Rule 14-2b Assistance!

[Imurg]

Where do you stop ?

Do you only allow them to just carry clubs and that's it and let the pro do everything else ?

Where do you stop????

Why not let them simply carry the bag, give yardages and hand over clean clubs...or do you want them to evolve into the more important part of the"Team"..?

 

[delc]

In my opinion, the claw grip is the ugliest thing I have ever witnessed in golf.....I think this should be banned. It makes my eyeballs bleed.
I'm going to start a campaign to to change the rules to ban the claw grip.

Hope you don't, because about 25% of the seniors (including me) at our club now use it. It uses a standard length putter, it is not anchored and both hands are are on the grip. It is a good cure for the yips in older players, without having to resort to longer putters.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Where do you stop????

Why not let them simply carry the bag, give yardages and hand over clean clubs...or do you want them to evolve into the more important part of the"Team"..?

As long as the pro is doing the hard bit - hitting the ball plus what we see now then seems ok with me - I can't see the aligning of putts taking off - or being a problem in the future

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Do you only allow them to just carry clubs and that's it and let the pro do everything else ?

I would actually like to see this but I can't ever see it going back to that. EVERYTHING should be left to the player......yardages, club selection, green reading, the whole 9 yards.

 

[rickg]

I am personally in favour of the ban, because belly putting in particular just looks awful.

Hope you don't, because about 25% of the seniors (including me) at our club now use it. It uses a standard length putter, it is not anchored and both hands are are on the grip. It is a good cure for the yips in older players, without having to resort to longer putters.

So it's OK for you to propose a ban on belly putter because "it looks awful". But not OK for me to propose a ban on the claw grip for the same reason?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I would actually like to see this but I can't ever see it going back to that. EVERYTHING should be left to the player......yardages, club selection, green reading, the whole 9 yards.

Would have no problem with that - if you stop a caddying helping with one thing then surely they must stop helping with everything

 

[Deleted member 15344]

So it's OK for you to propose a ban on belly putter because "it looks awful". But not OK for me to propose a ban on the claw grip for the same reason?

I'm going to guess its because the claw grips helps him out ?

 

[Allanxyz]

Would have no problem with that - if you stop a caddying helping with one thing then surely they must stop helping with everything

Why? Currently the caddie is allowed to do some things (line the player up) but not other things (stand behind his player while he swings). Why must it be all or nothing?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Why? Currently the caddie is allowed to do some things (line the player up) but not other things (stand behind his player while he swings). Why must it be all or nothing?

Because IMO you either let the caddy help or let the pro do it all himself

 

[North Mimms]

The role of the Caddy has developed over time.
To began with they were, literally, club carriers
Then they started to help their Clients with yardages, lines and club selections
For a long, long time they have been reading greens too...
Some have only recently begun to line up their player
What if they don't stop developing? What if their influence increases?
Will the Caddy start marking the ball on the green?
Will the Caddy start to hit putts?
Will the Caddy start to hit other shots, give the interview at the end of the round, sign the card....?
Where does that stop?

I blame Steve Williams.
Everything is his fault

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Where do you stop????

Why not let them simply carry the bag, give yardages and hand over clean clubs...or do you want them to evolve into the more important part of the"Team"..?

"The Team" is one of my pet hates in Pro golf. I don't know why but it really winds me up in interviews when the player describes their round saying "we" hit this shot or "we" did that.

I'm with Imurg, stop them assisting with anything to do with the actual shot except distance\club selection. They definately shouldn't be allowed to help read greens.

 

[delc]

"The Team" is one of my pet hates in Pro golf. I don't know why but it really winds me up in interviews when the player describes their round saying "we" hit this shot or "we" did that.

I'm with Imurg, stop them assisting with anything to do with the actual shot except distance\club selection. They definately shouldn't be allowed to help read greens.

I don't have a problem with caddies helping players to read greens, because that is one of their traditional roles, as long as they then don't stand behind the line of play to check the players aim.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

"The Team" is one of my pet hates in Pro golf. I don't know why but it really winds me up in interviews when the player describes their round saying "we" hit this shot or "we" did that.

I'm with Imurg, stop them assisting with anything to do with the actual shot except distance\club selection. They definately shouldn't be allowed to help read greens.

Why allow distance and club selection but not reading greens ?

 

[chrisd]

Hope you don't, because about 25% of the seniors (including me) at our club now use it.

Quite frankly, I don't believe that for a minute. I have never seen a club player use a claw grip in any game I've ever played. If your club is like mine and a reasonable percentage of members are in the vet section you will probably have over 100 vets, I frankly, don't believe over 25 would use a claw grip.

 

[delc]

Quite frankly, I don't believe that for a minute. I have never seen a club player use a claw grip in any game I've ever played. If your club is like mine and a reasonable percentage of members are in the vet section you will probably have over 100 vets, I frankly, don't believe over 25 would use a claw grip.

Actually we do have quite a significant number of players who use the claw grip at our club, and I have taught it to several players who were having putting problems. No money changed hands before my amateur status is brought into question btw!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Quite frankly, I don't believe that for a minute. I have never seen a club player use a claw grip in any game I've ever played. If your club is like mine and a reasonable percentage of members are in the vet section you will probably have over 100 vets, I frankly, don't believe over 25 would use a claw grip.

Also never seen a club member use a claw grip , seen one person use a broom handle , no belly putters ( well I have seen a few bellies reach a normal size putter )

But 25% using the claw grip ! Seem a bit of an exaggeration

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Actually we do have quite a significant number of players who use the claw grip at our club, and I have taught it to several players who were having putting problems. No money changed hands before my amateur status is brought into question btw!

How many is significant ? 5 ? 10 ?

 

[BTatHome]

They must have a very 'special' set of seniors at that club, because I haven't seen a single player here that use the claw .... so maybe they all moved to Batchworth Park.

 

[MashieNiblick]

Just thought I'd quote the OP again as I think the key is in the first 2 sentences.

Just wondering what the point of Rule 14-2b is, when caddies can line up their players and then move away just before they start their swing? Why is it not assistance when players are lining up, but becomes assistance when they make their swings? IMO players should be entirely responsible for their set up and their swings! The practice of caddies lining up players seems to be particularly prevalent on the LPGA Tour, and seems to waste a lot of time!

That for me is the issue. What is the restriction in Rule 14-2b on making a stroke while your caddy or PP is standing behind you trying to stop?

It doesn't doesn't stop a caddy or partner lining up the player as that happens before the stroke. So if the intent is to stop that, then it seems to it would be better if the Rule did say that this shouldn't happen once a player has taken his stance.

Decision 14-2/1 Player Aligns Partner's Club Before Stroke confirms that the Rule doesn't apply prior to making a stroke so clearly there is some reason why the Rules guys think that makes all the difference but I can't really see that.

Would be interested in shedding some light on what the intent of the Rule is? If it is to prevent caddies or partners lining a player up, it seems to me it doesn't really achieve that.

 

[delc]

How many is significant ? 5 ? 10 ?

I think about 20 to 25. When I first joined my current club in 2010 there were only two of us using the claw grip that I knew of, but I think people started copying my style because I am a relatively good putter using it. We have about two members who use broom handle putters and three who use belly putters, one of whom still looks extremely twitchy even with that.