Anchored or Not?

Should the anchoring of putters be banned?

  • Total voters
    99
I voted yes, simply because I agree that the rule change is looking to stop the spread of anchoring in the future and not just addressing what has happened with recent major wins. There is a potential that anchoring could spread to other parts of the game, say chipping, pitching and bunker play. That's not where I'd like to see golf going..IMHO.
 
I voted no.

If they were going to be banned i think this should have been done when they first came on the scene several years ago. With guys such as Simpson and Bradley using the belly putter for most of their careers i think it would be very unfair if they were banned now and the situation should just be left as it is. If there really was an advantage in using the belly putter i reckon more people would be using them.
 
I'm in favour of the ban, but TBH, I'm getting bored of it all now so don't care what they do really, just as long as they decide soon. It's never gonna affect me anyway
 
bladeplayer said:
Hardly a good enough reason tho is it ? Would the game ever have evolved this far if this was the attitude to change ?
Click to expand...

Would it be better if the R&A issued a statement saying that they had made a mistake in allowing the use of these putters 30+ years ago?

I have no dog in this fight, I just don't believe that and club should be anchored. Its not an evolution of a style or a piece of equipment. It's a completely different method. How about if someone started using an anchored wedge for around the greens? Or a ball that would only spin on one axis?

The other point I don't understand is the one that people make when they claim that it doesn't offer an advantage. If it doesn't, then why are people so dead set against it. Every anecdotal piece of evidence I can find states that people switch to the anchored putter because it offers them some sort of advantage. If not, then switch to a regulation stick and get on with it.
 
murphthemog said:
Um, the ball can only spin on one axis already? It has an axis of rotation, which is broken down into vectors for no apparent reason by coaches, club fitters and commentators.
Click to expand...

It can only spin on one axis at a time, the point I was making (badly) was if you could scientifically manipulate that axis to be the direction of intended travel, then you would immediately eliminate hooks and slices. It would still be a golf ball, just one that helped H/C golfers...
 
I agree with Harrington, even though I don't really like him.

"If they where introduced today, they would not pass the rules committee" Or words to that effect.
 
Every Golf stroke is made with either one or two hands holding the club - nothing else touches it. The exception is the anchored putter. Why should it be any different to every other stroke..?
The game is played holding a club in the hands only...

Timing - yes it should have outlawed years ago but that is a poor reason for not doing it now.
The trampoline effect of drivers was governed after they began to get out of hand, grooves too. They were allowed for a time but then the Authorities changed/added rules to combat them. This is no different. The only difference is that the clubs are not being banned only the anchoring..
I expect there would have been a similar outcry if we were still allowed to putt croquet style and they were banning that.
Changes to rules/methods happen in sport all the time. If the Governing Authorities see fit to change a Rule then we abide by it...
Simples...
 
Ban it. Anchoring isn't a proper stroke in my opinion. However it should have been done at the outset and whatever the outcome of the R&A/USGA with European Tour support against the US tour, a large and mighty voice/power in the game it will do nothing but create negative publicity in a time where grass root level needs to attract as many people to the game as it can
 
I think Tiger got it spot on when he said 'We use two hands to swing every other club in the bag - why should it be different for the putter?' I think the key point here is swing - despite the earlier allusion to the putting stroke being like a push - it is not. It should be in my humble opinion a 'swing' of the club to carry out the stroke. So again in my very humble opinion a swing implies that its should not be anchored but swung using the arms only.
 
I don't get why the PGA Tour are pandering to a couple of players when their big guns must surely be having a word saying it's not right! As for those who say if they were that good everyone would be using them I disagree, as I happen to think most players disagree with them in principle and stand by that. The proof of advantage is the huge number of US college players coming through using them, why do you think that is????

Ban.
 
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