It seems an act of desperation from one so young, but a week into his great putting experiment Christchurch amateur Jordan Bakermans says the signs are good that his shaky short can be salvaged.
Bakermans is a rarity among the 156-strong field at the New Zealand men's under-19 golf championship this week in that he's ditched convention and added a belly putter to his bag of tricks.
Bakermans says if it's good enough for them then he's alright with it too, although his new stick couldn't propel him to great heights yesterday in the opening round at Omokoroa, having to settle for an even-par 72 after two late bogeys.
New Zealand rep Sam An showed his quality with a superb five-under par 67 in benign conditions on the coastal layout.
An, just returned from making his international teams' debut with New Zealand at the Nomura Cup in Fiji, managed five birdies in a bogey-free round. He leads William Howard (Springfield), Jarrod Freeman (Australia) and Matthew Spraggs (Boulcott's Farm Heritage) by four shots.
Bakermans, 17, said he noticed a few sideways glances at the lengthy Taylormade Spyder Ghost putter protruding from the top of his bag but didn't mind the curious looks if it helped his game.
"All I'm trying to do is find something that works for me. I've had it a week and already I've noticed some gains. I might seem young to be heading down the belly putter route. I won't complain if it sorts my putting out."
There are predictions that within the next six or seven years more than half the players on the PGA Tour will be using long, anchored putters, even though many golf purists think all long putters should be melted down.
Some find them aesthetically unpleasurable while others argue the anchored stroke violates the free-swinging spirit of the game.
The +2 handicapper doesn't care what the club looks like - he was desperate by the time his new putter arrived from the US a week ago.
"It's still a bit hot and cold and I'm finding it a mixed bag on the longer putts judging the weight, but with the shorter putts it feels far more stable."
Bakermans got to the stage he didn't have a clue with his conventional putter, pulling every second putt left of the hole and taking more than 30 shots on the short grass every round without exception, although he does concede he's largely self-taught and never sought coaching advice.
"I honestly didn't have a clue but knew if I could get my putting sorted then I had a chance at getting my game going. I'm hitting enough greens to shoot low rounds but 30-plus putts is never going to achieve that."
An didn't find the greens a challenge after spending two days practising at Omokoroa, with the Titirangi 17-year-old picking up shots at the 1st and 2nd holes, another at the short par-four 8th and two more on the homeward nine. He's feeling additional pressure at the junior event after recently becoming a New Zealand senior rep.
"I learned a lot playing in the Nomura Cup - just playing in a stronger field I feel more comfortable coming back, it's easier here."
World No 2 Cecilia Cho, overwhelming favourite for the women's under-19 title, got off to a disastrous start at Omanu.
The Pakuranga golfer was three over after four holes but rallied with birdies on holes six and seven on her way to a one over par 73. That was good enough for a share of the lead with Catherine Bell who dropped four shots coming home to fall back to a tie for first.
Recent World Masters junior winner Jesse Hamilton (Maungakiekie) is in a share of third place with Chantelle Cassidy (Tokoroa) and Brianna Maynard (Aviation) after rounds of two over 74.
Yesterday's round one scores:
Men's U19 championship (Omokoroa).-
67: Sam An (Titirangi)
71: William Howard (Rotorua), Jarrod Freeman (Australia), Matthew Spraggs (Boulcott's Farm Heritage)
72: Compton Pikari (Te Awamutu), Cameron Jones (North Shore), Jordan Bakermans (Christchurch)
73: Tyler Hodge (Levin), James Eng (Remuera)
74: Jin Myeong Hwang (Tauranga), Nick Voke (Manukau), Tae Koh (Manukau), Anthony Cope (North Shore), Thomas Forbes (Christchurch), Steven Kuggeleijn (Lochiel)
75: Simon Viitakangas (Australia), Brian Joe (Titirangi), Jay Maaka (Westown), Warren Pretorius (Pakuranga), Rhys Harold (Palmerston North), Jordan Green (Ashburton), Peter Lee (Rotorua), Trent Munn (Manawatu), Harry Yang (Pupuke), Brayden Mazey (Boulcott's Farm Heritage), Kayne Wardell (Otago)
76: Jayson Mathiou (Australia), Troy Scott (Waitomo), Damien Powell (Manukorihi), Ryan Chisnall (Greenacres), Thomas Neylon (Waipu), Sanjay Modgill (New Plymouth)
77: Ben Shanly (Tauranga), Gim Hoe Keh (Pakuranga), James Perkinson (Shandon), Jack Sullivan (Australia), William Brown (Waikohu), Jared Bellas (North Shore), Thomas Facer (Otago), Johnny Tynan (Titirangi), John Campbell (Te Puke)
Women's U19 championship (Omanu).-
73: Catherine Bell (Ashburton), Cecilia Cho (Pakuranga)
74: Jesse Hamilton (Maungakiekie), Chantelle Cassidy (Tokoroa), Brianna Maynard (Aviation)
75: Liv Cheng (Manukau), Keita Durie (Palmerston North), Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park)
77: Amber-Rose Thompson-Newth (Castlecliff), Caryn Khoo (Pakuranga)
78: Lita Guo (North Shore), Brittney Dryland (Maungakiekie)
79: Sai Ma (North Shore), Tidavadee (Fai) Tongdethsri (Hamilton), Imogen Donnelly-Lawrence (Manor Park), Mun Chin Keh (Pakuranga)