Adam Scott plans to keep the broomhandle. (Reuters)

As expected, the USGA and R&A availed of this morning’s conference call with journalists to confirm their amendment of rule 14-1b to prohibit the anchored putting stroke. The announcement brings to an end what the official statement describes as an “extensive review” of the issue, during which comments from various dissenting parties and interest groups — among them the PGA Tour and PGA of America — were considered at length.

Join us below the line for a breakdown of the rule change itself, plus quotes and reaction from the saga’s chief protagonists (except for Carl Petterson; he needs a few days to process things, apparently).

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Paddy Power

Padraig Harrington, one of the most prolific tinkerers in the game, played with a belly putter for the first time in a competitive round at the Wells Fargo Championship. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the best day, shooting an opening 80, which included 32 putts.

While Harrington thinks the anchored stroke should be banned, he’s using the belly putter because he thinks it’s helping him stroke it better. Which is intriguing coming from the three-time major champion and R&A ambassador because it basically strengthens the argument for the USGA and R&A’s looming ban that is expected to be announced later this month. (continue reading…)

The Drop

The USGA and R&A issued a statement on Wednesday explaining the ruling that saved Tiger Woods from disqualification at the Masters for taking an illegal drop. Basically, the governing bodies clarified that it will not serve as a precedent for waiving the penalty (disqualification) for signing an incorrect scorecard (see below under “Scope of Committee Discretion to Waive a Penalty of Disqualification for Failure to Return Correct Score”).

Pros (and amateur competitors) must still make sure they return an accurate score, so you can’t pull a “Tiger” – who was extended a lifeline because Fred Ridley, Masters tournament competition committee chairman, made an “erroneous” application of the rule. I know, darn it!

Here is the statement in full: (continue reading…)

The most famous improper drop in history

Fantastic reporting by SI’s Michael Bamberger on the series of events that led to the Tiger Woods rules snafu on the 15th hole in the second round of the Masters last month. Turns out the “television viewer” that called Fred Ridley, the tournament’s competition committee chairman — and ultimately saved Woods’ from disqualification for taking an improper drop — was Champions Tour player David Eger, according to Bamberger: (continue reading…)

Finchem: Let’s create a clusterf*ck

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem interrupted the final match of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship to announce that the Tour is officially protesting the proposed rule to ban anchored putters. Earlier in the week, the Player Advisory Council and Policy Board convened to discuss the issue and the majority were against the rule change, and those who were initially for the ban were swayed to alter their position.

Now this is a big deal — the Tour openly defying golf’s governing bodies, which will most likely result in a chaotic mess, as I wrote earlier this weekend. (continue reading…)

Part-time pro golfer and Policy Board Member Steve Stricker opposes the anchoring ban

On the final day of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, the semifinal and finals matches won’t necessarily dominate the headlines and the discussion. Instead, the announcement PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem is expected to make on Sunday will likely overshadow the actual golf.

In two meetings this week 15-member Players Advisory Council and the nine-member Tour Policy Board to thrash out the Tour’s stance on the USGA’s and R&A’s proposed ban on anchored putters, the majority of the players want the Tour brass to ask golf’s governing bodies to back off the rule change. And Finchem, who knows the “game” as well as anyone, will appear on Sunday’s broadcast to inform the world of the Tour’s objection, according to Sports Illustrated’s Michael Bamberger.

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Image via watoday.com.au

Yep, it’s the week of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, which means it’s that time again! — the “mandatory” players’ meeting historically takes place on-site on Tuesday evening. Longtime WUP readers know that I have fervidly covered the annual event, though it’s always been from NYC or Florida. See here, here, and here.

Well, I’m actually on-site this time, where the vibe at the golf course has been energetic and spirited.

Although it’s the fourth event on the PGA Tour calendar — and no offense to the first three, which I’ve covered with love for the past three years and enjoy thoroughly — but this feels more like the start of the season. Maybe because most of the “big names are in the field, like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. (I know others will argue it doesn’t start until the Masters.) But I digress.

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In the wake of the USGA and R&A announcement on Wednesday, I surveyed a bunch of players at Q-school for SI/Golf.com and asked them if they were for or against the anchoring ban. Golf.com’s Mike Walker made the pretty graphic above. (continue reading…)

Bradley, the first player to win a major with a belly putter, eyes the imminent anchoring ban...with respectful distaste

The anchoring ban controversy elicits strong reactions. It pits a group of people who favor one school of thought against another faction who are set in their view on the issue. (Of course there are some who are indifferent because they say it doesn’t effect them one way or the other but that’s kind of missing the point.)

Now I’m sure you haven’t heard or watched or talked about this imminent new rule that will prohibit the anchoring of a club to the body. Trust me, I am dreading 3-4 more years of this, and more importantly, it’s taken away attention away from the multitude of interesting storylines at Q-school (that I have saved yet not enough hours in the day to write and post). That said, after this, I’m putting a hold on all things anchoring — with exceptions, like if it involves opinions of players at Q-school or if Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley picket outside Sherwood Country Club. (continue reading…)

As expected, the USGA and the R&A proposed a new rule that would ban anchoring of the club, most applicably the putter, to the body when making a stroke on Wednesday morning in a joint teleconference (see below for video aired on Golf Channel).

While golf’s governing bodies call it a “proposal,” it’s pretty much been decided that the rule will be implemented — but of course, to cover their bases, there will be a 90-day thorough review, so the members of the USGA and R&A rules committees can hear every side to every argument possible (as if this hasn’t been discussed enough) before the next approval in Spring of 2013. (continue reading…)