Putting problems are often fixed with a switch to a broomstick putter, but Canberra golfer Brendan Jones has done the opposite, throwing the long putter away in favour of a traditional one.
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Jones is considering making the switch permanent, well ahead of the January 1, 2016, ban that will see anchoring of long putters outlawed.
The 39-year-old is back in Canberra for a two-week break before he begins his final stretch of at least five tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour, starting with the ABC Championship on October 30. If he wins one of those five, or can finish in the top 25 on the Japan money list, then he will qualify for the season-ending JT Cup. He will then return to Australia for the PGA Championship on the Gold Coast from December 11.
The Canberran has won 13 tournaments in Japan and amassed more than $9 million in prizemoney over the years, making him Australia's most successful golfer in Japan.
Jones is switching to the short putter after a bad couple of days on the greens last week prompted him to ditch the broomstick.
He opened with a six-under round at the Toshin Golf Tournament last week, but felt he could have been double that if not for his poor putting. After making the cut, he made the switch for the weekend's rounds and saw improvement almost immediately.
Jones said the impending rule change meant it had always been in the back of his mind that he would need to switch eventually.
"I quite enjoyed putting with it [the traditional putter] again ... I think I'm going to stick with it and see how it goes," he said. "It's been in the back of my mind since they brought [the rule change] in that I'd eventually have to change, but my putting is something that isn't consistent enough.
"I originally went to the long putter because I was consistent, but since I almost won at Fujisankei [Classic] I thought I was going to be in contention a lot more often, but it just hasn't happened and my putting was the reason. I needed to try something."
While his putting improved, Jones said his ball striking let him down over the weekend and was the reason he finished tied 31st at 12-under after his promising start.
He will visit his coach Alex Mercer in Sydney on his way back to Japan.
"My ball striking let me down on the weekend ... my ball striking was the concerning part and there's a chance I'll fly to Sydney for a day to see my coach before I fly out, just to get some things going through my head again that I've probably forgotten about," Jones said.
