Debate over controversial golf rule reignites at DP World Tour event

Dan Bradbury is celebrating his second DP World Tour title after a one-shot win the Open de France – but it’s caused an almighty storm in the unforgiving world of social media.

The Englishman two-putted Le Golf National’s notorious 18th green to post a final score of 16-under par and edge Thorbjorn Olesen, Yannik Paul, Sam Bairstow and Jeff Winther into a four-way tie for second.

But it was what was in Bradbury’s hands that has riled up some critics.

Bradbury, who hails from Wakefield in Yorkshire, was using a broom handle-style putter in France, and this led to a number of claims that he was anchoring.

The calls were led by American journalist Matt Vincenzi, who posted a photo of Bradbury with a caption: “If this isn’t anchoring, I don’t know what is.”

He also tagged the DP World Tour, adding: “Is it a rule, or is it not a rule?”

If this isn’t anchoring, I don’t know what is @DPWorldTour. Is it a rule, or is it not a rule? https://t.co/NNv7vdpInX

— Matt Vincenzi (@MattVincenziPGA) October 13, 2024

Many defended Bradbury, saying the handle of the putter was simply “against the shirt”, while others said we need to “trust the players’ integrity” in these situations.

One thing many agree on, though, is that the rule is a massive grey area and something needs to change in that respect.

And if anchoring was banned because of its advantage then it’s very difficult to tell here whether or not Dan is getting that advantage. Of course we have player integrity but the difference between legal/illegal here is so minute that the rule becomes a nonsense.

— EatandSleepGolf (@EatandSleepGolf) October 13, 2024

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So what is the anchoring in golf rule?

Anchoring was outlawed in the 2016 update to the Rules of Golf.

Rule 10.1b – Anchoring the Club – says: “In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club either directly, by holding the club or a gripping hand against any part of the body (except that the player may hold the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm); or indirectly, through use of an ‘anchor point’, by holding a forearm against any part of the body to use a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club.”

It adds: “If the player’s club, gripping hand, or forearm merely touches their body or clothing during the stroke, without being held against the body, there is no breach of this Rule.”

In short it means a player can rest their putter grip against their forearm – which is deemed to be the part of the arm below the elbow joint and includes the wrist” – but cannot plant it into any part of their torso, including their stomach or their chest.

The penalty for breaching this rule is two shots in stroke play and loss of hole in match play.