Long Putters

[JWinick]

"That said I think that long putters are crap. "
 
- Kirk Gill.

Discuss.

[Tom Huckaby]

Prepare for some legal brilliance, as shivas explains why these are OK, yet rangefinders are not, without being either hypocritical nor contradictory.  I have full faith he will pull it off.

TH

[Jim Franklin]

Thank God no one has ever won a major using a long putter.

[C. Squier]

I don't have a long putter, though I do have a 50 inch 7 iron that I use when taking a drop.  Don't use it for much else, but sure does get me away from most pine trees when taking an unplayable.

CPS

[Phil McDade]

Thanks God no on has ever won a major using a long putter.

As opposed to major winners using them. I think Langer, Lyle, Lehman, Singh, Kite, Couples, Woosnam, Grady, Calc, Floyd and maybe even O'Meara turned to them at one point in their careers. I don't think Langer used one in either of his two Masters wins; Woosie maybe the closest when he came up just short (or long...) at Lytham a few years ago.

[Dean Stokes]

Prepare for some legal brilliance, as shivas explains why these are OK, yet rangefinders are not, without being either hypocritical nor contradictory.  I have full faith he will pull it off.

TH

Come on Shivas, don't keep us waiting for this eagerly anticipated reply

[Kalen Braley]

Go over and read the Bushnell Range Finder thread...he's already discussed this at length in there.  (Page 10 or 11 I think)   

And from best I can tell as a Novice Rules Hack it seemed right!!

[Tim Nugent]

At 6'-6", I switched to a belly putter - for me a beltbuckle putter - to help with a bad back. The only other putter I ever used was a Bullseye.  If I were 5'2" would that be consider a "long putter"?  I usually chuckle when I see guys with the latest $$$ putter, knowing that they probably have a whole garage full of cast-offs that cost just as much.  Ijust figure that it's not the putter but rather the putterer (defined as 'he who putts').
If anyone knows where to get a long driver - let me know.

[Bill_McBride]

Thanks God no on has ever won a major using a long putter.

Rocco came pretty close.  Isn't he still using the long putter?

I liked Sam Snead's sidesaddle better, but they outlawed that one.

[Bart Bradley]

The game of golf, in part, is supposed to test your ability to make a putting stroke...Long putters and belly putters are fine if they are not allowed to be wedged against your body, thereby creating an artificial aid to the stroke...this is just my opinion, not the rules of golf....but the rules should be changed.

Bart

[Tom Huckaby]

Go over and read the Bushnell Range Finder thread...he's already discussed this at length in there.  (Page 10 or 11 I think)   

And from best I can tell as a Novice Rules Hack it seemed right!!

Kalen is correct - reply #306 (page 9) in that other thread.

And it's pretty good... not what I hoped for, but decent enough.  I give it a C+.

TH

[SL_Solow]

Actually, the sidesaddle was not outlawed.  The croquet (between the legs) was outlawed.  The sidesaddle where Snead did not straddle the line was developed as a reaction to the ruling on the croquet style.

[Dean Stokes]

The game of golf, in part, is supposed to test your ability to make a putting stroke...Long putters and belly putters are fine if they are not allowed to be wedged against your body, thereby creating an artificial aid to the stroke...this is just my opinion, not the rules of golf....but the rules should be changed.

Bart

Correct.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Thanks God no on has ever won a major using a long putter.

Rocco came pretty close.  Isn't he still using the long putter?

I liked Sam Snead's sidesaddle better, but they outlawed that one.

Bill,

It's my belief that the USGA didn't outlaw the long putter because of "timing".

That "timing" being the proximity of the Ping lawsuit and bringing the long putter issue to the front burner.

I don't think that the USGA wanted to "double" up on litigation matters.

What's the difference between Snead's sidesaddle stroke and the long putter other than the direction the golfer faces ?

And, while we're at it, why was the paddle putter grip ruled non-conforming ?

[Phil McDade]

Thanks God no on has ever won a major using a long putter.

Rocco came pretty close.  Isn't he still using the long putter?

I liked Sam Snead's sidesaddle better, but they outlawed that one.

Bill:

Rocco was a longtime long-putter user who recently switched to traditional length. Seemed to have served him well at TPines.

[SL_Solow]

Pat; Correct me if I am wrong but I don't recall Snead anchoring the putter to his body while executing the sidesaddle.  Split grip with top hand on the butt of the club but not anchored to the best of my recollection.  Clearly no anchor with the croquet.

[Kalen Braley]

In light of it not having been really discussed yet...

Is there really nowhere in the rules where it talks about the club being lodged in the body or outlawing a pivot point?  If this is true, then Shiv has a helluva point. 

[Tom Huckaby]

In light of it not having been really discussed yet...

Is there really nowhere in the rules where it talks about the club being lodged in the body or outlawing a pivot point?  If this is true, then Shiv has a helluva point. 

For one who argues the spriit of the rules and what's best for the game like crazy in other places, he seems to rely on the letter of the law here a bit too much for my liking.  Thus the C+.  A weak passing grade.

But yes, there is no rule against anchoring the club. 

[Bart Bradley]

In light of it not having been really discussed yet...

Is there really nowhere in the rules where it talks about the club being lodged in the body or outlawing a pivot point?  If this is true, then Shiv has a helluva point. 

Kalen:

Those of us who are against wedging long putters do not believe that the rules currently prohibit it...we believe that the rules should change to prohibit it.

[Kalen Braley]

I think I didn't go deep enough into what I meant in my original post.

I don't see where anchoring was even a spirit of the rules kind of thing.  Where are the origins of this "spirit" so to speak?  I mean if there was some concept like this, that would be fine, but not sure where this has even come from.  Is there something that can be pointed out in terms if how a player is to grip the club?  Is a baseball grip a violation of the spirit of the rules?  How about a cross-handed grip?

[Jeff Fortson]

I think putters should have a shorter limit on their length and should not be allowed to be anchored to the body.  Using a long-putter is the most unnatural stroke made in the game.  There is nothing golf-like in the act of swinging a long putter other than a ball comes off the face of it.

Jeff F.

[Kalen Braley]

Jeff,

I disagree.  I think a putter swing is very similar to various type of chip shots around the green that can be played.  So there is an application there.  The arms follow a similar path, just not any hip twisting or wrist moving...well ideally I guess.

[JWinick]

Intuitively, I believe long putters should not be allowed because they do allow the player to establish a stable base.   In theory, this should reduce yips are erratic putting strokes.   

However, I have softened by stance because it does appear that there is a trade-off to using the long putter.   While it may help on short putts, it appears to hurt feel on longer ones.   

Since many top players have adopted the long putter and then decided it didn't work for them, than perhaps it doesn't make the difference that you might think.

But, it's hard to argue that the long putter is a traditional way of putting.  Shivas is hypocritical for using one while criticizing other technological advances that do not undermine the spirit of the game. 

[Patrick_Mucci]

I think putters should have a shorter limit on their length and should not be allowed to be anchored to the body.  Using a long-putter is the most unnatural stroke made in the game.  There is nothing golf-like in the act of swinging a long putter other than a ball comes off the face of it.

Jeff,

I agree.

Rumor had it that the putter would have to be the shortest club in the bag.

Other rumors had it that attaching any club to the body would be banned.

Churning butter is not meant for the golf course.

And, my putting is by far the worst part of my game.
People near and far have suggested that I go to the long putter.
Some have even sent me long putters.

But, I feel it's contrary to the spirit of the game, and thus, they remain in my garage and are only used for garden tools.

[Richard Choi]

To quote Moses (aka Charlton Heston)...

You can take my Belly Putter from my cold dead hands.