Golf star Collin Morikawa fired back at Lucas Glover’s call to ban AimPoint with a zinger of his own: maybe they should ban long putters too.
The comment, which drew both gasps and laughs during Tuesday’s Genesis Invitational press conference, was aimed at Glover, who recently called the AimPoint putting method “rude” on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio.
“I have nothing against Lucas,” Morikawa said with a smile, “but if we’re banning AimPoint, I think we should ban long putters as well.”
It’s worth noting that Glover relies on a long putter after battling the yips – those nasty involuntary wrist spasms that can wreck a golfer’s short game – for nearly a decade. Things got so bad at one point, Glover admitted he almost switched to putting left-handed.
Morikawa’s been using AimPoint – a green-reading technique that helps players figure out the break of putts – for years now. He swears by it.
“It’s helped me 1,000% in tournament play,” he said.
But he acknowledges there are some issues to work out. “Some players might get a little bit too close to the hole, and I get that. You don’t want your putt going over someone else’s footprints.”
Slow play has become a hot topic in pro golf lately. Rounds at recent tournaments like The American Express and Farmers Insurance Open have dragged on, frustrating players and fans alike.
The LPGA Tour’s already cracking down with new policies, and they’re seeing faster play. The PGA Tour’s been a bit more relaxed about it, though they’re starting to float some ideas to speed things up.
One solution might be allowing rangefinders, which Morikawa supports. “I use them at the PGA Championship, and it definitely quickens things up,” he said.
But he’s realistic about what technology can fix. “When you’re playing a tough course in tough conditions, it’s just going to play slower,” Morikawa explained. “There’s no way around it.”
“It’s not going to magically turn a five-hour round into four and a half hours,” he added. “But every little bit helps.”
