The Anchoring Ban

Hard to believe this was back at the end of 2012 and finally at the beginning of 2016 this goes into effect, what time has passed!
 
This is what you get for having a common set of Rules between the USGA and the R&A. The USGA wanted the groove rule which has proved to have zero effect giving in to the R&A on the anchoring ban in return.

There are several more compromises between the ruling bodies than that in the rules. (Rule 25-2, 14-3 right off the top of my head) And the unified rules are good for the game.

I don't see how you feel that the groove rule is a failure. Pros hitting shots from the rough with wedges and short irons can't stop the ball on a dime like they could before 2010 - that is all the change was intended to accomplish. You must be watching a different game than I am.
 
This is what you get for having a common set of Rules between the USGA and the R&A. The USGA wanted the groove rule which has proved to have zero effect giving in to the R&A on the anchoring ban in return.

Correct. Screw em both. Thankfully neither rule change has any effect on me or my game right now, but since the USGA also rear ended us on posting scores when playing alone, some of the guys I play with using belly putters say they are not changing. More power to em. As far as "official" events, they say they will just stop playing in them, which in the long run just hurts the course, and the game. Time for some other group to get together and wipe out the USGA. They are not growing the game, they are setting it back 50 years. Screw em. They get no more $$$ from me.
 
There are several more compromises between the ruling bodies than that in the rules. (Rule 25-2, 14-3 right off the top of my head) And the unified rules are good for the game.

I don't see how you feel that the groove rule is a failure. Pros hitting shots from the rough with wedges and short irons can't stop the ball on a dime like they could before 2010 - that is all the change was intended to accomplish. You must be watching a different game than I am.

The two guys really targeted by the groove rule at the time were Tiger and Phil who, when the rule came out, both said it would not affect them as neither was using box grooves to begin with! Perhaps there are some shots out of the rough where these guys can't quite stop the ball as quickly but these guys are pros, they practice for hours and adapt where the typical amateur doesn't have that luxury and will eventually be the one to suffer the most. The rule also was supposed to discourage the "bomb and gouge" style of play and you must admit that has not really changed on the Tours.
 
The groove rule changed nothing in professional golf. It just cost the OEM's millions to re-tool and make new wedges and they passed that cost down to us. Simple as that.
 
Fwiw, it's not the putter that's illegal. It's the anchored stroke that's illegal.


True, but you still have to learn a new stroke which is the whole point for those of us who used one, which is a third or more of a players strokes.
 
Langer shoots a 62 today. Maybe anchoring isn't such a big deal after all. who knew.
 
I was speaking with a former touring professional who is now teaching locally a couple days ago about putting and one of the reasons that I've had a lot of problems on the green is that I have a bit of a twitch in my wrist. Everyone has that, he said. Well, that's a yip. Some people have more than others. Counterweighting putters helped some. Then came anchoring that helped others a lot more.

But I told him that I bought a 48" putter in December from Callaway used in brand new condition dirt cheap because no one wants them anymore because of the anchoring ban. I showed him how I was using it. Fully extending my right arm down the shaft of the putter straight eliminated the yip. Then I putted just like you would with the long putter except without my forearm anchored. He checked it. "Yep, that's legal." I'm lag putting to within gimme distance on their practice greens. I've never done that before.

You can even anchor your upper arm and elbow to your body and hang the club from your hand in front and just swing like a clock pendulum if you want. It's legal as long as your forearm or butt end of the club isn't anchored to your body.

You can anchor the shaft of the long putter up either arm. Some people are better with it up their left arm. I'm right handed and feel more in control with my right arm putting the ball as long as my wrist is out of the equation.

Who knew?

And the long putters make it even more difficult to get the wrist involved due to their length. It's the physics of the club.
 
I tried using an anchor putter before, it just didn't feel comfortable to me, personally. I've seen a lot of players use it and work for them, now with the forearm anchoring being ok, I guess it's all good again for some.
 
Just can't can't have in anchored past the elbow I think.
 
Just can't can't have in anchored past the elbow I think.

Not exactly true. It's just you can't anchor your long putter with one arm anchored by the forearm to your chest using a grip that has your thumb on top of the butt end of the putter. You can have one or both forearms anchored to the sides of your body if you putt with a standard grip.

Had a long discussion with four professionals at the range about this. Two of them are college coaches.

Screen-Shot-2012-11-28-at-9.18.38-AM.png


Anything that is NOT covered in the red picture is allowed.
 
This is just my opinion. The golf stroke, any golf stroke, even the putt, involves contact of the club with the body at two points, and that would be both the left and right hand. I find the anchored putt not conventional because it has contact with THREE points of the body, the two hands and the tummy, chest or whatever. I guess they allowed the Kuchar style because it's almost two points, like it's just how the left hand grips the club.

If I was to grow the game, I'd go easy on the dress code and put a ten-foot "gimme circle" in all putting greens so all putts inside the circle are good. Good, however, means one more stroke, not "good as in". Anyone who wants to putt within the circle counts the strokes again until it's holed.

That should make the game go faster. The more casual the round, the bigger the circle.
 
Totally confused on your definition of gimme. Never have seen anyone treat a gimme as that last put they hit should have gone in so they count it as made. I would totally be ok with a 2 foot gimme circle to speed up play but 10 feet is a joke. Hell I have never even played 10 foot gimme's on a sim
 
Totally confused on your definition of gimme. Never have seen anyone treat a gimme as that last put they hit should have gone in so they count it as made. I would totally be ok with a 2 foot gimme circle to speed up play but 10 feet is a joke. Hell I have never even played 10 foot gimme's on a sim

A circle 10 feet in diameter around the hole is a five-foot putt. Those circles are usually around 4 feet in diameter, but I'm sure bigger ones will speed up play more.
 
Wow it sure seemed like Bernhard had some anchoring this week, it's so close, it's tough to tell.
 
Wow it sure seemed like Bernhard had some anchoring this week, it's so close, it's tough to tell.
I said the exact same thing. Where is the line drawn? If his hand just barely touches his shirt or chest and is seen will it be called?
 
I said the exact same thing. Where is the line drawn? If his hand just barely touches his shirt or chest and is seen will it be called?

From what I understand his hand cans sweep/touch the shirt during the stroke. He a anchors his practice stroke and then moves away from his body for the actual stroke. Going to be interesting to watch what he does all year
 
if one uses the Kuchar style with grip on forearm it has to stay below elbow. Also can't have elbow/arm anchored to body

Yes you can. You can have the elbow and upper arm anchored. You can even have them anchored to your chest if you want. You might raise a few eyebrows, but it's legal. The rules do not forbid having the elbow or upper arm anchored, as long as the forearm isn't anchored. If the forearm is free to wobble it's legal. Four professionals concurred on this. Apparently the USGA agrees.


[h=3]14-1. General[/h][h=4]a. Fairly Striking the Ball[/h]The ball must be fairly struck at with the head of the club and must not be pushed, scraped or spooned.

[h=4]b. Anchoring the Club[/h]In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club, either "directly" or by use of an "anchor point."

Note 1: The club is anchored "directly" when the player intentionally holds the club or a gripping hand in contact with any part of his body, except that the player may hold the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm.

Note 2: An "anchor point" exists when the player intentionally holds a forearm in contact with any part of his body to establish a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club.

Decision on 14-1b:

[h=2]14-1b/2[/h] [h=4]Meaning of "Anchor Point" in Note 2 to Rule 14-1b[/h]Q.Rule 14-1b provides that a player must not anchor the club during a stroke by using an "anchor point." In Note 2 to the Rule, which defines "anchor point," what does it mean "to hold a forearm in contact with any part of the body to establish a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club"?

A.The "anchor point" provision prohibits only a very specific type of stroke in which a forearm is intentionally held against the body as an indirect means of anchoring the club. For an anchor point to exist, the following two criteria must be met: (1) the player must intentionally hold a forearm against the body; and (2) he must grip the club so that the hands are separated and work independently from one another (i.e., the top hand effectively secures the club in place as if attached to the body to establish a stable point, while the bottom hand is held down the shaft to swing the lower portion of the club around that point). (New)


[h=2]14-1b/3 [/h][h=4]Explanation of "Forearm" in Relation to Rule 14-1b[/h]
Note 1 to Rule 14-1b provides that a player may hold his club against his hand or forearm in making a stroke. For the purpose of Rule 14-1b, "forearm" is the part of the arm below the elbow joint and includes the wrist. (New)

 
I said the exact same thing. Where is the line drawn? If his hand just barely touches his shirt or chest and is seen will it be called?

[h=2]14-1b/6[/h] [h=4]Club or Gripping Hand Inadvertently Touches Body During Stroke[/h]Q.When making a stroke, a player's club or gripping hand inadvertently comes in contact with or brushes against his body. Is he in breach of Rule 14-1b?

A.No. The prohibition in Rule 14-1b applies only to a player who intentionally anchors a club, either directly or through use of an anchor point, in making a stroke. (New)


[h=2]14-1b/7[/h]
[h=4]Club in Contact with Clothing During Stroke[/h]Q.If a player makes a stroke with the club or a gripping hand in contact with an article of clothing that he is wearing, in what circumstances does that constitute direct anchoring of the club in breach of Rule 14-1b?

A.Clothing held against the body by a club or gripping hand is treated as if it is part of the player's body for the purpose of applying Rule 14-1b.Therefore, if the player were to intentionally use the club or a gripping hand to press an article of clothing against any part of his body, other than the forearm or a gripping hand, he would be in breach of this Rule. However, merely touching an article of clothing with the club or gripping hand in making a stroke is not a breach. This might occur in various situations, such as where the player is wearing loose fitting clothes or raingear, where the player’s physical size or build causes his arms naturally to rest close to the body, where the player holds the club extremely close to the body, or where the player for some other reason touches his clothing in making a stroke.


Intentionally using a gripping hand to hold an article of clothing worn on any part of the body while making a stroke is a breach of Rule 14-3 – see Decision 14-3/7. (New)


It has to be intentional. Inadvertent contact does not constitute a violation of the rule.
 
I also wanted to add one last thought.... While anchoring the putter might affect professional golfers most where their skills are measured week to week without the aid of a handicap system, those of the amateur golfer are not.

Any strokes gained by anchoring a putter would be taken into account with the handicap system by giving the person a lower handicap, thus nullifying any advantage over time... if the handicap system really works. They could have left the amateur golfer alone and just banned it on the PGA and LPGA tours.
 
I also wanted to add one last thought.... While anchoring the putter might affect professional golfers most where their skills are measured week to week without the aid of a handicap system, those of the amateur golfer are not.

Any strokes gained by anchoring a putter would be taken into account with the handicap system by giving the person a lower handicap, thus nullifying any advantage over time... if the handicap system really works. They could have left the amateur golfer alone and just banned it on the PGA and LPGA tours.

Except that we don't use a set of rules for pros and another set for amateurs. That is one of the most attractive things about this game, we all play by the same rules. I can compare my game directly with that of the top pros, and the comparison is valid, even if not very complimentary to me.
 
I also wanted to add one last thought.... While anchoring the putter might affect professional golfers most where their skills are measured week to week without the aid of a handicap system, those of the amateur golfer are not.

Any strokes gained by anchoring a putter would be taken into account with the handicap system by giving the person a lower handicap, thus nullifying any advantage over time... if the handicap system really works. They could have left the amateur golfer alone and just banned it on the PGA and LPGA tours.
Or the tons and tons of city, state and national tournaments for amateurs that are played straight up
 
Thanks USGA!

m7g969.jpg
 
Except that we don't use a set of rules for pros and another set for amateurs. That is one of the most attractive things about this game, we all play by the same rules. I can compare my game directly with that of the top pros, and the comparison is valid, even if not very complimentary to me.

But we do, the groove rule.........
 
Back
Top