Governing bodies to announce long-awaited rule change on putters

Golf’s governing bodies are today expected to announce a significant rules change regarding putters, specifically whether players will be allowed to anchor the club to their body during the stroke.

For months, the US Golf Association and the R&A — which administers the game outside of the US and Mexico — have been mulling a change to the rules that would prohibit anchoring the club, a practice that has become more common with long putters and belly putters. If such a rule is proposed or enacted, it likely would not go into effect until 2016, when golf’s rule book could be updated.

USGA executive director Mike Davis and R&A chief executive Peter Dawson had both promised some direction on the rule by the end of the year. Although long putters have been around for decades, the issue has taken on more importance of late, especially with three of the past five Major champions using a belly putter.