To see or hear Ted Bishop on Anchoring. click the link.
On Wednesday, the Royal & Ancient and the United States
Golf Association (USGA), golf’s governing bodies, announced changes to the
Rules of Golf that would prohibit anchoring the club in making a stroke. The
following three paragraphs are from the USGA released statement.
“The proposed Rule 14-1b, which follows an extensive review
by the R&A and the USGA, would prohibit strokes made with the club or a
hand gripping the club held directly against a player’s body, or with a forearm
held against the body to establish an anchor point that indirectly anchors the
club.
The proposed Rule would not alter current equipment rules
and would allow the continued use of all conforming clubs, including
belly-length putters, provided such clubs are not anchored during a stroke. The
proposed Rule narrowly targets only a few types of strokes, while preserving a
golfer’s ability to play a wide variety of strokes in his or her individual
style.
The proposed Rule change would take effect on January 1,
2016, in accordance with the regular four-year cycle for changes to the Rules
of Golf. This timetable would also provide an extended period in which golfers
may, if necessary, adapt their method of stroke to the requirement of the
Rule.”
The game of golf has existed for over 600 years. During that
time, players have been allowed to anchor the club on any stroke. It begs the
question, why now?
Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA Champion, had these
comments. “To say they will ban this
after we’ve won majors is unbelievable. It’s the way we’ve practiced and made
our living. Some players have put in 15 to 20 years of practice and all of a
sudden they’re going to make up a rule. That’s harsh.”
In the past couple of years, the number of players using
long, anchored putters has surged dramatically both on the professional tours
and in the amateur ranks. Three of the last five major championship winners
used long, anchored putters. Webb Simpson who won the 2012 U.S. Open joins
Bradley and Els as the three major winners since August of 2011.
At this year’s PGA Championship. An estimated 50 of the 156
competitors used long putters, although not all were anchored. That being said,
there is clearly no statistical data from any professional Tour that would
indicate there is any advantage to anchoring a long putter. In fact, the
average ranking of those players using long putters among the top one hundred
in the World Golf Rankings is over 50. There does not appear to be any data
that suggests that anchoring a golf club results in an unfair advantage.
Long putters have been around since the 1930’s. Johnny
Miller topped Payne Stewart by a stroke to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
in 1987. Orville Moody won the 1989 U.S. Senior Open using a 50-inch putter
that he tucked to his chest. Shortly after, the USGA approved the use of long
putters, deciding the method was not detrimental to the game. Moody had
threatened legal action if the club was banned.
The list goes on. Rocco Mediate won at Doral in 1991 using a
49-inch putter anchored to his sternum.
Paul Azinger used a 54-inch putter that he pressed to his sternum to win
the Sony Open in 2000. Colt Knost won the U.S. Amateur Championship at the
Olympic Club using a belly putter. Then in 2007, Adam Scott used a 49-inch
putter that he anchored below his chin to win the Bridgestone Invitational.
Why the ban on anchoring now? It’s tough to swallow the
argument that it has nothing to do with the most recent major championships
being decided with a long putter, anchored.
Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director, has said that anchoring
has been on the radar of golf’s governing bodies for the past two decades. He
says the main objections to anchoring are that it looks bad and it does not
conform to the intended stroke that golf’s founding fathers envisioned.
But, while the USGA and R&A are primarily concerned with
the competitive side of the anchoring debate, the PGA of America has concerns
on how a ban on anchoring could affect the industry’s growth of the game
efforts.
“The PGA has long supported the USGA in its role of
establishing the Rules of Golf governing play and equipment. We have
representation on the Rules of Golf Committee and we have a huge amount of
respect for them in regard to their critical role in writing and interpreting
the Rules of Golf. Our mission is to grow the game, and on behalf of our 27,000
men and women PGA Professionals, we are asking them to consider the impact this
may have on people’s enjoyment of the game and the growth of the game.”—Ted
Bishop, President, PGA of America. This was the official
statement from the PGA.
Last week the PGA conducted a poll of its members. The participation rate was extremely high
(roughly 16%, or 4,228 of our membership) which illustrates the importance of
this particular issue. Nearly two thirds (63%) of the respondents indicated
that they do not favor a ban. The reasons were varied but consistent themes
regarding the negative impact a ban could have on both the growth and enjoyment
of the game became readily apparent.
The PGA of America believes that golf is the greatest of all
games. We also believe that we need to continue to do what is necessary to
preserve all that makes it unique, and consistent with our mission, take
actions to grow the game. PGA members are truly the connection between the game
and its participants.
In the end, the people that may pay the biggest price are the
average golfers who have switched their method of putting to avoid back
problems, overcome unsteady nerves and increase their enjoyment in the
game.
Why now?
