Should They Ban The Long Putter?

[George Costanza]

Should they ban the long putter?

There are two kinds of long putters - the belly putter and the long plutter. The belly putter sits into the belly with both hands on the shaft. The long putter anchors on the chest with only one hand on the shaft. (Spare me the gross comments here, ok?)

As you probably know, the Royal & Ancients and the USGA are both "considering" the legality of the long putter and whether or not to ban it. There is no express rule of golf that prohibits it. The argument against it is that it "violates the spirit" of golf by anchoring the shaft to the body. Long putters have been around for many, many decades. It is the recent emergence of the long putter on the professional tour and, especially, the appearance of pros who use a long putter, holding up trophies at the end of tournaments (Ernie Els only yesterday), that has sparked the controversy.

I got the yips with a regular putter and had to go to the long putter to overcome that issue. The long putter works very well for me. Most guys you see using the long putter are using it because they simply cannot use a regular putter - it isn't just that they decided to switch. Personally, I cringe a bit when I use it because I do think it "violates the spirit of the game," even though there is no express rule against it. But, if I couldn't use it, it would be Golf Over for me, so, for that reason, I am in favor of keeping it.

What do you think - and why?

Edit Note: Here is a pretty good discussion of the issue:

http://espn.go.com/golf/britishopen...onship-2012-officials-debate-use-long-putters

 

[PoliticalChic]

Should they ban the long putter?

There are two kinds of long putters - the belly putter and the long plutter. The belly putter sits into the belly with both hands on the shaft. The long putter anchors on the chest with only one hand on the shaft. (Spare me the gross comments here, ok?)

As you probably know, the Royal & Ancients and the USGA are both "considering" the legality of the long putter and whether or not to ban it. There is no express rule of golf that prohibits it. The argument against it is that it "violates the spirit" of golf by anchoring the shaft to the body. Long putters have been around for many, many decades. It is the recent emergence of the long putter on the professional tour and, especially, the appearance of pros who use a long putter, holding up trophies at the end of tournaments (Ernie Els only yesterday), that has sparked the controversy.

I got the yips with a regular putter and had to go to the long putter to overcome that issue. The long putter works very well for me. Most guys you see using the long putter are using it because they simply cannot use a regular putter - it isn't just that they decided to switch. Personally, I cringe a bit when I use it because I do think it "violates the spirit of the game," even though there is no express rule against it. But, if I couldn't use it, it would be Golf Over for me, so, for that reason, I am in favor of keeping it.

What do you think - and why?

Georgie, with this kind of time on your hands, you should be making toast with a hair dryer....

 

[George Costanza]

Should they ban the long putter?

There are two kinds of long putters - the belly putter and the long plutter. The belly putter sits into the belly with both hands on the shaft. The long putter anchors on the chest with only one hand on the shaft. (Spare me the gross comments here, ok?)

As you probably know, the Royal & Ancients and the USGA are both "considering" the legality of the long putter and whether or not to ban it. There is no express rule of golf that prohibits it. The argument against it is that it "violates the spirit" of golf by anchoring the shaft to the body. Long putters have been around for many, many decades. It is the recent emergence of the long putter on the professional tour and, especially, the appearance of pros who use a long putter, holding up trophies at the end of tournaments (Ernie Els only yesterday), that has sparked the controversy.

I got the yips with a regular putter and had to go to the long putter to overcome that issue. The long putter works very well for me. Most guys you see using the long putter are using it because they simply cannot use a regular putter - it isn't just that they decided to switch. Personally, I cringe a bit when I use it because I do think it "violates the spirit of the game," even though there is no express rule against it. But, if I couldn't use it, it would be Golf Over for me, so, for that reason, I am in favor of keeping it.

What do you think - and why?

Georgie, with this kind of time on your hands, you should be making toast with a hair dryer....

It may not be important to you, but I can assure you it is of vital importance to the golfing world and especailly to the thousands and thousands of golfers around the world who are using long putters and waiting anxiously to see how they ultimately rule on this.

There may not be too many golfers that inhabit this message board. If that's the case, so be it. I just think it is an important issue and am looking forward to someone posting some meaningful (ahem) discussion here on this issue.

 

[ShootSpeeders]

The long putter looks stupid and should be banned.

 

[uscitizen]

Damnation!

First they are messing with womens vaginas now they are wanting to ban my long putter!

This means war!

 

[Oddball]

Meh...Some asshole lawyer will find a way to contort the law, to read that usage of the long putter is a "public accommodation".

 

[George Costanza]

Meh...Some asshole lawyer will find a way to contort the law, to read that usage of the long putter is a "public accommodation".

Almost sounds like . . . . a CONSPIRACY, right, Oddball?

 

[George Costanza]

The long putter looks stupid and should be banned.

I'll give you that - it does indeed look stupid. But it WORKS like a charm. Trust me.

 

[Trajan]

I think they should ban putters altogether, let them sue their foot, like the old reliable, but not often visible ( unless you fuck up), "Foot Wedge"....

 

[PoliticalChic]

Should they ban the long putter?

There are two kinds of long putters - the belly putter and the long plutter. The belly putter sits into the belly with both hands on the shaft. The long putter anchors on the chest with only one hand on the shaft. (Spare me the gross comments here, ok?)

As you probably know, the Royal & Ancients and the USGA are both "considering" the legality of the long putter and whether or not to ban it. There is no express rule of golf that prohibits it. The argument against it is that it "violates the spirit" of golf by anchoring the shaft to the body. Long putters have been around for many, many decades. It is the recent emergence of the long putter on the professional tour and, especially, the appearance of pros who use a long putter, holding up trophies at the end of tournaments (Ernie Els only yesterday), that has sparked the controversy.

I got the yips with a regular putter and had to go to the long putter to overcome that issue. The long putter works very well for me. Most guys you see using the long putter are using it because they simply cannot use a regular putter - it isn't just that they decided to switch. Personally, I cringe a bit when I use it because I do think it "violates the spirit of the game," even though there is no express rule against it. But, if I couldn't use it, it would be Golf Over for me, so, for that reason, I am in favor of keeping it.

What do you think - and why?

Georgie, with this kind of time on your hands, you should be making toast with a hair dryer....

It may not be important to you, but I can assure you it is of vital importance to the golfing world and especailly to the thousands and thousands of golfers around the world who are using long putters and waiting anxiously to see how they ultimately rule on this.

There may not be too many golfers that inhabit this message board. If that's the case, so be it. I just think it is an important issue and am looking forward to someone posting some meaningful (ahem) discussion here on this issue.

Wait....are you suggesting that 'golf' is a sport???

Next thing you'll allege is that bowling, the same.

 

[driveby]

If you want to improve your putting stats, hit the ball closer to the hole.

 

[George Costanza]

Georgie, with this kind of time on your hands, you should be making toast with a hair dryer....

It may not be important to you, but I can assure you it is of vital importance to the golfing world and especailly to the thousands and thousands of golfers around the world who are using long putters and waiting anxiously to see how they ultimately rule on this.

There may not be too many golfers that inhabit this message board. If that's the case, so be it. I just think it is an important issue and am looking forward to someone posting some meaningful (ahem) discussion here on this issue.

Wait....are you suggesting that 'golf' is a sport???

Next thing you'll allege is that bowling, the same.

Slow day, PC? Surely you have something better to do than muck around in a thread in the Sports Forum.

Or are you just unable to resist me?

 

[George Costanza]

Thus far, not ONE serious thought on the subject. Come on, people - bear down here!

 

[Moonglow]

Georgie, with this kind of time on your hands, you should be making toast with a hair dryer....

It may not be important to you, but I can assure you it is of vital importance to the golfing world and especailly to the thousands and thousands of golfers around the world who are using long putters and waiting anxiously to see how they ultimately rule on this.

There may not be too many golfers that inhabit this message board. If that's the case, so be it. I just think it is an important issue and am looking forward to someone posting some meaningful (ahem) discussion here on this issue.

Wait....are you suggesting that 'golf' is a sport???

Next thing you'll allege is that bowling, the same.

It really does depend on whether if it serves alcoholic beverages or not during competition

 

[ginscpy]

Sam Snead used the croquet method of putting after he got the yips. There was some controversy about that. From that - the long putters evolved.

After he won a record 81 PGA titles that still stands.

If only he had won the US Open - only blemish on his record.

 

[Moonglow]

We bricked and layed block fencing for John Daily. The black sheep of golf from the U of Arkansas.

 

[eflatminor]

Sam Snead used the croquet method of putting after he got the yips. There was some controversy about that. From that - the long putters evolved.

After he won a record 81 PGA titles that still stands.

If only he had won the US Open - only blemish on his record.

Slammin' Sammy! The best there every was in my opinion. A swing as smooth as silk!

 

[Zander]

I don't care what you use George. In my experience (which is considerable) putting has nothing to do with the length of putter- it's more about the putz holding it.

 

[George Costanza]

I don't care what you use George. In my experience (which is considerable) putting has nothing to do with the length of putter- it's more about the putz holding it.

You raise a valid point. There is an expression in golf: "It's not the arrow, it's the Indian." Having said that, however . . .

There is also something in golf known as the yips. The yips are an involuntary turning of the wrists at the moment of impact, that causes the face of the club to turn right or left off of center, and the ball (therefore) to also go off-line, either to the right or the left. Note that word, "involuntary."

Golfers can putt well all of their lives with a standard putter and then, all of a sudden and for no known reason, develop the yips. Once they do, there is no cure. There are pros who have quit golf because of the yips.

I said there is no cure for the yips. There is one cure: the long putter. When you use the long putter, your wrists do not come into play. The ball goes exactly where you intend for it to go unless your swing plane is a little off. The hardest aspect of using the long putter is distance, but it sure is not direction.

I was a very good putter with the standard length putter, until the yips arrived about a year ago. I am a very good putter with the long putter. Note well: I am no better with the long putter - just the same as I was before. And that's an important point. If I was a better putter with the LP than I was with the standard putter (pre-yips), then it would appear that using the long putter gives one an advantage over other golfers using standard putters. To that argument I would say (1) I don't think you do gain any advantage by using the long putter and (2) if you do, then go out and get one yourself and start using it.

There is an interesting argument against the long putter that goes like this: so you got the yips. Either overcome them, play with them, or quit. The game of golf is the game of golf, and it does not involve the convoluted putting stroke involved by anchoring the end of the putter to your body. That was never done in golf and should not be allowed to be used now. True golf involves using the standard putter. If you can't use it, get out.
(This argument should sit very well with most conservatives. )

I recognize that argument. I think it is probably the main reason the governing bodies will probably ban it in several months. What will I do then? I don't know - figure some way to continue playing. I love the game of golf. There are things that can be done: "left hand low" grips or "claw" grips on standard putters. I am hearing they are not going to ban the long putter; only prohibit its being anchored to the body. Not sure how that will play out. I don't think very well.

It's an interesting issue, that's for sure.

 

[George Costanza]

Sam Snead used the croquet method of putting after he got the yips. There was some controversy about that. From that - the long putters evolved.

After he won a record 81 PGA titles that still stands.

If only he had won the US Open - only blemish on his record.

I think the long putter was being used long before Sam Snead developed the yips and introduced the croquet method of putting. There was more than a little controversy over the croquet style of putting - they changed the rules to make it illegal shortly after Sam began using it.