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Bryson DeChambeau apologizes for USGA criticism

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7 years ago

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Bryson DeChambeau is backing off his harsh words for the USGA following a severe indictment of the organization.

Golf Digest’s Brian Wacker caught DeChambeau after his second round at the Honda Classic. He told the scribe, “The USGA essentially doesn’t like me doing it [putting side-saddle]. I’m pretty much done with it.”

That remark was likely better received in Far Hills than what DeChambeau went on to say about the USGA.

“They’re not a good organization, and you can quote me on that. I’m part of their family [as a winner of the U.S. Amateur] and as family it’s very frustrating to see them stunt the growth of the game.”

Two days later (and probably to the surprise of very few) DeChambeau apologized via his social media channels, posting this Notepad missive.

bryson-dechambeau-usga-apology

While DeChambeau said late last year that the side-saddle stroke would be so effective it’d be “like cheating,” it never really panned out for the SMU alum. In his last five starts, he’s missed the cut four times and withdrawn once. He’s currently 194th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: putting (-.653).

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35 Comments

35 Comments

  1. JThunder

    Mar 1, 2017 at 2:57 am

    No one sees the hypocrisy in saying “DeChambeau should own what he says” while posting under aliases. Too funny. When media follows you around 24/7 just waiting for something they can hype and sensationalize, you can comment. Sure, these guys make a lot of money when they win, but being under that microscope all the time isn’t fun. He said something in the heat of a moment, then he apologized. I suppose none of you have done that?

    As for the USGA, their job isn’t easy either. On the one hand, you have pressure from the capitalist golf OEMs wanting to make a fortune peddling new tech. On the other you have Jack Nicklaus and co, traditionalists, course owners and architects, wanting to preserve the status quo, especially for distance, not to mention their own records and Bobby Jones’. Half the amateurs bitch the game is too hard, the other half (maybe less, but vocal) bitch about losing tradition. And like any governing body, the resulting compromises just yield more complaints.

    Hopefully we all scrutinize our own behavior and work the way we do that of others.

    Reply Report comment

  2. King of Carlsbad

    Feb 28, 2017 at 12:35 pm

    Why can’t he just putt like a normal human being? Is it that hard?

    Reply Report comment

  3. Tyson Rochambeau

    Feb 28, 2017 at 10:50 am

    This guy needs to be more worried about making a cut. Speaking of cuts, does anyone know if the cut on his hand healed from hitting too many balls? I’m sure he was in pain; what a horrible problem to have.

    Reply Report comment

    • SlapHappy

      Mar 1, 2017 at 1:43 am

      Yeah the cut was so bad he had to withdraw…… but it healed so quickly in two days he was able to show up to the next tournament and kiss everybody’s butts

      Reply Report comment

  4. StillBoard

    Feb 28, 2017 at 10:20 am

    Another undeserved apology

    Reply Report comment

  5. Fat Perez

    Feb 27, 2017 at 9:15 pm

    And I will never putt illegally like anchor broom handlers Bernie Langaaa and Scott McCarron!! Are you kiddn’ me!! You’re telling those clowns are not anchored to their chest plate?! Please, it’s so obvious from any angle. The creases in their shirts during the stroke are a dead giveaway. No way what they’re doing would be allowed on the PGA Tour! The Tour would have a camera on these guys from every imaginable angle you could think of. Enforcement, if at all, is totally selective.

    Reply Report comment

  6. Jack Nash

    Feb 27, 2017 at 2:06 pm

    Always kills me why some of these guys always have to,”clarify”, “walk back”, “reconsider” some of their statements. It’s like they’re not able to voice their opinion because they somehow feel they’re getting cut out of a Will. Bryson voiced an opinion. No matter what you think of it, it’s his opinion. Nobody got hurt, he made his case, so move on. Look how many years the governing bodies took to outlaw the anchored putter, when it should have been done years ago. Is there an advantage to side saddle? Maybe, but somehow I doubt it. You could say the new style of studying putts ala Adam Scott could actually testing your lie. Bryson mad an honest evaluation. No biggie to me.

    Reply Report comment

    • SlapHappy

      Feb 28, 2017 at 2:26 am

      Because he nor his agent don’t want to lose any future sponsors or sponsors exemptions, for being a hateful child.
      There may be an advantage to side-saddle, if you use the kind of putter that Dechambeau used, which is not conforming to the rules, due to the wrong placement of the shaft on the head, which rule had been set a long time ago, to make sure violations like this would not happen (and thus, how stupid does Dechambeau look, not considering that the rules had been examined from the science perspective long ago, especially considering he had claimed to be a scientist out to make the game easier and more fun to play), because it took some skill out of the stroke.

      Reply Report comment

  7. 3 metal stinger

    Feb 27, 2017 at 12:45 pm

    This kid has ensured that I will never purchase a Cobra/Puma product

    Reply Report comment

  8. Barry

    Feb 27, 2017 at 11:06 am

    Don’t apologize for criticizing the organization (USGA) that has ruined pro golf!

    Dave Fay, Mike Davis, Tom Otoole and company should be ashamed!

    Reply Report comment

    • Tom

      Feb 27, 2017 at 11:23 am

      I don’t find myself at odds with the USGA often but; lately they have drawn fire from the golf community at large. Bryson didn’t say anything that many of us haven’t said about [prior rulings from the USGA. i. e. putter length & driver C.O.R. I find it ironic he is being criticized for something many of us say.

      Reply Report comment

      • Fü

        Feb 27, 2017 at 11:43 am

        What the heck has the length of the putter got to do with anything. That was never an equipment rule in that instance, you just can’t anchor any longer. The COR rule has been changed this year, they now only measure drivers with CT. So what are you complaining about?

        Reply Report comment

        • Tom

          Feb 27, 2017 at 4:42 pm

          Fu , I’m goin off what has been discussed on this site about equipment and USGA regs. and how it applies to recreational golfers.

          Reply Report comment

          • SlapHappy

            Feb 28, 2017 at 2:35 am

            We’re not talking about recreational golfers. We are taking about Professionals and other qualified Amateurs who all want to and must play by the rules, without which there will be no competition. You want to just play slaphappy type game, you go ahead and do that, nobody is stopping you from cheating or being nice to each other amongst your peers for letting the rules go by. But this is a gentleman’s game, whereby the best of the world call penalties on themselves and also accept the rules thrown at them if called on. That’s just how this game is played, Gentlemen, and if you don’t want to be at the level, then by all means, go play by your rules, nobody is stopping you. All we want is that we ask you that you replace all divots, repair ball marks and rake the bunkers nicely because there may be proper players behind you that will be playing by the Rules.

            Reply Report comment

            • Tom

              Mar 1, 2017 at 12:09 am

              I don’t disagree with the ruling on the shaft of this design. My thought center on the USGA and the heavy handedness applied by the organization. At points in time it seems they are over bearing and in areas were perhaps diplomacy would prevail.

              Reply Report comment

  9. Steve S

    Feb 27, 2017 at 11:03 am

    Should have never made the retraction. It’s what you really feel, right? Then don’t apologize, own it and move on. Yeah, you’ll catch more heat but that’s what happens when you’re adult. You are not a kid, anymore.

    Reply Report comment

  10. CCTxGolf

    Feb 27, 2017 at 9:23 am

    I bet all of his sponsors are regretting making him one of their big spokespeople. The Microsoft commercial is obnoxious. Most of these commercials bill him as this great PGA superstar who has been successful with his odd approach to the game. He has not.

    Reply Report comment

  11. Patricknorm

    Feb 27, 2017 at 6:52 am

    When you blame the media for your own words, that to me is reckless. His disparagement of the USGA , an excuse he uses to justify his poor play , tells me that emotionally, he’s not ready for prime time. No one expects perfection from Bryson , just honesty and some one willing to take ownership of his words and actions. He apparently took a swipe at the media ( “I was stopped by the media at a bad time”) for his derogatory comments towards the USGA. Time for Bryson to man up and accept his weaknesses. This entitled millenial needs to mature , quickly.

    Reply Report comment

  12. Rich

    Feb 26, 2017 at 10:00 pm

    I believe he thought he was bigger than the game WRONG!

    Reply Report comment

  13. S Hitter

    Feb 26, 2017 at 8:36 pm

    Disingenuous focker

    Reply Report comment

  14. dg7936

    Feb 26, 2017 at 8:24 pm

    Too bad he retracted; the USGA is truly screwed up. They piss their time away on small issues but have let the equipment manufacturers destroy the integrity of the game. They are bullies, plain and simple.

    Reply Report comment

    • S Hitter

      Feb 27, 2017 at 3:08 am

      You don’t have to play golf if you don’t want to. We won’t miss you

      Reply Report comment

      • Jay

        Feb 27, 2017 at 3:31 pm

        I think you have it the other way around – golfers wont miss the USGA. What percent of golfers do you actually think play by all USGA rules – 1%, maybe 5%?? Seems the game could do just fine w/o them.

        Reply Report comment

        • Tom

          Feb 28, 2017 at 3:26 pm

          especially the past couple of opens…what a cluster!

          Reply Report comment

      • IHateLoveGolf

        Feb 28, 2017 at 10:20 pm

        Who’s the ‘we’? I don’t have a problem with what he said.

        Reply Report comment

    • Barry

      Feb 27, 2017 at 11:08 am

      Totally agree! They were too busy figuring out which model jet to lease

      Reply Report comment

    • Tom

      Mar 1, 2017 at 10:33 am

      The recent article on this site is good news. The USGA appears to be coming around.

      Reply Report comment

  15. belacyrf

    Feb 26, 2017 at 7:53 pm

    How much do you think Puma is regretting that investment ?

    Reply Report comment

  16. Tom

    Feb 26, 2017 at 5:42 pm

    good follow up Bryson

    Reply Report comment

  17. DeShampoo

    Feb 26, 2017 at 5:36 pm

    You said it. Own it, or don’t say it in the first place…

    Reply Report comment

  18. Matt

    Feb 26, 2017 at 5:09 pm

    He’s becoming a sideshow

    Reply Report comment

  19. DJ

    Feb 26, 2017 at 4:54 pm

    He’d probably be better if he was just a dummy.

    Reply Report comment

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