The "Belly Putter" and why I am glad Garcia (his putter rather) Lost the OPEN

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

No one has ever won a Major (Masters, PGA, US Open, Open) with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am kinda glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of the long putters, they are too "untraditional" and silly looking....as far as putters go anyway. The regular putter is my favorite club there is and then there is also the side issue/debate of attaching the long putter to your body in order to use it.

[villa]

No one has ever won a Major with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of using the long putter, they are too "untraditional"....

Whereas cavity back irons, graphite shafts, hybrids and 460cc titanium drivers have always been around?

 

It's only a matter of time. It seemed like a hell of a lot of players were using a belly or long putter this week.

[Lsutiger]

No one has ever won a Major with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of using the long putter, they are too "untraditional"....

 

I guess you are not a fan of Boo Weekly's camo undershirt and Ian Poulter pants and Bubba Watson's pink shaft either. What about the commercial when Jack Nicklaus was hitting a drive with shorts on? I suppose that's untradtional too? The year is 2007, in case you have not look at a calendar lately.

[Titleist87]

I guess you are not a fan of Boo Weekly's camo undershirt and Ian Poulter pants and Bubba Watson's pink shaft either. What about the commercial when Jack Nicklaus was hitting a drive with shorts on? I suppose that's untradtional too? The year is 2007, in case you have not look at a calendar lately.

 

That can't be a pretty sight....no offense Jack...I named my last child (Nicklaus) after you.

[tbowles411]

Golf equipment is changing and we are changing with it. It's just a matter of time before someone wins with a Belly. I used to use a 355cc driver. I SWORE I would NEVER switch to 460cc. Well guess what....

[MikeJohnson]

I really thought Sergio would make that putt. I hope he sticks with the belly putter. He is a much better player with it. We all use what makes us better. If I thought a belly putter would help me sink more putts I would switch too.

[2DOWN3TOGO]

The 1st thing I think of when I see one of those "belly putters" come out is "Oh that guy can't putt"!

[spearfish]

if u have a massive meal for dinner before your round, does it affect your putting stroke if u use the belly putter?

[hoganfan924]

I'm not "glad" that Garcia didn't win. And I'm not opposed to advancements and progression in equipment technology, but it does bother me a little that players are allowed to anchor the club against their bodies. That's my only beef with the belly putter. Obviously players have gone this route because they're a little twitchy with the club in their hands.

[vikingjunior]

I think you should have to have a BELLY to use a belly putter.....I love that one.....There's actually a lot of truth to it as I see a lot of people with big bellies where there belly gets in the way of there stroke, especially if there short and fat.

 

Everybody wants to try longer and bigger putters but nobody wants to try smaller and shorter putters.

 

It's kinda ironic that Harrington had such a short putter.

 

I think it's just another club to enable people to not fix there flaws.

[oneplanedan]

No one has ever won a Major with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of using the long putter, they are too "untraditional"....

 

 

Hope you are talking only about PGA Tour..............There are win's with a "long putter" on other tours....champion's lpga etc...

[HipCheck]

No one has ever won a Major with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of using the long putter, they are too "untraditional"....

Whereas cavity back irons, graphite shafts, hybrids and 460cc titanium drivers have always been around?

 

It's only a matter of time. It seemed like a hell of a lot of players were using a belly or long putter this week.

 

This isn't the same thing.

 

A belly putter or long putter takes a lot of the nervousness involved in a putting stroke out of the equation, because you anchor it against your body.

 

You can't do that with any other club. It's not a technological advancement, just a technique used by people who can't putt well otherwise.

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

I like Ian Poulter's style, too bad his game hasn't caught up with his outfits. The British Flag pants are my fave!

 

I dig the pink graphite shafts too, although they are just a passing fancy.

 

I thought Boo weekly was sporting full sleeve tatoos on his arms, which would have been pretty cool, but them I realized that he was wearing hunting gear under his polo. He probably thought he was gonna be spending time in the gorse bushes....

 

Putter length and technology are not one and the same either.

 

The topic here is the belly putter and not any of these other things.... :drinks:

 

PS: Anyone remember Ken Green from a few years back when he used a kids putter on tour to try and beat the YIPS?

[packerfan1]

All it will take is one victory with a belly putter...especially a major, and then "everyone will be using them".

 

I am not a belly putter user, but that is how these things happen...a pro wins with something and then it is the 'next big thing'.

 

I can't wait to see the people who previously considered Wilson Golf to be junk or low end equipment crow about how great their equipment is now, since Padraig won with most all wilson equipment yesterday.

[villa]

No one has ever won a Major with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of using the long putter, they are too "untraditional"....

Whereas cavity back irons, graphite shafts, hybrids and 460cc titanium drivers have always been around?

 

It's only a matter of time. It seemed like a hell of a lot of players were using a belly or long putter this week.

 

This isn't the same thing.

 

A belly putter or long putter takes a lot of the nervousness involved in a putting stroke out of the equation, because you anchor it against your body.

 

You can't do that with any other club. It's not a technological advancement, just a technique used by people who can't putt well otherwise.

Agreed mate. I think I was picking up more so on the word untraditional than anything else though.

 

I used to have the view that belly and long putters should be banned from the game but then I thought about the players that wouldn't have stood a chance without them. Guys like Langer and Torrance would've had to retire early which would have been a huge loss to the european game during the 90's.

 

If you can't putt with normal a normal length putter but you've got enough game elsewhere, should you not be allowed to contend or even compete?

[HipCheck]

No one has ever won a Major with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of using the long putter, they are too "untraditional"....

Whereas cavity back irons, graphite shafts, hybrids and 460cc titanium drivers have always been around?

 

It's only a matter of time. It seemed like a hell of a lot of players were using a belly or long putter this week.

 

This isn't the same thing.

 

A belly putter or long putter takes a lot of the nervousness involved in a putting stroke out of the equation, because you anchor it against your body.

 

You can't do that with any other club. It's not a technological advancement, just a technique used by people who can't putt well otherwise.

Agreed mate. I think I was picking up more so on the word untraditional than anything else though.

 

I used to have the view that belly and long putters should be banned from the game but then I thought about the players that wouldn't have stood a chance without them. Guys like Langer and Torrance would've had to retire early which would have been a huge loss to the european game during the 90's.

 

If you can't putt with normal a normal length putter but you've got enough game elsewhere, should you not be allowed to contend or even compete?

 

IMO, you should be able to use whatever length shaft you wish, but you shouldn't be allowed to anchor it against your body in any way, including anchoring it against your hand, which is against your body.

[matt411]

No one has ever won a Major with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of using the long putter, they are too "untraditional"....

Whereas cavity back irons, graphite shafts, hybrids and 460cc titanium drivers have always been around?

 

It's only a matter of time. It seemed like a hell of a lot of players were using a belly or long putter this week.

 

This isn't the same thing.

 

A belly putter or long putter takes a lot of the nervousness involved in a putting stroke out of the equation, because you anchor it against your body.

 

You can't do that with any other club. It's not a technological advancement, just a technique used by people who can't putt well otherwise.

Agreed mate. I think I was picking up more so on the word untraditional than anything else though.

 

I used to have the view that belly and long putters should be banned from the game but then I thought about the players that wouldn't have stood a chance without them. Guys like Langer and Torrance would've had to retire early which would have been a huge loss to the european game during the 90's.

 

If you can't putt with normal a normal length putter but you've got enough game elsewhere, should you not be allowed to contend or even compete?

 

IMO, you should be able to use whatever length shaft you wish, but you shouldn't be allowed to anchor it against your body in any way, including anchoring it against your hand, which is against your body.

and you shouldn't be allowed to use putters as 'club length's' when taking drops if they are longer than 45 inches.

[villa]

and you shouldn't be allowed to use putters as 'club length's' when taking drops if they are longer than 45 inches.

As far as I know, you're not allowed to do that.

[villa]

No one has ever won a Major with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of using the long putter, they are too "untraditional"....

Whereas cavity back irons, graphite shafts, hybrids and 460cc titanium drivers have always been around?

 

It's only a matter of time. It seemed like a hell of a lot of players were using a belly or long putter this week.

 

This isn't the same thing.

 

A belly putter or long putter takes a lot of the nervousness involved in a putting stroke out of the equation, because you anchor it against your body.

 

You can't do that with any other club. It's not a technological advancement, just a technique used by people who can't putt well otherwise.

Agreed mate. I think I was picking up more so on the word untraditional than anything else though.

 

I used to have the view that belly and long putters should be banned from the game but then I thought about the players that wouldn't have stood a chance without them. Guys like Langer and Torrance would've had to retire early which would have been a huge loss to the european game during the 90's.

 

If you can't putt with normal a normal length putter but you've got enough game elsewhere, should you not be allowed to contend or even compete?

 

IMO, you should be able to use whatever length shaft you wish, but you shouldn't be allowed to anchor it against your body in any way, including anchoring it against your hand, which is against your body.

It's an interesting debate mate.

 

I do see your point but the yips are the worst thing that can happen to a golfer and there's very few options to eradicate it.

 

As I say, i'd rather see the best ball strikers in the world play with a belly putter or long putter than not see them in contention at all but I can fully appreciate why a lot of people don't think they should be part of the game.

[golfebj]

No one has ever won a Major with a belly putter. I really thought that Garcia would be the first to pull it off. I am glad he didn't as I am not really a fan of using the long putter, they are too "untraditional"....

Whereas cavity back irons, graphite shafts, hybrids and 460cc titanium drivers have always been around?

 

It's only a matter of time. It seemed like a hell of a lot of players were using a belly or long putter this week.

 

This isn't the same thing.

 

A belly putter or long putter takes a lot of the nervousness involved in a putting stroke out of the equation, because you anchor it against your body.

 

You can't do that with any other club. It's not a technological advancement, just a technique used by people who can't putt well otherwise.

 

Tell that to Sergio and Vijay!!!

[ej002]

Long putter is something different (may save some old timer's back); it is not anchored to a belly.

 

Anyways, I am glad he lost - he should have SPIT on his putter when he missed that PUTT!

[KF_Tower]

if u have a massive meal for dinner before your round, does it affect your putting stroke if u use the belly putter?

 

Funny, but true!

I stopped using the belly putter due to the fact that my 'belly' size fluctuated too much to maintain a proper fit. :drinks:

[52*isMoney]

This is a funny thread....i just dropped my putter off at the shop to make it a belly putter. Its worth a shot!

Better than paying 300 for a cameron in my opinion....which was my next move.

[Lsutiger]

I like Ian Poulter's style, too bad his game hasn't caught up with his outfits. The British Flag pants are my fave!

 

I dig the pink graphite shafts too, although they are just a passing fancy.

 

I thought Boo weekly was sporting full sleeve tatoos on his arms, which would have been pretty cool, but them I realized that he was wearing hunting gear under his polo. He probably thought he was gonna be spending time in the gorse bushes....

 

Putter length and technology are not one and the same either.

 

The topic here is the belly putter and not any of these other things.... :drinks:

 

PS: Anyone remember Ken Green from a few years back when he used a kids putter on tour to try and beat the YIPS?

 

OK. Boxers or Tighty Whiteys?

[iDontKnow]

By the reason "untraditional", then you don't like 460 c.c. titanium driver and FW too?… but I though "tradition" is something could be change when the times goes by... or not?

 

Do you still use you persimmon driver and fairway woods?

[dlygrisse]

I'm not "glad" that Garcia didn't win. And I'm not opposed to advancements and progression in equipment technology, but it does bother me a little that players are allowed to anchor the club against their bodies. That's my only beef with the belly putter. Obviously players have gone this route because they're a little twitchy with the club in their hands.

 

 

I think this is the real debate, I really think the USGA should step in on this one and make it against the rules to anchor a club to your body, I just dont think anchoring the club to your belly, chin or chest is a golf swing. I cant critisize players for doing too much though, they are trying to get the ball in the hole the best they can within the rules. However I remember when Oville Moody etc. started useing the broomsticks in the late 80's and early 90's everyone said that eventually someone was going to dominate using one of those things etc. etc. and it never happened.

[reebus]

This argument really is getting old..... It they are such an advantage, then why isn't

EVERYONE using one?

[Jamboy72]

The reason no one will dominate with a belly putter is that the only people using them are rather inferior putters (by PGA, Euro PGA, etc) standards. The better/best putters do not need this crutch at all - This maybe a rather poor analogy, but imagine a driver which allowed you to hit a drive guaranteed to carry 270 if your swing speed was 95 MPH + Many a player with this swing speed with use this club, which players who can already carry a ball that far (and further) wouldn't switch -Allowing someone to anchor a club to the body - effectively allows them to compete with the better players/putters. Essentially, anchoring the putter allows a poor putter to compete while not providing any additional advantage for the already quality putters.

[HipCheck]

This argument really is getting old..... It they are such an advantage, then why isn't

EVERYONE using one?

 

You could also say if it's NOT an advantage, why use one?

 

For me, Caddyshack it just wouldn't be the same if Judge Smails took out a 48-inch Billy Baroo.

[KF_Tower]

This argument really is getting old..... It they are such an advantage, then why isn't

EVERYONE using one?

 

You could also say if it's NOT an advantage, why use one?

 

I still use mine for practicing my stroke. I think they are a really great training aid, but if you have issues with nerves and the short putt, it will not fully cover them up.