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Anchored Putters BANNED !!

DarthVega said:
that would seem the most logical way to do this, however, does that mean putting like langer used to by anchoring the putter grip to his left forearm would also be illegal?
I like Tigers view that the putter should be no longer than the shortest club in your bag, after that you can anchor it from your left eyebrow if that works for you
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There are some problems with Tiger's idea. The shortest club in the bag varies in length. Robert Karlsson's wedges are 2" inches long, so he can use a putter that is also 2" longer than most? If a player pitched up with a set of clubs all at least 45" long, could he then use a belly putter?

Also, there is no logic in banning putters over 35" (wedge length) long when the rules allow you to use any club, including driver, on the green.
 
Ethan said:
If a player pitched up with a set of clubs all at least 45" long, could he then use a belly putter?
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yes! Thats what's so good about that idea as it doesnt ban them just makes it impractical to use. Do you think any pro or anyone could ever be in contention with 45" wedges, he'll be using the belly putter to get a 7.

However, thats a good point about being able to use a driver or any club on the green............bit of a can of worms this one whatever way you look at it
 
As a belly putter owner and someone who uses one off and on I do have to say that the word 'anchoring' that keeps on getting banded about doesn't sit too well with me.

This is one definition I online I found for the word. With our proposed meaning made slightly larger.

an·chor
(
abreve.gif
ng
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k
schwa.gif
r) n. 1. Nautical A heavy object attached to a vessel by a cable or rope and cast overboard to keep the vessel in place either by its weight or by its flukes, which grip the bottom.
2. A rigid point of support, as for securing a rope.
3. A source of security or stability.
4. Sports a. An athlete, usually the strongest member of a team, who performs the last stage of a relay race or other competition.
b. The person at the end of a tug-of-war team.

5. An anchorperson.

v. an·chored, an·chor·ing, an·chors
v.tr. 1. To hold fast by or as if by an anchor. See Synonyms at fasten.
2. Sports To serve as an anchor for (a team or competition).
3. To narrate or coordinate (a newscast).
4. To provide or form an anchor store for: Two major stores anchor each end of the shopping mall.

v.intr. Nautical To drop anchor or lie at anchor.

Now anchored means to me something that is fixed or fastened and although the end of the grip touches the belly It does not stay in a fixed or 'anchored' position. To keep the end of the grip in this so called fixed position you would have to turn the whole upper body in time with the stroke. The grip itself rocks in roughly the same position and as with all putting methods pressure needs to be kept to a minimum to help promote a smooth, rhythmical stroke. The idea that the end of the grip is held firmly in place by the belly is wrong. Tension is a killer!

Now you could argue that the end of the grip lightly touching the belly in a source of stability but I personally and having used one for a lot of golf wouldn't agree with the stability of something that moves and not just on a fixed point, that is lightly touching said supposed fixed point. Pick one up and try one see what you think.

To me its just another way to putt. It takes awhile to pick up and get used to but can be used to great effect.
Has it made me a better putter? Yes. But why? for me it is not the fact the putter is longer or is 'anchored' but I would say more that the putter is different, and everybody knows I just love being different! I don't think I putt better with a belly over one of my normal putters or vice versa. I just like learning a different method which in turn helps me learn more about my normal stroke, the way the ball rolls, putting and the game of golf in general.

Some players go to a belly/broom because they have the yips or lose confidence in what they were doing. I see nothing wrong with that as such but it is only a temporary fix as poor technique or mental approach will come back to haunt you unless properly addressed. I have not and don't expect to see a group of players improve their putting stats by 1 or 2 over the year just because they went to a belly putter. If one or two do this then I would argue that they are not just cheating but it is because of one of the several reasons mentioned in this thread.

If your looking at anchoring then maybe the way Langer and Kuchar have putted should be called into question as opposed to the putters themselves.
 
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Ethan said:
The last time the R&A and USGA tried to ban something, it didn't work out so well. They will be very wary of getting used by Ping again, who have much deeper pockets than they do, and Ping were one of the earliest manufacturers of a long putter.
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I would be happy to see long putters banned and I would also be happy to see Ping take on the combined might of the R&A and USGA and lose. It's up to the governing bodies to make the rules and if Ping don't like them, tough. It's a pretty poor show when a single manufacturer can effectively bully the R&A into allowing a club against their better judgement.
 
Swinger said:
As a belly putter owner and someone who uses one off and on I do have to say that the word 'anchoring' that keeps on getting banded about doesn't sit too well with me.
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I think that's one of the issues that has caused the authorities the problems.

Do they want to ban/eliminate them? - probably 'Yes' though it seems far too far down the road to me.

How do they go about it? Now that's the hard part. Even Tiger's 'solution' that putters should be no longer than shortest other club in the bag doesn't work - I know some who use 36-38" normal putters. 5-iron?

Always thought that putting should be with 'free' arms, so I'd support a ban - and other putting attributes, like the astride method, have been banned in past. Just got to get the method of doing it right.

And it needs phase-in/out period too!

Then the issue is how do you solve the Yipps!
 
Foxholer said:
Always thought that putting should be with 'free' arms, so I'd support a ban - and other putting attributes, like the astride method, have been banned in past. Just got to get the method of doing it right.
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I agree, I think this would be the best way to go however how would you define 'free' arms?

It'll be interesting to see what they come up with if they do decide to ban different putting methods. It could end up being a wording nightmare!
 
Swinger said:
I agree, I think this would be the best way to go however how would you define 'free' arms?
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exactly, what about the guys who putt with one arm...........like I said can of worms. The R&A and USPGA just need to make a decision and everyone adhere to the GOVERNING body, you can't please all the people all the time etc etc
 
muttleee said:
I would be happy to see long putters banned and I would also be happy to see Ping take on the combined might of the R&A and USGA and lose. It's up to the governing bodies to make the rules and if Ping don't like them, tough. It's a pretty poor show when a single manufacturer can effectively bully the R&A into allowing a club against their better judgement.
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you see thats where your wrong, it wont be just Ping. I'm quite confident given the $$$ dollar market, the success of sales of Odyssey, Ping, Scotty, TM etc will all fight it to the hilt.
 
what sort of dispels all this anti long putters movement, most recent comps they have mentioned that the lowest putts per round were by those using standard length putters!

no need to ban them tbh, let them use their long putters, I don't feel a good player will benefit any more than someone using a standard one
 
Stupid messing about with long putters when they've been in use for decades. If they're so advantageous why doesn't everyone use them!

R and A, USGA meddling around with rules! Totally unnecessary!
 
G1BB0 said:
what sort of dispels all this anti long putters movement, most recent comps they have mentioned that the lowest putts per round were by those using standard length putters!

no need to ban them tbh, let them use their long putters, I don't feel a good player will benefit any more than someone using a standard one
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Yeah I agree with that, there isn't a massive benefit that is visible.
 
Akie said:
No the opposite, if people want to use them then let them rather than ban them.
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To be honest, I don't agree with the anchoring part, I think it is wrong and it simply HAS to help make the stroke more stable and I think they should be banned. But if they decide not to ban them after the consultation period, I don't really care. The biggest concern would be if they do ban them and the PGA Tour break away and play under their own rules, then we have a very big issue.
 
HawkeyeMS said:
To be honest, I don't agree with the anchoring part, I think it is wrong and it simply HAS to help make the stroke more stable and I think they should be banned. But if they decide not to ban them after the consultation period, I don't really care. The biggest concern would be if they do ban them and the PGA Tour break away and play under their own rules, then we have a very big issue.
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The issue of the PGA Tour breaking away is critical as that would turn Golf into the situation they had in Darts or similar. I haven't seen enough evidence of the players who anchor their putts gaining a big advantage but if they have a proper consultation period and decide its unfair then I guess thats fair.

I dont use one but had a few putts on a practice green with one but would need more practice to master it.
 
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