Bernhard Langer and Bill Haas express their support for long putters
A few days ago, it was officially announced by the Golf authorities in US and U.K. that rules are being amended to ban the use of belly putters.
This did not come as a surprise due to the fact that many players and experts were pushing for a ban on this club as it gives an unfair advantage.
Tiger Woods lauded the efforts made by the authorities to ban the use of anchorship.
Keegan Bradley and Ernie Els said that they will take legal action if the club is banned. However, it is now officially announced that the club will be outlawed by 2016.
Following the path of Bradley and Co, Bernhard Langer and Bill Haas have also come out and defended the use of the long putter.
Bernhard Langer, who is a two-time US Masters Champion, had been using the long putter for some while. Though according to him he had some success, he reverted back to the traditional club.
Although he does not use the belly putter, he still feels that it is ‘okay’ for players to use this club as it does not make much of a difference.
Haas meanwhile said that a long putter does not make putting the ball any easier, so the clubs should not be banned.
"I thought I putted worse with it (the belly putter) for a while," the American said. "I think it's just a way to putt. I've heard Webb Simpson talk about it and he says stats show the best putters aren't belly putters users".
The German, Langer also said that banning long putters will not be the end of the world. Indirectly, he was pointing towards a legal action, which could be possible.
"It has been out for that long," said Langer, who thinks the long-handle putters have been around for about 35 years.
"If there is anything illegal about it, why did they not stop it right away? If it is that easy with a long putter, a belly putter, why aren't 90 percent of the pros and 100 percent of the amateurs using it?"
However, the German knows that fighting for long putters will not be an easy battle to win.
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