Sort out slow play, not putter – Williams

GOLF

KIWI caddy Steve Williams thinks golf’s decision-makers should forget about the length of putters and target the length of time it’s taking the pros to complete their rounds.

There has been widespread speculation that two of golf’s governing bodies, the Royal & Ancient and the US Golf Association, plan to ban anchoring putters against the body, though any change isn’t likely to take effect until 2016.

Williams is on the bag of world No 5 Adam Scott, the highestranked player who uses a bellyputter.

‘‘The statistics show that there’s no advantage to using a belly-putter or a long putter, or however you want to describe it,’’ Williams said yesterday.

‘‘I’ve said to Adam, they spend so much time worrying about the length of the long putter, but I think one thing that’s to the detriment of the tour is the pace of play. Some of the tournaments we are playing these days, the pace of play is ridiculous.’’

Rather than sweeping out the broomstick putter, golf should be trying to speed up the game, Williams said.

‘‘I think it’s a far bigger issue. When you talk to spectators, and friends and family watching on tv, they can’t believe how long it takes now,’’ he said.

‘‘You should be playing in 4hr 30min, 4hr 40min. It’s getting to the stage where it’s getting over five hours on a constant basis. That’s just ridiculous.’’

Williams was competing in Invercargill last night for the second round of a speedway series he helped set up.

In a previous visit here in 2009 ended he blew up a camshaft before he got to the start line.

The five-round series moves on to Cromwell tonight.