Fighting the Good Fight

What's great about golf is that we grab a club, put it in our hands, put our best swing on it, and hope for the best.  We do not grab a club, proceed to shove it into our belly/chest and rock our chest back and through.  This is not a "stroke" or a "swing," at least in this writer's humble opinion.

In the words of Mike Davis at the USGA, "Throughout the 600-year history of golf, the essence of playing the game has been to grip the club with the hands and swing it freely at the ball.  The player’s challenge is to control the movement of the entire club in striking the ball, and anchoring the club alters the nature of that challenge. Our conclusion is that the Rules of Golf should be amended to preserve the traditional character of the golf swing by eliminating the growing practice of anchoring the club."   Couldn't have said it better myself. 

And then yesterday happened.  Commissioner Finchem's bizarre news conference yesterday during the finals of the World Golf Championship certainly muddied the waters a bit.  Passionate golfers on both sides of the argument are coming out of the woodwork, myself included.  

So we know now where everyone stands on the issue.  The USGA and R&A obviously want to ban anchoring.  The PGA Tour, or should I say more specifically, the Player Advisory Council (PAC), does not want the ban to take effect.  We also have Mark King, the CEO/King of Taylor Made, behemoth of equipment companies, coming out and saying that the would prefer if the R&A and USGA were "obselete."  Yikes.

The better question to ask one self is who out of the three parties listed above, likely puts the most genuine interest of the game at the forefront?  Let's briefly explore all three.

PGA Tour:

Their players live and die by their own success at the game. Knowing this, there is absolutely no chance they will ever limit something that makes the game easier or allows them another option to get the ball in the hole.   (Footnote:  Kudos to Geoff Ogilvy, Brandt Snedker and several others for arguing the counterpoint, outside of the PAC)

Equipment Companies:

They live and die by the success that the everyday golfer has with their products to either improve their game, or enhance their enjoyment of it. The anchored putter has long been sold as a product that will quell the notion of the yips, so it is unlikely that they are going to argue in favour of banning the anchored putter.  For them, the wider the range of allowable products to make the game more enjoyable, the better. 

Governing Bodies (R&A, USGA):

To paraphrase both mission statements of the R&A and USGA, their sole purpose is to act in the best interests of the game.  They are NOT acting in the best interests of the people who play golf, or retailers of golf equipment.  Their actions are intended to maintain the integrity of this great game.

I don't know about you, but when you lay it out like that, I'm siding with the governing bodies on this one.  Doesn't it just seem like a ludicrous argument after reading the above?  Is it just me?  Personally, it seems like a non-discussion.  And just because it has been allowed for 20+ years doesn't make it OK to not proceed with the ban.  You have to make the best decision for the game, irrelevant of the time that has passed.  It's never too late to make a good decision.

Stand your ground R&A and USGA.  I truly believe you have the best interests of the game at heart and I applaud you for your efforts in maintaining the integrity of the game.  Keep fighting the good fight.

Hit 'em well

- MG