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Long Putters good or bad for the game?

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jdtox

jdtox

Lord Tox
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Watching that interview on Feherty with bones and fluff the other day and Bones mentioned that he wanted the long putters gone.

Seeing more and more guys going to the belly putter and some the real long like adam scott.

What do you think...Is it good for the game? Bad? other? who cares?

Would you ever use one?

Personally I don't think I would ever go that route. I don't like them.
 
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I've gone to a 36" shaft putter since I injured my back, takes some of the stress off it not having to bend over as far to putt
 
Doesn't matter to me. I have one a club building pro made for me when I hurt my back 20 years ago but never used it much. I still have it and take it to the practice green sometimes.

If people want to use them as a gamer, more power to them. It's not against the rules, so until it is, no one can give a good argument against it.
 
What do you think...Is it good for the game? Bad? other? who cares?

Who cares? They are legal.

Would I use one? If I took the time to get accustomed to it and it helped my game then I would game one.
 
I don't care how long a putter is as long as it's not used by anchoring it to one's body.

None of the other clubs use the body as a pivot point, so why should putters be any different?
 
I don't think they are any better or worse for the game than a 34" putter is. I would definitely consider going belly putter. But I would rock it Keegan style and just anchor that thing in my belly. I can see it now a 42" Ghost Spider putter. I am starting to drool!
 
i don't see why it should go away. If it's legal and you're sinking putts, why not?!
 
I think anchoring the putter to the body is contrary to the spirit of the game much like straddling the line (a la Sam Snead). I also object to caddies helping align the player for putts or full shots. I just think these are part of the game that the player should control
 
Didnt see the interview, but why did he want them gone?

When oversized drivers started becoming more and more popular, people said they wanted them gone. People dont want to see change, but, if its legal and it works, who cares?
 
I think it was Bones who actually said it was the one thing he would change. Fluff said his complaint is slow play.
 
jdtox said:
Watching that interview on Feherty with bones and fluff the other day and fluff mentioned that he wanted the long putters gone. Found it a bit odd considering furyk is currently using a belly putter.
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I'm pretty sure it was Bones who said he would do away with long putters, not Fluff.

Anyway, I don't think I would use one. I can certainly see arguments for and against, and I guess I kind of side with the "you shouldn't be allowed to anchor any club to your body" camp. However, unless a disproportionate number of tournaments are being won with long putters, I doubt the tours will do anything about it. I suspect this is unlikely to happen, even in the wake of KB & AS with wins in back-to-back weeks on tour, since most players only go to the long putter when they are struggling with their short games to begin with.
 
Haggis said:
I think it was Bones who actually said it was the one thing he would change. Fluff said his complaint is slow play.
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beat me to it.
 
scrubs said:
I'm pretty sure it was Bones who said he would do away with long putters, not Fluff.
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LOL, yeah your right, sorry. Regardless I thought it was an interesting comment and got me to thinking.
 
I built a 41 3/4" belly putter out of a Spider Vicino. I toy'd around with it some. I am trying to unload it right now, didn't work for me. If I could find one I like, I would game it.
 
I don't see a problem with them. I am considering trying one because of how bad my putting has been lately.
 
I think its fine that people use them, to each his own
 
Like any innovation people don't like change and will complain about it. I cannot see them banning it.
 
I cannot see them getting rid of them, especially since Bradley won a major with one. If they do away with them then it would create an asterisk in peoples mind regarding the recent win at the PGA, which the higher ups do not want.
 
Dr. Teeth said:
I cannot see them getting rid of them, especially since Bradley won a major with one. If they do away with them then it would create an asterisk in peoples mind regarding the recent win at the PGA, which the higher ups do not want.
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Don't really agree with that, how is it different than conforming and non-conforming grooves?
 
lcsmrtn said:
Don't really agree with that, how is it different than conforming and non-conforming grooves?
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Its different because everyone was playing non-conforming grooves so it is not like people could say that the winner was using equipment that the other wasn't. With long putters, they are being used by a few people rather than everyone.
 
Dr. Teeth said:
I cannot see them getting rid of them, especially since Bradley won a major with one. If they do away with them then it would create an asterisk in peoples mind regarding the recent win at the PGA, which the higher ups do not want.
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I can see your thought process but usually the asterisk is when something was won and then it was found out after that they were cheating (drugs, ineligible, etc). In this case, the putters are available to all players so I do not see why the * would be there.
 
Dr. Teeth said:
Its different because everyone was playing non-conforming grooves so it is not like people could say that the winner was using equipment that the other wasn't. With long putters, they are being used by a few people rather than everyone.
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I agree with Mcook, they're available to everyone, so it's not like you're targeting a select few, but rather the club itself. Anyone could have used the new conformin grooves before had they chosen to.

A bit off topic, but can say Adam Scott use his long putter to gain relief under the club length rule?
 
I don't like them personally and wouldn't use one, but I also don't have a problem with those that do use them. If it gave a real advantage over other putters because everyone would be using them then.
 
have no issue with them, or the people that use them.

strangely ive never seen one on the course..ever..
 
lcsmrtn said:
I agree with Mcook, they're available to everyone, so it's not like you're targeting a select few, but rather the club itself. Anyone could have used the new conformin grooves before had they chosen to.

A bit off topic, but can say Adam Scott use his long putter to gain relief under the club length rule?
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Yes, you can use any club to measure for relief.

Not sure but I think whoever he is playing with could use his putter to measure too. Not totally sure on that one.
 
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