Bernhard Langer

[need_my_wedge]

Quite an achievement yesterday, his 42nd Champions Tour win, in a playoff at age 64 and 1 month. He shows no sign of letting up, quite phenomenal really. He's got a pretty decent record to look back on, 118 career wins including two Masters. I might not agree with his putting style (been done to death on here before) but have to admire the longevity of the man.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

One of my favourite golfers. He doesn't have a brain, he has a computer. Never wastes a single shot and comes across as a genuinely nice man.

 

[Imurg]

Unreal staying power..
Still in the top 1000
Played in professional events with people born in 1902 and 2002....
A true legend of the game...even if his putting stroke is still a bit suspect

 

[harpo_72]

Good evidence that distance is not king

 

[BiMGuy]

Good evidence that distance is not king

Or an outlier?

He's not exactly short off the tee. He's bang on average for the champions tour and 35th in driving distance.

He does hit a lot of fairways though.

As good as he is, I still can't believe how he gets away with his putting.

 

[Orikoru]

Or an outlier?

He's not exactly short off the tee. He's bang on average for the champions tour and 35th in driving distance.

He does hit a lot of fairways though.

As good as he is, I still can't believe how he gets away with his putting.

I know OP didn't want to get into this, but I can't believe people keep moaning about it. Do you think he would cheat deliberately and persist in getting away with it this whole time? Or do you think he's actually not anchoring?

 

[IanM]

Remember the old story about when Langer asked dear old Pete Coleman for a yardage. Coleman said, “Pin is 174 from the sprinkler.”

Langer replied, “front or back of the sprinkler Pete?”

 

[harpo_72]

https://www.pgatour.com/champions/stats/stat.101.html

272 yards Colin M 266 .. interesting stuff

 

[Orikoru]

It's not just him though, is it? Seems to be tolerated on that tour.

What do you mean by tolerated? You believe Langer, one of the greats of golf, is simply flouting the rules on purpose because he's 64 and doesn't give a flying one, and is getting away with it then? I just don't buy it.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm explicitly not singling him out.

But you believe he is wilfully anchoring - along with x number of others. Either you do or you don't.

 

[harpo_72]

Just to put petrol on this , just look at the putting stats ?.
I don’t really have an issue with anchoring, for me we have had great putters with lots of different techniques.. so singling this out is a bit like highlighting who you don’t want to win. Why don’t we make all drivers 13 degrees minimum and length of shaft 43.5 “ max irrespective of physical build ?
I also think the senior tour is more about seeing the greats play the game and more fun orientated .. no one wants to see them degraded further by a rule change that was implemented post tour career.

 

[Orikoru]

Well, yes, they obviously are and their tour has decided to turn a blind eye to it.

Less players do it on the PGA tour and are undoubtedly under greater scrutiny.... but are they anchoring too? Probably. Maybe not every time but never? I doubt it.

Someone will point out this is wrong but, off the top of my head, I can't think of a single player in the women's game doing it.

Anyway.... that's a whole different thread.

This is what I was getting at that's all, I just don't believe someone like Langer would actually break the rule and get away with it - I reckon there is a centimetre gap between his top hand and chest so it's not anchoring. Obviously his clothes are not skin-tight so they hang down a bit and possibly make it look like he is. Essentially this is about Langer's integrity.

You are almost certainly correct though that the authorities couldn't give much of a toss about people anchoring on the Champion's tour if they did anyway.

 

[howbow88]

Loved this from the November 2020 Masters final round.

 

[need_my_wedge]

This is what I was getting at that's all, I just don't believe someone like Langer would actually break the rule and get away with it - I reckon there is a centimetre gap between his top hand and chest so it's not anchoring. Obviously his clothes are not skin-tight so they hang down a bit and possibly make it look like he is. Essentially this is about Langer's integrity.

You are almost certainly correct though that the authorities couldn't give much of a toss about people anchoring on the Champion's tour if they did anyway.

I'm in agreement with most, it looks very much like he's anchoring. I don't think it's his hand that anchors, I think the anchor point is likely more on the wrist/ lower forearm. But we can't prove it, only argue to death based on our individual views, which has been done many times without the ability to reach any agreement. The tour are "satisfied" he's not anchoring, hence it's not really worth discussing any more.

 

[pendodave]

I know OP didn't want to get into this, but I can't believe people keep moaning about it. Do you think he would cheat deliberately and persist in getting away with it this whole time? Or do you think he's actually not anchoring?

Since you asked, yes, I think he does.
People have an amazing way of rationalizing away their deceits.
Do I care? Not particularly. It's old man golf.

 

[garyinderry]

It's close to his chest but its certainly not jammed in creating an anchor point.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

He does well for someone not playing in the States.
There's a bloke playing in America who looks ever so much like him, but his name is Bernhard Longer.
He's a good player as well?

 

[Hobbit]

I don’t think he anchors the putter to his chest, but I do think he anchors his left forearm to his chest. Splitting hairs but legal.

 

[Barking_Mad]

Incredible player. ??

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I don’t think he anchors the putter to his chest, but I do think he anchors his left forearm to his chest. Splitting hairs but legal.

https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/news/do-you-understand-putter-anchored-putter-rule/

This would tend to disagree with your summary. The pictures showing what is legal or not states anchoring your forearm against your chest is not allowed.

I don't know enough about it in all honesty, I had to Google the wording of the law and that is how I found this article.