Joint Press Conference R&A/USGA tomorrow

[Chris Roselle]

  Seeing a lot of stuff on twitter about the R&A and the USGA holding a joint press conference tomorrow...Dawson, Mike Davis, David Rickman and Thomas Pagel...I wonder what that could be about?

[Martin Toal]

  Seeing a lot of stuff on twitter about the R&A and the USGA holding a joint press conference tomorrow...Dawson, Mike Davis, David Rickman and Thomas Pagel...I wonder what that could be about?

Obviously to address the GCA thread on the brutalisation of The Old Lady.

[jeffwarne]

They just completed a 20 year study.
Despite no anecdotal eveidence, it turns out the ball does indeed go 10% farher with elite players, and they're going to shorten putters to combat it.

Perhaps they should REQUIRE anchoring for tee shots only.

[Howard Riefs]

From WSJ's John Paul Newport...

On Wednesday the U.S. Golf Association is expected to announce its much-anticipated decision on whether to ban anchored putting. This would affect belly-length models pressed into the stomach and the longer broomstick versions held against the chest. For the long-term good of the game, it should ban anchored putting outright, as most golf insiders believe that it will, even though the move will make many golfers angry.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324469304578143572437931556.html?KEYWORDS=john+paul+newport#articleTabs=article

[Ed Brzezowski]

Good bye anchoring, long overdue.

[Adam Clayman]

Good bye anchoring, long overdue.

Anchoring is not in the rules.

How do you say goodbye to something not in the rules.

How bout that statement of principles from 2002?

Great job.

Martin, go back to bed.

[Ed Brzezowski]

even the stymie died after careful consideration.

[Rich Goodale]

They just completed a 20 year study.
Despite no anecdotal eveidence, it turns out the ball does indeed go 10% farher with elite players, and they're going to shorten putters to combat it.

Perhaps they should REQUIRE anchoring for tee shots only.

I like this idea, Jeff!  My turn these days is so minimalist anchoring would not affect me at all.

[Jud_T]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9WDsgCIroE

[Ben Sims]

Shrewd men playing hardball.  Look at the left hand, while the right hand does another.  What a perfect diversion for Mr. Dawson if indeed this announcement is about anchored putters.  He would be acquiescing to the ideological base on one issue, while slapping them in the face with another.  For the first time, I am worried about golf's future with these men at the helm.

[Mark Johnson]

the interesting part will be how the changes will be implemented?

My guess is that it is somewhat similar to the changes for grooves.

My guess is there will be 2 dates -- 1 for pros and 1 for top level amateurs.

I will be curious whether they impact organized club play.

While I am against anchoring for pros, I am passionate that it needs to stay at the local level to keep players in the game.

[Mark Pearce]

While I am against anchoring for pros, I am passionate that it needs to stay at the local level to keep players in the game.

Before long handled putters, how many players gave up the game because of putting problems?  How many long handled putters do you see among club golfers (I don't know anyone who has one)?  If a ban on manufacture of new long handled putters was implemented and a back stop date, say 5 years from now, for use was introduced, do you really believe that a significant number of users would give up the game rather than find another way, as they would have done before the long handled putter appeared?

[Mark Johnson]

While I am against anchoring for pros, I am passionate that it needs to stay at the local level to keep players in the game.

Before long handled putters, how many players gave up the game because of putting problems?  How many long handled putters do you see among club golfers (I don't know anyone who has one)?  If a ban on manufacture of new long handled putters was implemented and a back stop date, say 5 years from now, for use was introduced, do you really believe that a significant number of users would give up the game rather than find another way, as they would have done before the long handled putter appeared?

yes.

At my club,  I can name 6-8 guys off the top of my head (mostly 70+) who used to play 3-5x a week and then pretty much gave the game up playing maybe once a month.   When the belly putters came out, they are back to playing almost daily.

For them, golf wasnt fun for them anymore because of their shaky hands.   I am sure they arent alone.

[David Davis]

Yes indeed, nice diversion tactics. This whole think just is getting worse and worse. Glad I'm not a anchoring as we can kiss that goodbye.

Strange when they could of just put a maximum length restriction on clubs and had the same effect. This will cause so much controversy they will get away with butchering the Old Course. I wonder if repercussions will include lawsuits from players that ban together to claim lost income, perfectly feasible in my mind. I wish I was a lawyer, I'd start on that one right now.

I wonder if any of these types of things could eventually cause so much trouble that it lead to a downfall of the R&A or at least significant changes in it's structure/power?

Just a thought, I could be way off....

[Ulrich Mayring]

My understanding is that anchoring is the only way to putt for those affected by the Yips. So we are driving at least those players out of the game.

But perhaps I'm underestimating the R&A and USGA. Maybe they thought of the Yipsers and have an alternative for them to keep playing.

Ulrich

[Mark Pearce]

Ulrich (and Mark),

Bernhard Langer managed before the long putter.  As did others.  The long putter may be the easiest way to deal with the yips but it isn't the only one.

[jeffwarne]

My understanding is that anchoring is the only way to putt for those affected by the Yips. So we are driving at least those players out of the game.

But perhaps I'm underestimating the R&A and USGA. Maybe they thought of the Yipsers and have an alternative for them to keep playing.

Ulrich

USGA and R&A checklist

developing at great expense and technology  a ball that spins less and goes disproportionately farther in the hands of a high clubhead speed expert, while retaining spin and control around the green, thus altering architectural intent and resulting in defacing thousands of classic courses, while greatly slowing the time it takes to walk and play the game-------OK

Developing agronomy  practices at great expense that increase the cost of maintenance, rendeingr many classic greens unputtable and resulting in the defacing of many classic greens-OK

Innovating a TECHNIQUE which helps some people arguably  to putt better, resulting in no changes to any golf shrine--not OK

[Michael Herrmann]

While I am against anchoring for pros, I am passionate that it needs to stay at the local level to keep players in the game.

I find myself feeling the same way and look no further than my dad as a good example.  Not only does he (age 65 and has fought yips for 10+ years) use a belly putter, but he also uses a Sergio-like claw grip as well.  And he would be the first to admit that his stroke still has variances day to day and hole to hole.  However, his use of the belly putter for the last 8 or so years has certainly helped contribute to his continued enjoyment and passion for the game.

Will he actually play less golf if he has to go to a non-anchored stroke?  I’m thinking probably not.  Will his enjoyment of the game suffer?  I think probably yes.

On the pro side though, I do like what I’ve read and heard from someone like Brandt Snedeker.  When $1MM is on the line on a Sunday afternoon, I want to see how a pro’s hands/arms/nerves respond to that pressure without the assistance of a fulcrum point.

[Ronald Montesano]

"I want to see how a pro’s hands/arms/nerves respond to that pressure without the assistance of a fulcrum point."

Sorry, new guy, but this argument could be made time eternal about many aspects of golf that the USGA has chosen not to address. Fulcrum point does not steady the nerves. Beta blockers, perhaps, but not fulcrum point.

[JSlonis]

My understanding is that anchoring is the only way to putt for those affected by the Yips. So we are driving at least those players out of the game.

But perhaps I'm underestimating the R&A and USGA. Maybe they thought of the Yipsers and have an alternative for them to keep playing.

Ulrich

That's incorrect.  The "claw" type grip works very well for many guys who suffer from the yips. I play mostly competitive golf and have putted with a long putter for the past 18 years. A couple months ago I started messing around with a short putter using the "pencil" grip in my right hand. I had good success with the method and changed to it after a week of practice.  I can get by without anchoring anymore and I'd expect a lot of others could as well, if need be.

Even though I switched back to the short putter, I still don't agree at all with any type of ban for the belly or long putter methods.  The long putter has been around for too long with too many people using them at this point.  The ruling bodies have many other issues they should be looking at instead of this anchoring crap. At the highest level of play, we ALL know that the issue is THE BALL, THE BALL, THE BALL!

The time has come for bifurcation.  In my view of the game, there is no way that the overall games of the top level of players should have the overwhelming affect that it does on the rest of the golfing public.  Far too much attention is paid to the type of game these guys are now playing.  It just isn't reality for the 95% of all other people who enjoy this game and the ruling bodies are ruining courses, driving up costs, and now limiting the method of play that so many people enjoy. It simply makes no sense.

I'd argue that the silly "groove" rule that was also implemented oddly has had nearly zero effect on the play of skilled players. I don't know one single top level golfer that would say it has had any effect or changed their game in any way. It's simply been a non factor. The implementation of that rule created a period of bifurcation without the USGA really calling it that.

[Ed Brzezowski]

"I want to see how a pro’s hands/arms/nerves respond to that pressure without the assistance of a fulcrum point."

Sorry, new guy, but this argument could be made time eternal about many aspects of golf that the USGA has chosen not to address. Fulcrum point does not steady the nerves. Beta blockers, perhaps, but not fulcrum point.

You leave those of us on beta blockers alone, I love playing ' juiced".

[Tim_Cronin]

My understanding is that anchoring is the only way to putt for those affected by the Yips. So we are driving at least those players out of the game.

But perhaps I'm underestimating the R&A and USGA. Maybe they thought of the Yipsers and have an alternative for them to keep playing.

Ulrich

USGA and R&A checklist

developing at great expense and technology  a ball that spins less and goes disproportionately farther in the hands of a high clubhead speed expert, while retaining spin and control around the green, thus altering architectural intent and resulting in defacing thousands of classic courses, while greatly slowing the time it takes to walk and play the game-------OK

Developing agronomy  practices at great expense that increase the cost of maintenance, rendeingr many classic greens unputtable and resulting in the defacing of many classic greens-OK

Innovating a TECHNIQUE which helps some people arguably  to putt better, resulting in no changes to any golf shrine--not OK

Exactly.

[David_Elvins]

From talking to some people, as I understand things, Mike Davis is pretty miffed that he has not been consulted on the changes at the old course.  Expect him to announce a few ideas during the press conference.

[Jud_T]

If they are doing Q&A it would be great if someone broached the subject of the work at TOC...

[Mark McKeever]

If they are doing Q&A it would be great if someone broached the subject of the work at TOC...

Fingers crossed!!

Mark