If you pay attention to what is going on in the golf world you have heard that the USGA and the R&A have proposed a new rule that will eliminate anchoring a putter during a putting stroke. There is a more detailed description of the proposed rule on the USGA website (Click here).
Recently the PGA Tour Players Advisory Council has hinted to the media that they will notify the PGA Tour and the USGA that they are NOT in favor of the proposed ban. During the 90 day comment period, that the ruling bodies set, every golf expert, golf media outlet, and player has given their opinion on the proposed ban as well as the topic of bifurcation of the rules. In other words having a separate set of rules for amateurs and professionals.
I say we already have "unofficial" bifurcation of the rules. Basically golfers fall into a few categories: recreational golfers that might golf a few times a year; avid golfers who play every weekend or more; high level elite amateurs that play for schools, colleges, formal sanctioned events; and finally the Pro tour players. I would be willing to bet that the majority of the recreational and avid golfers don't even know most of the rules or they don't follow the rules. Additionally local gaggles and tournaments frequently establish their local rules to make the events more playable and FUN! So regardless of what the USGA or R&A decide the average golfer won't be effected that much. All it will do is irritate the golf world.
One of the main goals for the golf industry today is increasing participation in the game. This proposed ban and any other rules that simply make the game more difficult or run off players of limited ability simply hurts the game as a whole. The USGA stated that the proposed ban would help the game in the long run. I couldn't disagree more! Show us some statistics that prove that anchoring the putter is more effective. If it worked that well the majority of golfers would already use the technique. Again...make the game fun, don't create rules when no issue exists, and don't be so naive to think that the majority of the world follows the rules of golf. I personally try to follow the rules as best I can in every round and I think having a ruling body for golf rules is imperative. I just don't think that they need to try to fix things that aren't broken.
Recently the PGA Tour Players Advisory Council has hinted to the media that they will notify the PGA Tour and the USGA that they are NOT in favor of the proposed ban. During the 90 day comment period, that the ruling bodies set, every golf expert, golf media outlet, and player has given their opinion on the proposed ban as well as the topic of bifurcation of the rules. In other words having a separate set of rules for amateurs and professionals.
I say we already have "unofficial" bifurcation of the rules. Basically golfers fall into a few categories: recreational golfers that might golf a few times a year; avid golfers who play every weekend or more; high level elite amateurs that play for schools, colleges, formal sanctioned events; and finally the Pro tour players. I would be willing to bet that the majority of the recreational and avid golfers don't even know most of the rules or they don't follow the rules. Additionally local gaggles and tournaments frequently establish their local rules to make the events more playable and FUN! So regardless of what the USGA or R&A decide the average golfer won't be effected that much. All it will do is irritate the golf world.
One of the main goals for the golf industry today is increasing participation in the game. This proposed ban and any other rules that simply make the game more difficult or run off players of limited ability simply hurts the game as a whole. The USGA stated that the proposed ban would help the game in the long run. I couldn't disagree more! Show us some statistics that prove that anchoring the putter is more effective. If it worked that well the majority of golfers would already use the technique. Again...make the game fun, don't create rules when no issue exists, and don't be so naive to think that the majority of the world follows the rules of golf. I personally try to follow the rules as best I can in every round and I think having a ruling body for golf rules is imperative. I just don't think that they need to try to fix things that aren't broken.