, hybrids that get it out the rough etc etc etc could all have been classed as in poor spirit when they were introduced. How about 2 Ball putters or drawing a line on your ball to make it easier to line up?

If something's available for everyone then there should not be a problem with it being used by anyone...

Hobo wrote:So would you allow extra long shafts?

Would you allow this: http://totallyabsurd.com/12gaugegolfclub.htm

just because its in the rules, shouldnt make it right.

that is of course my opinion.

Why not? If you can hit a long shafted driver straight then you should be allowed to use it.

How about banning people using the gym to hit the ball further or eating/drinking energy products to stop fatigue?

Or maybe banning those that would choose to ban them. Now that would make the game more fun...

This banning chat is nonsense and exactly the sort of snobbery that puts people off the game. I assume you guys are all still using hickory clubs? Thought not.

I find the broom handle putters really unsightly, but the belly putters don't offend me in the slightest. If it works for you and is legal, then it is fine by me.

I should be banned, resting the handle of the putter on the chest to restrict yips in the stroke in getting unfair advantage in my book.

McLaren wrote:As yet no player seems to have greatly improved putting stats using the long putter compared to a normal one.

Can anyone think of a player who was truly great with the long putter?

Until someone starts to hole everything with one there is of course no need for the authorities to step in. This does not mean I think they are within the spirit of the game.

I think it is on 4-6 feet putts that it really helps as you dont bigger swing and aids delivering the face square @ impact. When we are half-way through the season i will check Adam Scott starts on the short putts and other distances compare to last season on the PGA Tour

i remember that people also stated that medal woods should be banned when they first came out...............................

neutral07 wrote:I should be banned, resting the handle of the putter on the chest to restrict yips in the stroke in getting unfair advantage in my book.

If you think that, why don't you start using the long putter yourself?

Banned. No shadow of a doubt for me. Sorry.

sharrison01 wrote:Golf is a game that is meant to be fun. It is not fun missing putts because you are not mentally strong and not fun playing with someone or watching someone struggle on the greens. If long putters increase the fun for some then let them enjoy...

By that logic, anything that makes it more fun for someone should be allowed eh?


No. They take the movement of the shoulders out of the stroke and restrict that contributed by the arms. Nay, nay and thrice nay. That said, the R&A and USGA are a bit spineless when it comes to the "Restraint of trade!" squeals from the OEMs. Two/three ball putters should be banned as well; Langer's genuine one with two balls stuck on the back was but the Odysseys are ok? Joke.

Redrage wrote:This banning chat is nonsense and exactly the sort of snobbery that puts people off the game.

Don't be daft.

Redrage wrote: I assume you guys are all still using hickory clubs? Thought not.

Actually, I have one I occasionally practice with for a laugh.

Redrage wrote:I find the broom handle putters really unsightly, but the belly putters don't offend me in the slightest. If it works for you and is legal, then it is fine by me.

That's the problem; the authorities don't have enough control over equipment. If something isn't specifically already addressed in the equipment rules you can bet the OEMs will take advantage and it takes too long to redress the balance by which time it's (usually) too late.

neutral07 wrote:I should be banned, resting the handle of the putter on the chest to restrict yips in the stroke in getting unfair advantage in my book.

Well, if you feel like that, I'm sure King Beer et al. would be happy to oblige .

I am fairly sure that no Major has yet been won by a player using a long handled putter (could be wrong). If I'm right, when the pressure's really on, they obviously don't help that much. Wouldn't use one myself, but I've never been afflicted by "the yips". If I was, my view could well change!

Was Vijay using conventional putters when he won his Majors? Not sure...

navyblueshorts wrote:That's the problem; the authorities don't have enough control over equipment. If something isn't specifically already addressed in the equipment rules you can bet the OEMs will take advantage and it takes too long to redress the balance by which time it's (usually) too late.

They acted pretty quickly on the drivers with high coefficiant of restitution or whatever they called it (trampoline effect on the driver club face). I had a nice King Cobra that I got cheap second hand but was made illegal shortly after I bought it

navyblueshorts wrote: Nay, nay and thrice nay.

You called

I have no issues with the long putter or belly putter, i dont use either but do not see why they should be banned, if you look at the pga putting stats, there are very few players who use the long putter in the top 50. As has been stated no player has won a major with a long putter.

I had a go of a long putter in american golf and spent more time trying not to trip up the thing, let alone hit the ball properly

For me the main point of contention is that you are anchoring the club against your body, therefore you are not making a "proper" stroke at the ball.

so they should be allowed but must be held in the hands not touching other parts of the body....

And now I have opened up a whole debate about disabled golfers

A quick question to those that like to ban things that they do not like-

Is there any proof that you are aware of that long putters can actually make you putt better?

To my knowledge, there has never been a major winner using one, never been a world number 1 using one and never been somebody at the top of the tour putting stats using one. Surely if these putters had that big an impact that they should be banned then why do the top players not use them to get an advantage over the field? The long putter is only ever used by a player that is putting poorly and I have never seen somebody that is putting well to opt for a long putter to get better.

Again, I could point to absolutely loads of innovations in golf that have made more of an impact than using a long putter yet most of you will be happily carrying them in your bags moaning about something that you haven't chosen to carry.

Guys. Long putters have been used to win majors. Langer has won seniors majors using a brromhandle. And if that's not a 'real' major to your mind then Angel Cabrera used a belly putter to win the masters in 2009.

LondonJonnyO wrote:Guys. Long putters have been used to win majors. Langer has won seniors majors using a brromhandle. And if that's not a 'real' major to your mind then Angel Cabrera used a belly putter to win the masters in 2009.

Thanks for pointing those out.

Still not really much of a case to suggest that long putters make a player putter better. A couple of majors in the history of golf...

But then take-up of the longer putter with the top players is low compared to the standard putter. So there will be fewer instances. And they have only really been popular since around 1991 or so.

It is interesting to note that although there have only been a handful of wins using the longer putter there have been a high incidence of second place finishes using the long stick.

Even still, it is not a strong enough case to ban something.

You could almost argue the same with, say, a hybrid. If a player cannot hit their long irons well enough then they will choose a hybrid meaning that my thousands of hours down the range learning to strike it properly and hit good long irons will give me little advantage over a chopper that hasn't bothered and instead chooses to load up on hybrids.

As for the second places, that may point as much towards mentality as their putter. The only players that resort to longer putters are those that have struggled on the greens which would show/cause low confidence on the greens. Thus they are less capable of holing those 6-10 footers required top win a major...

Harrison I wouldn't ban them anyway. Start doing that and you get out of control with what can and can't be used.

The only thin I would do is prevent them being used vertically so as to ensure there isn't the possibility of moving the club straight back and through with no change to the face angle relative to the line. And I think they already stipulate that in the rules.

Didn't think you were part of the "I don't like them, ban them" camp.

Evidently the rules already incorporate them adequately.

The other thing with putting is that stroking the ball in the direction that you want it to go is not really the only determinant of a holed putt. I can honestly say that in my golfing life I have holed far more putts that were stroked poorly than those that were stroked well and I am guessing that most golfers would be the same.

Don't have a problem with the pros using them, if I was competing for thousands of pounds every week I'd try any advantage I could too. Happy for normal plebs to use them too if they want, but I'll laugh at them if they do.

you wouldn't laugh at them using it to get a two club length drop that made it back into the fairway though.

LondonJonnyO wrote:you wouldn't laugh at them using it to get a two club length drop that made it back into the fairway though.

I'm firmly in the don't care camp but that's the one instance that makes me wonder whether it's in the spirit - the drop. Putt with it all you like, but whilst I admit I'll use my driver to measure the 2 clublengths, if challenged I'd at least be able to hit a long shot with it, not so with a putter.

I have often wondered why the two club length rule does not stipulate it must be two club lengths of the club you will hit the shot with?

I think that the two club's length is more to do with discretion of the player and not the cause of a long putter. If someone uses it to measure their clublengths then that says more about them than about the putter.

In my opinion, the greatest part of golf is it's integrity and this would not be in keeping with that. However, if they want to use it to measure out my gimme's then I'm all ears...

McLaren wrote:I have often wondered why the two club length rule does not stipulate it must be two club lengths of the club you will hit the shot with?

Mainly because if you take the club you were intending to hit the shot with, measured the drop and got a stinking lie, you would then be penalised when you drop down to a shorter club.

Having reviewed footage from the 2009 Masters final round Cabrera used a putter with a grip two thirds of the way down the shaft but he held it right at the top and putted with it conventionally not with the end pressed into his body. Thus not as a belly putter. And I wasn't including seniors majors in my original comment.

LJ

Then tough luck, pick a sensible club that covers that possibility.

LondonJonnyO wrote:

McLaren wrote:I have often wondered why the two club length rule does not stipulate it must be two club lengths of the club you will hit the shot with?

Mainly because if you take the club you were intending to hit the shot with, measured the drop and got a stinking lie, you would then be penalised when you drop down to a shorter club.

I have sometimes wondered if you were planning on hitting (say) a 4-iron but got a stinking lie and could only hit a 9-iron, how much advantage you would gain from measuring with the 4 as opposed to the 9. How many inches different would it be and is your drop really that accurate anyway?

It should be allowed but it looks ridicolous. Scott comes out as a w@nker.

drive4show wrote:

neutral07 wrote:I should be banned, resting the handle of the putter on the chest to restrict yips in the stroke in getting unfair advantage in my book.

If you think that, why don't you start using the long putter yourself?

Short game isnt a the problem for me, its long game and i have good feel for distance on the green.

neutral07 wrote:

drive4show wrote:

neutral07 wrote:I should be banned, resting the handle of the putter on the chest to restrict yips in the stroke in getting unfair advantage in my book.

If you think that, why don't you start using the long putter yourself?

Short game isnt a the problem for me, its long game and i have good feel for distance on the green.

Sorry but your argument smacks of "I'm alright Jack" You don't have any putting problems but you want to deny those that do?