Chris Wood: Belly putter wrangle is in danger of splitting the game of golf
I WILL start this week's blog by discussing arguably the hottest topic in golf – the joys of anchoring a putter into your belly. Last Sunday, the PGA Tour said that it might go against the proposed ban of anchoring the putter, which was introduced by the R&A and USGA – the two governing bodies in the game.
With the European Tour possibly backing the upcoming ban, which will not be introduced before 2016, you can't help but worry about the implications if there is a split. What happens when the Open Championship, the greatest golf tournament in the world and run by the R&A, comes around?
Does this mean that PGA Tour players competing for the Claret Jug will have to use a regular putter in order to play? The same thing applies to the US Open. Or would players boycott the events?
Remember these are two out of the four major championships we play each year. Some of the players against the ban have won majors using the belly putter in the last few years, so you can understand their concern to some extent.
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But personally, I am completely in favour of the ban. I think it's the right decision for the game, and to quote Tiger Woods: "We swing all 13 other clubs. I think the putter should be the same."
Padraig Harrington, a three-time major winner, also said: "The fact is, if somebody invented the belly putter tomorrow, it would not pass."
So, what will happen? I think we will hear more of what is to be done soon, but I feel it's all become a bit messy. Golf is played in a great spirit and this has to continue, but this situation is only taking it down the wrong path.Enough of the ramble, anyway. How's my game?
I played in the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona last week and, after avoiding the snow on Wednesday, which forced my match against Bubba Watson to be stopped after six holes, we came back the following afternoon.
I lost 2 and 1, which was obviously disappointing. I didn't settle into the game at any point and never got any momentum going my way.
I suppose a slight positive to come out of this was that I got home just in time to watch Bristol City beat Barnsley in a 5-3 thriller at Ashton Gate. It was pleasing to see them move off the bottom of the Championship.
Next for me is another World Golf Championship at Doral in Miami next week.
From there, I'm flying to Bangkok (via London and Dubai) to defend the Thailand Open, which I won last year. Then it's the Maybank Malaysian Open the week after.
So, a lot of travelling, but it's all part of my quest to move into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking and qualify for the Masters. Wish me luck!
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