USGA Anchoring Ban: Shrink the Putter, Shrink the Game

As almost everyone in the golf universe has now heard, on Wednesday, November 28th,2012, the USGA and R&A jointly sentenced the long putter and its evil spawn the belly putter to death. The execution is slated for January 1st, 2016. To be fair, technically both clubs are still legal and only the act of anchoring them to the body is banned.

Before you read on, I must disclose that a belly putter has been in my bag off and on since Sept. 3, 2012. I was a solid putter while playing on tour, even qualifying for the Dave Pelz World Putting Championship at one point. But trying the new technique has been nothing but fun, and I am personally disappointed that the USGA and R&A is eager to eliminate this putting option.

Some professionals like Padraig Harrington have lauded the ruling: "As a traditionalist I am pleased. It is for the greater good of the game." Graeme McDowell called the ruling "careful and considered." Outlawing anchoring will, in Rory McIlroy's words, provide a "level playing field."

Why is this ruling troublesome to so many golfers?

How many years equals a tradition? The Indianapolis 500 is 96 years old. That's a tradition. The Kentucky Derby dates back to 1875, giving us 137 years of burgoo and mint juleps. Most would agree the Super Bowl is a tradition. After all, we are looking forward to Super Bowl 47 in two months. The first Super Bowl was held in January, 1966, just seven months after Richard T. Parley patented the Body-Pivot putter, or first long putter. I would argue that the anchored long putter and belly putter have been around long enough to qualify as a tradition of the sport.

 African-American golf pioneer Charlie Owens long-putted his way to victory in the Treasure Coast Classic on the Senior Tour in 1986, ushering in the modern era of anchoring. Owens, a combat veteran who walked with a limp and used a cart in nearly all his tournaments, devised the putter to overcome a nasty case of the yips. Other pros took notice. LPGA journeywoman Jean Bartholomew has used the long putter for over 25 years. The long putter is cherished by many pros and amateurs alike: those who have battled yips, hand tremors, hip and back pain, etc. One of my own students suffers from a disability and the long putter allows him to compete alongside any golfer in any competition without special dispensation from the USGA. After so many years, long and belly putters have become part of golfers' identities, if not part of the fabric of the game.

 The recent quantum advances in driving distance have rendered many courses too short for elite male golfers. Even the Old Course at St. Andrews is finally forced to bring in the bulldozers to adapt itself to new technology. But I have yet to hear anyone complain that because of anchored putting, their club had to undertake a multi-million dollar course renovation. What problem does this new ban solve?

The anchoring ban disproportionally affects players age 40 and over who are more likely to suffer from afflictions such as back pain, hand tremors, and the yips. As a club professional striving to grow the game of golf and lower handicaps, the self-righteous twitter comments that exhort belly and long putter users to "stop cheating and putt like real golfers" particularly rankle me because I see who is using the anchored putters. While the once a month hackers are unlikely to use alternative putting techniques, this core group of avid age 40-plus amateurs is far more apt to adopt long and belly putters. The USGA's disregard for older golfers and their challenges is troubling.

Recall that in 1989 the USGA approved use of the anchored putters, feeling that they were not detrimental to the game.  So the 2012 decision is a reversal of a previous ruling and this sets an unsettling precedent. What other technologies and techniques that golfers currently rely on will be outlawed in the futures? The modern golf ball? Titanium? Hybrids? Ranegfinders? Side-saddle putting? The USGA has opened the door for any number of retroactive rules changes.
 
Is the proposed new rule truly careful and considered? The USGA released a a series of pictures to clarify what is legal vs.illegal in the upcoming non-anchored future. We are told the putter may anchor against the forearm, but not the belly. Additionally, the forearms may rest against the chest with a short putter, but not when stroking a long putter. Hmmmmmm.

Of particular interest is the image of the male golfer using a long putter in a legal fashion. His hand is a few inches in front of the sternum, enough for the forearm to clear his chest. Is the fellow competitor or club pro required to police this, and if so how? By slipping a Bible between the golfer's chest and forearm? What if the golfer in question is not a fellow at all, but happens to be female?

And speaking of the ladies, the non-anchored long putter technique shown in the picture might not be so legal for half the population. Because of differences in the female anatomy, placing the hand a few inches in front of the sternum would put the female forearm illegally anchored against the female chest. The USGA will be forced to require different legal putting criteria for male and female golfers. And that just may be the lawsuit loophole that the USGA and R&A never considered. Mike Davis went to meet with the PGA Tour pros prior to his announcement. Was the same careful consideration given to the LPGA Tour pros?