Ah, the belly putter. Throughout generations of golfers and golf fans it has been a lightning rod of controversy. No greater battle between two schools of thought has ever been documented. Families have been divided. Friendships dissolved. Countries have gone to war. World powers have crum….OK, I’m going a little overboard. Actually, I’m going way overboard. As is the heckler getting on Keegan Bradley’s case.
So let me try to understand this. Most people haven’t given much of a crap about the belly putter in the past. It was more of something to poke fun at than anything else. Maybe some hardcore fans look at it differently. But to the average or passing golf fan, we don’t really care. It’s within the rules, so it’s fine.
But now the belly putter will be banned in a few years, so suddenly anybody using one is a cheater. Well, at least according to the heckler. But this reminds me of a similar situation a couple of years back involving Phil Mickelson. Quite simply, if the rules allow it, then it’s not cheating.
Like it or not, the belly putter is a part of the game and, for the time being, it is allowed. So to heckle someone for using it and to call them a cheater is not only rude and uncalled for, but it’s just plain stupid. Now, if Bradley tries to sneak one into a tournament three or four years from now when they are banned, then you can say what you want. But until then, to refer to him as a cheater is insulting. I mean, we’re not talking about a corked bat here. We’re not talking about steroids or PED’s. We’re talking about a golf club that is entirely inside the lines of the golf rule book.
Me personally, I don’t care. If it’s in the rule book, then it’s OK with me. If he’s cheating, then he’s cheating. But that clearly isn’t happening here. So let’s not insult him like he’s doing something he shouldn’t be doing. It certainly isn’t the gentlemanly thing to do.
Swing ’til you’re happy!
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