Par 72 - with only a putter

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Following on from Tom's post about the number of clubs needed for a round of golf, it is said that Roberto de Vicenzo once played a course in Argentina in level par using only a putter. You could almost do it at TOC if it weren't for the Swilcan Burn. Where might you be able to do it?

[Tom_Doak]

One of the young guys who works for us has been known to play our courses with a putter.  His most impressive return was making par on #7 at Streamsong (Blue) from the drop zone ... yes, he hit it 80 yards over water, and then got down in two.


The director of instruction at Bandon, Grant Rogers, is also famous for playing entire rounds with a putter over there.  Of course it is not your standard off-the-rack putter ... he has a lot of lead tape on it to hold it together, and he can hit it +/- 200 yards including roll-out.


I think you could get around with a putter at Royal Melbourne.  You could certainly do it at St. Andrews Beach.

[Niall C]

On the basis you could tee it up on tees and therefore get the ball airborne, I suspect quite a lot of links courses could be puttable all the way round as mostly any carries would be off the tee. And even where there is a burn (or in the case of North Berwick a wall or two) there is generally a bridge to help you get over.


Still, a par 72 is very impressive. Maybe if I chucked away all my other clubs I might just get there.


Niall

[Thomas Dai]

Texas wedge just from further out.
Atb

[Matthew Essig]

The director of instruction at Bandon, Grant Rogers, is also famous for playing entire rounds with a putter over there.  Of course it is not your standard off-the-rack putter ... he has a lot of lead tape on it to hold it together, and he can hit it +/- 200 yards including roll-out.

My father and I had the pleasure of chatting with him over coffee for about an hour at the range shack when we had some free time on a cold foggy day.

This was a couple years ago, a year after Preserve was open, and he told us his record around it with only a putter was -2 already.

[John Kavanaugh]

As I learned from my childhood. Play with a putter twice and it is no longer a putter. Putters come with a bit of loft off the shelf and each full swing adds more loft. Pretty soon you are playing with a 1 iron.

[Blake Conant]

One of the young guys who works for us has been known to play our courses with a putter.  His most impressive return was making par on #7 at Streamsong (Blue) from the drop zone ... yes, he hit it 80 yards over water, and then got down in two.

The best putter par I saw him make was #9 at Glens Fall on crazy pin day (hole cut one foot from the left edge of the green).  Brian Schneider was also witness.  Matt tugged his tee shot long left leaving himself a terrible short-side, then he hit some incredible hooded bank shot off the steep slope and sunk a 20 footer for par. 


He also putter parred the 5th hole at Dismal River Red from the regular set of tees. 


He thinks he's got a shot at 16 at Cypress.  It's his white whale.

[Mike Hendren]

Barney's spot on - it's scary how his early playing days are similar to mine. The Ram Zebra was great for this - often two bills from the tee on firm fairways back when I could play. Dad and I often did a 3- hole loop after I closed down the pool. Generally 1 to 3 over. Holes were 480, 145 and 300.

[Garland Bayley]

As I learned from my childhood. Play with a putter twice and it is no longer a putter. Putters come with a bit of loft off the shelf and each full swing adds more loft. Pretty soon you are playing with a 1 iron.

That doesn't make any sense. Playing delofts clubs.

[Mike Wagner]

As I learned from my childhood. Play with a putter twice and it is no longer a putter. Putters come with a bit of loft off the shelf and each full swing adds more loft. Pretty soon you are playing with a 1 iron.

That doesn't make any sense. Playing delofts clubs.

Go get a used Ping Answer, take it to the range and hit 30 shots off a tee.  Report back.  You'll find more loft.

[Garland Bayley]

As I learned from my childhood. Play with a putter twice and it is no longer a putter. Putters come with a bit of loft off the shelf and each full swing adds more loft. Pretty soon you are playing with a 1 iron.

That doesn't make any sense. Playing delofts clubs.

Go get a used Ping Answer, take it to the range and hit 30 shots off a tee.  Report back.  You'll find more loft.

Sure, striking a ball above the center off the tee could add loft. However, wouldn't one be wanting to hit the center of the club face with a putter off the tee? The claim was that playing all shots would add loft. I just don't see that.

[Kyle Harris]

One of the young guys who works for us has been known to play our courses with a putter.  His most impressive return was making par on #7 at Streamsong (Blue) from the drop zone ... yes, he hit it 80 yards over water, and then got down in two.

The best putter par I saw him make was #9 at Glens Fall on crazy pin day (hole cut one foot from the left edge of the green).  Brian Schneider was also witness.  Matt tugged his tee shot long left leaving himself a terrible short-side, then he hit some incredible hooded bank shot off the steep slope and sunk a 20 footer for par. 


He also putter parred the 5th hole at Dismal River Red from the regular set of tees. 


He thinks he's got a shot at 16 at Cypress.  It's his white whale.

Playing in this group and witnessing it first hand I feel it necessary to add that the two previous holes featured two-putt birdies.