Why was Scott using two putters?
By James Savage
During a thrilling climax to the 2018 PGA Championship there was one question many people couldn’t get away from: Why was Adam Scott using two putters?
Adam Scott has two putters in the bag? #PGAChamp
— Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) August 12, 2018
It’s one of the most unusual equipment moves of the year and even more odd because one of the putters barely saw any action.
But just to recap that’s 12 clubs and two putters. It reminded me of when Phil Mickelson famously carried two drivers.
We all know that Scott has struggled on the greens since the anchoring ban came in at the start of 2016.
He won the Masters in 2013 using his broom-handle putter anchored to his chest.
Two putters?!
Yes, Adam Scott has two putters in play today. A short one for longer putts and his long putter for short-range. #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/NaiXsM1Ht0
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 12, 2018
After the ban came into effect Scott made many attempts to get along with a shorter putter and even got his first win in two years at the 2016 Honda Classic with a traditional length flatstick.
Storyline not getting enough play is Adam Scott carrying two putters and only using one. pic.twitter.com/3jbjK5foGS
— the fried egg (@the_fried_egg) August 12, 2018
But the happiness was short-lived and he eventually returned to the broom-handle which he adjusted so it wasn’t anchored to his chest.
Some people are still not happy about that but we’ll perhaps debate that another day…
So what’s the theory behind using two putters? Which club did he take out? And which two models did he have?
His long putter us a Scotty Cameron center-shafted Kombi Long mallet, the shorter one is a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Timeless.
It’s something we’d seen him adopt on the practice ground and he apparently had them both in the bag on Thursday and Saturday but only used one.
The theory is that the shorter putter is used for longer putts – lagging the ball up to the hole.
The broom-handle is for holing out.
To make way for the extra putter Scott only used three wedges instead of four.
But I have to be honest, despite clearly seeing Scott with two putters in the bag, I didn’t see him use the shorter one at all on Sunday.
Maybe that’s because he was hitting it fairly close all the time? Maybe it’s because when the pressure is on, Scott is only truly happy with the broom-handle.
Either way, it wasn’t enough to stop Brooks Koepka storming to his third major title.
But it certainly caused a bit of a stir on social media with plenty of questions about the legality of his longer putter coming to the fore once again…
I thought those putters were illegal in golf now? (Adam Scott). If they’re not, they should be. It’s like using training wheels in the Tour de France.
— Danielle Dennis (@dr_ddennis) August 12, 2018
What’s in Koepka’s winning bag?
Wallace ace overshadowed by commentator blunder
The reason Tiger changes his shirt every three holes…
James Savage
Former equipment editor of NCG. Inconsistent ball-striker and tea-maker.
