PGA Tour to Adopt Anchor Ban
On Monday, the PGA Tour Policy Board acknowledged and accepted the USGA’s ban on anchored putting. Rule 14-1b will take effect on January 1, 2016, the same day that both the USGA and R&A put the rule into effect as well.
Under the new rule, golfers will no longer be allowed to “anchor” the putter to their bodies in any way. The longer putters will not be banned but once the new rule takes effect, they will not allowed to anchored on any part of the golfer’s body.
“In making its decision, the Policy Board recognized that there are still varying opinions among our membership, but ultimately concluded that while it is an important issue, a ban on anchored strokes would not fundamentally affect a strong presentation of our competitions or the overall success of the PGA TOUR,” PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement released Monday. “The Board also was of the opinion that having a single set of rules on acceptable strokes applicable to all professional competitions worldwide was desirable and would avoid confusion.”
The ban will affect approximately 18 percent of the players currently playing on the PGA Tour. Included in that group are four of the last seven major winners in Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Adam Scott, and Jupiter resident Ernie Els.
In addition to the Tour, the PGA of America also agreed to adopt the rule meaning that all governing bodies of the game of golf will bring the new rule into play on January 1, 2016 at all levels of the game.
For more information on the new rule and to read the full PGA Tour statement, visit www.pgatour.com.
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