Another Major goes by and another is won by a player using
the long or belly putter. That’s Keegan and Webb, both “young guns” using the
ugly weapon. There’s no question
in my mind it’s not pure, but it is also not against the rules. It takes some
digging in the lengthy Rules of Golf to find even where the long putter could
be covered. It seems that Rule 14-3 covers it and here’s what that says:
“14-3. Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment And Unusual Use
Of Equipment
The USGA reserves the right, at any time, to change
the Rules relating
to artificial devices, unusual equipment and
the unusual use of equipment,
and to make or change the interpretations relating to these Rules.
Except as provided in the Rules,
during a stipulated
round the player must not use any artificial device or
unusual equipment,
or use any equipment in
an unusual manner:
a. That might assist him in making a stroke or
in his play; or
b. For the purpose of gauging or measuring distance or
conditions that might affect his play; or
c. That might assist him in gripping the club”
The word “anchoring” is nowhere to be found in the official
rule book, which for those of you who have not read it, is just slightly more
complicated than nuclear physics! It’s only a matter of time before that
changes and following the recent majors victories both Messrs Dawson (R &
A) and Davis (USGA) have stated they are investigating the situation. My
interpretation of the rule is that the equipment is used in an “unusual manner”
and this “assists in gripping the club”.
The R & A and the USGA reviews the rules every few years and
this review would mean that no change is likely to be enforced until 2016 and
possibly in recreational play not at all. Pure, unquestionably no, but legal until
the governing rules bodies rule otherwise. Meanwhile, I’ll stick to my Bullseye
la Femme, which at 33 inches is just perfect!
