Anchored Putters Rules Change (Effective January 1, 2016)

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by Mulligan Jeff

Curious did governing bodies deem the stroke unfair advantage or against traditional golf swing?

After 1400+ posts are we seriously supposed to repeat it all because you haven't read any of the thread?

[Mulligan Jeff]

Thanks, done is done.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by dave67az

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulligan Jeff

Curious did governing bodies deem the stroke unfair advantage or against traditional golf swing?

Google is a wonderful tool, by the way.

This one's a freebie.  Next time please do your own research?  Took me all of 5 minutes to find it.

Bobby Jones, co-founder of Augusta National and the Masters, told Snead he didn't care for the remedy Snead had found for the yips. Jones relayed his distaste to Joseph C. Dey Jr., executive director of the USGA, who had never been a Snead fan.

The wheels to outlaw croquet putting turned very fast. A little more than a month after the 1967 Masters, the USGA and Royal and Ancient GC met in Great Britain on the eve of the Walker Cup and proposed a rules change, subject to final approval by the association's executive committees, that would be effective Jan. 1, 1968: "On the putting green a player shall not make a stroke from astride, or with either foot touching the line of the putt, or an extension of that line behind the ball."

"The history of the game cries out that you play it from one side of the ball," Dey said at the time. "Bizarre stances and clubs were beginning to make it look like another game."

(http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/blogs/local-knowledge/2011/04/sam-sneads-desperate-measures-on-the-greens.html)

And 1968 would have been the normal revision year for the Rules of Golf, so nothing special was done that's any different from the anchored putting rule change (or any other rules revision).  It just happened that the croquet issue decision was made during the last year of the four year rules cycle instead of the first year like this one is (the actual proposal to ban anchoring was put forth in November, 2012).  They could have waited until 2015 to make the announcement, but that would have simply let more players start to use the method and create yet more controversy.  In both cases they did what they felt that they had to do, when they felt it was necessary.

[Kingkat1954]

In addition to the ban on the croquet putting style of Mr. Snead, I also read that when he then decided to step to the side of the line and continue putting, Joy Dey also thought about banning that! Then decide not to because it was too close to the original ban and may have looked like it was singling out Mr. Snead. ( or can you really rule about how wide a stance must be?) According to Al Barkow, (in his book about Snead)  he made it clear Joy Dey and Mr. Jones were no fans of Mr. Snead.

Barkow made references to Snead's personal life style and his off-color humor at the Master's Champions Dinner. Sounds familiar to me.

[phan52]

Adam Scott winning the Masters gives the anchored stroke the Grand Slam of Golf, all achieved in just the last 6 Majors (Bradley, Simpson, Els, Scott).

While The R&A; and USGA will continue to say that they did not come to their recommendation because of any perceived/gained advantage, it will certainly become part of the conversation. This is the death knell of the anchored stroke.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by phan52

Adam Scott winning the Masters gives the anchored stroke the Grand Slam of Golf, all achieved in just the last 6 Majors (Bradley, Simpson, Els, Scott).

While The R&A; and USGA will continue to say that they did not come to their recommendation because of any perceived/gained advantage, it will certainly become part of the conversation. This is the death knell of the anchored stroke.

I think it was already dead, but I think this has more to do with being high profile rather than advantage.  It is obviously an advantage for Scott and some others, but that doesn't mean that it is an advantage in general.

In his interview Scott said something he may come to regret.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. You won this tournament with two great putts, one on 18 in regulation and one in the playoff. Could you speak to what this win by you now will reshape or further the long putter debate, please? I think four of the last six majors were won with the long putter.

ADAM SCOTT: Well, I don't know what it's going to do. We are all waiting to hear what's going to happen. I don't know that this is going to impact any decisions at all. You know my feeling on it all; that it was inevitable that big tournaments would be won with this equipment, because you know, these are the best players in the world and they practice thousands of hours. They are going to get good with whatever they are using. It's inevitable. (emphasis added)

I don't know that is going to have any impact on any decisions upcoming.

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If the best players in the world are going to get good with WHATEVER they are using, why can't he and the others just get good with an un-anchored putter?

[bplewis24]

Screw the comment period and screw 2016....get rid of it NOW.  Nothing's worse than seeing Adam Scott win a Major with that ...thing!

[meenman]

Screw the comment period and screw 2016....get rid of it NOW.  Nothing's worse than seeing Adam Scott win a Major with that ...thing!

Luckily, no matter how much you want that - it is not going to happen. Besides, Adam is the first to win with a broomstick, all of the others used a belly putter.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Screw the comment period and screw 2016....get rid of it NOW.  Nothing's worse than seeing Adam Scott win a Major with that ...thing!

It's not going to happen until 2016 because that will be when the next revision of the Rules of Golf is published.  They are on a 4 year schedule and, aside from a couple of major revisions, have been so since 1946.  Despite the debate that it is causing, this is simply not a big enough change to warrant a special update.

[bplewis24]

I was being hyperbolic guys, I don't want it to change now.  I'm just throwing a tantrum because Adam Scott won.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by turtleback

If the best players in the world are going to get good with WHATEVER they are using, why can't he and the others just get good with an un-anchored putter?

They will, no doubt ... when they have to.

[jshots]

The real truth is, Tiger is paying the USGA to ban them in order to gain an advantage...

just like he paid them not to DQ him this weekend.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by jshots

The real truth is, Tiger is paying the USGA to ban them in order to gain an advantage...

just like he paid them not to DQ him this weekend.

USGA has no influence over The Masters rules committee other than creating the rules of golf.  Nice cheap shot attempt though.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

USGA has no influence over The Masters rules committee other than creating the rules of golf.  Nice cheap shot attempt though.

I took it as sarcasm.

[jshots]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

USGA has no influence over The Masters rules committee other than creating the rules of golf.  Nice cheap shot attempt though.

I always forget that you should avoid sarcasm online.

[Mulligan Jeff]

Going back to Long Putter debate I don't have a problem with it as long as it's not anchored i.e., Matt Kuchar style.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by jshots

I always forget that you should avoid sarcasm online.

Sorry jshots, sarcasm meter wasn't working that day, my bad.

[ay33660]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Screw the comment period and screw 2016....get rid of it NOW.  Nothing's worse than seeing Adam Scott win a Major with that ...thing!

Absolutely agreed.

The vast majority of the players at my club who were watching the telecast in the men's lounge voiced the same opinion and were rooting for anyone OTHER than Scott to win.