While I’m
certain this will not be the last discussion about anchoring in the years to
come, this will be my last article about it (unless something truly dramatic
happens). The USGA and R & A
officially announced the proposed ban on anchoring, or Rule 14-1b, this
morning. To most of us who have followed
the progress of the anchoring debate this comes as no surprise. What the ruling bodies have enlightened the
public to is the official reasoning behind the proposed ban that will go into effect at the next Rules change on January 1, 2016.
A
decent chunk of the surrounding debate, including my own arguments, centered on
whether or not anchoring actually gave a competitive advantage to players. I was hoping to see some empirical data that
the USGA or R & A had gathered showing this competitive advantage. The competitive advantage, however, was not
part of the debate for the ruling bodies.
On the new FAQ page that the USGA has put forth on its website (www.usga.org/anchoring) they
state:
“…changes like this to playing Rules are not based on empirical studies. In
writing the Rules that define how golf is to be played, the governing bodies
assess current practices and recent developments in the context of history and
traditions and make a judgment about the game’s fundamental nature and
long-term best interests.”
The ruling bodies have
made this decision based on the traditions of the game (of course the last 30
years of history aren’t important) and the fact that there is no data that supports
a competitive advantage to anchoring had no effect. Or in their own words, “We believe that the
essential nature of the traditional golf stroke involves the player freely
swinging the club with both the club and the gripping hands being held away
from the body.”
As an official for a
regional golf association, I will abide by the governing bodies and adhere to
the Rules they set forth. Their
knowledge on the history of the game and what constitutes tradition is far
superior to mine. BUT…
You’re telling me the
anchored putting stroke is not traditional but a 460CC titanium driver is? What about graphite shafts? How about unpronounceable cored golf balls
with polyurethane covers? Perhaps we
should return to hickory shafts and the feathery? I don’t necessarily have a problem with the
ruling, but I don’t agree with the timing or the reasoning behind it. I can’t argue with the tradition argument (by
the way, speaking of tradition R & A, what the bleep are you doing to the
Road Hole and St. Andrews?!), but I can argue with their judgment about the
game’s “long-term best interests.” I
would love to see the argument for alienating a good percentage of new or aging
golfers that play the game recreationally.
The
new president of the PGA of America sent a letter to the USGA about the
problems the ban could present in growing the game, “we feel compelled to inform you
that we are concerned about the impact a ban on anchoring a golf club could
have on participation now and in the future.” The PGA, in fact, was able to present some
empirical data AGAINST the ban. The PGA
polled its members, the instructors and professionals who are in daily contact
with the true players of the game, the millions of recreational golfers,
regional golf association members, your Sunday group! The PGA poll stated that
63% were NOT in favor of the ban because of the “negative impact a ban could have on both the growth and
enjoyment of the game.”
So while I cannot argue with the
ruling bodies’ reasoning that anchoring is fundamentally non-traditional and
against the spirit of the game, I can argue that the ban is not good for the
game of golf and its short or long-term future.
What is most irksome, is that this is not supposed to be a knee-jerk
reaction to three out of five major champions using anchored strokes, however,
I find it incredibly coincidental that the review process “began in early 2012”
according to the USGA. So I beseech the
ruling bodies to consider an alternate option that would be fair to all
golfers: Propose the ban as a Condition
of Competition for use in your championships.
Junior aspiring to win the U.S. Open won’t use anchored strokes and Joe
Everyperson who loves to golf but just can’t keep still over a short putt will
still be able to enjoy a Sunday round.
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