Adam Scott, who won last month’s Masters, uses a long or belly putter.
Long putters beware.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced Tuesday that it was amending the official Rules of Golf. Starting on Jan. 1, 2016, it will be illegal to anchor the club to make a stroke.
The new rule, 14-1b, says that a player using a long putter cannot hold the end of the club against his body while putting. The long putters are still legal clubs, as long as the rule is adhered to.
“Rule 14-1b protects one of the important challenges in the game, the free swing of the entire club,” said USGA president Glen Nager. “The traditional stroke involves swinging the club with both the club and gripping hands held away from the body, requiring the player to direct and control the movement of the entire club.”
You might be thinking to yourself, ‘Nice story on a slow news day.’ However, four of the last six major winners used an anchored stroke, including Adam Scott as last month’s Masters tournament.
