Video: Morning Drive Anchoring Ban Segment

Here I am talking about the PGA Tour's opposition to the proposed anchoring ban with Gary Williams and Damon Hack.

Comments

[Digger Dave *is* digsouth]

Got to see it with a little DVR delay. I was impressed that you did the sweater thing, but classed it up with a jacket; however that A&M burgundy rubs we Longhorns a bit.

Seriously, I felt you presented a concise and accurate set of answers, and fell just short of calling Tim a liar, though anyone who knows, knows you were calling him a liar.

I really wish you would have shut down all the ''they had their chance'' by pointing out the truth-that the POTUS usage was the reason the USGA did not ban the long putter 30 years ago. I'm just not gonna et off that horse.

[Arthur Nelson]

Weren't you planning to provide some additional info on that front, digsouth?

[Bobby D]

"Tattaglia's a pimp. He never coulda outfought Santino. But I didn't know until this day, that it was Barzini all along."

[Geoff]

digsouth,
The sweater was a last minute audible to fit with the Morning Drive theme. Plus, it was cold in LA at 4 am...48 degrees! The sweater was NOT, however, a Peter Millar featuring a hockey-puck sized logo.

Interesting theory on thirty years ago. I will float that by Mr. Hannigan. I can just imagine the lashing I'll get.

Bobby,
To take the Godfather theme and The Don's way of thinking, I believe the first PGA Tour executive to approach Mike Davis at the World Golf Hall of Fame induction to express condolences on the anchoring fight will be the one who backstabbed the governing bodies at the PGA Tour player meeting!

[Chicago John]

Good job Geoff. Glad TGC recognized the popularity of the blog and thought you did a nice job. Maybe next time you can pre-tape the spot so you don't have to get up at 4 am.

[Geoff]

Actually, it was 3:30. But I'm not counting or anything.

Wow, I don't know how they do it. Hard to make sense before 9 am!

[DavidC]

What an amazingly weird show. They jump from really good coverage of anchoring by having Geoff and the PGA president on, plug their prime time shows with Feherty and Phelps (who were both worth listening to for even longer than their segments lasted), then absolutely sandbag it with stupid discussions about the longest drive the hosts have hit?

[Ludell Hogwaller]

Geoff,
Good job, very smooth on camera presence.

I predict you will soon be lured into a network slot, in order that you may be suppressed by the various powers, and Shackland will wither away.

[Bobby D]

"Tell Mike it was only business. I always liked him."

[mel]

Well done, Geoff. Very succinct answers.

[ArtV]

Move over Robert Rock - we have a new front runner for 'best hair in golf'!

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

Great interview Mr Shackelford. Well done.

[No longer Used to be Former Stack & Tilt Convert]

I would imagine you will have some more early mornings.

[Digger Dave *is* digsouth]

Arthur-- I certainly can provide backup,but honestly, i fear the regulars threatening to tar and feather me at the first opportunity if I drag that dog out again.

Geoff, Hannigan denied it if I recall correctly, but it has been so long ago, i am not sure who it was... but a member who was there but who remained anonymous , verified it happening.

It would make serse that the USGA would not want to show favoritism, since 41 and the family have strong ties to the USGA. My thinking is, enough time has elapsed that to honestly state that the USGA did not want to call out the POTUS, and have god knows who call him a cheat, and the bad mugumbo that it would show/reflect on the US was just a bad idea; well I certainly understand that-I certainly understand the need to keep the Prez using approved equipment, and I can understand the USGA fearing repercussion on them being called out playing the ''family'' card, on the Bush/Walker/USGA links...but hell, it was more important to have the Prez playing ''by the rules''.

The issue is mute now concerning the President, but the issue is very alive concerning the need to ban this training aid....

And Arthur, if you are referring to me gathering additional info; yes I am trying, but life has a way of slowing down our outside ventures.

[Geoff]

For those wondering, I believe the segment where you see the camera guy had PGA Tour footage in the live airing of the show. And because of the various regulations, they probably just clipped that out and had to use that shot.

[Chuck]

Nice job, Geoff. And I thought it a good interview on the part of Gary Williams and Damon Hack.

[Sun Mountain Man]

Geoff has a great future partly because he has a great agent representing him:).

[Larry in Minnesota]

It's great to be a regular reader of the blog of such an articulate and clear-headed "spokesman". I agree with S&T Convert that we will be hearing more from you on Golf Channel in coming weeks...and I look forward to that.

[ol Harv]

Nice job Geoff, although disagree with much of it. I'm not a Finchem fan but as the leader of the players(which you did mention) he has to represent their wishes doesn't he? And as the representative he capitalized on the best time to make his case, for them. I'm still on the fence as far as the decision on banning, either way will not affect me, but I think Finchem got forced into this by the PAC and board and maybe by the lack of the USGA initially not to listen. I also think the USGA got duped by several of the prominent players who flip flopped under pressure from their peers. If Tiger and Ernie and some of the other so called leaders on Tour held firm I don't think the other players would have made such a stink.

[FW]

Good job Geoff! A lot of information and very well put. Agree with Chuck that Hack and Williams did well.
Time for a nap I'm guessing!

[Ghost of Perry Maxwell]

well done Geoff, now get on network golf coverage !

[G-Man]

Great job Shack! Love that they gave your blog some props!!!! Awesome job.

[Hilltop]

An anonymous vote from the tour membership as a whole would be very interesting.

[wil barnes]

Great job Geoff. I would have hammered Finchem's timing of interview yesterday, upstaging the match. But then, as we know, that's nothing new.

[MacDuff]

@ old Harv " Finchem got forced into this thing" is something that I can't see happening. The only thing he seems forced to do is bank checks. Does he even play golf?

[ol Harv]

Decent player from what I read, somewhere in the neighborhood of a 9 or 10 handicap. Forced may not have been the correct word but he was just "relaying" what the PAC felt. I can't fault the guy for that. As for the checks, I agree, he's paid way too much money, but he's helped make many players wealthy for the rest of their lives.

[non profit winner]

Tim Finchem barely listens to the players about PGA Tour business
You really think he is going to listen when they talk USGA business, unless he thought it
was better for his business?

[Longy]

Just a thought. But the players are saying th ey want to keep anchoring to grow the game. I just think they all want to keep anchoring to grow their bank balances. They've figured out they may be like Ernie one day and need to to anchor to keep their cards.

[Matt A]

Well, said Geoff. You nailed it.

[Lynn S.]

I heard Feherty on a Dallas radio station yesterday say he was in favor of anchoring because "we need new golfers and anything to help this difficult game become easier is a good thing."
First, for me the allure of the game is its difficulty. Second, don't most anchors go to this style because they have missed 3 footers for 30 years? Most beginners I see putt short ones better than veterans. So how is it going to help draw and keep new players?

Geoff, you should ask to do future segments with audio only,,,,from your bed.

[Ludell Hogwaller]

Lynn,
I think your 30 year point is precisely when the search for a cure for the missed 3 footer.
My theory is the number of 3 footers missed started going up when we were forced to mow below .125 and that triggered substantial nerve twitches and hormone surges, resulting in yanked and stabbed putting strokes--and also the inability to pull the putter back for long periods of time.

When .187 was the norm, putters were wristy and aggressive and just smacked it toward the hole.
Now the idea seems to be "just get it started on line and pray there's no spike marks" or some variation of that.
In '77, when #12 green at Augusta ran about 6.7, the leaping nerve syndrome was there, but not as pronounced as when speeds hit 12 a few years later.
Also, even if Geoff does future interviews, audio only, he will still have to style his hair, because his fans will be able to sense, just by his tone, if his hair is good or not.
Finally, I produced a training video with a solution for anchoring, several months ago, but it continues to be ignored by mainstream golf press.

[Kelly Blake Moran]

Geoff did a nice job and I was intrigued by his last point that Finchem indicated there was no advantage to anchoring. Geoff went on to say that Finchem will be made to look foolish when the tour players stop using the long putter if they can not anchor it. Interesting point.