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Xander Schauffele has revealed that he has switched to an arm-lock putter… despite insisting that the practise should be BANNED! 

The world No.5, who carded a four-under 68 in the opening round of this week’s Memorial Tournament, made the change a little over a week ago.

Matt Kuchar, Bryson DeChambeau and Webb Simpson are amongst already using the technique, which has under some scrutiny for its similarities to anchoring (itself, banned under the Rules of Golf since 2016).

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Schauffele’s logic? If you can’t beat them, join them.

“I am for banning the arm-lock putters but if everyone else is going to use it and I feel like they have a bigger advantage, I may as well do the same,” said the American.

“You could say it’s anchored. I don’t know because I guess anchored is having one point against somewhere and a fixed point. I know that’s not fixed but it’s something similar to an anchor style.

He added: “It’s just, it’s better, it’s easier, it’s more consistent,” said the American. “My coach Derek Uyeda and I work a lot on start lines and making sure the ball’s doing what we think it’s doing.

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“It takes the stress of putting out of the game. Putting is so stressful. Obviously hitting shots and chipping and all kinds of stuff are difficult, but your putts are what give you the score on the card. It’s ruined people’s careers and it’s helped people’s careers. And so I think putting is an art in our game, and when you can lock it into your arm or anchor it to your body, it kind of gets rid of that.

“The fact that it’s anchored to your arm, there isn’t a whole lot of you can flinch in your hands, but you can’t flinch your entire left arm, so that’s the process behind that.”


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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

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