Frank,
I listened to Tim Finchem on Sunday during the golf broadcast and he said that the PGA Tour is not in favor of the USGA’s proposal to ban anchoring.
What do you think about this possible rift between the USGA and the PGA Tour?
Dan
Delaware
Dan,
I would like to thank you for the question the answer to which is on the minds of a many people. As you may know, I have a fairly strong opinion about anchoring.
I think that the process we need to follow when changing a rule is relatively simple.
First, define the problem clearly and make sure it is a problem or potential problem. If we cannot clearly define it then maybe it is not a problem.
Second, find a solution which, in its application and acceptance is no worse than the problem itself.
Third, gain acceptance – by being totally transparent about the change and providing justification for it – from those (the constituents) who only have the best interests of the game at heart. Without the consent of the constituents — through their voluntary acceptance and adherence to the Rules of Golf — the guardians lose their authority to govern.
I do not believe that we have always followed this simple and logical procedure. I also believe that we have very much more important problems in the game, such as slow play, that needs to be addressed at its root cause, long before a cumbersome and ambiguous rules change such as anchoring.
Providing justification is in turn the obligation of the guardians when they consider making any significant change to the game.
The game has survived — as has the authority to govern it — because of its very nature and sound governance. It has attracted many generations because the rules lend order and – in most cases — make intuitive sense. Let’s keep it this way.
The fact that Tim Finchem has rejected the proposal to ban anchoring is not in my mind, a reflection of a rift between the USGA and PGA Tour but rather a response solicited by the USGA. Well done to the USGA for requesting comment and now let it follow with serious consideration of these comments.
If the change does not make intuitive sense and has only subjective justification then acceptance by golfers as whole should not be expected, and it is better to find this out before adoption. The PGA Tour has made a considered comment as have many others and it is incumbent on the USGA to heed these comments.
We all have the right, and indeed the obligation, to provide our candid input regarding changes, and if we are not convinced that there is ample justification for the change we must say so.
Let’s accept sound, transparent and wise leadership but help those who lead us in their mission to protect the challenge and preserve the spirit of our wonderful game.
Frank
P.S. Please leave your comment and let us know what you believe are the most immediate problems facing the game and which need to be addressed.
franklygolf 
The R&A and USGA have it right ban the anchoring of the putter. should have done it long ago, however better late than never. have the professionals penaltized strokes for slow play, never mind the fines and adverise when this is enforced. the professionals should be speaking out about these slow players more often. reduce cost to play and speed up play.
Anyone who thinks anchoring is cheating is nuts. Just look at how many guys with long putters still miss the short ones. USGA said “no performance advantage”. Leave game alone because Frank is correct when he says the rule is VAGUE! Biggest problem is Pace of Play. Need to push Play it forward and Ready Golf. Golfers need to know how to make efficient use of Golf carts. Drop buddy off and you go to your ball. He hits you hit. He walks to you you pick him up and away you
go. Change clubs when you get to your ball.
Regarding pace of play, wouldn’t it be nice if golfers had to prove a certain level of skill and knowledge of rules and etiquette before they were allowed to play? Unfortunately that would mean even fewer golfers and less money for the golf courses.
Remember the fuss over the grooves? How well did that work? I changed my wedges because the new balls would shave off too easily. Was I pleased with USGA? NO! I tried a belly putter and gave up. My putting was not any better than with a standard putter. Is a long putter held away from the body any less of anchoring? Probably not, but at least I don’t have to bend over as much and my back might feel better. I will probably see my golf pro (who I believe has an association with Frank) and ask his advice. Long and short, golf has become less and less enjoyable as costs and time required to play continue to increase. It is pretty bad when I prefer cleaning the garage to playing golf!
Well said Frank!!!!
Anchoring seems to me to only work on faster greens, not the 6 to9 speeds most public courses have.
Limit the length of the putter similar to that of the driver and ban anchoring.
Hypothetical:
I think I’ll go with 13 useful clubs in the bag and a 2nd “putter” 72 inches in length (to make a ridiculous point). When I take relief of a club length or two, I will be truly relieved.
Hypothetical 2:
If the guiding principle is “what’s fun and enjoyable for the game”, I’m going to start putting pool-cue style whilst lying on the ground (with a backup of croquet style if the ground is too wet). Hey, it’s no more cheating than anchoring the club to remove degrees of error.
Why not a long anchored chipping club, I’m sure many “yip” these delicate chip shots, anchor it, and away we go…..
drivers vary in length by as much as 6 inches or more so one who has a 46 inch driver is cheating when compared to one who has a 43 inch putter…please… . anchoring is not cheating as you imply, its part of the rules..
keep the long putter, ban anchoring, slow play is killing the game; will the USGA and R and A ban metal “woods” after 30 plus years of use, like they would like to do with this whole putting debate, should have done this years ago, slow play suggestion, anything after a double-bogey, put it in your pocket, maybe, play a practice round with a PGA professional to see how pace of play should be , unfortunately, slow play is just a sign of the times, I payed my money, now the…. with eveyone else, common sense and etiquette have left this society many years ago, Thank you for reading my rant, CGG…play well, and have fun, make a 2013 goal to introduce one junior to the game this year…
limit to double bogey..Please most golfers play to the 100-110 which is double bogey(+/-). there are more rules that need changed..Play it forward is probably the best rule that could be implemented to speed up play.
play it forward is not a rule, it is a suggestion; if someone plays to 100-110, who determines where forward is forward enough, also, how many of these players probably have 40 plus putts per round, not counting chips, pitches, and bunker shots, what we need are more 9-hole courses, and less $150.00 monuments to overpaid designers(attn. Mr. Nicklaus),
4 hours ! When I started, if you took more than 3 hours, you got a letter from the Club Secretary about slow play. 2hrs 45 mins was the target for a round.
The issue is not laser rangefinders – it is between the ears – and being prepared to hit your own ball – in a reasonable time – when it is your turn to play.
I play golf today with some lovely people – but they just do not get it. They arrive at the ball, and then the pantomime starts – no doubt the result of too much TV watching. We need a “time limit per play” rule – like chess – but quicker !
The bigger problems are the pace of play and the distance the new ball goes. These are the issues that should be looked at since they deal with proformance and enjoyment of the game. It shoud not take more than 4 hours to play 18 holes of golf.
The biggest problem is speed of play. It flows from the PGA tour on down. I think one of the things that slows play down is the use of laser and other distance finding tools. Even with those tools the scores of those using them has not improved markedly.
If the pros sped up play so would those that try to emulate them.
Thanks for the great Q & A and putting tips
My feeling is the anchoring rule should be enforced. Slow play should definitely be addressed. Take the lines off golf balls so they don’t spend so much time adjusting it while trying to line up a putt. The skill is being taken away from the game. The other rule change I would like to see is maximum loft on a club be 56 degrees. Then the skillfull players would stand out.
slow play is a problem. look at rules that can speed play such as; out of bounds rule, playing it forward (based on handicap) should be posted at courses, looking for lost ball (reduce time).
Slow play and lengthened courses are the reason hundreds of courses are closing and thousands of people are giving up the game every year. I do not care how you putt.
Three things are more important. Pace of play, cost to play a round and the distance the ball travels with modern equipment!
Anchoring should be banned. It is not a stroke, it is a movement of the club while fixed to some part of the body . . . in my opinion it is not in the spirit of the game. Just because anchoring was not addressed by the governing bodies years ago does not justify ignoring it today. The PGA Tour, The R & A and the USGA are all to blame for both slow play and the ‘hot golf ball’. Every USGA and PGA Tour event should enforce pace of play rules.
I have to agree, to me it’s falls into the same type of rule as building a stance. In this case it’s building a foundation with one club unlike any other club in the bag. There has been a bit of a precedence in the past by not allowing one to putt between your stance like crochet, the Sam Snead rule 16.1(?). So in the name of consistency let’s keep the swing motion the same with all clubs, held free in the hand(s).
to Don B. and Ron – Not a swing? Ok, what would you call Jack Nicklau’s putting style? It that iw or was a golf swing color me an astronaut. The various “claw” grips – you ever see anyone hit a driver with the hands turned upside down? Don’g think so. Get real. The new style putter grips and most of the new teaching on putting promotes the idea of taking the hands out of the putting stroke. This is just a bad proposal all the way aroung. Not unlike the square groves issue. I have never heard a player at any level say the the new grooves cost him a tournament or even a shot. This is tilitin at windmills. Long live Don Quixote!!