Oh Mr. Finchem, get real.

Well its no surprise to me really that Tim Finchem is following in the archetypical arrogant manner that is so commonplace amongst the heads of any US professional sports organization. Firstly you have Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner who not only dropped the ball so to speak on the whole “bounty gate” matter, having to ultimately relinquish the reigns to former commissioner, Paul Tagliabue to get it all put to bed but then you have him leading the charge to expansion into the UK. Not going to work, end of story. The English love football but the round one not the “torpedo shaped” version. Let it rest Roger and go count your 30 shmill.

Then there is hockey and Mr. Bettman, a man who I doubt ever skated one lap around an ice rink and certainly never played hockey. If he did he would not have survived one hard body check, you see, as it’s hard to get up when you have no spine.

Now Mr. Finchem. Timmy, Timmy, Timmy, why rock the boat here?

Go with the flow and come down off your lofty perch! You say “ the tour opposed the ban because there was not enough evidence to suggest players had an advantage by using a long putter.” Well if it’s that simple let me help you along here Tim, oleboy.

Last week a friend I hadn’t played with for well over a year joined The Great Dane, Cliff and me for 18 holes here in Canada’s paradise Parksville, BC. Initially there wasn’t anything unusual about Dales game until he reached the first green and pulled out his putter. It must have been over 4 feet long and had white adhesive gauze tape from the top of the grip to 3 quarters of the way down towards the putter head. At 6’ 4 “ it was just right for the big logger and raised my eyebrows a little. He had taken a shaft from an old 3 wood and glued in place. It raised them even more after 6 holes of play when he had one putted every green sinking putts from anywhere from 5 to 25 feet with pure consistency. He explained the obvious, that by anchoring it in his stomach, it took out any hand and arm action and just meant a simple turning of his body. He freely admitted to never putting so well and I had never remembered seeing an 8 handicapper putt like he was getting ready for the PGA tour.

If you need evidence Mr. Finchem, we would actually just call you Finchy by about the 3^rd hole in our group, what about one Bernhard Langer, he Mr. Precision, who missed a 4 footer to retain the Ryder Cup and then went on to very lofty heights, using a chest anchored broom stick long putter? Sam Torrance, couldn’t hit a house until he went to the broomstick but then again it just probably helped him deal with the morning shakes as its common knowledge Sam was as adept at hitting the golf ball as he was closing down the bar.

14 clubs, playing from a divot, hitting ball with a lump of mud on it, now these are the obvious rules that need changing but the long putter should have never made it’s debut and we wouldn’t be here arguing over it. Plus Ernie, Keegan and Web would have earned their recent majors with integrity.

Go ahead then put a belly putter in your own bag Finchy if you must or maybe you already have……..aha that’s it, eureka!

My 84 year old dad “squaring” up his shoulders while my wife waits her turn to putt using a 1972 Ping Anser 3 putter.