What to do with a Ping 1/1 tour issue belly putter?

[ColinKelvin]

I recently acquired this putter.  Ping advise that it was made for Colin Montgomerie by Ping WRX back in 2003 and is a 1/1 headshape.

 

It's solid titanium (!!) with tungsten bumpers and was apparently very expensive to make.  It is 2 degrees up / 18 degree lie, 43 inches long and has a tatty, disintegrating old WINN belly grip. 386g head. It has a very nice, surprisingly soft feel off the face.

 

I realise belly putters are banned (and I wouldn't want to play that way anyway); I am not an expert putter tech or a builder - so wanted to ask - is there any reason this wouldn't work cut down to, say, 38" with a fresh counterbalanced grip installed?

 

 

 

[MattM97]

Should work your lie and loft will probably be fixed but I believe the lie will be lower cause of the length. 

[ColinKelvin]

Thanks. I don't mind a slightly upright lie anyway as I am tall. 

 

Weirdly the shaft starts off normal width at the head then seems to widen and be noticeably fatter than a standard putter up at the grip; sounds a bit hollow too. That might cause an issue with the regrip?

[5hort5tuff]

The Belly putters and longer putters traditionally had shafts with larger butt diameters. You should be able to regrip still, but it can be slightly more difficult. 

[Bsch189]

You could get a new shaft, if they used .355 or .370. The sole is a rocker, so just tilt to your preferred lie.

[ColinKelvin]

20 hours ago, 5hort5tuff said:

The Belly putters and longer putters traditionally had shafts with larger butt diameters. You should be able to regrip still, but it can be slightly more difficult. 

It's 7cm round just under the grip, compared with 5cm on a standard Ping.

 

17 hours ago, Bsch189 said:

You could get a new shaft, if they used .355 or .370. The sole is a rocker, so just tilt to your preferred lie.

Really want to keep the present one and use it cut down (it has an interesting patent sticker on it as there is no patent info on the head and is the OG shaft it was made with by Ping WRX).

 

I wonder if the long red Winn one Hovland uses would fit? https://www.justgolfgrips.co.uk/just-golf-grips/957-3400-winn-15-counter-balance-pistol-putter-grip#/166-colour_grips-red

 

Anyone know how much "give" there is in putter grips at install, whether they would stretch over a larger diameter at the butt end?

 

[iteachgolf]

Would make more sense to pull the shaft and save it intact to preserve value.  If you ever wanted to sell it just swap shaft back in.  Once you cut it down there’s no going back

[Socrates]

That putter is worth way more untouched.  IF you really need to, pull the shaft and use another one.

[ColinKelvin]

I've collected tour issue Pings for a while so aware of value considerations but given belly putters are banned, not sure how appealing it is at the current length. That said, keeping the OG shaft and getting another installed is an option. 

[Malc]

20 minutes ago, ColinKelvin said:

I've collected tour issue Pings for a while so aware of value considerations but given belly putters are banned, not sure how appealing it is at the current length. That said, keeping the OG shaft and getting another installed is an option. 

Belly and long putters are not banned. Anchoring them is.

[5hort5tuff]

Many of those long grips, their butt diameters fit these larger .610 butts too 

[ColinKelvin]

12 minutes ago, Malc said:

Belly and long putters are not banned. Anchoring them is.

Sure, I meant the intended use/putting style of putters like this one is banned. It was built to anchor.