LANGER HITS BACK AT THOSE WHO WANT TO BAN THE BROOM-HANDLE PUTTER

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

By JAMES CORRIGAN

Bernhard Langer waved his wand to shoot a 64 in this magical setting of Turnberry before turning on the governing bodies and greats of the game who will soon see his broom-handle putter banned

It was probably a good job none of them was in the vicinity of the Senior Open when the German vented his anger; they may well have found golf’s equivalent of a jousting stick launched at their midriff to knock them off what he plainly considers to be their high horses.

The thrust of his complaint was “why now?” and “why not consult me?”.

Langer also accused the objectors – who apparently include the Royal and Ancient and United States Golf Association who will almost certainly decide to outlaw the “anchoring” of putters in September – of devaluing the triumphs of three of the last four major-winners.

“I don’t understand that they’ve been used for 20, 30 years and only now they say ‘we think they’re illegal’,” said Langer. “So for three decades nobody won a major with one. And now because three have, they’re illegal?

"I’m sorry, don’t accept that argument whatsoever. It doesn’t make sense.”

Peter Dawson, the R and A chief executive, denies that the recent results have influenced their deliberations. But it is undeniable that as Keegan Bradley (who, at last year’s USPGA, became the first long-putter merchant to win a major), Webb Simpson and Ernie Els have vaulted their way into the winners’ enclosures the issue has become a major talking point.

Like most in the locker room, Tiger Woods is all for a ban and revealed that he and Dawson have staged in-depth talks on the subject. Langer feels it has been a one-way debate.

“You hear all these quotes from Gary Player or Luke Donald and all these guys who use the small putter, saying ‘yeah, ban the long putters’,” said Langer.
"Why don’t they ask some of us [who do use them] just to make it fair? I even played with Peter Dawson in the Pro-Am here yesterday and he didn’t bring it up’.”
With so many young players now switching to what once was the last resort, the dissenters say they are worried about the future. Langer is more cynical about their motives.
“I guess they just want to ride the ‘traditional’ thing, whatever that is,” said Langer, before charging them with cheapening the triumphs of Bradley and Co.
“I think it does devalue their wins,“ he said. “Because it takes a lot of practice. It’s not like, oh take the long-putter and it automatically goes into the hole.
"That’s baloney. In many ways it’s actually harder to use because you have a longer thing to move and you have to be more precise.”
In the respect of the timing of the prospective ban, Langer’s bemusement is understandable. But the 54 year-old is in a small minority in believing the rules should not be changed.
Els, who won last week’s Open with a belly-putter, has called it “cheating”. “Nothing should be anchored to your body, and I still believe that,” said the South African.
Any rule change cannot be invoked until 2016, which leaves Langer three more seasons to anchor the club against his chest.
In Thursday's first round, it worked to fine effect, holing four birdie putts in the 10-20 feet range. Together with his meticulous long-game accuracy of line and distance, it handed him a one-stroke advantage over Ireland's Mark McNulty.