45 replies to this topic

[dciman1]

lawnbarber, on 22 January 2013 - 07:51 PM, said:

Honestly I wish the rule took effect yesterday, mainly so everybody would stop talking about it. It is not a golf stroke, never has been, never will be. The only part of your body that should ever touch the club is your hands. Anything contrary is not golf. I'm sick of pros like Keegan saying if they were an advantage everyone would use them. If they weren't an advantage nobody would use them. If the new rule means some pros won't be able to make it on tour, too bad. Putting is a skill that separates pros form amateurs and if they can't put conventional maybe they shouldn't be pros. Just my 2 cents.

Do you think the Kuchar method should have been deemed illegal as well?

[SodFather]

Yep, he is anchoring it against his forearm. That stabilizes the head and virtually makes it an extension of his arm. Might as well use a strap and tie it to your forearm. Just my opinion.

[DaveLeeNC]

lawnbarber, on 22 January 2013 - 09:48 PM, said:

Yep, he is anchoring it against his forearm. That stabilizes the head and virtually makes it an extension of his arm. Might as well use a strap and tie it to your forearm. Just my opinion.

FWIW, if you use your right hand to clamp the shaft to your left forearm - this is legal (re: the old Langer putting stroke). Clamping to things that are free to move are legal.

dave

[502 to Right]

I was at work today, sitting at my desk not wanting to do any actual work so I started daydreaming.  I was thinking, "You know what would make the world even awesomer?  Another anchor ban thread on golfwrx."

You can imagine my delight when I saw that this thread had been started.

[deeeep]

I just think what is easier for some is harder for others and vice versa.  I believe this is the same thing as hybrids vs. 2-4 irons.  Some guys use long irons others don't.  This will be only a speed bump for pushing the envelope.  Just wait to see the putters 5 or 6 years down the road with monster heads, grips, arm anchoring, huge sight lines.  I am going to wish I was just watching someone use a long putter instead of some odd device.

[bobfoster]

dtowngolf, on 22 January 2013 - 09:11 AM, said:

I feel that this is proposal is something that will affect the game for the worse as times goes on. What will happens if a player in the last major (PGA Championship) before the ban in a few years wins with an anchored putter? It will make the win seem less important to certain spectators. Opinions on this?

dtowngolf, on 22 January 2013 - 09:11 AM, said:

I feel that this is proposal is something that will affect the game for the worse as times goes on. What will happens if a player in the last major (PGA Championship) before the ban in a few years wins with an anchored putter? It will make the win seem less important to certain spectators. Opinions on this?

I actually understand your point (I hadn't thought of it), but don't really think I agree with you (respectfully). The Rules of Golf change incrementally, but they do change continually (and have over the decades). Every change in equipment naturally harms some player's styles while helping others. (The groove rule, for instance, made golf relatively more difficult for the bomb-and-gouge guys that didn't care if they were in wet rough, as long as they were 120 yards out, and helped the guys who's style was to be 150 out, as long as they were in the fairway - which was the point, actually - the USGA guys thought missing the fairway was no longer carrying enough of a penalty).

In my opinion, I think the old guys on the USGA/R&A have been getting a bit too much into micromanaging the game. But that doesn't matter. Whatever one's opinion, equipment rules have changed in the past (with equally long implementation periods), but I don't think I can remember hearing anyone saying that a golfer's victory ever somehow meant less because he played with equipment that was legal.

[nbg352]

bobfoster, on 22 January 2013 - 10:30 PM, said:

dtowngolf, on 22 January 2013 - 09:11 AM, said:

I feel that this is proposal is something that will affect the game for the worse as times goes on. What will happens if a player in the last major (PGA Championship) before the ban in a few years wins with an anchored putter? It will make the win seem less important to certain spectators. Opinions on this?

dtowngolf, on 22 January 2013 - 09:11 AM, said:

I feel that this is proposal is something that will affect the game for the worse as times goes on. What will happens if a player in the last major (PGA Championship) before the ban in a few years wins with an anchored putter? It will make the win seem less important to certain spectators. Opinions on this?

I actually understand your point (I hadn't thought of it), but don't really think I agree with you (respectfully). The Rules of Golf change incrementally, but they do change continually (and have over the decades). Every change in equipment naturally harms some player's styles while helping others. (The groove rule, for instance, made golf relatively more difficult for the bomb-and-gouge guys that didn't care if they were in wet rough, as long as they were 120 yards out, and helped the guys who's style was to be 150 out, as long as they were in the fairway - which was the point, actually - the USGA guys thought missing the fairway was no longer carrying enough of a penalty).

In my opinion, I think the old guys on the USGA/R&A have been getting a bit too much into micromanaging the game. But that doesn't matter. Whatever one's opinion, equipment rules have changed in the past (with equally long implementation periods), but I don't think I can remember hearing anyone saying that a golfer's victory ever somehow meant less because he played with equipment that was legal.

Good post, Bob. It's what I was trying to say earlier today.

[puttingmatt]

While the timeline is thoughtful, ( I Guess ) , They
really need to get on with it, and move forward.
Prolonging the decision  to ban,  favors no one !!
The groove rule was implemented quicker !!

Edited by puttingmatt, 23 January 2013 - 09:21 AM.

[smoky25]

Most of the arguments against the anchored stroke have validity. They would have had validity decades ago when golfers started using the method. They had validity in the late 80's when the equipment used in the anchored putting stroke was explicitly approved by the ruling bodies. But now we are supposed to believe that the use of the decades old anchoring method is somehow diminishing the game. And don't give me the "youth" argument. We have a very strong youth program at our club and have hosted an AJGA tournament for years, and I have never seen a young player wielding a long putter, even in the last few years when it has become "popular." The time to have made this ruling was soon after the method was first used, as in the Snead croquet case (1st use to ban in about 1.5 years). Allowing it to go on then pulling the rug out decades later is nothing more than a failure heaped on a failure.

[atlanta golfer]

puttingmatt, on 23 January 2013 - 12:32 AM, said:

While the timeline is thoughtful, ( I Guess ) , They
really need to get on with it, and move forward.
Prolonging the decision to ban,  favors no one !!
The groove rule was implemented quicker !!

I don't think this is correct.  I believe that amateurs have until 2024 to stop using clubs like this.  Yes, 2024 ... that is not a misprint.

[Jspangler]

This argument is stupid, it really is. First ametuers should not be affected. The PGA can make there own rules for the pros and leave the USGA out of it. But let's be real here if it was a clear advantage why aren't all long putters in the top of the putting stats on tour. Also all pros can go to the tour van and say hey this is what I'm looking for and I'm sure they can build them whatever they want in a week or so. If there was a clear advantage EVERY pro would use one, because when you are playing for a million dollars a week you do whatever you can to get an advantage.

[SurfDuffer]

Forget the anchor ban just give us back square grooves on our wedges.

[fore]

I agree with the pro-anchor folks. This should have been decided decades ago.

Now we have to continue debating until they finally make the rule change or decide not to make the rule change (which seems still could happen).

The worse thing about the issue to me is it fuels the mouths of talking heads like Chambliss who want to have different sets of rules for amateurs.

[atlanta golfer]

SurfDuffer, on 23 January 2013 - 08:37 AM, said:

Forget the anchor ban just give us back square grooves on our wedges.

You can still use them until 2024 but I think the suppliers can't make them anymore.  I remember Cleveland having a fire sale on them last year or the year before.  You should have stocked up.

[atlanta golfer]

Actually, maybe that is the answer .... no one can make belly and long putters anymore, but amateurs can use them until 2024.  Just like the square grooves decision!

[Augster]

<sub>I don't see what the hurry is.  

I am hoping, for the USGA's sake, that the next 8 major winners are using the anchored putter.  Then the USGA will really look like they got ahead of the issue before it got out of hand.  And if that happens, all of those majors would need an asterisk of some sort.   Time will have proven that it is just too easy to putt that way.</sub>