Tim Hewitt wrote:What makes you say these putters are non-conforming? The hosels look like they are more than 10* from vertical. The stroke has both feet off the line of the putt and not straddling the line of the putt. What would make them non-conforming? I don't know that I could putt
At 07:04 PM 1/13/03 -0800, Ed Reeder wrote:
Gotta disagree. There are two shaft alignment rules in Appendix II, and I believe the Shuffleputter violates them both.Tim, I believe that you are 100% correct! I was thinking "inside the box." I was thinking it was the angle as you stood to the side. Since the clubs can be used either right or left handed, then the angle had to be 90*.However, reading the wording of the rule sets me straight "the projection of the straight part of the shaft on the vertical plane through the toe and heel shall diverge from the vertical by at least 10 degrees." In the case of these two putters the toe points toward the hole and heel away from the hole. As you say, the shaft is more than 10 degrees.
"(i) The projection of the straight part of the shaft onto the vertical plane through the toe and heel shall diverge from the vertical by at least 10 degrees." (Ed, that was the rule you cited.)
OK, draw the vertical plane from heel to toe. Now project the shaft onto that plane. That is what we NORMALLY call "lie angle", and it is specifically defined in the rule. It's not just the angle between the shaft and the vertical; it's the projection of the shaft onto a specific plane! That angle for the Shuffleputter is absolutely vertical; it does not diverge by at least 10 degrees. So it is in violation of that rule.
But wait, there's more:
"(ii) The projection of the straight part of the shaft onto the vertical plane along the intended line of play shall not diverge from vertical by more than 20 degrees."
Draw the vertical plane along the intended line of play (that is, the vertical plane containing the target line). Now project the shaft onto that plane. It is a lot more horizontal than allowed; it diverges from vertical by a lot more than 20 degrees. So it violates that one as well.
The wording IS the rule, and is very specific. But the rulebook contains figures, in case you don't visualize the rule. And they bear out what I say.
Further evidence:
I looked through their web site, and nowhere does it say that it conforms to the rules of golf. You'd think it would, with such an unconventional design. At any rate, I sent them email asking whether it conforms. I would not be surprised if I received no answer at all.
Cheers!
DaveT
