Longitudes Group, a sports market research firm based in Portland, OR, asked their avid golfer survey panel about their opinion on the Belly Putter regulation. The polarizing results are in and the panel slightly sides with ‘yes’ the belly putter gives an unfair competitive advantage with a 39% response rate over the 34% response rate stating ‘no’ it does not give an unfair advantage.  On May 21st, 2013, the USGA and R&A ruled that the use of the belly putter would be banned from regulation play as of January 1st, 2016.