Top Aussie Adam Scott has again slammed golf’s ruling bodies declaring they are acting on a whim if they go ahead and ban anchoring of the belly or long-handled putter.
Suggestions a ban will be put in force has infuriated Scott and plenty of his colleagues including South African Tim Clark, Sweden’s Carl Pettersen and double Augusta winning Bernhard Langer.
And former US PGA champion, Keegan Bradley was labeled a ‘cheat’ for using the belly putter.
Scott used the long-handled putter in finishing runner-up last year to close friend, Ernie Els who tucked the belly putter into his stomach and capture a second Open Championship.
Aussie Adam Scott delivers another salvo at golf’s ruling bodies.
Submissions on a proposed anchoring ban closed at the end of last month but with the PGA Tour and the PGA of America, as organiser of the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup, openly against any anchoring ban.
Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA, travelled to Scotland last week to meet with his R & A counterpart, Peter Dawson and with a decision on any ban expected in coming weeks.
The PGA Tour’s stance was based on a PGA Tour Players Advisory Board vote of 17-2 against the ban, and the issue is sure to high on the agenda of the Advisory Board when it meets tomorrow (TUES) here in Orlando ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
However Scott’s now calling for any ban to be rescinded and criticizing golf’s two ruling bodies as acting on a whim.
“I would suggest the PGA Tour and PGA of America stick to its guns and demands any ban be rescinded,” said Scott.
“There just seems to be no logic to the whole issue and golf’s ruling bodies are going about this whole issue on a whim. There are no arguments for the banning of any anchoring based on any facts, and is being undertaken just on the opinions of those across running golf around the world.
“There also seems to be a lot of arrogance on the part of those managing this issue and it’s as though they are acting as gods and not governing.”
However if the ban were put in place, Scott says there should be a ‘competition’ or ‘grandfather’ clause added to the rule.
“The only way going forward as I see it if they go ahead with the ban, is that there will be an ‘in competition’ rule for the professionals allowing anchoring of the club through the rest of their career,” said Scott.
“And I would say that the last option that I would be satisfied with is that’s to introduce this ‘grandfather’ clause that would mean in all pro Tour competition players who are currently using the belly or long-handled putter be allowed to continue to use the putter until the end of their careers.
“A ‘grandfather’ clause would be the last available option that I would be pleased with, and that rule would have to apply in The Open Championship, the US Open, the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup.
“I don’t have a problem with Mike Davis or Peter Dawson but I do have a problem with the manner their organisations are going about this. And I still like to have respect for the two organisations but I just differ in the way I see this issue unfolding.
“I am trying to base everything I say on truth, fact and logic and that seems to be the right way, being objective. I would hope also that I would have the same opinion if I was putting with a short putter. And that is so different to simply throwing the balls up in the air to wait and see and that’s they way they seem to be going about it.
“And I think my opinion in this matter is just as important as the USGA, the R & A, Jack Nicklaus, Ernie Els or anyone.”
