Beware the belly. It can be used as a weapon!

Keegan Bradley, the first to win a major with a belly putter at the 2011 PGA Championship, along with Webb Simpson, who won the U.S. Open earlier this summer with the same type of putter, have unfortunately become targets in the forthcoming anchoring ban–announced by the USGA and R&A earlier this week.

However, the rule will not go into effect until 2016. As of now, it is still legal for players to use belly putters and long putters. This three-year grace period was bound to cause problems. (Shock!) I didn’t anticipate incidents so early, but unfortunately, Keegan was heckled by a fan on the last hole on Saturday at the World Challenge. (continue reading…)

Keegan to USGA: Fine, I'll deal with it.

On the eve of the joint teleconference by the USGA and R&A on Wednesday morning from 8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. (EST), it’s widely purported that golf’s governing bodies will announce that the decision has been made to ban “anchoring,” aka the putting method used with belly and broomstick putters. Which allegedly will not go into effect until 2016 (because the USGA reviews the Rules of Golf every four years, don’t ask me why).

The short of it via industry chatter and insiders: Anchoring against the fulcrum (body) will be illegal, but golfers will still be allowed to anchor the putter against the arm — a la Matt Kuchar. You can use a long putter as long as it isn’t propped or wedged against a part of the body. The actual wording of the rule will be interesting because of the gray area that comes up in this game and the potential lawsuits. (continue reading…)