"Anchoring will be done and gone. And we will move on, as we always do."

Longtime USGA observer Jim Achenbach explains how the anchoring ban comment period has gone for the governing bodies.

Then he lays out how he thinks the proposed rule and political infighting will play out from here.

The USGA and R&A once again will thank everyone who submitted comments. They will talk about the family of golf. They will make it clear we’re all in this together. Then they will discuss the sanctity of the rules – history has shown us that the rules are the foundation of the game; we cannot disturb that bedrock without shaking and agitating the game itself.

Then it will be over. Except for the details and the method of implementation, anchoring will be done and gone. And we will move on, as we always do.

Comments

[thebigdad]

Yup, ole' Jim is right. Anchoring will go the way of persimmon and balata and we'll all feel ever so better for it. Anchoring, if not an advantage, then when denied will not make one whit of a difference and "these guys are good" will find a way to get it in the hole. Or not. Either way anchoring is not a stroke and needs to go. Simplify. "As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness."
Henry David Thoreau

[JJ]

I suspect that the "comment period" was never about whether to make the change but more about seeking suggestions on ways to improve the wording of the new rule to make it clearer and less ambiguous.

[Digger Dave *is* digsouth]

JUST DO IT ,and do it soon, please.

[Ian]

would love to not just see them ban, but to move the start date up to start of 2014 season this fall

[TW]

@ Ian

Thats what commissioner Finchem did with the passing of the square grooves rule change. Can't see why he wouldn't do the same thing if USGA bans anchoring. Ernie Els has referred to it as cheating. It would be very awkward if commissioner Finchem waited the entire grace period, heaven forbid so players anchoring won majors during the grace period.

[PABoy]

Ban baby Ban

[rmp]

I will make anyone here or anywhere a wager. I will show you twenty rolled putts, ten anchored ten non anchored. Name the ten anchored strokes and I will donate $100 to charity of your choice. Don't and you donate $100 to mine. As to anchoring not being a golf stroke, when did you ever see Jack Nicklaus hit is driver hunched over like looking for a four leave clover? Ever see anyone hit a three hundred yard drive with a claw grip? Parapharsing Ben Hogan - there is no seimilarity between golf and putting. No body has ever hit a full golf shot the same way he hits a putt. I will be voiting the USGA decision by not renewing my membership if they go through with this ban (and I do not use a belly putter).

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

@ rmp ... you're missing the point. The ban is not simply about the definition of a golf stroke. It really all comes down all golfers being put to the same putting test viz the hands not being assisted by an anchored club. At the end of the day, the hands on a putter should go back and through the hitting area unassisted just like it does with any other club in the bag so your Ben Hogan analogy really doesn't fit here.

Anchoring should've been banned by a previous administration. Just because it wasn't doesn't mean to say it's wrong now for a new administration to put things right.