This week has been a huge success, the belly putter is to be banned in 3 years, but for the governing bodies, tours and players using the belly putter there’s decisions to be made.
True, it’s not often that you see heckling on a golf course, and there is rarely an excuse for it, but after Keegan Bradley was heckled off the 18th green after his 3rd round 67 at the world golf challenge, the USGA, Keegan Bradley and others need to see beyond the heckling, but the bigger issue of their continued use of the belly putter.
I can agree with the fan in some ways! Keegan Bradley isn’t a cheater, but he’s certainly ruining his reputation by continuing to use the belly putter. Whether he likes it or not, he will continue to be ‘heckled’ if he doesn’t switch putter soon.
The USGA need to ban the belly putter soon. If Keegan Bradley wins today there will be uproar from players and fans. Technically it is still legal to use the belly putter until 2016, but how can players justify using the belly putter until then when it has been called cheating? If it were me, I would feel morally obliged to stop using it. Yes, they have to make a living, but golfing ethics come before that.
The USGA and R&A are in a seriously awkward situation, after announcing that belly putters would be banned in 3 years. The PGA Tour surely have to enact the ban sooner, or else they can expect 3 years of heckling!!
I don’t like when fans tell Keegan to get a job at Burger king etc, claiming that he’ll lose his job over the ban, but he does have to consider if he wants to continue getting this for 3 more years!
Hopefully the poster boy of the belly putter will get rid of his bad habit and switch soon, before it’s too late! Maybe it already is if he wins today?
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Crohan O’Shea @Crohaan
