Els calls for belly putter ban
More recently, the ball (or rather the distance it flies) has aroused further animated debate, as have the amazing advances made in other areas which threaten to make many of our famous traditional courses virtually obsolete.
And yesterday, during the opening round of the €3 million Deutsche Bank TPC of Europe, a couple of richly talented South Africans waged a war of words about the efficacy of the so-called belly putter. This unattractive-looking creation was wielded in quite outstanding fashion by the 25-year-old Trevor Immelman, who availed of the perfect weather to tour the St Leon-Rot course in a superb seven under par 65 to share the first day lead with Frenchman Gregory Havret and England's David Howell.
Immelman admitted: "I was inspired by Vijay Singh holing all those putts on the way to winning at New Orleans and so I thought I would give it a try and it felt great."
He went on to finish 11th in the British Masters, ignoring the plentiful digs of colleagues who commented that such implements were for older people who had lost their nerve with the more traditional implement.
Immelman insisted he didn't have the yips, stating instead that it was "a technical thing for me".
"With the belly putter, it's anchored in your stomach, so it swings like a pendulum and releases naturally."
He has had encouragement from among others, Lee Westwood, Nick Price and Sandy Lyle, all of whom have dabbled with it, and as for those who like to pull his leg, Immelman simply says: "As long as I keep rolling the ball the way I've been doing, I don't really care what they say."
However, Immelman's idol Ernie Els has never used the belly putter, swears he never will, and yesterday insisted that it should be banned.
"Of course I'm serious," he stressed. "I think nerves and skill of putting is part of the game take a tablet if you can't handle it.
"It's not because guys like Trevor have the yips or anything, it's just becoming such an easier way to putt.
"You actually push it into your body and then you make a perfect stroke with your hands. If you put a pencil at the end of your putter, you're going to come back on the same angle every time. And that's why I believe they should ban it."
Els had a lot more to say on the subject and claimed that both the R&A and the USGA were looking into the matter with a view to outlawing the club.
When told of Els's comments, Immelman snapped: "Ernie's just stirring the pot. If it's so good and makes putting so much easier, why aren't they all using it?"
A fair point, and Immelman, by general agreement of all the leading players including Els, is an outstanding prospect no matter what equipment he uses.
Colin Montgomerie is an advocate of the belly putter and it was working beautifully yesterday when he stood three under par after three holes.
Things then went steadily downhill for the troubled Scot as he struggled to a demoralising 75 which leaves him in grave jeopardy of missing the cut.
If that comes to pass, he will have to pre-qualify for the US and British Opens, so it was hardly surprising that he declined to comment on the belly putter issue.
As always, Padraig Harrington was forthcoming on the subject.
He thinks the putter is "horrible" but said calls for its ban should only come from those who actually use it.
"If I did so, people would claim I was saying it because it would help me," he pointed out.
"Actually, the horse has bolted on this one. The only time they have ever changed a rule governing something like this was in the case of the mallet putter. I can see reasons for changing the rule but then they'd have to change a lot of other things as well.
"Personally, I think it's horrible and I ask myself how they can putt with it."
Whereas Els is already a superstar of the golfing firmament and Immelman is clearly capable of emulating him, co-leader Gregory Havret has set himself far less exalted goals.
His aim is to finish the season in the top two in France so that he can make his country's World Cup team at the end of the year. Havret, who partnered Ireland's Gary Murphy, began at the 10th and had a golden run of birdie, birdie, eagle from his 10th hole and completed the nine in 31 shots.
David Howell, the 29-year-old from Swindon, numbers the 1999 Dubai Desert Classic as his sole win on the European Tour and highlighted his blemish-free 65 with an eagle at the 3rd.
He also joined in the belly putter debate and emphatically declared: "Ban them.
"It's not right to be allowed to make a point of anchor. Part of the game is to be able to hold your nerve over short putts. I believe a census among tour players would vote to ban them."
It isn't often we see Jose-Maria Olazabal on this side of the Atlantic and after a few "awful weeks" in the States, he needed the boost of yesterday's 66 to restore his morale.
He is reconciled to pre-qualifying for the US Open, dismissing suggestions that victory in Germany could change the situation for the better.
"I need 15 good weeks in a row," he growled.
"It's going to be a long road and the toughest part may be having the patience and not get frustrated when the results don't show up. But I believe there is good golf still to be played."
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