Garrigus On USGA: "Amateurs making rules for the professional game."
Michael Collins talked to Robert Garrigus about the anchoring ban and last weeks players meeting.
The PGA Tour player who has used every length putter imaginable says he asked USGA Executive Director Mike Davis about the make up of the current Executive Committee and how many have played tournament golf.
The video...and the text:
"Zero," Garrigus said Davis told him.
The 35-year-old winner of the 2010 Children's Miracle Network Classic didn't stop there.
"They are amateurs who are making rules for a professional game," Garrigus said.
"It's unfortunate that they are trying to ban it because the guys that are using the putter are good dudes. They're not cheating. It's within the rules right now. And it's never an advantage."
In his career, Garrigus has used a long putter anchored against his body.
"It's just unfortunate they've got to try to say that it's overwhelming the game. And I think that's ridiculous."
Geoff
**There was even more from Garrigus in his post round interview transcript:
Q. You had some success with a really short putter, did the long. What are your thoughts on this potential ban of anchoring?
ROBERT GARRIGUS: My thoughts are that let us play golf and leave us alone pretty much. I talked to Mike Davis, I talked to Tim Finchem, I just asked one simple question: I asked him out of the 15 board members that vote on our game, our professional game, how many of them have ever struck a shot in competition? And that was zero, and that's all I needed to hear.
It's unfortunate they're trying to ban it and everybody is calling Keegan and those guys cheaters. They're not cheating. I told them to go back to the tape in Canada when I couldn't make a thing on the last day with a long putter. Couldn't sniff the hole from three feet. And they think it's cheating? I mean, I giggled at that. I told him to his face, just go back to the tape and check it out. I didn't make anything. You think it's going to be illegal? You still have nerves.
His point was saying, hey, you guys can adapt, you're professionals, but he doesn't have to make a putt for a million dollars, and that's the unfortunate thing. They're amateurs policing a professional game. It's just unfortunate. But we'll see what happens because you've got a lot of TOUR players, obviously Tim Clark and Carl Pettersson‑‑ Tim Clark can't even grip the club the right way. He has to get changed like this because his hands don't fold out. So he's probably going to do something legally if it comes to that, but I don't think it's going to come to that.
It's unfortunate that nerves play a big part in the game and being able to control them, and I don't think a long putter‑‑ who cares if Ernie won with a long putter or Keegan. They played great golf, they hit great shots and made great putts, and it doesn't matter what they were using. It's not as easy as it looks.
I've been saying that forever. I used a mini‑me putter for 28 inches, I used a 50‑inch putter in my chest, and I think the long putter helped me with the short one. I plead the case for the long putters because when we're playing and we miss a two‑footer on the last hole with whatever putter we're using, if we're in the top 10 or top 5, that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it's not our money, but it should be if we make the putt.
No, I don't think it's probably going to go through. I think there are some things that are going to happen that people will be surprised about.
Reader Comments (58)
Sorry for the many typos, but just got off the road, and, well, too bad, yall can figure out what the words are: we're Shackelodians!- or ask KLG, he knows.
My point is, Garrigus's whole thought process is so far off base, it's astonishing. I mean, I should say it would be astonishing if he weren't a pro golfer. Really, it's on base thinking from a tour pro that should be astonishing. My bad. I mean out here in the world of books and reason, it's astonishing. The USGA should consider how much money 156 guys get to play for each week when making the rules?
That says it all.
And what Roger and Digs say.
Play by the rules of the game that has made you a multi millionaire or don't play at all!!
And if its no easier than a short putter then use a short putter!
These "AMATEUR ADVOCATES" are a bunch of hypocrites IMO. They didn't give a *&^% about "the amateurs" or "the good of the game" until a few pros finally won with anchored putting strokes.
If they want to grow - rather than restrict - the game, their current (belated) rush to judgement is totally off-base IMO.
Good for Garrigus for speaking his mind publicly and opening up about the whole thing. Its not his fault he looks like a spoiled brat. Sounds like a decent guy who's just trying to protect his house and his buddies too. Everyone is so tight lipped about what Clark said but not Garrigush! He moseyed right up to Kim Jong Davis and told him where to put his long putter!
Also, the anchoring issue was discussed by the USGA/R&A many times in the past 20 years, but a ban was dismissed as only a handful of players used them and it was seen as a crutch and not a preferred way to putt.
For all we know the R&A is the one driving this decision, and they may have zero interest in what PGA tour players have to say about it.
Dig, you will find a fair number of ex-pro's comprise the NFL Competition Rules Committee.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_competition_committee
Anchoring Issue aside, Mr Garrigus makes a valid point about differences between Ams and Pros and how they approach the game. IMO it's another argument for bi-furcation of some sort and the sooner the better. Should pros write 100% of the rules? Of course not. But they should have a little bit of say in the conditions of competition since the average Amateur never plays on a course that's been retro-fitted to be used as a temporary outdoor stadium for one week of the year. SO they MUST have a say since the ruling bodies seem to be writing the rules in reaction to the pro game in the first place. Letting them have a seat at the tabe is the sensible thing to do.
And...I'm saying it here once and only once. I'm now OK with the long/broomstick anchoring style, no reason to ban it at all and instead am 110% against the seppuku-style belly anchors. Reason is simple. From 100+ yards, even a total non-golfer can watch a broomstick user and immediately know he's anchoring due to the radical different style and posture. The non golfer might even say: "It looks like that person can't bend over to putt like the other 3 guys on that weird sort of short grass circle with a pole thingy stuck in it....poor guy, maybe I should give him my chiropractor brother's number....oh look, they all missed their shots anyways...silly game"
When same non-golfer sees a belly-anchorer at the same distance they can't tell if the club is anchored or not. They would say "Hey there's 4 guys all bent over a stick trying to put a ball into a gopher hole...oh well lets go to lunch"
The BP posture is basically the same as a 'regular' style...except for and extra bit of club at the end that's jabbed into the abdomen to overcome the shakes. That extra implement at the end of the club Keegan, Webb, and others use is technically a teaching aid of some sort. Like a better cam-shaft or pistons in a a supposed "stock car" race.
So that's my $0.02 on this. It leaves a lifeline for anchorers who need an alternative for medicinal/genetic/nervous reasons and can be implemented over a season or two. (eg: The local PGAT Bifurcated rule can say: The club CAN be anchored, but the anchoring hand must be above the shoulder line....or something like that.)
I know who i'll trust to make rules for my Saturday game.
the guys who use it are "good dudes"-priceless
Hey...at least he can complete a sentence...sort of :o)
thx for that robert
Garrigus is as dumb as Pernice was the other day on Morning Drivel. Any more words of wisdom from the pros, Geoff? This is getting to be quite an education in red-state "thinking."
Thanks for the post Mainuh. I was tired after a long road trip when I posted last night, and wondered if I had my facts straight; actually anticipated someone ‘’correcting’’ my statement/question.
But Mainuh, the statement from Wiki, which I scanned last night says,
‘’ The National Football League Competition Committee is a group of eight members chosen from the ranks of the NFL teams' head coaches and managers to oversee competition and suggest rule changes.’’
Coaches and managers DON’T PLAY. I am not a football guy, but of the 8 listed as I reread it just now, only Ozzie is a name I vaguely recollect, who in retrospect, was a player. So I guess I am wrong.
That being said, I am still in lockstep with Roger and us ‘’idiots’’ (This USGA anchoring ban is a travesty and you have to be a complete idiot to think otherwise.'' says~ h2o-boy)
Water bou goes on to say ''They are tampering with a putting style that has been around since at least 1930 and deemed acceptable.'' We all can agree with that, and I have been preaching for 8 years or so that the USGA did not ban the long putter because it did not want to embarass a POTUS by saying he was using an illegal club, not to mention a POTUS with a family history tied to the USGA. I understand that, and I think they probably did what shuld have been done given the international knowledge of golf, and the need to not throw the leader of the free world undr the cart. HOWEVER, when the time was right, not that long after, they should have done what they are now doing.
Ban the POS, or the anchoring, which is NOT A STROKE. If a leaf touched on the backswing can result in a 2 stroke penalty, then playing with a non golf motion is just effing wrong. The USGA needs to stand firm and just do this.
Garrigus has admitted to pot smoking (which I do not have a problem with) and so if VJ gets suspended for NOT TESTING, but ''JUST SAYIN'''- then Garrigus needs to be suspended with his precious PGA rules he so admantly supports, eff the USGA.
So take that red cheeks.
You have the right to say what is on your mind, and to stick your foot way down in your mouth.
Idiot.
4 members of nine who played
As an aside, I'm surprised nobody has commented on Michael Collins from this video. Look at his face and reactions....he's like, "Right on, Robert! F### the police!" Isn't he supposed to be an unbiased interviewer?
And to Amen Coroner, since GS will take this post down if I say anything nasty, I'll just let you know, you better start asking that wife of yours for some money, 'cause I'm coming for your wallet this year.
I know, but he's been doing this for a while. Maybe he's just used to radio. He needs to learn to fake it when the cameras are on.
rob
Other than the crane being misidentified by Trey Holland as a Temporary Immovable Obstruction rather than a Movable Obstruction at the '94 U.S. Open and an LPGA official at the '09 Kraft Nabisco having a player play from a wrong place on the 18th hole, I can't recall any other bad rulings being given by a Tournament Official. I would be curious of others of which you are familiar.
The Dustin Johnson issue was ultimately his fault for not reading the Notice to Competitors or the postings in the locker room.
I know that some of the PGA Tour officials are previous Tour players (White and Pruitt) but many others were just very good amateur golfers. As far as their ability to deal with big egos, I believe it has less to do their handicap and more about personality, familiarity and style.
Personally I don't think that knowledge and application of the Rules has anything to do with the level of the playing ability of the player or the playing credentials of the official.
Anyway, welcome anytime, and if i need correcting (oter than typos, consider them a challenge) then by all menans, correct me. I cna see I am losing it, so I will say Aloha.