Golf storm

[AtW]

R&A set to reveal start date for controversial ban on belly putters

"The Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St Andrews and the United States Golf Association are expected to ban anchored putting strokes on Tuesday.

Peter Dawson, the R&A's chief executive, and the ruling body's executive director of rules and equipment, David Rickman, will make an announcement at Wentworth at 1pm. It is understood they will explain how and when the controversial proposal to outlaw anchored strokes – commonly used with long-handled or belly putters – will work.

The suggested start date for a ban is February 2016. In order to placate dissenting voices, there is a chance – albeit a small one – that the phasing in of the rule may be altered. During consultations there was outspoken criticism of the plans from leading professionals, plus the PGA Tour and PGA of America.

If the proposal becomes law, those bodies must decide whether to accept it or break away and play to their own rules. The European Tour will be supportive of the R&A and USGA's plan."

Source: R&A set to reveal start date for controversial ban on belly putters | Sport | The Guardian

[shaunbhoy]

The game of Golf has been allowed to go down the toilets for years. Ever since woods higher than a 4 wood, chipping putters, and drivers with faces as big as table-tennis bats were introduced to help out women golfers and hordes of bumbly hackers, it has been a slippery slope.
Back to basics I say, where raw talent sorts the wheat from the chaff. Better that than endless gimmicky manufactured implements to make up for the fact that many golfers just have very little talent.