Grass-roots golfers favour anchor ban

Golf Datatech survey reveals 60% want controversial practice outlawed

Brad behaviour: Golfers are in favour of seeing anchoring – favoured by the likes of Keegan Bradley – being banned

A survey has revealed that grass-roots golfers are broadly in favour of a proposed ban to outlaw anchoring, even though they do not feel that they will be greatly impacted by any change to the rule.

The poll, carried out by Golf Datatech, the golf industry’s leading independent research firm for consumer, trade and retail golf trends, surveyed 1,766 golfers drawn from the company’s exclusive ‘Serious Golf Database’, who play an average of 68 rounds per year with an average handicap of 14.3.

The results revealed that:

• Among the respondents who had an opinion about whether or not anchoring the putter makes it easier to putt, 45% feel that anchoring the putter makes it easier to putt; 55% believe anchoring the putter does not make it easier.

• 60% of respondents believe that the governing bodies of golf should ban the anchoring of clubs to the body, while 40% believe they should not.

• 62% of respondents do not believe the anchoring ban will cause some amateur golfers to enjoy the game less.

• If the proposed rule is enforced in 2016, 31% of current long putter users will continue to anchor their putter, while 31% will not anchor against their body and 38% will switch to a conventional putter.

“This is such an explosive topic in golf that we felt the industry needed a benchmark for evaluating the opinion of the game’s most avid players,” said John Krzynowek, Partner, Golf Datatech.

“On a practical level, the proposed ruling on anchoring putters has minimal impact on most amateur golfers, as only 5% use a long putter, and the majority of serious golfers don’t believe long putters aid in the putting process.

“Overall, however, the debate over long putters has far more to do with a few elite professional players and less to do with the game as played by the average golfer.”

The survey was carried out to evaluate the reaction of ‘serious golfers’ to the proposal by the R&A and USGA to prohibit the practice of anchoring clubs to your body, particularly when putting.

If approved, the proposal will become an enforceable rule when the next edition of the quadrennial ‘Rules of Golf’ is published in 2016.

Anchoring has become a proverbial hot potato in golf ever since Keegan Bradley became the first male golfer to win a major doing so. Since then, Webb Simpson and Ernie Els have given the practice further credibility by winning the US Open and Open titles respectively in 2012, again whilst anchoring.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor