Adam Scott believes it is too late to ban the long putter but has declared he’ll survive and continue to prosper should golf’s governing bodies outlaw the club.
Scott responded to recent news the USGA and Royal and Ancient Golf Club have taken a fresh look at long putters with a diplomatic reaction but, privately, thinks a ban should have come long ago if it was to come at all.
The Queenslander returned to some of his best golf in 2011 after making the change to a long broomstick putter, finishing second at the Masters and winning the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.
He won’t stand up against a ban publicly but, with young players like US PGA Champion Keegan Bradley having used the club from day dot of their careers, Scott thinks a change would be unfair – a view shared by Phil Mickelson.
“I just think that to have something be legal for 27 years or 30, I don’t know how many years it’s been legal, and then to take it away where guys have been growing up now practising and playing with it, I just don’t think that that’s fair to those players at all,” Mickelson said.
Tiger Woods revealed last week he’d been discussing a possible rule change with the lawmakers.
But Scott, along with plenty of other high-profile players including Webb Simpson and FedExCup champion Bill Haas have opted to make the longer putter part of the golfing landscape.
“I didn’t know they were taking another fresh look at it and I’m sure they’re going to keep looking at all different areas of the game as well but it is what it is,” Scott said.
“I guess it’s up to the R and A and the USGA to keep the game in the best shape possible.
“There are people for and against it. Obviously, they’re not completely against it or we wouldn’t be putting with them at all.”
Scott, who lines up for his 2012 debut in Los Angeles this week, the last of the world top 10 to tee it up this year, says he’ll survive if a ban is implemented.
“It’s not going to ruin me if they ban a long putter one day because I putted well some weeks with the short putter. I won a lot of tournaments and I’ll just have to work a bit harder with it,” he said.
Having taken three months off between tournaments, spending most of his time in Australia, Scott says he is raring to go at Riviera Country Club this week.
After battling tonsillitis over the past few years, the 31-year-old had his tonsils removed late last year to ensure the affliction stopped affecting his golf. He won a rain-shortened event here in 2005 and backed up with a second-place finish the year after.
“It was probably the longest break I’ve ever had but it doesn’t feel that long ago that I was playing in Australia.
“It goes by pretty quick when you’re having fun back home and I think I needed it.
“I’ve played a lot of golf around the world for the last 12 years, and to be able to spend three months at home for a change was really, really nice.
“Now I’m refreshed and ready to go for this year.”