Official - Anchoring to be Banned

[thecraw]

Also just another thing to ponder. If any of you saw the interview with Stewart Cink he was ranked number one putter on tour with the belly putter when he used it. He was also ranked number 2 putter on tour with the "conventional" putter. He said they offered no distinct advantage to anyone, it was a case of use what's more comfortable.

Seems like a guy who is qualified to have an opinion worth listening too!

 

[USER1999]

If there is no difference, then those using an anchored putter can have no complaints when switching to the short putter.

 

[Fish]

Correct decision, should never have gone on so long though, it was never a free stroke of a club as the game was intended once anchored.

Lots of lawyers about to get rich quick now....

 

[duncan mackie]

Just a shame they decided to act on this now, and not when they were first becoming popular....

I do think that is unfair.

If you could come up with an acceptable definition of 'first becoming popular' then I might have some sympathy with this view - the reality is that they were being used by a miniscule proportion of the golfing population probably <0.01% until about 10 years ago, from which time there was a gradual uptake and then coaches started teaching putting with them. The matter has been under active review for the whole of that period (and earlier but not so active!) that moved to 'what action to take' a few years ago, a proposed rule change with a consultation period and an effective notice period of over 3 years...

To me they have acted as you seem to indicate you would expect them to act.

 

[cookelad]

If you could come up with an acceptable definition of 'first becoming popular' then I might have some sympathy with this view - the reality is that they were being used by a miniscule proportion of the golfing population probably <0.01% until about 10 years ago, from which time there was a gradual uptake and then coaches started teaching putting with them. The matter has been under active review for the whole of that period (and earlier but not so active!) that moved to 'what action to take' a few years ago, a proposed rule change with a consultation period and an effective notice period of over 3 years...

To me they have acted as you seem to indicate you would expect them to act.

Well said Sir,

For me it's that up until recently (might be 10 years, I don't know) the method was a last ditch attempt to prolong a career in it's twilight years, which was seen as acceptable, but for whatever reason it's become the trendy thing to do with people going for the method before trying the more 'traditional' method which, in my opinion, is what the governing bodies have a problem with.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just has to be the correct decision and the players and the Tours have to accept it. The R&A and USPGA must continue to be recognised by all as the conscience and custodians of the game. Without their constant guiding hand the game of golf would become a shambles.

Manufacturers? Well everyone needs a putter so they can hardly complain about loss of sales. And in any case - they can continue to produce them if they want - just that nobody will be able to use them so few are likely to buy them. Back then nobody told manufacturers of gas lamps to stop producing them - but the game changed when elecricity came along.

 

[Ethan]

The first player to really successfully use one was the 1969 US Open winner, Orville Moody, who won the 1989 US Senior Open with one.


Moody had been a terrible (by Tour standards) putter previously, but improved greatly with the long putter.

Then some other pros, including Rocco Mediate, Sam Torrance, Peter Senior and Bernhard Langer starting using them.

The belly putter was first made famous by Paul Azinger who won a PGA Tour event in 2000.

The Matt Kuchar style, belly putter against the forearm, was used by Johnny Miller to win the 1987 Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

 

[Snelly]

Delighted to see this has been done.

Anchoring a club to a part of the body is not what golf is about.

Correct decision. Nice.

 

[scratch]

Ridiculous decision to ban them, they have no detrimental effect on golf whatsoever. There are far more pressing issues that need to be addressed first like pace of play and technology rendering classic courses redundant.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Also just another thing to ponder. If any of you saw the interview with Stewart Cink he was ranked number one putter on tour with the belly putter when he used it. He was also ranked number 2 putter on tour with the "conventional" putter. He said they offered no distinct advantage to anyone, it was a case of use what's more comfortable.

Seems like a guy who is qualified to have an opinion worth listening too!

But surely, that means the long putter made him better? No.1 is after all better than No.2.

 

[bladeplayer]

I couldn't care less whether they are banned or not to be honest , easy for me to say as I don't use one .. but its the timing bit that id have a problem with , a couple of major wins & the issue reared its head.. as for the cheating & falsely winning major comments ?? whats that about ? neither is true

 

[scratch]

But surely, that means the long putter made him better? No.1 is after all better than No.2.

No...he only made himself better than.......himself

 

[Andy808]

Also just another thing to ponder. If any of you saw the interview with Stewart Cink he was ranked number one putter on tour with the belly putter when he used it. He was also ranked number 2 putter on tour with the "conventional" putter. He said they offered no distinct advantage to anyone, it was a case of use what's more comfortable.

Seems like a guy who is qualified to have an opinion worth listening too!

Was he number 1 with the anchored putter before or after he was number 2 with the short stick?

What was his reason for changing?

If he was putting well with a short putter then he must have realised he would putt better with a long one or he wouldn't have changed. The stats also show he was better with a long putter. It really doesn't do anything for the argument to keep long putters but does give ammunition to ban them.

Personally I'm pleased they have banned it. It's just a shame no majors survived being won with them.

 

[shivas irons]

The bottom line is you should not have an unfair advantage in this game,if you cant put with a conventional putter thats tough practise more.Its definatly evident showing by recent major wins that the long handled putter you can anchor to your body gives the player more stability......Lets see how Bradley,Els and Scott get on in majors without using them.

 

[scratch]

The bottom line is you should not have an unfair advantage in this game,if you cant put with a conventional putter thats tough practise more.Its definatly evident showing by recent major wins that the long handled putter you can anchor to your body gives the player more stability......Lets see how Bradley,Els and Scott get on in majors without using them.

Your argument doesn't hold up.
1) EVERYONE has the option to use a long putter if they wish.
2) I was pretty handy with persimmon drivers and 3 woods, why don't we go back to them and all the kids playing now will just have to learn how to hit them according to your logic.

 

[Andr3w]

Your argument doesn't hold up.
1) EVERYONE has the option to use a long putter if they wish.
2) I was pretty handy with persimmon drivers and 3 woods, why don't we go back to them and all the kids playing now will just have to learn how to hit them according to your logic.

Your arguments do not hold up

1) The issue is not that long putters make you a better putter than people who use short putters. It's that it enables someone who is poor with a short putter to become as good as someone who can use a short putter, without any skill increase.
2)So if a club is invented that you load with gunpowder and it fires it out dead straight like a cannon, you'd be ok with that? When this is banned everyone who used it will just have to go back to swinging a club.

 

[scratch]

Your arguments do not hold up

1) The issue is not that long putters make you a better putter than people who use short putters. It's that it enables someone who is poor with a short putter to become as good as someone who can use a short putter, without any skill increase.
2)So if a club is invented that you load with gunpowder and it fires it out dead straight like a cannon, you'd be ok with that? When this is banned everyone who used it will just have to go back to swinging a club.

No I think you'll find yours don't because

1) I wasn't making reference to any skill level with putters, just the fact that everyone has the option to use the one that works best for them.
2) Who brought ridiculous scenarios into this discussion? I was referring back to something that was the norm since the day golf was invented.

 

[Jon321]

Just watched the interviews with the pros on this. Can't believe Fernadez- Castano just said he thought it was ruining the game. Says the chump who's caddy has to line him up.

 

[cookelad]

I guess the real question we should be asking is - If anchored putters give no performance advantage, why are current anchorers so worried about the technique being banned?

 

[scratch]

I guess the real question we should be asking is - If anchored putters give no performance advantage, why are current anchorers so worried about the technique being banned?

It would appear they give an advantage to those that are not so good with the short stick......what I don't understand though is why people on here consider it a form of cheating

There are loads of areas of the game where devices have been invented to assist the 'less skilled', a good example being the bounce on a sand wedge to assist bunker play or offset on irons to assist slicers. Maybe they are the next things to be banned?