Sports Watch
For years, there have been long-drive contests for golf's macho men. Golfers who can knock it 300 yards off the tee, guys who can put even John Daly to shame.
Move over, muscle men. Make room for the game's real players - the putters. Scrawny guys who can make four-footers, which, after all, count the same one stroke as a drive that goes 300 yards.
For the first time, putters can put their money where their mouth is.
Thanks to a dream come true for Dave Pelz, the guru of putting, someone by the end of November will lay claim to the title as the world's best putter.
Using scientifically designed tests, Pelz has put into motion the first-ever Compaq World Putting Championship at a site to be determined shortly. Meanwhile, local qualifying has been completed at the Ala Wai Golf Course with the playoff for the Hawaii champion set for next month, according to Mark Kalilikane.
In the national championship, the 50 state champions will compete against 50 PGA Tour pros and also those representing the LPGA and Senior PGA tours. Winners of golf's four majors in 1995 and this year will be among those receiving exemptions.
The idea is to find the best putter in the world, said Pelz in a conference call yesterday from Orlando, Fla.
"It's an exciting time for us and it's going to be a lot of fun," Pelz promises.
How much fun?
So much so that the PGA Tour pros got a kick out of the first qualifying held at the Byron Nelson Classic last month. Loren Roberts, one of the tour's best putters, carded a 33 for 18 holes to lead 21 qualifiers. Phil Mickelson was next at 35.
The final qualifying for the PGA Tour pros will be at the Western Open next week.
PELZ wanted to clear up a misconception. Even though amateurs will be competing against touring pros, they have a real chance to win.
"A golfer might not hit it long or can score, but anyone can putt. If you get to the putting green, there are no boundaries. My favorite tag line is, 'We all stand equal to the hole,'" he said.
Pelz is almost absolutely sure that an amateur will wind up as the world's best putter.
"This is the only competition in sports where a pure amateur can compete on a level playing field with a professional," Pelz said. "A C (flight golfer) or D can win this thing."
As proof, Pelz pointed out that in 1983 he conducted a Texas state putting championship and a middle-aged, middle-handicapper beat Ben Crenshaw.
KNOWING Pelz, luck won't be involved in determining the champion. To win, you can't be just lucky, you've got to be good as well. Specific rules will be used for the state playoff and later in the national championship.
In the 18-hole putt-off involving the top qualifiers, the first nine holes will consist of long putts (25 to 30 feet), where the premium is placed on getting as close to the hole as possible. If you don't sink the putt, you will have to remark the ball 34 inches from where your putt stopped. So if you left your putt three feet short, you've got what amounts to a six-footer on your next try.
On the second nine, which will consist of makable 15- to 20-footers, Pelz feels a good putt should be no worse than 17 inches past the hole. So he established a "safe zone" of 17 inches beyond the pin. There's no penalty if you stay within that zone. If not, you will have to remark your next putt 34 inches back from where it ended.
On the final hole for the world title, each miss finds the ball moved back another 34 inches.
"This will really identify who the best putter in the world is," Pelz said. And also a chance for someone to claim to be the best in Hawaii.