The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and the USGA have announced that starting in 2016 the infamous belly putter will no longer be allowed in professional golf. I for one am glad to hear it. I never thought it should have been allowed anyway. I felt at the time it was allowed that it was one of the worst decisions by the RAGC and USGA. I am glad they have realized their mistake and have corrected it. When I see a professional golfer using the belly putter that tells me two things about him: 1) he does not know how to putt and 2) he is not interested in learning how to putt. A hellova attitude for a professional golfer to take. Every club in a golfer's bag has to be swung. The putter should be no different. The belly putter completely removes the hands from the putting game. Another major factor in the decision was the fact the young kids are going to the belly putter and not bothering to putt - a bad sign for golf.
I thought they basically just added a body anchor rule where any part of the arm below the elbow can not be rested on the body but doesn't mean the belly putter is restricted.
As long as I can still anchor my driver into the side of a tree after a bad shot, this doesn't affect me.
This is great. I hate the long putters and no self respecting male would ever use one. I can't wait to see these knuckleheads try to use them without anchoring it to their body
Isn't there a fairly successful pro using the long putter without anchoring it now? Obviously I can't remember his name.
I honestly don't know. I couldn't imagine any of them using it without anchoring it, sort of defeats the purpose of using it in the first place.
Are you thinking of Adam Scott? His is anchored on his chest rather than his belly. I think Keegan Bradley anchors his, too.
Yeah I was trying to think of who but can't do it. I know someone said Scott wouldn't have to change his stroke much but don't remember who they said was phucked. IMO they all are, there is no advantage at all to using one of these wuss putters if you can't anchor it, in fact I think it is a disadvantage now. Good for the USGA or whoever it was that finally pulled the plug on these cheaters
