Padraig Fears Anchorers Will Try To Sink A Distance Rollback

Brian Keogh quotes Padraig Harrington at length and it's all interesting, but the standout stuff in the context of anchoring, grooves, the distance debate and rules.

But given the opposition by the PGA Tour (and the PGA of America) to the proposed addition to Rule 14-1, he fears that “a very small minority of golfers in the world” could wield enough power to effectively render the R&A and the USGA “sterile” and prevent the ruling bodies from implementing plans to reign in the golf ball and hot drivers.

I think we can put Padraig down for a yes in the roll-back-distance category!

And on pros making the rules:

“Look, the [PGA] Tour represents a very small minority of golfers in the world but they do have a big influence. They are like a big lobbyist in Washington and they have a big say in the matter but ultimately, if professional golfers were to decide the rules of golf we would get free drops out of divots and we would be able to tap down spike marks.

“We are not there to govern the rules. That is the way it is. It is obvious that this is a controversial issue and if the putter is banned, the controversy will go away. Just like the grooves. I can’t see how it is any different to the groove rule.”

Comments

[Jim]

Good for Padraig.

But I hope that he is wrong about rolling back the ball and hot drivers. I fear that he is correct though.

[BrianS]

They won't be able to "roll back". Not going to happen. Capping at current - that is feasible.

[RXT]

The ruling bodies can amend and regulate equipment any time they choose. The drivers should be no more than 320CC's....and the solid core balls of 2002 or earlier would be just fine. The jump in distance can be seen from 2002 to 2003....so yes, its time the USGA - R&A implemented their "Statement of Principles" concerning distance. The Pro V-1X should NEVER HAVE BEEN ALLOWED.

[Marker81]

i like Padraig

I dont really understand why the manufacturers would balk at a rolled back ball. Drivers and clubs sure. But balls are the one piece of equipment everyone will always buy. How does the amount of balls sold go down if they rolled it back tommorow?

[Willie]

I play with a guy who roll his ball back constantly. Unless he needs to roll it forward, or to the side.

[Nick Adams]

Isn't he a spokesman for the R&A already (and probably paid to be)? We should remember that with whatever we read from him. he is a nice and smart person but we need to remember the context. It would be much bigger news if he opposed the rule change.

[joe]

Maybe Paddy can worry about slow play.....his slow play.

[Bret]

Padraig has a great point. The primary argument of those in support of anchoring seems to be that its been allowed for a long time. Distance has been allowed for a long time as well.

[Garland]

Padraig,

You are now forgiven for being related to a Duck quarterback.

[PJ]

Padraig's interviews are quickly reaching must read status. He thinks before he speaks, and when he answers questions he's passionalte about he speaks a lot.

It's a point the hasn't really been explored in the anchoring debate. Should the USGA/R&A not be able to put through the proposed anchoring ban, what hope would they have of addressing what many consider to be bigger issues like the ball? They're linked issues, and like Harrington the regulatory bodies are aware of that fact.

[joe]

Hey PJ : the issue of whether the ruling bodies can or will deal with the ball after dealing with anchoring has been explored and explored and explored.
It is the pathetically hopeful belief by all good and decent men that the ruling bodies are just DYING to roll back the ball....DYING.

[G-Man]

This makes me like Paddy even more. He is very insightful and well spoken. I wish there were more players who wouldn't sell their soul to the manufacturers and speak candidly about the distance problem in golf. I've always thought the top players would be for a distance roll back because it would put more emphasis on ball-striking and shot making - a skill that separates the elite on Tour from the occasional winner. Let's face it - in times past the best of the best always were in contention in the big events. It's because equipment didn't equalize the game like it does today for pros.

I mean I'm all for the anchor ban. But now they have adjustable drivers that can stop you from hitting a slice or a pull. SERIOUSLY, THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND! I think that Mr. Jones and some of the other giants in the game would be rolling over in their grave.

Paddy's right...pros are a very small and rich minority. Anybody who stands to gain financially from Golf (competitive professionals) should not have any say in rule making. Any nimrod knows that 95% of the pros will always try and bend the rules in a way that benefits their own game.

[Matt A]

Even more reason to like Padraig. Roll back the equipment.

[Bobby D]

"Anchoring"..."twenty percenters scorecard"....TODAY MY WHOLE LIFE CHANGED...I FOUND AN ANCHORER!...OK , so I was 0 for 12 and about to leave when I saw an elderly lady with long putter with a blue grip and dang! she acnchored that baby right on her navel and commenced to stroke away...I watched her for a while and it was obvious she knew what she was doing ...so I walked over and can see she is in her mid 70s, with a Taylor Made golf hat and a face that said "I can play". she told me she had played all her life...lots of AM matches and ladies league for decades. I asked her when she started the belly putter...she said about 8 months ago..."how come?"...She said, "I have a thyroid condition...it got so bad I got the "Thyroid tremors" with the short putter. I hated it but couldn't control the shakes. Ever since I started using this belly putter the shakes lay down...so now I can keep enjoying the game I've played all my life". This really happened to me today at a place called The Practice Tee in Tucson, AZ. It made me stop and think.

[20/20 rearview]

RXT, the ProV1 was introduced before 2002
And if you look at Nick Price in the 90's he did most of his damage with the Precept
solid core ball. Bridgestone was light years ahead in technology, and when they made the
original Nike balls which Tiger absolutely demolished people with, it was off to the races.

[20/20 rearview]

BobbyD
Have a couple members with similar issues as the lady you met.
You will here:
1) they can still play (though not by the rules)
2) too bad
3) mulligans, gimmes, etc. People don't play by the rules any way

What I say, is how does anchoring improve the game of golf?
How many chased from the game they enjoy (those that can't post, play in club comps etc) is an acceptable number?

[Chris Campbell]

Bobby D, 20/20

You can't adjust the game for health conditions. Where do you stop? Shall we allow a totally mechanised swing for people with no arms? Like it or not golf is a sport and, unfortunately for some, sport carries with it a certain requirement for good physical health.

[Bobby D]

I have more questions than answers.

[The Blade]

Golf courses don't need to be lengthened and equipment doesn't need to be reined in; they merely need to be tight enough that the risk-reward ratio goes up for those who are just flailing away with drivers. They can make a driver and ball that flies 400 yards, but it's still a double-bogey if the player can't get it where it's supposed to go, and there is a strong-enough penalty for an errant shot.

[Bobby D]

"You can't adjust the game for health conditions"

I can tell you this....that wonderful lady I talked to on the practice putting green is far, far more important to golf than any PGA Tour pro.

[20/20 rearview]

bobbyD

agreed