Anchored Putters Rules Change (Effective January 1, 2016)

[allin]

I think the impact on recreational golfers will be minimal, they don't practice enough to be that consistent with any putter. Some pros and avid amateurs will struggle. I think my putting technique, I set up slightly open with my right elbow firm against my right hip acting as a pivot point remains legal. My hands and the putter grip do not touch my body. Mainly this compensates for the fact my left eye is pretty non functional. I averaged 1.83 putts per gir this year so I don't think Dave Stockton is worried about my method.

[walk18]

Glad they made the right decision. It'll be interesting to see if there's any kind of stigma for those guys that continue to anchor up until 2016.

[saevel25]

I have no qualms with this. I have to agree with Tiger on this one, we swing 13 clubs and allow someone to anchor the putter, that just doesn't make sense to me.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Valleygolfer

Damn.....4 years...

A helluva lot closer to three.

---

Posted this to my Facebook page:

" In case it's not clear, I'm 100% in favor of the USGA/R&A;'s proposed rules change.

This rule is about maintaining the fundamental definition of a golf "stroke" and will have little to no effect on the public's participation in the game NOR is this rules change based on anchoring giving players an advantage."

[rushamania]

I game both types of putters and will have no issues using my belly putter in 2016.

If I play with a random person who gets pissed, I'll remind them we aren't getting paid to play like the pros.

I will start meesing around with the putter and see if I like using it without anchoring though.

[Dave2512]

Quite a few of the golf channel guys think there should be different rules for pros and recreational golfers. I suppose it may be a regional thing but I didn't see one person using a long putter in the more than 50 times I was on a course this year. Well not entirely true, I bought a belly putter and took it out twice to see if there was any magic in it. Both times it was like I was on the course naked, lots of cross looks on the practice greens. It was like people had never seen one before. That and I didn't see any long putters for sale in shops or on craigslist. I had to buy mine from ebay. Are their concerns reality?

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Quite a few of the golf channel guys think there should be different rules for pros and recreational golfers. I suppose it may be a regional thing but I didn't see one person using a long putter in the more than 50 times I was on a course this year. Well not entirely true, I bought a belly putter and took it out twice to see if there was any magic in it. Both times it was like I was on the course naked, lots of cross looks on the practice greens. It was like people had never seen one before. That and I didn't see any long putters for sale in shops or on craigslist. I had to buy mine from ebay. Are their concerns reality?

Same here.  I wasn't fortunate enough to play 50 times, but I have actually never seen a person using a long or belly putter - this year or any other - that wasn't playing on TV for money (except for one guy at my Aimpoint class )

On the other hand, when I walk into the local Golfsmith, there are loads of them for sale, so people are (or I should probably say, were) buying them.

[dave67az]

Originally Posted by rushamania

I game both types of putters and will have no issues using my belly putter in 2016.

If I play with a random person who gets pissed, I'll remind them we aren't getting paid to play like the pros.

I will start meesing around with the putter and see if I like using it without anchoring though.

Players can use all the illegal equipment they want, including "juiced" golf balls,"non-slicing" golf balls, carrying 18 clubs, etc. as long as they don't post any of those scores for handicap consideration and as long as any fellow competitors are aware that they're using illegal equipment.  Call it a practice round if you want.  As long as you don't interfere with other golfers or damage my course, I don't care and I'm pretty sure others feel the same.

But I'd sooner save the green fees, stay at home, and make up a story about the great golf game I had than to bother spending 4-5 hours on a course ignoring the rules.  Seems to me a sure-fire way to take all the pride out of breaking (insert score here) for the first time in your life is when you can't even legally report it.

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by dave67az

Players can use all the illegal equipment they want, including "juiced" golf balls,"non-slicing" golf balls, carrying 18 clubs, etc. as long as they don't post any of those scores for handicap consideration and as long as any fellow competitors are aware that they're using illegal equipment.  Call it a practice round if you want.  As long as you don't interfere with other golfers or damage my course, I don't care and I'm pretty sure others feel the same.

But I'd sooner save the green fees, stay at home, and make up a story about the great golf game I had than to bother spending 4-5 hours on a course ignoring the rules.  Seems to me a sure-fire way to take all the pride out of breaking (insert score here) for the first time in your life is when you can't even legally report it.

No doubt the rule change, assuming it sticks, won't discourage the rec golfer from using whatever. Despite the lack of belly putters around here I do see lots of people with more than 14 clubs. That's what those whacky cart bag umbrella wells are for right?

[mvmac]

From Chris Koske, Global Director, Odyssey Golf.  IMO highlighted part below is alluding to a Kuchar style putter.  Belly length but with 6-8 degrees of loft because of the handle being more forward.

Regarding the USGA and R&A; proposal today, Odyssey has long held the belief that confidence with the putter is good for the game, particularly regarding player retention and growth potential. But one of the beauties of putting is that there are so many ways to do it.

Notwithstanding the final ruling in 2013, it is Odyssey's pledge to ensure golfers have the same level of confidence when they line up a putt with one of our products – regardless of the putting technique. We have anticipated this proposal for some time now and have been busy exploring several alternative options.

It should be noted that Odyssey will continue to offer belly and long putters in the short term for golfers who want to continue using them recreationally.

We'd like golfers everywhere to know that Odyssey has an optimistic approach to the proposal regardless of the outcome. As the #1 Putter in Golf, we have more tour players around the world playing and winning with Odyssey putters than any other company, and we will continue to work with those players to innovate new products and new, alternative methods to putt at the highest level.

Originally Posted by iacas

Posted this to my Facebook page:

"In case it's not clear, I'm 100% in favor of the USGA/R&A;'s proposed rules change.

This rule is about maintaining the fundamental definition of a golf "stroke" and will have little to no effect on the public's participation in the game NOR is this rules change based on anchoring giving players an advantage."

Agree it won't have any effect on participation, they are blowing that part way out of proportion.  I do think, if they wanted to ban it, they let that style of putting last too long.  But we know this wouldn't be happening if Keegan, Ernie and Webb didn't win those majors.  Golf has bigger issues and the USGA is spending time and resources on the wrong problem.

[teamroper60]

Originally Posted by Valleygolfer

Finally we can move on and get rid of the "cheater sticks". HA! I can officially call them that now!

Not really..   The club is still legal, so using one is not cheating as long as it is not anchored to the body.    Reading the rule and looking at the diagrams, there are still several legal options for using either club.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by iacas

Posted this to my Facebook page:

"In case it's not clear, I'm 100% in favor of the USGA/R&A;'s proposed rules change.

This rule is about maintaining the fundamental definition of a golf "stroke" and will have little to no effect on the public's participation in the game NOR is this rules change based on anchoring giving players an advantage."

I'm glad that not only did they make the right decision, but they offered up a well-articulated reason for it:

"One of the most fundamental things about the game of golf is we believe the player should hold the club away from his body and swing it freely. We think this is integral to the traditions of the game. Golf is a game of skill and challenge and we think that is an important part of it,'' said Mike Davis, the executive director of the United States Golf Association.

"The player's challenge is to control the movement of the entire club in striking the ball, and anchoring the club alters the nature of that challenge. Our conclusion is that the Rules of Golf should be amended to preserve the traditional character of the golf swing by eliminating the growing practice of anchoring the club."

Bolded emphasis is my own.  I won't go into it at length, but I've had countless arguments in different sports (and even video games) about the "right" way to play the game, and it has always come down to what skills the game is supposed to promote.  I'm a person that believes the rules should structure the game so that, ceteris paribus , skill is organically the distinguishing factor in success.  This, for me, is especially true for any sport/game that utilizes a tool (stick, club, racket, etc) for core functions.  Isolating the skill and insulating it from mitigating elements or acts should be encouraged, as long as it is uniform.

[ejimsmith]

let me be the first belly putter user to say booo to the usga.  they're making a mistake, and i hope & trust it won't actually be implemented once they get more arguments from the 'users' and not all the 'haters'.

[ejimsmith]

nice to know the pga agrees with me too: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2012/11/28/pga-of-america-opposes-anchoring-ban/1731719/

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by ejimsmith

nice to know the pga agrees with me too:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2012/11/28/pga-of-america-opposes-anchoring-ban/1731719/

Resident Hater here, chiming in:

Nothing in that post is really compelling.  The most the PGA of America said is that they have "concerns" about any legislation that could possibly hurt "growth and enjoyment of the game."  Also adding that they aren't sure what new evidence they could produce, presumably to persuade them that this particular legislation would hurt the growth and enjoyment of the game.

And, frankly, I find this argument to be the least compelling of all justifications for allowing anchored/belly putting.  As has been alluded to before by other posters, I have only seen ONE person all year use an anchored/belly putter.  I've probably played 50-60 rounds this year.  And that one person happened to be a guy in an NCGA Association Net Championship, which I would classify as being comprised of avid golfers.

The PGA of America's position appears to be that this could potentially disallow the sport to grow (presumably with novice/younger players).  It seems ridiculous to suggest that there are huge groups of people out there, young and/or new to golf, that would be dissuaded from picking up the sport because they only considered trying the sport with a long putter.

[inthehole]

Agree - in the 220 or so rounds I have under my belt, I've yet to be teamed up with anybody who uses a long putter.      I play alot as a single & often get paired with strangers.     This ruling is undoubtedly aimed at professionals (and perhaps very good competitive amateur players)...

[iacas]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Nothing in that post is really compelling.  The most the PGA of America said is that they have "concerns" about any legislation that could possibly hurt "growth and enjoyment of the game."  Also adding that they aren't sure what new evidence they could produce, presumably to persuade them that this particular legislation would hurt the growth and enjoyment of the game.

And, frankly, I find this argument to be the least compelling of all justifications for allowing anchored/belly putting.  As has been alluded to before by other posters, I have only seen ONE person all year use an anchored/belly putter.  I've probably played 50-60 rounds this year.  And that one person happened to be a guy in an NCGA Association Net Championship, which I would classify as being comprised of avid golfers.

The PGA of America's position appears to be that this could potentially disallow the sport to grow (presumably with novice/younger players).  It seems ridiculous to suggest that there are huge groups of people out there, young and/or new to golf, that would be dissuaded from picking up the sport because they only considered trying the sport with a long putter.

Yes, I predict that somewhere between 0.0 and 0.4 (rounded to the nearest whole number) people will give up the game of golf due to this rule being instituted in 2016.

This decision is not about "growing the game" it's about maintaining the integrity of the game with the side bonus of doing absolutely nothing to decrease participation in the game.

[neucruegolf]

Anchoring is not the way golf was meant to be played.  Simple as that.  The war is within.  Overcome and adapt.