Is this the end of the belly putter?

The R&A and USGA have announced they will take a closer look at the use of belly putters.

It seems the R&A have convinced the USGA to look at the legality of the belly putter which has been a major source of controversy and discussion in professional and amateur level golf.

The scrutiny has come about because of pressure from some parts of the R&A who are pushing for the belly putter to be banned. they have persuaded both the USGA and the R&A as a whole to re-examine the rules of golf concerning the use of the belly putters.

One aspect of the putting which has seen it brought to the attention of the R&A as the support it is giving some golfers in windy conditions, something more prevalent in Britain. by anchoring the club to the body, golfers can support their stance over the golf ball during bad weather.

Many golfers have an issue with the stroke that can be made. Anchoring the club to the body of the golfer, which gives the putting stroke a distinct advantage over regular putting as it reduces the number of degrees of freedom.

Professional golfers including Ernie Els and Tiger Woods have expressed their desire to see the club banned. Els has in fact taken on the use of the putter because it believes others are benefiting from it’s advantages.

“As long as it’s legal I’ll keep cheating like the rest of them”, Els has been quoted as saying.

With the recent announcement by the R&A and the USGA maybe, just maybe, Ernie won’t be able to keep cheating for much longer.

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