"The 12th Condition of Competition could be golf’s great compromise."

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PGA of America President Ted Bishop expands on the "12th Condition of Competition" idea he talked about on last week's State of the Game podcast where the USGA and R&A would adopt this to allow for anchoring say, on the Champions Tour. Or in the Former Yippers Open.

He says the idea came from current USGA President Glen Nager during a buddies bonding trip at Augusta. Warms your heart, I know!

If the USGA would drop the proposed Rule 14-1b and instead, make the ban on anchoring a Condition of Competition in the Rule Book, all entities in golf could handle it the way they want. Rule 33-1 provides, “The Committee must establish conditions under which a competition is to be played.”

Currently, there are eleven (11) Conditions of Competition in the Rules of Golf. These conditions include matters which are not appropriate to deal with in the rules of the game. They include such matters as Specification of Clubs and the Ball; Caddies; Pace of Play and Suspension of Play; Practice, Advice, Anti-Doping, etc. These Conditions of Competition are options available to any entity who is conducting an event.

And why is the idea, a seemingly good one in many respects, dead on arrival?

Is a 12th Condition of Competition a perfect solution? Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Tim Clark, Adam Scott and Carl Petterson will say no. At least, they would get to anchor their long putters in all but maybe three events each year- the U.S. Open, the British Open and maybe The Masters.

That's the killer. If onef ot eh four majors already telegraphs that they wouldn't be on board, it's impossible for the governing bodies go through with this, no?

PGA Prez: USGA Needs An Anchoring Condition Of Competition

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In his latest column, PGA President Ted Bishop makes his case again against the anchoring ban.

Bishop is recommending a 12th condition of competition to allow leeway in the rules for anchoring if the governing bodies refuse to back down.

I maintain that the USGA and R&A have underestimated the ramifications a rule change banning anchoring. In my opinion, the next best thing to no ban would be the creation of a 12th condition of competition in USGA rules that deals with anchoring. Presently, the four major championships are not uniform to applying four conditions of competition (for example, the one-ball rule, practice putting at hole last played, embedded ball rule and removal of stones in bunkers are handled differently in the majors).

This way every stakeholder walks away with what they want and everybody plays by the same set of rules. Davis, though, disagrees with the idea saying the USGA doesn’t believe in such conditions for “real fundamental rules.”

Politically, I wonder if the PGA of America had started with this as their position if it would have allowed for more dialogue in hammering out a happier outcome to this battle. What that solution would be, I have no idea.

PGA 'O America Attacks: Bring On The PGA Tour Rules Of Golf!

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Not since Sonny Corleone was hit with 300 bullets (yet not one to the face!) has one of Golf's Five Families gone on such a brazen attack of another family. Yet the PGA of America sounds determined to go after the USGA and R&A's place in the game with its latest missive, penned by president Ted Bishop in his weekly column that summarizes the recent PGA Conference of Leaders.

An "Open Forum" was convened and mostly discussed anchoring.

A straw poll was conducted on Tuesday and there was not one single hand that went in the air to support the proposed ban of the long putter by the USGA and R&A from the over 200 in attendance.

Or maybe just confirmation that groupthink is alive and well in America?

During the Open Forum, I gave a brief presentation to our PGA members on Local Rules and Conditions of Competition as defined by the Rules of Golf. The reason for doing this was to insure that our Section leaders were clear on their understanding that if the proposed ban is implemented, PGA professionals and their facilities will not have the ability to impose a local rule or a condition of competition allowing anchoring without it being a direct violation of the Rules of Golf.  This would be bifurcation of the Rules in its purest sense.

I do believe the Rules of Golf are entirely optional, so technically it's not bifurcation? More like, not playing by the optional Rules of Golf, right?

Currently, there are four Conditions of Competition in the Rules of Golf that are adopted differently by the four major championships. In the case of the One Ball Rule, the PGA Championship does not accept it while the other three majors do.

There's a buried lede for you! Go on...

However, there has been widespread speculation that if the proposed anchoring ban is implemented by the USGA and R&A that the PGA TOUR might adopt in its own set of rules which will allow anchoring. The question was then posed to PGA members in the Open Forum, which rules would you follow? Those adopted by the USGA, banning anchoring, or a set of PGA Rules, which might permit it? Less than a dozen in attendance indicated support of USGA Rules and well over 200 indicated support of what could be PGA Rules.

Great! Can't wait to read these special rules. That should only take about 1000 hours of Tim Finchem's time in the coming months, not to mention the massive legal bill they'll run up ironing out differences and proving they aren't plagiarizing the copyrighted Rules of Golf.

Just the thought of the non-profit PGA of America and PGA Tour dipping into their hundreds of millions in the bank and spending so much time on something that won't make them a dime makes my Friday!

Of course, it'll take them about three years to get these rules up and running. If we're lucky.

The PGA of Canada recently surveyed its membership and approximately 33% responded with nearly 65% opposing the proposed ban on anchoring. The PGA of Canada has sent a letter to the R&A and the USGA expressing the opinions of its members. I have also had conversations with Shizuo Mori, the Chairman of the PGA of Japan. He indicates that while there is nothing official yet, he agrees more with the position of the PGA of America and the PGA TOUR. Japan and Canada both are governed by the R&A.

PGA Tour, PGA of America, PGA of Japan. Tim, don't forget to build in translation costs to that bill for the new PGA Tour Rules of Golf! But it'll be great having your partners from Japan at the table, won't it?

A week ago, the European Tour issued a statement in support of the proposed ban. Some would say that this was a reversal of positions based on earlier comments by the European Tour that “there was no compelling reason to change the Rule at this time.” The Sunshine Tour, located in South Africa, also supports the ban.
 
The line in the sand seems to be the Atlantic Ocean. Golf bodies west of the Atlantic are agitated by the proposed anchoring ban. Those East of the Atlantic seem more inclined to follow the authority of the rules makers. As Michael Bamberger from Sport Illustrated pointed out to me, Americans always seem to be more inclined to challenge authority than their European counterparts. History has proven that.

Or maybe the Europeans don't have silly fast greens and therefore as many yippy golfers?

The PGA TOUR recently acquired the Darrell Survey Data from 2009 to present as it relates to usage numbers of mid-length and long putters at all official PGA TOUR events. In assessing this date, the TOUR has cross-referenced the number of players using these clubs per event (of whom almost all are presumably anchoring) with field size, identifying a percentage of use at each event.

From 2009 through much of 2011 between 5-10% of the fields anchored. From late 2011 to early 2012, there was a significant spike in usage where the TOUR saw 15-25% of the field using these clubs.

Which would be supporting the notion that anchoring was increasing at an amazing clip?

However, following the end of the West Coast PGA TOUR events in the early spring of 2012, usage begins to drop and we see a continuing downward trend that appears to be approaching the previous levels of 2009-2011.

And therefore...the announced proposed ban has already discouraged some? Or it was a fad and the governing bodies are merely eliminating a fad?

Certainly another issue facing PGA members is at the recreational level. We have serious concerns on how the ban on anchoring could affect the enjoyment of the game by our amateur customers. Over the past few months, I have received dozens of letters from concerned amateurs who look to the PGA of America to stand up and protect their interests.

Dozens?

These people are discouraged and frustrated that an anchoring ban will be imposed after they adopted a previously legal method of putting. Most indicate they will play less golf or quit. The game cannot afford this.

I think we need to commission a study on this, no?

We feel the USGA and R&A have underestimated the impact and ramifications that Rule 14-1b will have on the overall state of the game. It has become one of the most divisive issues that modern day golf has seen. All of these controversial issues will dissipate if the proposed ban is dropped.

Oh, something tells me that isn't so!

Bamberger On PGA Prez Bishop: "Along the way, he’ll either help make the USGA stronger or be part of its demise."

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Michael Bamberger clearly spent a lot of time with new PGA President Ted Bishop and filed a lengthy story for SI Golf Plus that is worth your time. Mostly because there is some great behind the scenes info on Bishop and the battles being fought behind closed doors by the five families, along with some fun commentary by Bamberger thrown in. This is the kind of thing that should win a GWAA writing award, but won't.

Again, hit the link or read your print copy this week, I'm just documenting some of the highlights for the archives here...

Bishop and Bevacqua were having ­dinner at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines when Davis and Glen Nager, the USGA president, asked if they could join them. The four talked for the better part of an hour about their many shared interests: speeding up play, increasing junior participation, making golf more accessible to disabled players, water usage, the many people they know in common. Henry Kissinger likes to say that history is dictated by personality, and it’s possible this amicable hour of golf chat will prove to be significant. But not likely. Two days later, when referring to a Golf World story about Davis and Nager that ran under the headline Trail ­Blazers, Bishop was almost smirking. He doesn’t think they are trailblazers. Of course, Nager and Davis don’t see themselves as trailblazers, either. They are trying to defend challenge as an essential golfing value. And for Bishop, that’s where the conflict arises.

Bishop is not a fan of a distance rollback...

The real issue in the debate goes much deeper than whether the butt end of the putter depresses human flesh. Bishop believes that if the ban goes through without a major hitch, it will empower and embolden the USGA. “I think their next step will be to try to slow down the golf ball,” Bishop said last month in his pro shop at Legends.

While we'll slap Bishop a two-stroke penalty for point-missing a possible distance rollback, but he gets points for this. Brace yourselves, this may be the last time you read the words "Glory's Last Shot."

For the PGA, and maybe for everybody, the secret weapon in this whole thing is Bevacqua, who joined the PGA of America in November, hired by a committee on which Bishop sat. (Bishop also was instrumental in recruiting Dottie Pepper to the PGA board of directors; eliminating the catchphrase “Glory’s Last Shot” from the PGA Championship marketing playbook; and initiating a thorough examination of the PGA’s TV contracts.)

Let's hope they are looking at the language that lets CBS show a promo for every shot shown on television.

This, regarding the PGA's State of the Game panel at the show, where the USGA did not participate despite efforts to get someone on the stage.

He decided the best answer would come from the USGA itself. Julius Mason, a PGA of America communications official, contacted Goode, who sent this response by e-mail: “The USGA has a number of senior leaders in attendance at this year’s show. Mike Davis, however, is preparing for the Association’s Annual Meeting.” During the proceedings, Mason wrote Goode’s response in a reporter’s notebook, ripped out the page and handed it to the panel’s moderator, Damon Hack of Golf Channel. Nobody asked about the USGA’s absence, and the statement was never read. A lost opportunity all the way around.

And in the "Where's Inga Hammond" files, you have your answer and it sounds like she's doing some sound work based on what's gone on so far in the Bishop era.

Your neighborhood PGA professional is not typically a modernist. Bishop—­married to Cindy for 36 years with two daughters in the golf ­business—is. Before assuming the PGA presidency he hired Inga Hammond, the former Golf Channel broadcaster, for intense media training, paying for it himself. Before Watson was named Ryder Cup captain, Bishop again hired Hammond to work with Watson, himself and Bevacqua. When Watson was asked about his relationship with Tiger Woods, he had a canned answer all teed up. The basic message of Hammond’s coaching is to encourage her clients to be open. It seems to come naturally to Bishop.

PGA Prez: Maybe We Should Consider Bifurcation

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Rex Hoggard, talking to PGA of America president Ted Bishop about Tim Finchem's bifurcation comments regarding the golf ball on Wednesday at Torrey Pines.

“(Finchem’s comments) are pretty interesting and powerful words from somebody of his stature,” Bishop said.

“Maybe we are at a point where we need to consider what impact bifurcation would have and if that's an answer or a potential answer to this situation, so that we can avoid some sticky issues like we are currently involved in with banning a long putter and anchoring or even some of the issues that possibly come up in the future.”

I spoke to Bishop for my bifurcation story in Golf World and at the time he was a bit more on the fence.

Finchem and Bishop are on a "state of the game" panel Friday at the PGA Show.

New PGA President: Don't Mess With Amateur Distance!

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Larry Fine on the PGA of America's outreach efforts and its new President, Ted Bishop, not supporting any kind of distance rollback that might impact the average player.

"If you do anything that's going to cause the rank and file amateur player to not hit the ball as far, there's no way you're going to enhance their enjoyment of the game," PGA President Ted Bishop told reporters on Tuesday.

And...

"I'm not so sure that's the greater issue we have to deal with," Bishop told Reuters. "This game is a hard game and anything we do to make the golf course play longer, play more difficult, is certainly going to deter from the enjoyment of the game for the average player."

Pssst....Ted, it's all taking longer and is more difficult because we're after this distance thing like a dog chasing its tail.

Bishop has already spoken out against the USGA/R&A ban on anchoring.