Belly putters?! Who argues of such things!

Bear, I feel like we let the people down when we went on our hiatus.  America deserved better, and it deserved more.  The question you have posed for me, however, is how much is too much?  Speaking about the putter of course.  Some argue its about the motion in the ocean, others say size is a huge advantage.  Well, what do I think?

Well, first of all, lets have a little history lesson.  The way we got to putting today.  Back in the day, you could do whatever you wanted with the putter.  The great Sam Snead used to putt with the ball between his legs and would make it virtually every time!  So, the USGA and R&A stepped in and said "Enough is enough!  This is unfair!  You are making more putts than anyone!  This will be outlawed!  There is to be no fun on the putting green!" (May or may not be a direct quote).  So, anyway, the rule stated that you must stand off to the side of your golf ball (line between ball and hole cannot go between your legs).  So, Snead responded with the stance you see off to side.  Not as classy, or as successful.  The rule change worked.

Now, this is the standard for when a rule change is needed, I believe.  So, let's use it.  The argument against the belly putter is that you can anchor it to your body and it makes the pendulum stroke easier.  That sounds like it is unfair.  But, is it really?  I mean, you don't putt with your belly, or your hands.  You putt with your head and shoulders!  Can you still push it?  Of course!  Pull it?  Of course!  Is it less likely?  Well, let's look at the stats.  I went to the PGA Tour strokes gained stat in putting and let's see how the belly putters rank. 

Keegan Bradley ranks 44th
Ernie Els ranks 71st
Robert Garrigus ranks 152nd
Carl Pettersson ranks 11th
Adam Scott no ranking
Webb Simpson ranks 29th
Bill Haas ranks 98th

As you can see, the belly putters are not blowing away the competition.  In fact, they are quite normal.  In my opinion, I do not think they give you any advantage.  In my opinion, the large mallet putters are a FAR bigger advantage than the belly putters.  The mallets add weight to the bottom of the stroke which creates a strong pendulum effect, whereas the belly putter creates a longer pendulum which helps, but not as much as the extra weight on the bottom. 

Clearly, there is no real advantage.  I say stop crying about it!  In putting you can do whatever you want.  That's the beauty of it.  Has putting become automatic for these guys?  No!  So, let them do it.  Putting is hard and has evolved greatly since the beginning of golf and will continue to do so.

I think the belly putter should stay. 

May all of your putts hit dead center,
Hogie (which is a nickname that has really died)

P.S. Bear, if you are an Italian, the sun doesn't burn you, it warms you to your very soul.
P.S.S.  What are Bear's thoughts on the belly putter debate?

The Resurrection of A Blog

Politically and otherwise MB is right about a lot of things. This blog is unequivocally one of them. To let this blog sit stagnant in some random dark corner of this internet web is somewhere between unconscionable and egregious. Where is humanity supposed to go for golf instruction? A highly trained PGA teaching professional? Please, that is absurd. Where is America supposed to go to find comedy? A comedy club? A joke book? The television? No, the power is out. The television doesn't work. America goes laugh-less, and humanity doesn't know how to play golf . Wait a minute. What ever happened to that hilarious golf instruction blog Drive for Show: Putt for Dough? It is coming back! You said that before.... But this time I mean it. I meant it last time too actually, I just never got around to writing any blogs. So... take it for what it is worth. Let's start the bidding at $1500 or the Canadian equivalency.

Bear's Best Tip #71: A cloudy day is the best day for golf. No shadows, no glare, no sun burn.

I invite MB to take up the issue of the belly putter in his next post. Under current rules it is legal to use one, but is it in the spirit and tradition of the game of golf?