Bodies to do 'right thing' over putters

Golf’s governing bodies were too slow to act on legislating anchored putting strokes but are now determined to “do the right thing,” according to R&A chief executive Peter Dawson.

The R&A and USGA’s proposed ban would come into effect in 2016 and although the European Tour has voiced its support, the PGA Tour and PGA of America have opposed it, opening up the possibility of different rules applying in different events.

Long putters have been used since the 1980s, most often helping to prolong the careers of older players. Bernhard Langer famously resorted to using one after suffering badly from the “yips”.

However, Adam Scott’s victory in the US Masters this month means four of the last six majors have now been won by players using long putters, while 14-year-old Guan Tianlang used one at Augusta.

“I know many will say we were late doing this and that is unarguably true,” Dawson said. “But we did react to an upsurge in the use of these anchored strokes and one might say it’s never too late to try to do the right thing.”

Players who currently use long or belly putters have talked of possible legal action if the ban comes into force, but Dawson said: “Threats of legal action don’t affect rule-making, that’s done on what the rules people consider is the best interests of the future of the game.

“The relationship between the R&A and USGA is at an all-time high.”

The PGA Tour runs the lucrative American circuit and plays a dominant role in staging World Golf Championship events. Traditionally they adopt the rules of golf as determined by the R&A and USGA, who run the Open Championship and US Open respectively, while the PGA of America organises the US PGA Championship and American Ryder Cup team.

Dawson added: “The last thing the governing bodies want to do is be party to any kind of schism in the game. We hope that there will be one set of rules and we have to get this resolved quickly.

“The European Tour has said we are rules followers not rules makers and I would like to think the professional game in the US would have the same attitude.”