time_vans
Head Pro
just been watching the golf from s.a. on sky and noticed a few of these in use. i've seen very little comment on here about them are they popular amongst the forum or the work of the devil?
belly putters
- Thread starter time_vans
- Start date
John_Findlay
Tour Winner
Even Monty said they should be banned, Tim, and he uses one.
Yes. Work of the devil. Part of the fun of golf is having the yips.
Yes. Work of the devil. Part of the fun of golf is having the yips.
HTL
Tour Winner
In my eyes they are the last option for people struggling with putting. They are totally legal at the moment but people are talking of baning them.
Had a look online for them a few weeks ago and hardly and stores sock them?
Would be interesting to see the results of different people trying them out. And also what the rulings and range is available.
Had a look online for them a few weeks ago and hardly and stores sock them?
Would be interesting to see the results of different people trying them out. And also what the rulings and range is available.
Golfer2112
Assistant Pro
Why ban them when no-one who is any good uses one?
medwayjon
Tour Winner
They should be banned in my view.
HTL
Tour Winner
No-one who is any good uses them? When was the last time you watched some golf? to mention a few Sergio, Vijay and westwood.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Yep, ban them. If I can't drive, I am screwed, if I can't hit irons, I'm screwed, if I shank, I'm screwed. If I can't putt, I buy a long putter. Rubbish. Putting is part of the game, and if you get a bit twitchy over the short ones, tough, deal with it, don't just buy a broom stick.
T
thecraw
Guest
Really interesting discussion this one. I currently use the long putter, aka, Torrance, Langer, O'Hern etc,etc.
Please explain why I should be banned from competitions because I have settled on a different style of putting? I have managed to "master" the broomhandle putter and I guarentee that if any of you guys changed today you would instantly want to go back to your short putter. I put in hours and hours of putting practice in order to get comfortable with the broom. Why penalise me for the committment that I and many others have shown.
I have also tried the Belly putter and I hated it. It just didn't feel right and I hated it but I'm sure others will love it.
I was never the worst with a short putter and I could still easily use one however I am more consistant with the broom, especially from 10ft and it where I now hole more putts.
This is a debate that could run for pages but the bottom line is at present its totally legal and I think it will continue to be so. Long and Belly putters are an option open to all. Few choose to try them and even fewer stick with them so whats the problem?
You guys scared that somebody weilding a big stick beats you?
Please explain why I should be banned from competitions because I have settled on a different style of putting? I have managed to "master" the broomhandle putter and I guarentee that if any of you guys changed today you would instantly want to go back to your short putter. I put in hours and hours of putting practice in order to get comfortable with the broom. Why penalise me for the committment that I and many others have shown.
I have also tried the Belly putter and I hated it. It just didn't feel right and I hated it but I'm sure others will love it.
I was never the worst with a short putter and I could still easily use one however I am more consistant with the broom, especially from 10ft and it where I now hole more putts.
This is a debate that could run for pages but the bottom line is at present its totally legal and I think it will continue to be so. Long and Belly putters are an option open to all. Few choose to try them and even fewer stick with them so whats the problem?
You guys scared that somebody weilding a big stick beats you?
MVP
Journeyman Pro
I dont think they should be banned i just think they look hideous!
stevelockie
Head Pro
Why ban them? There are loads of other clubs with "helpful" additions being used, e.g. square drivers, two/three ball putters, rescue clubs.
All of these are there for game improvement, error minimisation. Why pick on the belly/broom putter, you still have to line it up and make a good stroke?
If you expand that argument, we'll all have to play with persimmon woods, blade irons and a blade putter, and an old ball.
All of these are there for game improvement, error minimisation. Why pick on the belly/broom putter, you still have to line it up and make a good stroke?
If you expand that argument, we'll all have to play with persimmon woods, blade irons and a blade putter, and an old ball.
madandra
Money List Winner
Yip (get it), I think they should be banned simply because they are anchored to the body which flies in the face of tradition.
I played with a guy who had a belly putter, it was a 34" shaft that was in it, buy he had his belly extended.
I must mention the Wednesday weightwatchers to him
I played with a guy who had a belly putter, it was a 34" shaft that was in it, buy he had his belly extended.
I must mention the Wednesday weightwatchers to him
HTL
Tour Winner
I remember in an interview with Lee Westwood he claimed to have 3 belly putters of different length depending on how "comfy" he was at certain times in the year.
They do look awful!
They do look awful!
B
birdieman
Guest
Ban them , if you've got the yips do a Clanger and get the left hand low or do a DiMarco and make a claw.
I too don't like the fact you're anchoring the club, both hands should be touching on the club grip.
As far as getting relief, free or under penalty, surely you can't use one of those? e.g. 2 clublengths would get you back in the middle of the fairway!
In all my years of golf I've only ever once been paired with a fellow that used one, he'd been a yipper apparently.
I too don't like the fact you're anchoring the club, both hands should be touching on the club grip.
As far as getting relief, free or under penalty, surely you can't use one of those? e.g. 2 clublengths would get you back in the middle of the fairway!
In all my years of golf I've only ever once been paired with a fellow that used one, he'd been a yipper apparently.
John_Findlay
Tour Winner
One of my pals uses a long putter now. Anchors it under the chin, Torrance style. I don't think these have the advantage belly putters have, for obvious reasons. I've had a dose of the yips in the past and left hand low cured them instantly.
Toad
Tour Rookie
I personally don't think that they're that much of an advantage.
Just because a putter is anchored against your body and can't move horizontally doesn't guarantee solid contact or prevent pushes/pulls.
If you are suffering from the yips have a lesson with your pro it may help build your confidence.
Just because a putter is anchored against your body and can't move horizontally doesn't guarantee solid contact or prevent pushes/pulls.
If you are suffering from the yips have a lesson with your pro it may help build your confidence.
viscount17
Money List Winner
I think the only issue is their possible use in measuring relief, but then the same applies to all the longer clubs. I believe the rules say that relief can be measured with any club but a simple change to 'measure with a club that would reasonably be expected to be played from that position' eliminates that problem.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Out of interest Toad, the yips has nothing to do with confidence, or 'just' missing short putts.
I think the argument I have with long putters (apart from the fact that they are ugly), is that the stroke made with one is so divorced from the golf swing with every other club that it appears a different game altogether. The rules stop you from using a snooker cue, But why? Can I use a baseball bat, or a table tennis bat, or a shoe, no. I lump the long putter in with these, it may be very skilful, but it isn't golf.
I think the argument I have with long putters (apart from the fact that they are ugly), is that the stroke made with one is so divorced from the golf swing with every other club that it appears a different game altogether. The rules stop you from using a snooker cue, But why? Can I use a baseball bat, or a table tennis bat, or a shoe, no. I lump the long putter in with these, it may be very skilful, but it isn't golf.
Toad
Tour Rookie
I agree with you about them being ugly but I just don't see what good banning them will do, as Steve said earlie what about drivers with movable weights and rescue clubs?
I know that you still have to swing the club as normal with driver and rescue but a lot of people would give up golf without the belly putter as they have no confidence with a conventional putter.
I have to disagree(sorry) on the yips having nothing to do with confidence over short putts as it is an involantary movement caused by tension, that in turn is caused by a lack of confidence usually over short putts.
I know that you still have to swing the club as normal with driver and rescue but a lot of people would give up golf without the belly putter as they have no confidence with a conventional putter.
I have to disagree(sorry) on the yips having nothing to do with confidence over short putts as it is an involantary movement caused by tension, that in turn is caused by a lack of confidence usually over short putts.
Gasp
Head Pro
BAN THE LOT. Only clubs made by pros in Leven, Fife with hickory shafts and funny names to be allowed... No oversize heads, steel shafts, centre shafted putters, recue clubs, cavity backs, sand wedges, movable weights, draw biases......... or long putters
Toad
Tour Rookie
Not too mad an idea Gasp might stop them extending courses and ruining origional layouts due to advances in club and ball technoligy.
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