The Rule 14-1b Do's And Don't Chart: Women Included!

The accompanying art to the USGA and R&A press release. Nice of the R&A to allow a woman to be part of the depictions!

Update on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 08:15 AM by Geoff

**Explanatory video on YouTube:

Comments

[Stanley Thompson]

Why 2016?

Why not 2014...that's still over one year away....or so.

[Seve]

I don't readily appreciate the difference in the graphic between (i) prohibited anchoring of a forearm against the body and (ii) permitted holding of one's forearm(s) against the body.

[Matt A]

The 3 years is meant as a buffer so they can review, watch for loopholes and amend the rule if needed.

I applaud the change.

[Viz]

golf clap...

[digsouth]

Stanley-

Timetable shown on the right. in the graphic.

New rule book comes out in 2016.

[odd job]

what is the difference between elbows against body (i.e.- anchored) and forearm anchoring?

[digsouth]

Geoff;

I heard you ''state your question'' and heard the powers squirm at the mention of The Old Course, and his insincere mumbling about ''the Old Course issue'' not having anything to do with the''distance issue''. Right.

I bet you wish you had been allowed a follow up question, though one of your fellow members did a question referencing yours.

[Geoff]

digsouth,
I could have asked a follow up but on conference calls I always feel like that's a bit rude. Though in hindsight when I heard who got questions in, there weren't as many media members on the call as expected. The Villages golf writer? Gary Galyean? Frank Thomas? Wow!

[Amen Coroner]

Lotta .com'ers and radio show hosts got questions in. Nice company you keep!

[jjshaka]

Have to laugh at the idea of using these mid and long putters without anchoring....thats the point...otherwise they're less stable to hold and make a stroke than regular putters.

[Bobby D]

I laugh at the 2016 "deadline". THREE YEARS! jeez

[Jim Maroney]

But, jjshaka, there are already players who do just that.

[Jim Maroney]

I thought Frank Thomas' quesion was one of the better ones. His point about the complexity of the language is valid especially at a time when the USGA/R&A claim that they are trying to make the Rules of Golf easier to understand (and then they write a new rule with 2 Notes and an explanatory series of illustrations).

I think the reason so many other media members were absent from the call is that they were too busy running around (and tweeting) that the sky is falling.

[Stanley Thompson]

Digsouth

My bad.

[odd job]

I like the irony of the timing of the anchoring ban...which has never caused a course to be changed...and the digging up of the Old Course and countless thousands of other courses because they won't slow down the ball and they have no plans it appears to do it.

[walkie talkie banks]

There is an R and A video on youtube which explains it pretty well,

[Matt A]

@ jjshaka

I think that is the point and why the ban is happening.

Player: why is anchoring being band
Ruling Body: Because it makes the putting easier
Player: Prove it
RB: Ok, try to swing your putter without anchoring
Player: I can't it's too hard
RB: Bingo

[Amen Coroner]

The claim by Dawson today that distance has plateaued very well may be true. How can he then defend the work being done at TOC?

[Confused]

I too see very little difference in allowing the elbows to rest on the thighs but not allowing the hand to rest on the sternum. What was the reasoning for allowing the "bracing"?

[Dan]

As others have stated above, I think there is a grey area regarding the crossover between the "elbow braced against the body" (legal) and the "anchor created by forearm" (not legal).

I sometimes use a method with my standard length 35" putter that could well be illegal!

It uses a split handed grip a la the long putter style with the left thumb on the grip cap and left elbow against my left hip. The right thumb and forefinger are placed around the bottom edge of the grip where it meets the shaft. If some part of my forearm is also resting against my hip, this would be illegal, right?