Forums

i personally put this into the same view as what they did to sam snead.  you don't have to agree, this is the way i see it.

sammy had a different approach to putting and, well to this day has the all time win record.  the powers that be decided that his method gave him an unfair advantage so they made a new rule requiring the player not straddle the ball while putting which took his crochet style and outlawed it.  there was nothing stopping other players from adopting sammy's approach, but the powers that be, not really liking sammy all that much decided against him.   the same thing is happening here, although everyone could adopt the long putter and allow an anchored type of  approach, the powers that be have deemed it an unfair advantage.

being a recreational only golfer though, well it kinda frees me up to play the way i want too.  if you're not playing a tournament or playing for official handicap,

FA-GET-ABOUT-IT

go have some fun.

I watched Webb win with it and I watched him lip out shorty's and lose with it. I have seen Keegan win with it and lost to players playing the short one's. It helps some players, great , I don't think it changes the game. I hope they make some clear rules but this one does make much sense to me

Here's my question...if the game of golf is trying to grow its participation and people find using a long putter a "benefit" to them psychologically which in turn makes the game fun for them and now the USGA and R & A are saying you can't use these putters...how many people will no longer play because it is no longer fun for them...WHEN DOES COMMON SENSE WIN OUT IN MAKING RULES...

I've used both a traditional putter (Cameron Circa 62) and a version of the long wand known as a "Hammy". I am equally adept at missing four footers with either putter. The Hammy (terrible name, but once used for a season or so by LPGA star Natalie Gulbis) is a longer shafted putter that is used with a split grip and with an very open stance. You almost putt side saddle with this putter. The idea is that you use bicameral vision to gauge distance, break, etc. and then using your bottom hand grip, you 'roll" the club into the ball. Doug Sanders was a pitch man for this putter when it was first marketed as an alternative to traditional putters.

If the putter is held in a split grip but isn't "anchored to the body will it be legal under this new rule? If the USGA and R&A think anchored putters are strange, wait until they see pros putting side saddle  - still legal  under this proposed new rule if I read it correctly!!

As for any purported advantage with an anchored putter, I would simply point out that you still have to line up a putt calculating speed and break and then hit it.Anchored or not, this is the heart of any putt and no putting technique improves that process..