Four-time Major winning Ernie Els is hoping golf’s ruling bodies will back down on banning anchoring of the belly putter once the ‘comment’ period ends on February 28th.
Golf’s dual ruling bodies – the St. Andrews based R & A and the New Jersey based USGA – have proposed a new rule that would outlaw any stroke in which the controversial club is anchored to the body.
Ernie Els proudly holds aloft the Claret Jug after using a belly putter to capture his fourth Major. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
A month after Webb Simpson used a belly putter to capture the 2012 US Open and Els used a similar putter to win a second Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
In fact, Webb and Simpson followed Keegan Bradley who had created history in the PGA Championship in August 2011 in becoming the first player ever to capture a Major using a belly putter.
However Els found himself again drawn into the controversy ahead of this week’s Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles.
“Well you know, I was against it about ten, 12 years ago when my good friend, Trevor Immelman played with it and I kind of said it in jest but I have to stick with what I said back then,” said Els.
“Then ten to 12 years later, I’m using it. So kind of contradicted myself a little bit if you want to take it like that.
But I’ve putted great with the short putter. I wouldn’t say that I’m putting exceptionally great now with the long putter.
“But I’m starting to feel comfortable. I’ve been on it now for the whole year and obviously won a major with it. It’s helped me from short range a lot. But still, it’s not like it’s automatic. You’re not just going to stick it in your belly and make every putt you look at it. It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort to learn that way of putting.
“So I’ll be, as I said before, they are going to make their decision; whether the TOUR goes along with it, whether they don’t, we’ll see. But hopefully they don’t ban it, because I don’t think‑‑ I really don’t think that it’s that big of a deal to really look at the data, there’s no data that really confirms that they have to ban it.
“If there were 90 percent of the guys using it or if the guys using it were top of the putting ranks, guys making more putts from 20 feet, more putts from four feet; give me something to go by to really make me believe that you have to ban it; then ban it. But I can’t see them having a really great way of explaining to me why they would want to ban it. ”
Els confirmed he has spoken to R & A CEO Peter Dawson on the subject but has never been contacted or spoken to anyone connected with the USGA.
“I spoke to Peter Dawson in November, and I was actually on my way to a rugby game in England and I gave him my views,” said Els.
“He also gave me his views. But I don’t think I’ve spoken to Mike Davis or the USGA guys. But I obviously read what you guys (media) and what the guys say, so I’m king of up-to-date.
“I’ve also spoken to Tim Clark yesterday and I played golf with Keegan (Bradley) over the weekend, so we kind of keep each other up-to-date.”
