Anchored Strokes Are Dead

Rule 14-1b is the rule that will prohibit golfers in the USGA to use anchored strokes when putting. Anchored strokes were once seen as the biggest heresy in the game of golf. Professionals assumed that no one would ever take an anchored, and elitists assumed that no one would win using an anchored stroke. Ernie Els was just the first person to prove them wrong, and professionals began teaching anchored strokes to young players. Rules changes have made people betting on golf change their mind on more than one occasion. This article explores by Rule 14-1b could be a terrible move for a game that is already seen as elitist.

Tiger Woods’ Popularity Is Fading

Tiger Woods made the game of golf accessible to everyone in the world. Tiger’s rise to prominence was a story that anyone could relate to, and many youngsters began choosing golf over other sports. The game has a complicated rulebook, but the rulebook gets more complicated with the many styles of anchored stroke prohibited. There are some exceptions that are hard to understand, and players at local courses could be embroiled in scandal what is a simple stroke of the ball.

Kids Are Learning Anchored Strokes

Kids have been taught anchored strokes by club professionals, and the anchored stroke’s death will change the way all these kids have been taught to play. A kid who began learning to play from a club pro must change their method immediately if they wish to play in sponsored events. The anchored stroke could cause quite a bit of trouble for kids and their parents.

Signing Scorecards

Scorecards are used when players want to qualify for various events in the lower levels of the USGA. Kids around the country often play alone because they have no way of putting together a group to play with. These kids may not sign solo scorecards anymore, and many of these children will not be allowed to make golf a priority. A game that should be working on being inclusive is changing its rule to become more exclusive.

Recent rule changes by the USGA will make play much more complicated for professionals and students alike. A child who has been in golf lessons with a golf pro may need to change their swing as if they are Tiger Woods, and a professional who uses an anchor stroke could have a very bad season as they change their style. The anchored stroke is dead, but the controversy is not.