Anchored Putters Rules Change (Effective January 1, 2016)

[Golfingdad]

Increased rate?

2014 Masters  - Bubba Watson?  No

2014 US Open - Martin Kaymer? No

2014 The Open - Rory McIlroy? No

2014 PGA - Rory McIlroy? No

2013   - Adam Scott?  Yes

2013 US Open - Justin Rose? No

2013 The Open - Phil Mickelson?  No

2013 PGA - Jason Dufner? No

2012 Masters - Bubba Watson? Yes

2012 US Open - Webb Simpson? Yes

2012 The Open - Ernie Els? Yes

2012 PGA -  Rory McIlroy? No

2011 Masters - Charl Schwartzel? No.

2011 US Open - Rory McIilroy? No

2011 The Open - Darren Clarke? No

2011 PGA - Keegan Bradley? -  Yes  (first major winner using anchored stroke)

From the PGA 2011 through the Open Championship 2012, 3 (not Bubba Watson) of 5 winners were anchored stroke users.  And that was around the time they proposed the rule change, right?

So definitely an increased rate.

[ColinL]

Oops, sorry for the slip with Bubba Watson (odd since I had him as  a no earlier in the list).   I see your point, but the proposal was made in November 2012  which I make to be 3 anchoring winners out of 8.   It just makes me wonder how significant a factor it was, if at all.  I wouldn't know anyway, not being privy to the business of the R&A; and USGA.

I do wonder when Adam Scott is going to make the change.

[Golfingdad]

Oops, sorry for the slip with Bubba Watson (odd since I had him as  a no earlier in the list).   I see your point, but the proposal was made in November 2012  which I make to be 3 anchoring winners out of 8.   It just makes me wonder how significant a factor it was, if at all.  I wouldn't know anyway, not being privy to the business of the R&A; and USGA.

I do wonder when Adam Scott is going to make the change.

That's because your list has the majors in backwards order.  PGA is the last major of the year, so from PGA 2011 through PGA 2012 is 5 majors.

Regardless, even 3 out of 8 would still be a heck of lot more than 0 out of 120 (or however many majors there has been since somebody first came up with the anchored stroke.)

Anyhow, I wouldn't speak to how much that actually played into their decision either, I have no idea.

[ColinL]

Let's have an utterly pointless argument about arithmetic. 4 Majors a year means a total of 8 Majors in 2011 and 2012.

Or we could just forget it and have a virtual

[Fourputt]

Let's have an utterly pointless argument about arithmetic.    4 Majors a year means a total of 8 Majors in 2011 and 2012.

Or we could just forget it and have a virtual

Virtual?  Why virtual?

[ColinL]

We can make the the beer  real, but the clinking of glasses will have to be virtual at this distance away .

[turtleback]

Oops, sorry for the slip with Bubba Watson (odd since I had him as  a no earlier in the list).   I see your point, but the proposal was made in November 2012  which I make to be 3 anchoring winners out of 8.   It just makes me wonder how significant a factor it was, if at all.  I wouldn't know anyway, not being privy to the business of the R&A; and USGA.

I do wonder when Adam Scott is going to make the change.

I do not think it was so much that they disliked the fact that people using anchored putting won majors at an unprecedented rate, it is that those wins were likely to fuel what they already saw as an unhealthy trend of young players being taught anchored putting ab initio.  When it was the refuge of the older players and the occasional top player it was one thing.  But when it started to get credibility as something more, the ruling bodies looked at it and determined that they had to take action.

[JazzFatCat]

So what are my fellow long putter users doing next year?

When I first got my long putter I tried facing forward but I never found a feel for distance putting that way.

I was goofing around with my short putter the other day and had an OK feel for distance with it. For me part of the beauty of a long putter is that the limiting factor for practice is boredom (after 45 minutes maybe) whereas the limiting factor for practice with the short putter is back pain after about 20 minutes.

[ColinL]

Have you tried using your long putter without anchoring it?  If so, with what sort of results?  Good enough to continue with it next year?

[meenman]

So what are my fellow long putter users doing next year? When I first got my long putter I tried facing forward but I never found a feel for distance putting that way. I was goofing around with my short putter the other day and had an OK feel for distance with it. For me part of the beauty of a long putter is that the limiting factor for practice is boredom (after 45 minutes maybe) whereas the limiting factor for practice with the short putter is back pain after about 20 minutes.

Arm lock - odyssey and betinardi have some nice ones. Odyssey ones can be found cheaper.

[RussUK]

So what are my fellow long putter users doing next year?

When I first got my long putter I tried facing forward but I never found a feel for distance putting that way.

I was goofing around with my short putter the other day and had an OK feel for distance with it. For me part of the beauty of a long putter is that the limiting factor for practice is boredom (after 45 minutes maybe) whereas the limiting factor for practice with the short putter is back pain after about 20 minutes.

Depends really. If i decide to go for an "official" handicap or join a club to play in comps then the Ram Zebra will come out, until then i may still game the Yes! Stephanie belly.

Messed about with the Zebra the other day and quite liked it so may bag that once in a while

[JazzFatCat]

Have you tried using your long putter without anchoring it?  If so, with what sort of results?  Good enough to continue with it next year?

I've only tried that a little with mixed results.

I've decided that life is short so I'm going to enjoy my Tim Clark style putting while I can.

[dchoye]

Went cold turkey without the long putter last year. This season started using the broomstick Figure I way to use it without anchoring. I hold it a few inches away from my chest and make a forward press Works well so far. Only problem is more difficult to make a fade putt without anchoring. I will switch back and forth with my short putter this season. You can "anchor" the short putter to the lead forearm to make fade putts easier.

[GreatestGolfers]

I use one and personally feel they should not be banned at a social/club level.

I can understand motivation to ban for pro's and amateurs playing in serious/scratch level tournaments - probably should never have been allowed in the first place.

But if they are such an advantage - why are more pro's not using them?

[No Mulligans]

Different rules for pros and amatures would further complicate and confuse things.

[MEfree]

Different rules for pros and amatures would further complicate and confuse things.

I know that I might be in the minority, but I thought most on this site found the ROG to pretty simple and straight forward. Aren't some competitions (like the PGA Tour) held using the one ball rule, while most recreational competition does not have this rule in effect?

[turtleback]

Should the old smaller British golf ball be allowed in the British Open?

Should croquet style putting be allowed?

If your ball is on the green and has mud on should you have to putt it without being able to clean it?

This IS the "Discuss issues that were settled quite some time ago" thread, isn't it?

[SavvySwede]

Should the old smaller British golf ball be allowed in the British Open?

Should croquet style putting be allowed?

If your ball is on the green and has mud on should you have to putt it without being able to clean it?

This IS the "Discuss issues that were settled quite some time ago" thread, isn't it?

QFT

It is also pretty rare to long putters among the amateur ranks. Bifurcating the rules for the 1% of golfers that use them is simply a waste.