Els On Anchoring: "Ban it."
Ernie Els visited the Northern Trust Open media center today to talk about his foundation and golf at Riviera this week. He opened the door for me to ask a long putter/anchoring question.
Q. You mentioned the short putter. The USGA has said they're taking a fresh look at the belly putter, long putter, anchoring. Do you welcome that? What do you think about that?
ERNIE ELS: Yeah, I think so. Although I've used it, I've used it for, what, six months now, I feel the same as most of the traditionalists. I feel that no club should be anchored to your body. I don't know how they're going to go around it, maybe use a putter as long as you want as long as it's not anchored to your body any way, even up your arm. You see a lot of the guys use it in their armpits now.
Nothing should be anchored to your body, and I believe‑‑ I still believe that. I was in such a state that I felt that I needed to change something, which I did. I went to the belly. It hasn't really helped me that much, but it has helped me. But I'm for it. Ban it. It's fine.
If you haven't listened to it yet, this week's State of the Game podcast focuses on the belly putter and it's a great listen.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 08:49 PM
Reader Comments (27)
I listened to the podcast and they made reference to USGA commentary about having a war chest for "potential litigation", suggested that it was the first they'd ever heard of that sort of talk. Guess this could get pretty interesting?
Better to ban it soon...than later. Like ripping off an bandaid...hurts more the longer it takes to remove it.
As far as my opinion about how a ban goes forward is as follows:
1) Only 2 parts of the body can touch the club and the hands have to be BELOW the beltline before starting the stroke (allowing for uneven or irregular slopes in certain situations...eg: Decisions Book)
2) USGA rules (as it should have done awhile ago) that anchoring the putter in any way is a teaching aid and cannot be allowed in official tournament or rounds for hdcp purposes.
3) The PGA Tour invokes a local rule forbidding their use while giving pros who are currently anchoring a 12-month grace period (in order to learn how to putt w/out a mechanical hinge built into their technique)
That's it That's all...off my soapbox!
It's a tough call...but PLEASE can there be a definite answer or solution. I don't want to have to retro fit custom long putters to jr golfers everytime they grow an inch in height...come to think about it...no wonder the club manufacturers are against a ban.
I have used a 39" putter in a tourney before...helped me stand taller and see the line, but there was no anchoring...like Cabrerra did at the Masters. Still...longer shaft IMO = harder to control for me...went back to the 34.75" for day 2 and putted better.
It's that simple.
Let them use a ten foot putter if they want........just don't anchor it.
Arnold Palmer was on the Golf Channel's Morning Drive show a while ago and was asked about it. When asked about his opinion he said it should be banned. Then when asked theoretically if he were playing competitively in today's day an age, would he use an anchored putter he said "Of Course, I'm not stupid".
Although this sounds kinda like a case of "if everyone jumped off the George Washington Bridge, would you jump off too", even if a player is against the use of an anchored putter, if other players that he is competing against for his livelihood are using them and they help, he is going to use it as well, Players will play within and to the limit of the rules as much as they should.
Anchored putters would be like Da Vinci using a stencil to draw The Mona Lisa.
The maximum length of a driver is 48" and the vast majority of golfer can use a long putter that's 48" or shorter. My 6'1" brother uses a broomstick that's 45 inches. I can use a belly as short as 38.5".
K
OK, again, does anyone have any real insight on the timing of this? 6 months, or 6 years? Odds? Has this been discussed at any length in Ponte Vedra?
I think someone who's in Woosie's height range could get as short as 37 inches. I think Cink's was at least 50 inches. And Vijay's belly putter was at least 45".
What simple length limits do is discriminate against anyone over about 5'10".
If you listen to Huggan's proposal in the podcast, he'd say the club can only touch your hands, and your hands must to touch each other. No more split grips, no more claw grips, no more one-handing it... unless you write an exception.
Below the waist? I prefer a flat lie, and in my experiments with belly putters, my best anchor point is on my left hip and well below my belt. In fact I am convinced that the belly putters on the market are too long for almost everyone, and that a shorter putter with a lower anchor is better.
What amuses me most about that podcast is that three guys who've never hit even one putt with a belly are suggesting that within 10 years they'll be the dominant method. They've been around since the 1960s, and aren't dominant. Big drivers took less than 5 years to eliminate standard-sized drivers.
Ken
But the Pros should have a ban on anchoring the putter. And to those who say "How do you enforce it?", the pros call penalties on themselves all the time. They play within the rules because that is the spirit of the game. This is also how Ernie can use the belly and at the same time say it should be banned.
BTW, Sean, Lob wedges are beyond the ability of most amateurs to use properly ie. full shots and flop shot.