The PGA and the R&A have both agreed to new rule 14-1b that will ban anchoring a putter to your body when executing the putting stroke. It doesn't ban long putters just the manner in which they are used. ""Intentionally securing one end of the club against the body, and creating a point of physical attachment around which the club is swung, is a substantial departure from that traditional free swing," Nager said. "Anchoring creates potential advantages, such as making the stroke simpler and more repeatable, restricting the movement and rotation of the hands, arms and clubface, creating a fixed pivot point, and creating extra support and stability that may diminish the effects of nerves and pressure." The governing bodies announced the proposed rule on Nov. 28, even though they had no data to show an advantage. What concerned them more was a spike in usage on the PGA Tour, more junior golfers using the long putters and comments from instructors that it was a better way to putt. There was concern the conventional putter would become obsolete over time. The purpose of the new rule was simply to define what a putting stroke should be. "The playing rules are not based on statistical studies," Nager said. "They are based on judgments that define the game and its intended challenge. One of those challenges is to control the entire club, and anchoring alters that challenge."" http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-05-21-07-41-58 Do you agree? Me, yes. The stroke is suppose to be a free swing of the club. And spammers, or those who just want to post "who cares", "golf sucks", please move on and leave it for those who do know, love and appreciate the game.
I guess I'm OK with the ban. They are still letting them use the long putter, just not letting them anchor against their body, so I'm OK with it.
