Official - Anchoring to be Banned

[Imurg]

Kuchar anchors his putter against inside if his left forearm and that will continue to be legal to. So it's not exactly been well thought out as far as what constitutes an anchored stroke As there are ways to continue to anchor after rules change and still be legal.

There's anchoring and there's anchoring....

Kooch's method is legal because you're still swinging the club while holding it away from your body. OK he anchors against his arm but it's still a swing.

 

[scratch]

I assume from 2016 no one will be able to use an anchored stroke.

Our 8 times club champ uses a broom stick. So do several other decent players at my club. I do see these things being used.

Tbh, I have less issues with the belly putter, as the hands are still together, and it still looks like a golf stroke, albeit the end is anchored. For me the issue has always been with broom sticks where it is held to the chest or chin, with the hands separated. This is not golf. I would rather the rule be that the hands have to be touching each other, although I guess you could still anchor a long putter under your chin.

The pro at my previous club has severe chipping yips so he now chips one handed with his right hand in his pocket.

Ban him!!!!!!

 

[MashieNiblick]

Some interesting stuff here to show what will and will not be allowed.

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Anchoring/Prohibited-And-Permitted-Strokes.aspx

http://www.randa.org/en/RandA/~/media/RandA/Related Documents/2013/AnchoringInfograph.ashx

 

[Colin L]

Under the new ruling option 3 on here would be legal

Kuchar anchors his putter against inside if his left forearm and that will continue to be legal to. So it's not exactly been well thought out as far as what constitutes an anchored stroke As there are ways to continue to anchor after rules change and still be legal.

Yes, I put up the 3rd picture to illustrate a major difference between anchoring by creating a pivot or hinge effect with a hand or part of the club against the body and this kind of method of locking your hands arms and putter together. Note 1 of the new rule covers that. The club is still swung in the traditional manner and the stroke would not breach 14-1b.

What other ways of anchoring were you thinking of? I can't think of any that wouldn't fall foul of the rule. In terms of the description of anchoring, what Kuchar does is not anchoring.

 

[gjfollett]

There's anchoring and there's anchoring....

Kooch's method is legal because you're still swinging the club while holding it away from your body. OK he anchors against his arm but it's still a swing.

It would be interesting - if anyone has the time - to see who would and would not have won majors if anchoring had always been illegal.........
(But I have a life!)

 

[EuanRoss]

It's the right call for me. I've never seen an amateur use a belly putter and we're supposed to be the worst putters of the lot.

As far as legal challenges go, I can't see that having any mileage. It's been made a rule of golf, if players challenge it and succeed, we may as well give up on the game. When I hit a bad shot and it goes into the water, or beyond those little white stakes, I'm not a huge fan of the rule that says it costs me a penalty, that's not to say I could legally challenge it just because I don't like it.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

"I wasn't even putting that great at the Open, maybe in the bottom 10 on the putting stats at Lytham, so I don't think I could have won the Open using a shorter putter," Els said. "I'm in a much better place now, and I feel that I can get back into using the shorter putter in the near future."

The case for the prosecution rests m'lud

 

[SharkAttack]

Hopefully they will now turn their attentions to the golf ball and limiting its capabilities

Too hard to police, as there are to many different balls out there and too many balls lying in the rough that could or could not be legal. All new balls would have to have the same distinguishing mark on them.

Shark

 

[Alex1975]

Too hard to police, as there are to many different balls out there and too many balls lying in the rough that could or could not be legal. All new balls would have to have the same distinguishing mark on them.

Shark

Its been done before if I am not mistaken?!

 

[EuanRoss]

Yeah. Don't think it would be that hard. Put an o or something on it.

 

[sweeneytoddd]

Having used a long putter for around 14 months I would say this, those who perceive its use as being easier have obviously never used one. One thing it forces you to do is use your shoulders to make a putting stroke ( which is what you try to do with a short putter). You still have to use your judgement to select the right line and pace to get the ball in the hole. Incidentally I reverted to a " socially accepted length" putter last August and feel the time spent using the long putter has improved my putting stroke no end.
At a time when golf clubs are struggling to both attract new players to the game and keep those currently playing it, it strikes me as a strange decision to introduce a rule banning something that has been deemed legal for the best part of 30 years and which could stop a lot of players from continuing to play.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Having used a long putter for around 14 months I would say this, those who perceive its use as being easier have obviously never used one. One thing it forces you to do is use your shoulders to make a putting stroke ( which is what you try to do with a short putter). You still have to use your judgement to select the right line and pace to get the ball in the hole. Incidentally I reverted to a " socially accepted length" putter last August and feel the time spent using the long putter has improved my putting stroke no end.
At a time when golf clubs are struggling to both attract new players to the game and keep those currently playing it, it strikes me as a strange decision to introduce a rule banning something that has been deemed legal for the best part of 30 years and which could stop a lot of players from continuing to play.

Adam Scott has said the long putter has taught him how to putt again so maybe it has a use as a training aid?

 

[Region3]

What other ways of anchoring were you thinking of? I can't think of any that wouldn't fall foul of the rule. In terms of the description of anchoring, what Kuchar does is not anchoring.

Sometimes, on days where I've not been good from close range, if I have a nervy 3 footer I'll hold my elbows tight against my sides and just rock my whole upper body to stop my arms/hands from tweaking. It works very well. Is that anchoring?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

At a time when golf clubs are struggling to both attract new players to the game and keep those currently playing it, it strikes me as a strange decision to introduce a rule banning something that has been deemed legal for the best part of 30 years and which could stop a lot of players from continuing to play.

I heard an American guy make this argument but I don't get it. Why would banning pivot-point putting have ANY effect of numbers taking up the game? Only way I can see would be that it makes the game easier...and isn't that denied by those who adopt the technique?

In addition - pivot-point putting hardly makes the game sexier, quicker or any cooler - au contraire - it looks daft in my eyes.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Adam Scott has said the long putter has taught him how to putt again so maybe it has a use as a training aid?

Agree - in much the same way as other golf devices/aids should be allowable for practice but that's all.

 

[Colin L]

Sometimes, on days where I've not been good from close range, if I have a nervy 3 footer I'll hold my elbows tight against my sides and just rock my whole upper body to stop my arms/hands from tweaking. It works very well. Is that anchoring?

Not to my mind. You are not holding either your hand or your club against your body to act as an "anchor point" or pivot, nor are you holding a forearm across your body to create a pivot with one hand. All you are doing is trying to ensure a secure triangle for your stroke. Your hands are swinging the club conventionally and your movement is pivoted somewhere in your spine I suppose.

 

[sweeneytoddd]

I heard an American guy make this argument but I don't get it. Why would banning pivot-point putting have ANY effect of numbers taking up the game? Only way I can see would be that it makes the game easier...and isn't that denied by those who adopt the technique?

In addition - pivot-point putting hardly makes the game sexier, quicker or any cooler - au contraire - it looks daft in my eyes.

Didn't say it would stop people taking up the game I said it could make people stop playing. Nothing enjoyable about spending your weekends continuously missing short putts. Having a different option for putting certainly certainly stopped me from cancelling my membership.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Didn't say it would stop people taking up the game I said it could make people stop playing. Nothing enjoyable about spending your weekends continuously missing short putts. Having a different option for putting certainly certainly stopped me from cancelling my membership.

But long putters don't make people better and aren't easier to use - or so we are told by those that use them