Thousand Oaks, California – Belly putters could soon be banned from golf, as governing bodies become concerned at the recent increase in golfers who have won using the longer putter.
Belly putters, so named because their handle is typically about six inches (152mm) to eight inches (203mm) longer than a normal putter and is designed to be “anchored” against the stomach of the player, have been legal since 1989.
That could be about to change, however. The Royal Ancient Golf Club and the U.S. Golf Association (USGA), the two bodies who jointly administer the rules of golf, are now considering a ban on the devices from the start of 2016. Three of the last five major champions have used belly putters, and golf authorities worry that players will begin to use long putters as an advantage, instead of a last resort.
On Wednesday, a joint statement from The Royal Ancient and the USGA stated the rule would not ban belly putter or broom-handle putters outright, but would restrict the way they are used.
Under the new proposed rule, it would be illegal for golfers to “anchor the club while making a stroke.” USGA executive director Mike Davis said:
“More players are using it, and instructors are saying this is a more efficient way to putt because you don’t have to control the whole stroke. The game has been around for 600 years. Fundamentally, we don’t think this is the right way to go.”
The use of belly putters in professional tournaments has long been controversial. The belly putter’s defenders include Jim Furyk, Ernie Els, and Vijay Singh (all of who have benefited from using the device), but players like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy say the longer putters give an unfair advantage to users.
In the footage below, leading players including Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, and Adam Scott address the issue of using belly putters:
