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With the start of 2016 signalling a ban on anchored putting with severe consequences in place for players who breach the rules, Bernd Wiesberger saw the lighter side of the changes with a humourous Instagram post.

The Ryder Cup hopeful, who won the French Open on the European Tour last season, spent the New Year back in his native Austria and, with significant amounts of snow outside, posted this picture of a broomstick with this caption.

Bernd Wiesberger

“Thankfully #broomsticks are still allowed on brooms after 1.1.2016! With a 35″ broom would this would have taken way longer… #snow.”

The decision to outlaw the anchoring technique was made by the R&A and USGA in May 2013 to incorporate the following: “In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club, either ‘directly’ or by use of an ‘anchor point’.”

However, the wide variety of putting techniques and grips have made the new regulations around anchoring a minefield of rule breaches that are just waiting to happen. And with severe penalties – a loss of the hole in matchplay, two strokes per hole in strokeplay – players can’t afford to be in any doubt as to what’s allowed and what’s not allowed.

Anchoring ban :: Read more

In the latest issue of bunkered (issue 144), Tuition Panel member Gavin Abson outlines what you can and can’t do from now on and remember, this isn’t an equipment ban, it’s only the way you use the putter that’s restricted.

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