COMMUNITY

If anyone is interested, the 40 page document the USGA and R & A supplied as an explanation contained some interesting insights into their thinking.

http://www.usga.org/uploadedFi.. Draft - May 17 Revision - FINAL.pdf

Mark, I know your an advocate of the long putter and certainly your passion on this is admirable. I'm a big supporter of the ban because it goes against what I think is the integrity of the stroke. That's my opinion and it only matters to me, but I can imagine that if you are a long putter guy like you and it affects you personally, there is no doubt there would be major passion to talk about the injustice. Your opinion is your opinion and it is to be respected.

Now that the disclaimer is done... This statement is SO incredibly weak and wrong it's just downright laughable. Adam Scott IS the poster child for the long putter ban. Ernie Els is a very close 2nd, but as a long putter guy you should never feel the need to defend Adam Scott, especially with totally erroneous facts. HE is the reason this ban has come down on the long putters. Passion aside, you're trying to convert a room of Republicans to be Democrats (or vice versa); it's an opinion that won't change.

Adam Scott fell out of the Top 50 and eventually the Top 100 in 2009. He went over to the long putter because, in his own words, "I was atrocious from inside 10 feet on the greens." He admitted to the world that he lost confidence and had a small case of the yips (this is fact that was printed in Golf Digest). Now he's competing in and has won a major and now his short term memory is kicking in because he doesn't want to admit that the long putter is the reason for his resurrection. Very convenient, but don't buy it. It IS the reason... Els too.

I honestly think that if Angel Cabrera had won The Masters this year, the ban would not have gone through. I think there was enough support and backlash, most notably from the PGA Tour, to make the governing bodies change their mind. But those 2 putts Scott made, as great and exciting as they were, were what made the USGA and R&A say, "This is going to get even more out of hand." Seeing someone wield a broomstick to putt at Augusta National of all places was probably the last straw.

And I remember when Adam won the Valero Texas Open a few years ago. He still used the standard length putter and had a 3-5 foot putt on the last to seal his win, and he missed it badly. He still won it, but it was an awful attempt to win a tournament. A few years later with the long putter, he sunk 2 much longer putts at critical stages at a much more prestigious event.

You're right on COG. If Adam Scott misses that 4 footer he had for par in sudden death, this is not even an issue, but unlike that win in TX, he proved that the long putter isn't going to turn you into a world class putter, it's going to help make the ones you usually miss a lot easier to hit. It takes the nerves out of the equation. It's the same story and people still aren't getting it... you don't become a lights out putter... you make 3 or 4 of the yippy putts that you used to miss and now you're significant. Never seen a good putter switch to the long putter for no reason. You switch because you are a non-factor and need a last ditch effort.

It's just a issue with a few over paid pro golfers who can't putt under pressure. What a bunch of babies as the LPGA tour is fine with the change. I have yet to see a golfer using a anchored putter ever and I've been playing for years.

A great article (actually before Tuesday's official announcement.)

http://online.wsj.com/article/..

Ummm, the NFL did that in 1973 after playing with it on the goal line since the beginning of pro football (50+ years).

I keep hearing/seeing people bring up "back issue" as a reason they shouldn't have banned the anchored stroke. The long putter wasn't banned, so you can still use it. You can still stand completely upright and putt...so the back issue reason isn't valid.

Right on and any lawsuit by Tim Clarke etc will be thrown out.

I agree this one is a red herring for the reason given and two others.

1. Most folks have been using the belly putter rather than the long putter. With the belly putter you bend over just like you do with the standard length putter, so no back help there.

2. While I can personally attest that switching to the broomstick technique of putting is a BIG change from the shoulder rocking technique most players use, I can personally attest that going from a sternum anchor to the allowed butt end suspended away from the body position is no big deal.

Of course you have Jay -- me. Took it up totally on a whim having won a long putter in a tournament.

Well said Jay. You will still get a nonstop argument from the one that doesn't think there is any valid reason to ban them. They are banned in 2016! Deal with the ruling. It is a good ruling for golf and the PGA.

The rule could have included a grandfather clause for the players who have been using the long putter for more than two years.

The reason they gave was that they wanted the rules to affect everyone instead of playing different rules for certain players.

It may not be fair.....but it will be the rule on 1/1/2016.

Mark, my responses are only related to the Pros. I have said many times before that Joe Sixpack amateur should ignore this. None of my responses are putting down you or any other amateur who doesn't make a living at this game. I strictly think its a sham for Pros to benefit from it.

Whether you stunk at putting or won it really is never part of my arguement and shouldn't be taken that way. The Pros need to deal with it. Unless you plan on competing in a USGA Amateur event, I say keep using it. Just an opinion though.

Trying to take the high road on many of my responses to not offend Mark but I can say with a good degree of certainty I will not assume to "know" why you switched because I obviously don't "know" you the way I used to.